Committee advances bill to raise school-board relative threshold to 550

Representative Dobrinsky, representing Representative Newton, told the committee that Senate Bill 8 43 is a constituent-request measure from northwest Oklahoma that would change the state rule prohibiting relatives from serving on the same school board by raising the small-district exception from an ADM (average daily membership) threshold of 400 to 550.

"This is a constituent request bill from Northwest Oklahoma," Representative Dobrinsky said, adding that the bill passed the Senate 45-0 and "this measure simply raises that threshold to 550." The sponsor urged the committee to pass the bill and yielded for questions.

The chair called for a motion and a second, the committee opened and closed the roll, and the clerk announced the tally: 10 ayes, 0 nay. The chair said the committee would report the bill as "do pass."

The discussion on the bill was brief and focused on the substance of the draft language; no amendments or formal dissent were recorded in the transcript. The committee's action sends the bill forward from the committee as recommended for further consideration by the larger chamber.