House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, gives a farewell speech on the House floor to recognize his final days in the state Legislature on May 22, 2024, at the state Capitol. McCall is term-limited after 12 years in office. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)
OKLAHOMA CITY – More than 80 laws signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt went into effect on Monday.
A law that targets undocumented immigrants in Oklahoma was intended to go into effect on Monday, but has been blocked by a federal court. The law creates a new crime called “impermissible occupation” for willfully entering Oklahoma without legal authorization to be in the country.
Of the 82 laws that took effect on Monday, nearly 30 of them were related to education.
One law requires that all third through fifth graders be taught to read and write in cursive. Another requires any electronic communication between an individual student and school personnel to include a parent or guardian.
A law originating in the Senate requires that the Oklahoma State Department of Education offer a universal, electronic application to families to apply for free or reduced school meals.