Oklahoma Senate passes bill prohibiting corporal punishment of disabled students

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to prohibit public school employees from using corporal punishment on disabled students.

In a 31-11 vote, the Senate passed House Bill 1028 from Rep. John Talley, R-Stillwater, and Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, that prevents school personnel from hitting, slapping, paddling or inflicting any kind of physical pain on disabled students.

The amended version of the bill that passed the Senate defines disabilities to include any of the following: autism, deafness, deaf-blindness, emotional disturbance, intellectual disability, learning disabilities, a traumatic brain injury or any speech, language, hearing, visual or orthopedic impairment.

In presenting HB 1028 on the Senate floor, Rader said his daughter, a speech language pathologist, encouraged him to bring the bill up for a vote. 

“Yesterday, the Senate recognized that there is no need for schools to use corporal punishment to discipline disabled students,” Rader said. “The support of fellow senators for backing this important bill that protects some of our most vulnerable children is most appreciated.”

"Students with disabilities may not be able to control their actions or understand why they’re being punished," Talley said. "When a teacher administers corporal punishment to these students, it sends the message that school is a hostile environment and limits their ability to thrive emotionally, socially and academically. I’m grateful my colleagues in the Senate saw fit to approve legislation protecting Oklahoma students with disabilities from corporal punishment at school, and I look forward to continuing to advocate for these students before the House again."

After passing the Senate with an emergency clause, which would allow the measure to take effect immediately after being signed by the governor, HB 1028 now returns to the House.

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For more information, contact Sen. Dave Rader at (405) 521-5620 or Dave.Rader@oksenate.gov

Rep. John Talley at (405) 557-7304 or John.Talley@okhouse.gov