Schools; requiring school district and charter school governing bodies to request a national criminal history record check for volunteers. Effective date. Emergency.
Summary
SB 842 requires school district boards of education and charter school governing bodies, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, to request a national criminal history record check for volunteers before they are allowed to volunteer at a school site. The bill defines the check by reference to existing law, directs the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to collect fingerprints, and authorizes OSBI to charge the volunteer a search fee up to $50 or the actual cost of the search, whichever is less. The fee is deposited into the OSBI Revolving Fund.
The bill also allows school districts and charter schools to reimburse volunteers for the cost of the background check, but does not require them to do so. In addition, each district and charter school must post notice on its website explaining the background-check requirement and whether reimbursement is offered. An exception is included for certain volunteers who already meet criteria in existing law and therefore may not be required to undergo the national criminal history record check. The act is effective July 1, 2025, but contains an emergency clause so it takes effect upon passage and approval.
Impact
SB 842 amends Title 70 by creating a new section requiring volunteer screening procedures for public school districts and charter schools statewide. It expands the use of national criminal history record checks in school volunteer settings, shifts some administrative responsibilities to OSBI, and creates a new fee collection mechanism tied to the OSBI Revolving Fund. The bill also affects school district and charter school policies by requiring website notice and allowing, but not mandating, reimbursement of volunteer screening costs.
Sentiment
The available legislative record shows strong support and little visible opposition. The Senate passed the bill 11-0 on February 25, 2025, and the committee report recommended do pass. No committee transcript or floor debate is provided, so the record does not show detailed discussion, but the unanimous vote suggests the bill was viewed favorably as a school safety and volunteer screening measure.
Contention
No specific points of contention appear in the provided record. Potential issues inherent in the bill include the added cost and administrative burden on volunteers, schools, and OSBI, as well as the question of whether districts should reimburse the background-check fee. The bill addresses those concerns in part by allowing reimbursement at local discretion and by exempting certain volunteers already covered under existing law.