OK HB4229

School districts and public schools may declare an emergency to bypass competitive bidding requirements only when a building is unoccupied due to damage, unsafe conditions, or essential system failure, or when students have been displaced to alternative settings

Emergency contracts are limited solely to restoring facility occupancy or returning displaced students, including emergency repairs, remediation, system replacement, or temporary instructional facilities

Emergency declarations cannot be used for routine maintenance, planned renovations, capital improvements, projects for convenience or cost savings, or situations where the facility remains occupied and students are not displaced

All emergency declarations must be approved by the governing board, documented in writing with specific supporting facts, and retained as public records under the Oklahoma Open Records Act

Effective date: November 1, 2026