OKLAHOMA CITY – Two legislative measures aimed at helping military families enroll their children in a new school district have been signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt.
Senate Bill 68 was requested by the U.S. Department of Defense to bring Oklahoma in line with other states under the National Compact on the Education of Military Children. The measure provides for immediate school district residency status for children of active military personnel who have been or will be transferred to a state military base.
It also requires schools to accept the students’ enrollment applications electronically and requires parents to provide proof of residence within 10 days of moving to Oklahoma.
“It helps in the transition for kids,” state Rep. Rande Worthen (R-Lawton) said. “It helps get them in school quicker. Military families have a hard enough time moving from school to school. A lot of times, it’s a headache to do that.”
The bill passed the state House and Senate unanimously and was signed by Gov. Stitt.
State Sen. Jessica Garvin (R-Duncan) said the bill provided her and other lawmakers the chance to support military families.
“I’m a military mom and I want to make life easier for them (families) and help prepare kids for success in the future,” she said.
Another measure, Senate Bill 69, also benefits military families moving from one base to another. The bill carries the same provisions as SB 68 for military children enrolling in a statewide virtual charter school — something only Oklahoma residents are currently able to do.
The bill’s author, state Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, who serves as chairman of the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee and a U.S. Navy veteran, was delighted the two measures were signed into law.
Simpson added the state Department of Education had no objections to the two measures.
“We have a large military population in Oklahoma, and these bills will make it easier for those transferring in to get their children back to school as quickly as possible,” Simpson said. “It’s hard enough being a military family with the constant moving and deployments. These measures will help take away some of the burden of getting their kids enrolled and back in the classroom. I want to thank my legislative colleagues for their tremendous support of these two bills to help our military families.”
Both new laws go into effect July 1.