OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) – A ballot proposal that recently succeeded in the Oklahoma House of Representatives seeks to allow former teachers to return to teaching after serving in the Oklahoma Legislature.
House Joint Resolution 1002, written by Rep. John Talley, R-Stillwater, if adopted, would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to allow former legislators who were teachers to return to the classroom and once again work as an educator.
The House passed HJR1002 with a 72-11 vote.
The Oklahoma Constitution currently prohibits former legislators from holding a state-paid job for two years after leaving public office.
“While this provision in the Oklahoma Constitution is well-intentioned to prevent government corruption, it also means that former teachers who served in the Legislature have to sit by for two years before they can teach again, even though Oklahoma is facing a teacher shortage,” Talley said. “There’s unique perspectives and experiences that come with serving as a legislator that these teachers could share with students who are our future leaders. I’m glad for the broad support of this bill and I hope to see this passed quickly so Oklahomans can make their opinion known.”
Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, co-authored the bill with Talley.
If the Senate passes the joint resolution, it will go to the secretary of state for placement on the statewide ballot.
Oklahoma has been experiencing a severe teacher shortage.
Schools in the state reported 1,019 teaching vacancies as the 2022-2023 school year began, according to the Oklahoma State School Board Association’s annual teacher staffing survey.
That vacancy figure is the highest in the survey’s nine-year history.
