Legislative Update Series: Bills Passed in 2025

by | Jul 27, 2025 | Education, Feature Post, Legislation, Original Content | 0 comments

Prior to the close of the 60th Legislative Session in Oklahoma in May of 2025, we published this article about the bills we wanted to see addressed: https://okgrassroots.com/legislative-update-bills-passed-in-house-go-to-senate-and-vice-versa-be-informed-and-make-your-positions-known/

We are preparing to work on the scorecard and see if our representatives paid more attention to the OKGOP platform this year than last. That is planned for release prior to January 1st. So stay tuned.

Special thanks to Nancy McDaniel for compiling these lists for us to publish. It is a ton of work and is much appreciated! Her summaries are incredibly helpful, but if you want to read the entirety of a bill, please go to okhouse.gov or oksenate.gov then to ‘Legislation and Laws’ and then do a Bill Search. Even if the governor does not sign a bill, it becomes law unless he vetos it. Governor Stitt vetoed 68 bills, but the legislature spent the last two days of the session overriding 47 of his vetoes (overriding a veto requires a two/thirds vote in both House and Senate)!

HOUSE BILLS PASSING TO GOVERNOR 2025

ELECTIONS related:

HB1865 Roberts/Bergstrom – Amends. Neither the State Election Board nor any county election board shall utilize VOTE CENTERS for voting on election day. For the purposes of this section, “vote center” means a place where any voter in the entire jurisdiction can vote on election day, regardless of the voter’s precinct assignment. 

EDUCATION related:

HB1075 Hildebrant/Seifried – Requires a superintendent to submit a copy of their recommendation for termination to the State Board of Education regardless of whether the staff member resigns before or after the recommendation is made and the procedure a school district superintendent must follow when they are filing a termination recommendation for a teacher or administrator who is under investigation for the alleged abuse or sexual abuse of a student. 

HB1086 Lowe/Pugh – (Fixes their screwup of blaming Ryan Walters for not giving INHALERS to kids when Walters said he did not have the authority to do without legislation for carryover of funds. Even Drummond had to chime in to criticize Walters.  WALTER WAS RIGHT AGAIN!) School districts carryover of general funds. 

HB1087 Lowe, D/Pugh – Expands teachers minimum salary schedule from 35 years to 40 years.

HB1277 Caldwell, C/Seifried – INTRODUCED BILL JANUARY 15, 2025 – Subject to the availability of funds, $7,500,000.00 shall be allocated by the State Board of Education to provide grants to public middle schools, junior high schools, and high schools to incentivize phone-free spaces for student learning.  The grants awarded shall be used to purchase devices or equipment in which students enrolled in a grantrecipient school site can store their cell phones.

ON MAY 8, 2025 HB1277 was completely changed to:  

Provides specific reasons for which a teacher’s license or certificate can be revoked or suspended by the State Board of Education. The measure prohibits the Board from having the authority to summarily revoke or suspend a license or certificate pending an individual proceeding for revocation or other action. 

HB1287 Kelly/Pugh – Authorizes the State Board of Regents to create a math tutoring pilot program within OU’s College of Education. The program will provide math help to the lowest performing ninth grade students from the state’s largest public school districts. The cost $3 million appropriated. 

HB1393 Kerbs/Daniels – The State Board of Education shall adopt a separate parental consent form that school districts shall use for determining whether a student who has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) will participate in the Oklahoma Alternate Assessment Program. 

HB1483 Johns/Thompson, K –  Extends whistleblower protections to school support employees. 

HB1727 Pugh/Moore – Modifies eligibility for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP), (Oklahoma’s Promise) and provides eligibility for students who are children of certified classroom teachers. Has income restrictions. 

HB2298 Hilbert/Paxton –  Authorizes a Certified Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, or Certified Nurse Midwife who has completed a minimum of 6,240 hours of clinical practice hours with prescriptive authority supervised by a physician to apply to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing for authority to prescribe and order INDEPENDENT of supervision. 

