Oklahoma Senate advances rule requiring school donation disclosures, rejects citizenship checks
Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, speaks in favor of his amendment to Senate Joint Resolution 22 on Tuesday in the Senate chamber of the state Capitol in Oklahoma City. Jett's amendment approved a proposed rule to require schools to report receipt of $17,000 donations. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)
OKLAHOMA CITY — An amended resolution that passed the Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday would reject a proposal to have public schools collect students' immigration status, but it would require schools to report donations and gifts from non-government sources.
The original resolution would have denied the donation reporting rule, but Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, proposed an amendment to include the measure in a bundle of approved administrative rules from the Oklahoma State Department of Education. A majority of senators agreed with Jett in a 26-18 vote.
Jett said public schools should have to report donations and gifts they receive that are worth more than $17,000 to ensure parents are aware of any potential influence on their children's schooling, including from foreign governments. He said donations above $17,000 could no longer be given anonymously.
'If you're giving more than $17,000 into our classrooms, we need to know who you are,' Jett said.
The rule would require schools to inform the Oklahoma State Department of Education about donations that are worth either $17,000 or the IRS gift tax exemption amount, whichever is lower. In 2025, the limit for the IRS gift tax exemption is $19,000.
The leader of the Senate Administrative Rules Committee, Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, opposed the donation rule, which Jett's amendment approved. Bergstrom, who crafted the full resolution, said the Education Department's proposal was poorly written — to the extent it could require reporting of only donations that are worth exactly $17,000 but not more.
Administrative rules are meant to expand on existing laws, but Bergstrom said this rule falls short of having a clear basis in state statute.
'This rule has so many problems with it, and it doesn't have legislative authority,' Bergstrom said while debating against Jett's amendment. 'I'm going to ask my colleagues in this chamber to vote no.'
While the Senate resolution now approves the donation reporting rule, it still rejects other proposals that have been controversial.
It would disapprove a rule requiring Oklahoma public schools to ask families for proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency during enrollment. Districts would have to report to the state the number of students whose families are unable to provide this information.
Jett filed an amendment to approve this rule, as well, but a majority of senators agreed to discard it. Gov. Kevin Stitt has pledged to block the rule from becoming law, contending it needlessly targets children.
The Senate resolution also rejects an Education Department proposal to have public school teachers pass the U.S. Naturalization Test to earn or renew their certification. The measure has drawn bipartisan concerns.
The Senate then approved the full resolution unanimously, sending it to the House.
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