Representative Derrick Hildebrant

R

District 23

Hi, I'm Derrick Hildebrant and I represent the people of Oklahoma's 23rd District.

representative

News & Announcements

May 28, 2025
Recent Posts

Governor Signs “Protect Our Kids Act” into Law

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Protect Our Kids Act, authored by Rep. Derrick Hildebrant, R-Catoosa, has been signed into law. The measure is designed to strengthen transparency and accountability in cases involving alleged abuse or sexual misconduct by school employees. The Protect Our Kids Act,  House Bill 1075 , closes long-standing gaps in how school districts report staff misconduct, particularly in cases where a teacher or administrator resigns during an ongoing investigation. "Our top priority is keeping students safe, and this new law reflects that," Hildebrant said. "Right now, if a teacher or administrator resigns during an investigation into serious misconduct, there’s no requirement to finish the process or report it. That allows people to move between districts without accountability. House Bill 1075 closes that loophole by requiring investigations to be completed and reported to the State Department of Education, even if the person resigns." Under the new law, school district superintendents must send a copy of any termination recommendation to the State Board of Education, regardless of whether the employee resigns before or after the recommendation is made. If an investigation concludes with no grounds for termination or criminal charges, the record will be expunged from the State Board’s files. The law also requires that findings from such investigations be submitted to the Board when a resignation occurs during an active inquiry. If a school employee later applies for a position in another district, and the new district requests records from the State Board, the employee retains the right to submit a written response or additional information to accompany the report. "By ensuring resignation or termination cases are thoroughly documented and shared, we can better protect students from potential harm while still respecting the rights of educators," Hildebrant said. "This law balances fairness with student safety and will help ensure that only the most qualified and trusted professionals work in our schools." The Protect Our Kids Act passed both chambers nearly unanimously and received bipartisan support throughout the legislative process. "I want to thank my colleagues for backing this bill and for their commitment to protecting students," Hildebrant said. "I’m also grateful to Governor Stitt for signing the Protect Our Kids Act into law. This is a meaningful step forward in how we handle misconduct in schools." House Bill 1075 included an emergency clause and has now taken effect.

May 15, 2025
Recent Posts

Hildebrant's Municipal Carry Act Sent to Governor's Desk

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 70-15 to approve Senate amendments to House Bill 1095 , the Municipal Carry Act, sending the legislation to the governor for final consideration. The measure, authored by Rep. Derrick Hildebrant, R-Catoosa, brings parity between municipal and county governments by allowing city councils to authorize certain elected officials, judges and designated municipal employees to carry concealed firearms in municipal buildings within their jurisdiction. The bill aims to support smaller communities with limited law enforcement resources while continuing to prohibit firearms in sensitive areas such as courtrooms, jails and schools. “I’m grateful to my colleagues in the House and Senate for their support of this bill that protects our Second Amendment rights, and I especially want to thank Senator Gillespie for her hard work and leadership in moving this bill forward on the Senate side," Hildebrant said. "Equipping local governments with a way to enhance safety where law enforcement coverage is limited not only allows municipalities to decide for themselves what type of protection they need but also offers another way to keep citizens safe." The bill originally passed the House with a 66-13 vote. The Senate adopted minor, non-substantive changes, including language clean-up for clarity and consistency. Sen. Christi Gillespie, R-Broken Arrow, was a key advocate for the Municipal Carry Act in the Senate, playing a major role in guiding the bill through the legislative process and working closely with colleagues to secure its passage with a strong 39-8 vote. "The passage of House Bill 1095 is deeply meaningful," Gillespie said. "Our municipal leaders — our mayors, city councilors, municipal judges, and employees — step up every day to serve their communities. They deserve to feel safe while doing so. This bill is about trust and respect. It gives municipalities the option to allow their own officials and employees to protect themselves in the buildings where they work and serve. It's a commonsense measure rooted in safety, responsibility, and local control. I’m grateful to my colleagues in both chambers who stood with us on this. Their support sends a strong message: we value the people doing the work of government at the local level, and we want them to be protected." The measure now awaits action by the governor.

May 8, 2025
Recent Posts

Hildebrant Secures Final Passage of Bill Modernizing Open Meeting Act

OKLAHOMA CITY — Legislation aimed at strengthening transparency and improving the stewardship of taxpayer dollars is now headed to the governor’s desk, following final passage of Senate Bill 491 carried in the House by Rep. Derrick Hildebrant, R-Catoosa. SB491 updates the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act to allow public bodies to discuss the sale, lease or acquisition of real property during executive sessions. Under current law, such closed-door discussions are limited to purchases or appraisals only. “This is a straightforward and necessary update to the Open Meeting Act,” Hildebrant said. “It ensures public bodies can handle all real estate transactions with consistency, confidentiality and care, while maintaining the public’s trust.” Importantly, the bill does not alter existing legal requirements that all actions and votes must take place in open session. “Today, many of these negotiations happen informally between a mayor and vice mayor, excluding the full governing body,” Hildebrant said. “This change allows all elected members to participate in sensitive discussions, which leads to better decision-making and stronger local accountability.” Only members of the public body, their attorney, and immediate staff will be allowed to attend such executive sessions under SB491. Sen. Brian Guthrie, R-Bixby, who authored the bill in the Senate, expressed pride in seeing it advance to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. “This update to the Open Meetings Act ensures public bodies can negotiate real estate transactions in the best interests of Oklahoma taxpayers,” Guthrie said. “By allowing local authorities to enter executive session to consider leases, sales, or acquisitions, they will have greater ability to protect sensitive information, avoid undermining negotiations, and ensure better outcomes for the public. I’m proud to see this bill advance, and look forward to it being signed into law, ultimately enabling local officials to be effective stewards of taxpayer dollars.” The legislation received bipartisan support and now awaits the governor’s signature.