ENERGY related:

HB1373 Boles/Green – Creating the Commercial Solar Facility Decommissioning Act. A provision of a solar power facility agreement that purports to waive a right or exempt a grantee from a liability or duty established by the Commercial Solar Facility Decommissioning Act is void. A solar power facility agreement shall provide that the grantee is responsible for removing the grantee’s solar power facilities from the landowner’s property and return the property to a tillable state using scarification, V-rip or disc methods. 

HB2155 Dobrinski/Green – The Corporation Commission is directed and authorized to promulgate rules governing the operations for energy facilities for the purpose of protecting the interests and property of the citizens of this state. Applicant is to notify all surface, mineral, and adjacent owners where the energy facility will be located at least 60 days prior to commencement of any energy facility by U.S. mail. Facility operators shall obtain an additional permit for any extension, rebuild or upgrade of the initial energy facility. 

HB2157 Dobrinski/Pederson – Creating the Oklahoma Agrivoltaics Advisory Act and a committee to develop a legislative strategy designed to encourage renewable energy development in a way that works in harmony with farming and ranching. It is the intent of the Legislature that policies designed to provide for new renewable energy generation construction also supports the agriculture industry to be developed in the future.  Went into conference committee but unable to agree May 21. DEAD but can be brought back up next year.

HB2756 Caldwell, T/Green – Requires any transmission developer to apply for a certificate of authority from the Corporation Commission for any high voltage transmission line or transmission facility with a rating of 300 kV or higher. Also lists notification requirements and other requirements for the developer. They must:  • Provide proof that a notice was published in appropriate newspapers within 30 days of filing the application for certificate of authority;  • Hold a public meeting within 90 days of publishing the newspaper notice;  • Provide proof that notification was mailed to Board of Commissioners of every county in which the electric transmission will be located, all surface landowners which will be affected above or below ground, and any potentially affected oil and gas operators; • File an attestation that they have or will secure sufficient insurance coverage; and  • File environmental impact statements, a safety plan, a decommissioning plan, and a financial surety guarantee.  Lastly, the measure clarifies that nothing in the bill authorizes a transmission developer to exercise eminent domain that is not already in statute. 

EMINENT DOMAIN related:

HB2036 Archer/Murdock – Relating to eminent domain which relates to reimbursement of expenses when property is not acquired under condemnation process. 

HB2752 Caldwell, T/Gollihare -The power of eminent domain shall not be used for the siting or building of wind turbines energy facilities, solar energy facilities, battery storage facilities, hydrogen gas facilities, or other renewable energy facilities on private property. Prior to seeking to exercise eminent domain for an electric transmission facility rated greater than 300 kilovolts, any person, firm, or corporation must have obtained a Certificate of Authority from the Corporation Commission. 

(The conference committee substitute for HB 2752 requires any utility company seeking to use eminent domain for the construction of a 300kV transmission line to first obtain a Certificate of Authority from the Corporation Commission. The measure also clarifies that utilities using natural gas have the power of eminent domain. The measure also prohibits the use of eminent domain for siting renewable energy facilities on private property– so they took out “the list types of renewables”).

MEDICAL related:

HB1389 Provenzano/Stanley – Includes contrast-enhanced mammogram and molecular breast imaging to the definition of “diagnostic examination for breast cancer.”  Adds that all health benefit plans include coverage for supplemental examinations for breast cancer.  Governor veto, veto override May 29.

HB1576 Lawson/Hicks – Requires the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) to provide coverage for whole genome sequencing for eligible Medicaid beneficiaries. This would require reimbursement for children ages 0-20 with a NICU, PICU, or ICU admission with an undetermined cause of illness. Also requires coverage for comparator testing for one or both biological parents. The cost $19 million dollars. 

HB1600 Gise – Lori Brand Patient Bill of Rights Act of 2025. FLOOR SUBSTITUTE March 17 by Gise, Williams, Pae, Roberts, Caldwell, C, Adams, Steagall, Harris, and Kelley of the House and Hines of the Senate. Creates a list of rights for a patient seeking treatment; specifying certain responsibilities of patients seeking treatment; creating certain rights for minor patients seeking treatment; specifying certain responsibilities of parents of minor patients seeking treatment. 

