STATE OF OKLAHOMA

1st Session of the 53rd Legislature (2011)

SENATE BILL 650	By:	Johnson (Constance)

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to dating violence; stating legislative findings; declaring legislative intent; defining terms; requiring the State Department of Education to develop a model dating violence policy by certain date; requiring each district board of education to establish certain policy by certain date; specifying content of policy; requiring policy to be published in certain documents; requiring certain training; providing for content of training; requiring districts to inform parents or legal guardians concerning policy; requiring districts to provide policy to certain persons upon request; recommending certain training; specifying other remedies of the victim are not prohibited by this act; providing this act does not create or alter any tort liability; requiring school districts to incorporate certain dating violence education into certain curricula; providing for content of such education; requiring the Department to review and approve certain standards; authorizing parents or legal guardians to examine certain instruction materials; providing for codification; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 24-100.7 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
The Oklahoma Legislature hereby finds, determines and declares that when a student is a victim of dating violence, his or her academic life suffers and his or her safety at school is jeopardized.  The Oklahoma Legislature further finds that a policy to create an environment free of dating violence shall be a part of each school district so that all students may enjoy the right to work and study in a safe, supportive environment that is free from harassment, intimidation and violence.  It is therefore the intent of the Oklahoma Legislature to require each school district to establish a policy for responding to incidents of dating violence and to provide dating violence education to students, parents, staff, teachers, and administrators, in order to prevent and to address incidents involving dating violence.
SECTION 2.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 24-100.8 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A.  For purposes of this act:
1.  "Dating violence" means a pattern of behavior where one person uses threats of, or actually uses, physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse to control his or her dating partner;
2.  "Dating partner" means any person, regardless of gender, involved in an intimate relationship with another primarily characterized by the expectation of affectionate involvement whether casual, serious or long-term; and
3.  "At school" means in a classroom, on or immediately adjacent to school premises, on a school bus or other school-related vehicle, at an official school bus stop, or at any school-sponsored activity or event whether or not it is on school grounds.
B.  The State Department of Education shall develop a model dating violence policy to assist school districts in developing policies for dating violence reporting and response.  The model policy shall be issued on or before December 31, 2011.
C.  1.  Each district board of education shall establish a specific policy to address incidents of dating violence involving students at school by July 31, 2012.
2.  Each district policy shall include, but not be limited to, a statement that dating violence will not be tolerated, reporting procedures for dating violence, guidelines to responding to at school incidents of dating violence and discipline procedures specific to such incidents.
3.  To ensure notice of the district's dating violence policy, the policy shall be published in the district policy and handbook that sets forth the comprehensive rules, procedures and standards of conduct for students at school.
D.  Each district shall provide dating violence training to all administrators, teachers, nurses, and mental health staff at the middle and high school levels.  Upon the recommendation of the school principal, other staff may be included or may attend the training on a volunteer basis.  The dating violence training shall include, but not be limited to, basic principles of dating violence, warning signs of dating violence, and the school district's dating violence policy, to ensure that they are able to appropriately respond to incidents of dating violence at school.  Thereafter, this training shall be provided annually to all newly hired staff deemed appropriate to receive the training by the school principal.
E.  Each district shall inform the students' parents or legal guardians of the school district's dating violence policy.  If requested, the district shall provide the parents or legal guardians with the school district's dating violence policy and relevant information.  It is strongly recommended that the district provide parent awareness training.
F.  This section does not prevent a victim from seeking redress under any other available law, either civil or criminal. This section does not create or alter any tort liability.
SECTION 3.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 24-100.9 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A.  Each school district shall incorporate dating violence education that is age-appropriate into the annual health curriculum framework for students in grades seven (7) through twelve (12), provided:
1.  Dating violence education shall include, but not be limited to, defining dating violence, recognizing dating violence warning signs, and characteristics of healthy relationships.  Additionally, students shall be provided with the school district's dating violence policy as provided in Section 2 of this act; and
2.  To assist school districts in developing a dating violence education program, the State Department of Education shall review and approve the grade level topics relating to dating violence and healthy relationships in the state curricular standards, known as the Priority Academic Student Skills.
B.  Upon written request to the school principal, a parent or legal guardian of a student less than eighteen (18) years of age, within a reasonable period of time after the request is made, shall be permitted to examine the dating violence education program instruction materials at the school in which his or her child is enrolled.
SECTION 4.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2011.

53-1-154	JM	1/19/2011 4:43:56 PM