Journalist: Lina Quinones (TCC)
House Bill OU-501 or “Mandatory Disability Training for University Staff and Faculty” was brought to the House floor, which had sprouted many different opinions on whether or not this bill should be passed.
This bill wants to create a new law, where all professors and staff members that are employed by public universities must complete a Disability Training Program that will be approved by the school’s governing authority.
The training for the employees, if they are newly hired, they must be completely by ninety (90) days after being hired. While employees that were already employed in these schools must take the training yearly.
The training must, at minimum, include: “rights and protections afforded to students with disabilities under federal and state law, identification of common accommodations and accessibility needs, inclusive teaching and communication strategies, university-specific policies and procedures for providing accommodations, and support resources for students with disabilities” stated within House Bill OU-501.
During the discussions of the bill on the floor, there were two (2) main opinions. First being that they loved the intent of the bill and that this is definitely needed within colleges in the state. The second, were they saw the intent of this bill, but there were issues the bill being specific in the wording, and how would these public institutions be held accountable. Since the penalty was just a warning, one representative said, “It’s just a slap on the wrist.”
But one House Representative DeVore (SE), who was one of these believers of this bill, said that this bill was in definite need within Oklahoma. That since there was already a base for these trainings that this would already help these trainings that would be implemented. Even the issues that were mentioned to him about (not being specific with wording and how to hold these colleges accountable) did not sway him. He expressed that schools higher-up faculty will hold this training that teachers and other faculty accountable to take these trainings. He was not even worried that it would pass to to quote him “I have no worries it will pass”
After talking to these Representatives who spoke with me, there was a vote being called on the passage of this bill. On the affirmative side, there were thirty-two (32) votes. Then on the negative side, there were twenty-five (25) votes. Making this bill pass in the House.