HB2052 Stinson/Rosino – Domestic health maintenance organizations that contract with the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to provide basic health services to Medicaid recipients are only subject to the benefit coverage criteria and regulations of the Medicaid program and are exempt from the listed and expanded provisions in the measure. These exemptions only apply to the services provided to Medicaid recipients. 

HB2298 Hilbert/Paxton – Allows a qualified Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) to apply to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing for the authority to prescribe and order independent of supervision. .

HB2584 – Authorizes physician assistants (PAs) with at least 6,240 hours of postgraduate clinical experience to practice INDEPENDENT of physician supervision. 

GENERAL/MISC. Bills:

HB1001 Bashore/Thompson, K – Creates Lauria and Ashley’s Law, requires persons convicted of accessory to murder in the first degree or accessory to murder in the second degree to serve not less than 85% of any sentence imposed before eligible for parole. 

HB1003 Olsen/Hamilton – Modifies the age limitation for rape by increasing the age of consent to 18 years of age; removes an age qualifier to clarify that sex between a school employee and a student under the age of 20 is considered rape; modifies the Romeo and Juliet provisions by providing that it is not considered rape if the victim is under the age of 18 unless the person was more than 4 years older than the other person at the time of the act.

HB1095 Hildebrant/Gillespie – Allows the governing body of a city or town to authorize the concealed carry of handguns into any building, or office space except courthouses, courtrooms, prison, jail, detention facilities or other facilities used to hold prisoners. 

HB1126 Grego – It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, sell, hold or offer for sale, or distribute any cultivated meat product in this state. 

HB1137 Steward/Weaver – Related to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons.  Removes a requirement that the OSBI apply for federal funding and also removes statutory authorization for OSBI to coordinate with private entities to obtain funding or fulfill grant requirements. Governor veto, veto override May 29.

HB1166 Kelley/Howard – Removes the provision that allows municipalities to annex territory without the written consent of a majority of property owners of the proposed territory. Additionally, the measure provides that the required municipal services extension plan be included in both the public notice published in the newspaper and the notice mailed to all owners of proposed territory. 

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES/EXCERPTS FROM HB1166 COMMITTEE SUB:  Establishes that no municipality can annex more than the greater of 10 percent of its current land area or eight square miles in one area at any one time unless the municipality obtains the written consent of the owners of at least 65 percent of the acres to be annexed and 25 percent of the population to be annexed.  Requires a municipal service extension plan be included in the public notice both published in a newspaper and mailed to all property owners within the proposed territory to be annexed. Establishes that a municipality can annex territory without reaching the threshold of owners consent only if the territory to be annexed is bordered by at least 50 percent of property within municipal limits and if the governing board proves that annexation is more beneficial to owners rather than remaining detached.  A municipality can not attach ad valorem taxes to an annexed area for a sinking fund to satisfy any judgement made prior to annexation.

HB1178 Stark/Bullard – Prohibits individuals from intentionally misrepresenting any animal or therapy animal as a service animal; misdemeanor upon conviction. Governor veto, veto override May 29.

HB1205 Maynard/Bullard – Modifies the income qualifier for the sales tax relief credit and increases the credit amount from $40 to $200 per personal exemption. To qualify for the full $200 credit, the single filer must have a gross household income that is less than $55,000. A higher income threshold of $75,000 is applicable to taxpayers that are at least 65 years of age, disabled, or if they have a dependent. If the taxpayer’s income exceeds the aforementioned limits, the credit amount will be reduced by a percent of the gross household income that is in excess of the income limit.  The measure also repeals Title 68, Section 2357.32B, which is an obsolete tax credit for advanced small wind turbine manufacturers (expired 2012). 

HB1217 West, K/Bullard – It shall be unlawful for a person to engage in an adult performance which contains obscene material, or for any political subdivision of this state to allow, permit, organize, or authorize the viewing of an adult performance which contains obscene material, on public property or in a public place where a minor, as part of the general public, will be exposed to view such adult performance. 

