Oklahoma House bill seeks to restore eighth-grade reading requirement for minors seeking driver permits and licenses

Proposal revives a repealed standard tied to learner permits

An Oklahoma House proposal would again require minors to demonstrate reading proficiency at an eighth-grade level before receiving a learner permit or driver license, restoring a standard that state education officials say was repealed in 2021 and later described as having been eliminated in 2022.

House Bill 4153, filed for the 2026 regular session and authored by Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, would create a new statute in Title 70 outlining how applicants under age 18 could meet the reading requirement and how schools would document proficiency. The measure advanced out of the House Public Safety Committee and was scheduled to move next to the House Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee before any potential floor vote.

How reading proficiency would be measured

Under the bill, public-school students could satisfy the requirement by successfully completing the reading portion of the statewide assessment administered in eighth grade. Students who do not meet the standard would be assigned a remedial reading plan, and they could attempt an alternative reading proficiency test approved by the State Department of Education.

The proposal also would require that alternative reading proficiency tests be available through participating testing sites. Public schools would be required to offer the alternative test at least four times per calendar year, and other eligible sites could include technology center school districts, regional education service centers, colleges and accredited private schools, as approved by the State Department of Education.

• Students could retake the alternative test as often as they choose.
• The first alternative test would be provided at no cost to each student.
• Testing sites could charge up to $25 per subsequent attempt.

IEP documentation and out-of-state test results

The bill includes an option for certain students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) related to reading to use alternative documentation of satisfactory performance aligned with the IEP. It also establishes a process for minors who have passed a reading proficiency test in another state to submit results to the State Department of Education for review. The department would have 30 days to verify whether the out-of-state requirements are equivalent or comparable to Oklahoma’s standard, and to either approve the documentation or require the student to use Oklahoma’s alternative test option.

Driver licensing documentation beyond reading

In addition to literacy provisions, the introduced bill text outlines documentation requirements tied to school enrollment, completion, or a lawful excuse for applicants under 18, and directs the Department of Public Safety to deny a license, restricted license, or instruction permit if required documentation is not presented at the time of application. The introduced language also references misdemeanor penalties for certain violations and includes provisions addressing an alternate route to licensure for certain employed minors, as well as employer penalties for falsification.

The measure’s committee path requires further approval before it can be considered by the full House.

What happens next

HB 4153 was introduced Feb. 2, 2026, and moved through early procedural steps in the House in February. If it advances through additional committees and passes the Legislature, it would represent a significant shift in how Oklahoma links school-based benchmarks and documentation to the licensing process for minors.