May 13, 2021
By News Director Jared Atha
House Bill 2396 by Rep. Todd Russ, R-Cordell, was signed into law this week.
The measure authorizes certain nonprofit organizations to provide a series of in-depth sex trafficking prevention and education programs to freshmen students at Oklahoma colleges and universities. It specifies the nonprofits must be ones that specialize in outreach and education programs on sex trafficking and exploitation prevention. State colleges and universities are required to provide their freshman students with the opportunity to attend one of three on-campus programs during freshman orientation.
Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, is the Senate author of the bill.
The measure also specifies that program materials shall be provided at no cost to participating students and their parents and legal guardians. The program provider shall be solely responsible for incurring all costs associated with implementing prevention and education programs and related program materials.
The law becomes effective Nov. 1.
HB 2396 is a revision of a measure that passed last year but that did not make it through the legislative process because of COVID.