HB1282 Caldwell, C/Rader – Amends existing Oklahoma State Regents Academic Scholars Program and renames it the Oklahoma Rising Scholars Award Act. Provides full-ride scholarships for up to 5 years to students who:  • Score in the top 0.5% on the ACT or SAT and have an exceptional GPA or class rank, as determined by the State Regents;  • Are a Presidential Scholar; • Are a National Merit Scholar;  • Are a National Merit Finalist; or  • Are an Institutional Nominee. (There is currently $2 million appropriated to the State Regents for Higher Education for the purposes of implementing this program). 

HB1360 Hasenbeck/Alvord – The committee substitute allows the director of the AG Address Confidentiality Program to request to a county assessor that personal information regarding a certified Address Confidentiality Program participant not be made publicly available on the Internet. 

HB1364 Hasenbeck/Alvord – Provides definitions of “artificial intelligence”, artificially generated sexual depiction”, “generative artificial intelligence” and “visual depiction” as used in the Oklahoma Law on Obscenity and Child Sexual Abuse Material. The measure provides that the use of artificially generated sexual depictions of another is considered nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images. 

HB1414 West, J – Amends, veterans who have served as military police may count 4 or more years of service as military police to meet the experience requirements to run for county sheriff. 

HB1460 West, T/Gollihare – The CCR A gives flexibility to the sentencing powers of the court when imposing the District Attorney’s Supervision Fee.  The impact is summarized as follows: 

GRF: $10,700,000 Maximum potential revenue loss (waived supervision fees) 

DPS: $111,318.09 annual revenue loss, would seek funding for $400,000 one time cost + 

$50,000 annual support cost to build & maintain Impaired Driver Database. 

AOC: $154,278.26 revenue loss, and may use State Judicial Fund to offset this loss 

ODMHSAS: Unknown revenue loss 

Absorbable: 

DOC: $3,000,000 Maximum potential revenue loss (would absorb) 

OBN: $25,000 Maximum potential revenue loss (would absorb)HB1460 West, T/Gollihare – Removes the ability to assess and collect various fees on defendants. 

(This bill is trying to fix the alledged corruption that is going on with this money that Representative Justin Humphrey has been talking about).

HB1462 West, T/Gollihare – The CCR directs the court to prioritize payments for restitution to the victim when sentencing and until the payment of restitution is paid in full. 

HB1516 Banning/Guthrie – Raises the minimum age a minor can contract for a life, accident, or health insurance policy from 15 to 16 years of age. The measure also requires parental or guardian consent for a minor to hold any type of insurance policy. 

HB1566 Duel/Weaver – Creates “Neil’s Law” and the “Oklahoma Elder Exploitation and Abuse Act,” which is designed to promote the general welfare of all citizens by establishing a civil action for incapacitated persons and vulnerable adults as well as allow them to pursue claims against people who abuse, neglect, or exploit the individual. 

HB1727 Moore/Pugh – Modifies eligibility for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP), also known as Oklahoma’s Promise; provides eligibility for students who are children of certified classroom full time teachers for 10 years and household income less than 700% of the federal poverty level. 

HB1738 Adams/Frix – In the event a public trust hospital enters into a joint venture or acquires an interest in a not-for-profit entity to effectuate the administration of the mission of the public trust, that entity shall NOT be subject to the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act and the Oklahoma Open Records Act. 

HB1847 Scheiber/Coleman – Requires the Department of Human Services to work with the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal to develop guidelines that allow family child care homes and large child care homes to operate under the requirements of the 2018 International Residential Code as adopted by the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission. 

HB1863 Roberts/Rader – Directs the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY) to provide a database that will support case management and facilitate information sharing across all agencies involved in child abuse investigations. 

HB1935 Sterling/Thompson, K – Modifies the statute of limitations for failure to report abuse or neglect; provides that the offense must be commenced by the 45 birthday of the alleged victim. 

HB1940 Sterling/Stanley –  Allows the Office of Juvenile Affairs to create a charter school educating youth who are in the custody of the county. 

HB1965 Williams/Bullard – Regarding foster care, termination of parental rights due to noncompliance of a multitude of issues/reasons.  

HB1995 Turner/Hamilton – Clarifies that an employee of a school system includes employed and contracted school resource officers and security guards as used within the crime of rape when the victim is a student and the perpetrator is an employee of the school. 

