Oklahoma Senate Bill SB382

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/3/25
• Refer: 2/4/25
• Report Pass: 2/19/25
• Engrossed: 3/31/25
• Refer: 4/1/25

Caption

Commercial driver licenses; prohibiting issuance to certain individuals; persons not to be licensed; Service Oklahoma to make certain verification. Effective date.

Summary

SB382 is an education bill that, in its enrolled form, would amend Oklahoma’s school attendance law to require that a child be toilet trained before enrolling in prekindergarten beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. Parents or legal guardians would have to attest to the child’s toilet-training status on a form created by the State Department of Education. The department would also be required to establish a process for school districts to follow when a prekindergarten student is found not to be toilet trained, including temporary unenrollment, referral to family supports, and allowing a parent or designee to assist with toilet training. The bill defines “not toilet trained” as three or more documented incidents of soiling or urinating over a four-week period. It also creates an exemption for students who cannot be toilet trained because of a disability covered by an individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan. The measure leaves existing age-based enrollment rules for kindergarten and first grade in place and retains the general structure of Oklahoma’s school attendance and transfer laws.

Impact

If enacted, SB382 would amend 70 O.S. Section 1-114 and change the legal conditions for prekindergarten enrollment in Oklahoma public schools. It would impose a new parental certification requirement, direct the State Department of Education to develop administrative procedures for districts, and give districts authority to temporarily unenroll students who do not meet the toilet-training standard. The bill would also create a disability-based exemption, limiting the new requirement’s application for students protected under IDEA or Section 504.

Sentiment

The voting history suggests the bill was generally supported, though not unanimously. It passed the Senate Education Committee 11-1 and the Senate floor 43-1, indicating strong early support. In the House Common Education Committee it passed 3-8 as amended by committee substitute, showing more division at that stage, but it ultimately passed House third reading 89-0, suggesting broad final support or at least no recorded opposition on the floor.

Contention

The main point of contention appears to be the policy choice to condition prekindergarten enrollment on toilet training and to authorize temporary unenrollment for children who do not meet the standard. Supporters likely viewed the measure as a classroom-management and readiness policy, while critics may have been concerned about burdens on families, implementation by districts, and the treatment of very young children. The disability exemption is an important limiting feature and likely addresses concerns about students with special education needs, but the bill still places responsibility on parents and districts to document and enforce the standard.