Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, has passed an update to the Successful Adulthood Act, which assists Oklahomans aging out of the state's foster care system, through its first committee. House Bill 2361 adds several provisions to the Act to further assist those Oklahomans as they transition out of foster care into adulthood. It would add a requirement that a child who has been in foster care for at least six months and is about to age out must be provided with their educational transcripts, diplomas and professional certificates earned while under state custody, as well as information on how to obtain health insurance. Additionally, the measure would expand the ages of individuals who can access successful adulthood services after being released from custody due to the entry of an adoption decree or guardianship order. The current age range is 16 to 21, but under HB2361, that age range would be expanded from 14 to 21. "House Bill 2361 strengthens our commitment to helping young Oklahomans smoothly transition out of foster care," Hill said. "By expanding access to resources and ensuring they have the tools they need—like health insurance information, educational records and extended support services—we're empowering them to build stable futures. Every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive right here in Oklahoma, and House Bill 2361 means they won't have to navigate this major life change alone." Hill said the bill also includes a new provision modeled after the Sarah Stitt Act, which Hill passed in 2021, which requires the Department of Corrections (DOC) to provide people leaving incarceration with certain documents and identification. Under HB2361, someone in custody of the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) and has since turned 18 and will re-enter society must be provided with certain documentation before being released. Those documents would include an official or certified copy of the United States birth certificate, a social security card, a state-issued driver's license or identification card, any educational transcripts, diplomas, or professional certificates earned while in OJA custody, and information about how to obtain health insurance and personal medical records. "This new addition to the Successful Adulthood Act would ensure that young people leaving state custody have the documents they need to smoothly transition into adulthood and the workforce," Hill said. "By providing these resources, we can ensure they have a significantly stronger chance of securing housing, employment and education, which helps them become productive members of our society and valued members of our communities." HB2361 passed the House Children, Youth and Family Services Committee 5-0 and now proceeds to the House Health and Human Services Oversight Committee for consideration.
The House passed its first bill of the 60th legislative session today prohibiting the use of cell phones by students during the school day. The bill would require Oklahoma school boards to adopt policies prohibiting cell phone use on campus before the start of the next school year. Personal electronic devices, including smartwatches, are also included under the measure. Chairman of the House Appropriations Education Subcommittee Chad Caldwell authored House Bill 1276 to eliminate distractions in the classroom and improve student academic outcomes. "The research is clear – cell phone use among young students is not only bad for their mental health, but also hurts academic outcomes," said Caldwell, R-Enid. "To pass legislation this meaningful this early in session with overwhelming bipartisan support is a testament to how important this issue is. Our kids and teachers deserve a phone-free environment at school and we are well on our way to making that a reality." The legislation requires that any policy prohibiting cell phone use must also include a provision for emergency use, including items used for medical issues. The bill also leaves it up to the local district how it chooses to implement the cell phone ban. "This bill protects local control while also allowing kids to be kids and teachers to teach when at school," said House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. "I am proud that our caucus identified this as a priority before session and moved quickly to make this happen." Under HB1276, school boards could choose to allow student cell phone use but the policy must be approved annually. The bill passed the House floor with a vote of 82-9 and will now move to the Senate for further consideration.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Reps. Chris Banning, R-Bixby, Rob Hall, R-Tulsa, and Mark Tedford, R-Jenks, commented on the recent delay in releasing the state audit of Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) and its management of federal relief funds, calling for greater transparency. "I find it unfortunate and deeply frustrating that Tulsa Public Schools delayed the audit findings," Banning said. "I believe many legislators share this concern, and the public has been waiting for two years. They deserve answers and full transparency regarding how their tax dollars were used." The audit, initiated in 2022 at the request of Gov. Kevin Stitt, followed reports of potential financial mismanagement, including questionable expenses within the district's talent management department. Since then, the audit process has faced repeated delays. State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd stated that while her office completed the audit, TPS invoked Oklahoma Statute Title 70, Section 5-127.1, which allows school districts to withhold audit findings for up to two weeks. The report was originally scheduled for release on Tuesday. Hall, whose district includes TPS, commended Auditor Byrd’s work but questioned the district’s decision to postpone public access. "I appreciate State Auditor Byrd's work on financial transparency in Tulsa Public Schools," Hall said. "It's disappointing that while the audit findings will now be discussed with district officials, the public must wait two more weeks to review these long-awaited findings for themselves." "There has been a long wait for this audit to be released, and it is a disservice to the stakeholders of TPS to not immediately release these audit findings," Tedford said. The full release of the audit is expected within two weeks.