HB2081 Blair/Weaver – Creates the “Uniform Child Abduction Prevention Act” allows a court to order abduction prevention measure in a child custody proceeding on its own motion if the court finds evidence that establishes abduction as a credible risk. 

HB2103 Moore/Gollihare – Sets provisions related to membership, recusal, and removal within the Judicial Nominating Provision. 

HB2163 Pfeiffer/Howard – Creates the position of Public Access Counselor within the Office of the Attorney General. Authorizes the AG to investigate and prosecute any civil or criminal action relating to violations of the Oklahoma Open Records Act, if the AGl determines that a civil or criminal prosecution is warranted. Governor VETO.

HB2164 Pffeifer/Haste – Raises the penalty for public corruption to felony. Persons convicted are  prohibited from holding any public office in the state and employment terminated. An officer, employee or contractor of a state agency who obtains nonpublic information by virtue of their government employment who uses the information for personal gain or benefit is guilty of a felony, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 5 years, a fine of $10,000 or both and shall be prohibited from holding any public office or entering into any state contract.  Governor veto, veto override May 29.

HB2257 Miller/Stanley – Clarifies that a scholarship recipient’s college enrollment fees must be covered through the Oklahoma National Guard Educational Assistance Program upon review and approval by the State Regents and the State Military Department.

HB2260 Miller/Haste – Establishes three tax credits for civil engineers and their employers beginning tax year 2026.  Govenor veto, veto override May 29.

HB2619 Harris/Howard – The committee substitute creates the Foreign Litigation Funding Prevention Act. Subjects commercial litigation funding agreements to discovery upon request and provides that information related to the funding agreement is not admissible as evidence at trial. The disclosure must include a certification, by sworn affidavit by the producing party, as to whether a foreign state or instrumentality of a foreign state is, has been, or will be a source of funding for the agreement. Consumer litigation funding agreements are exempt from the disclosure requirement.  (ALL republican senators voted YES. All dems voted NO).

HB2645 Hilbert/Paxton -Creates a nonrefundable income tax credit related to the practice of medicine by a physician in a rural area. Such doctors must practice in a municipality with a population of less than 25,000 people and at least 25 miles away from the nearest municipality that has a population exceeding 25,000 people. Individual awards of the credit are capped at $20,000.00 and may be claimed 4 subsequent times with a cap of  $1 million. 

HB2728 Kendrix/Bergstrom – Creates the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025, establishes new statutory requirements for state agencies adopting major administrative rules, enhancing economic impact analysis and legislative oversight. LOFT is to assess whether a proposed rule could result in costs of more than $1,000,000 over an initial five-year period and report that information to the legislature. .

HB2729 Kendrix/Bergstrom – Prohibits the reviewing court or officer to interpret state statutes, administrative rules, and other regulations from deferring to the interpretation of a state agency and to interpret the meaning and effect de novo. Any remaining doubt shall be exercised in favor of a reasonable interpretation which limits agency power and maximizes individual liberty. (like the overturned Chevron doctrine by SCOTUS). 

HB2762 Caldwell, T/Woods – Creates Internat’l Corporation Agent Political Activity Act. Prohibits individuals from advocating to influence state laws that would relate to an international corporation they represent or from advocating for funding from the state that would benefit the international corporation they represent unless they have filed with the Oklahoma Office of the Secretary of State. 

HB2764 Caldwell, T/Hall – COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE – Provides a quarter-percent cut to the top marginal personal income tax rate and restructures the income tax brackets. Beginning tax year 2026, the top rate will be lowered from 4.75 percent to 4.50 percent and the number of tax brackets will be reduced from six to four.  Also establishes a rate reduction trigger mechanism to phase out the personal income tax by quarter-percent increments when revenue conditions are met and certified by the State Board of Equalization (BOE). To trigger a rate reduction, the comparison year total collections amount must exceed the base year total collections amount plus the income tax reduction cost threshold. The income tax rate reduction threshold is the single tax year fiscal impact of a quarter-percent tax cut multiplied by 1.25.  The measure also tasks the BOE with certifying the base year total collections, comparison year total collections and the income tax reduction cost threshold in order to make a yearly determination about the possibility of a rate reduction at its annual December meeting. When a trigger is met, the rate reduction will take effect in TWO tax years.  Lastly, the measure includes a safeguard provision to automatically nullify a rate reduction trigger if a revenue failure is declared.  (This is basically NO TAX DEDUCTION as it will take 19 YEARS TO GET TO ZERO!  ALL SMOKE AND MIRRORS! This is not what real Republicans do. This is what democrats do that have never seen a tax they didn’t like). FY26: $133.5M decrease in tax collections FY27: $340.5M decrease in tax collections. 

