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.
