OKLAHOMA CITY – House Majority Leader Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City, on Monday won unanimous passage of a bill that will ensure uniformity in seating newly elected school board members.

House Bill 1372 specifies that school board candidates elected outright by receiving more than 50% of the vote in a February primary election would be seated at the first meeting following the April general election date and certification. The measure passed the House Elections and Ethics Committee.

West – a former school board member herself – explained that beginning in 2019, school board general elections were moved from February to April with primary elections still being held in February.

"Since that change, most school board members have been seated in April. The exception are those members who win outright in February. They are being seated at the very next school board meeting. The problem that has caused is everyone is not starting at the same time, but more importantly, those sitting members have their term cut short. This bill would just clarify that everyone is seated at the April meeting after the general election and certification."

HB1372 is now eligible to be considered by the full House.

West was elected to the Putnam City School Board of Education in 2009 and reelected in 2014, both times unopposed. She served as president of the Board in 2013.