HB2783 Caldwell, T/Hall – The committee substitute establishes a seven-year term limit for board members of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust Fund and provides that board members serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority. 

HB2818 Steagall/Weaver –  Provides that the unlawful pointing of a firearm does not apply to a person acting in self-defense or to home or business owners in defense of their private property and justified defensive display of a firearm or other deadly weapon. 

SENATE BILLS THAT ADVANCED TO GOVERNOR 2025:

ELECTIONS related:

SB147 Pederson/Hall – Post-election audits; requiring Secretary of the State Election Board to direct ALL counties to conduct post-election audits for specified elections. 

SB814 Gollihare/Hall – Allows a deployed uniformed-service voter to request an emergency absentee ballot.

SB831 Rader/Harris – Raises the per diem paid to members of the State Election Board and the chair and vice-chair of each county election board to $75 for attending meetings.

 SB1027 Bullard/Hilbert – Requires each initiative petition gist to explain in basic words the effects of the proposition. Any person being compensated to circulate the petition must disclose that information to the Secretary of State and cannot receive compensation from an entity outside of Oklahoma or be compensated based on the number of signatures. Citizens signing a petition must include the county of residence associated with their voter registration card. Establishes that the total number of signatures collected to meet the requirements for an initiative or referendum petition amending the Oklahoma Statutes from a single county is not to exceed 11.5 percent of the number of votes cast in the county during the most recent statewide general election for governor determined by the State Election Board and the total number of signatures collected to meet the requirements for an initiative or referendum petition amending the Oklahoma Constitution from a single county is not to exceed 20.8 percent of the number of votes cast in the county during the most recent statewide general election for governor determined by the State Election Board. 

SB1028 Alvord/Miller – A national criminal history record check shall be conducted of any applicant for a notary commission. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) shall obtain fingerprints of the applicant and require that the person pay a search fee not to exceed Fifty Dollars. 

SB1086 Gollihare/Newton – A voter registration will be cancelled if found to not be a citizen of the U.S. If you want a voter registration list you will have to fill out an application and it will only be given to 1) residents of Oklahoma who are U.S. citizens 2) official representatives of a political party 3)candidates for office and their official representatives. It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly provide the voter registration list to a foreign national, commercial interest. 

THIS IS AN FYI:  SB834 Bullard – No election conducted by the State Election Board, a county election board, or any municipality authorized to conduct elections in this state shall use an open primary or jungle primary. NO judiciary com vote. BIG RED FLAG. WHY WAS THIS BILL IGNORED? WHY DID THIS BILL GO TO THE JUDICIARY AND NOT ELECTIONS COMMITTEE?  Chair Brent Howard.  (Paxton did a bill SB1754 in 2022 for open primaries).

SB1143 Hall/Caldwell, T – The State Election Board Voting System Revolving Fund to be used for the purchase and installation of a unitary, unified, integrated system of election administration.

EDUCATION related:

SB31 Hicks/Strom – Creates a financial assistance program to help eligible National Guard members pay for a certification or licensure program at a CareerTech school for a maximum of three years. Outlines eligibility.  

THIS BILL WAS COMPLETELY CHANGED TO DIFFERENT LANGUATE ON MAY 28: The CCR for SB 140 adopts a conference committee substitute. The CCS creates the Oklahoma Math Achievement and Proficiency Act and appropriates $1 million for its implementation.  It requires students enrolled in 2nd-5th grades to be screened at the beginning, middle, and end of each school year for math skills. It directs the State Board of Education to approve a list of screening instruments for use at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year beginning in the 2026-27 school year. It provides exemptions to the screening requirements. The bill directs students who are found to be exceeding grade-level targets to be provided advanced learning opportunities in mathematics. Students found not to be meeting grade-level targets are to be provided a program of math instruction. It directs students enrolled in 2nd-5th grades who exhibit a deficiency in math at any time to receive an individual math intervention plan within 30 days of identification of the deficiency. It directs the plan to be developed by a student math proficiency team.  CCRs adopted and passed the house and senate and sent to the governor all on the same day May 28.

SB139 Seifried/Caldwell, C –  Requires school boards to adopt policies prohibiting students from using cell phones on campus for the upcoming school year (one year) then allows school boards to adopt policies banning cell phones for the subsequent school years. 

SB140 Seifried/Hasenbeck – Extends the time period students can apply for an OHLAP scholarship. This would allow them to apply up until December 31 of their 12th grade year. The measure also allows the State Regents to waive the age limits for certain students experiencing hardship. 

SB235 Pugh/Kerbs – Creates the Grow Your Own Educator Program to provide matching funds to eligible school districts and public school district foundations.  ($10+ million for 2 school years). 

SB662 Pugh/Hill – Expands the duties of the Oklahoma Workforce Commission and revolving fund to implement programs designed to expand workforce development. The Commission shall also work with, use, and provide data on the legislatively created map developed to help make decisions on economic development and workforce needs. (it is not necessary to codify this bill into law to receive federal grants for education. Pugh actually stated this was a Chamber of Commerce request bill). 

SB663 Pugh/Hill – Transfers the authority of the Oklahoma Workforce Commission Revolving Fund from Department of Commerce to the Oklahoma Workforce Commission. The fund may be used to create a workforce data integration system as well as provide grants for critical workforce needs. 

SB758 Thompson, K/Moore – Reduces reliance on virtual school days to ensure students receive the benefit of in-person learning. 

SB796 Pugh/Crosswhite Hader – Prohibits taxpayer-funded DEI programs at public colleges and universities. 

SB799 Pederson/Pae – Defines “alternate adult” as it relates to students to mean a case manager or designated employee of a homeless shelter, transitional living program, or a continuum of care lead agency assigned to a student who has been verified by the alternate adult to be a homeless child or youth without objection from the student’s parent or legal guardian. Governor VETO.

SB806 Pugh/Moore – Establishes the Food is Medicine Act to improve health outcomes for Medicaid members with nutrition-related chronic diseases through nutrition services and reduce the need for medical care. The measure directs the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) to seek any necessary federal approval to provide coverage for nutrition services under the state Medicaid program. 

SB942 Thompson, K/Gise – Prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital status against a student or an employee at a state institution of higher education or a public school and prohibits individuals from being excluded from participating in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination on such basis.

SJR22 Bergstrom/Kendrix – Approves all proposed permanent rules submitted by the State Department of Education (putting proposed rules back to the February 2025 rules) EXCEPT:  Teachers to take a naturalized citizenship test, proof of citizenship of students and others, the Bibles Walters wanted.  (It appears EVERY LEGISLATOR that voted and Stitt do not like Ryan Walters’ proposed rules changes as this passed the senate 43-0 and house 90-0. Senators excused from vote were Hines, Wingard, Paxton and Woods. House representatives excused from vote were Banning, Hardin, Smith, Caldwell, Marti, Luttrell, May, Sneed).

MEDICAL/PUBLIC HEALTH related:

SB574 Haste/Roe – Authorizes the Attorney General to utilize the Political Subdivisions Opioid Abatement Grants as authorized by opioid-related settlement agreements in which the State of Oklahoma is a litigant or participant. Governor veto, veto override May 29.

SB889 Murdock/Lepak – Requires each hospital to make public a digital file in a machine-readable format that contains a list of all standard charges for all facility items or services as well as a consumer friendly list of standard charges for a limited set of shoppable services and published on the facility’s website. 

ENERGY related:

SB269 Rader/Luttrell – A 69 page bill AMENDING the Oklahoma Carbon Capture and Geologic Sequestration Act and creating the Class VI Carbon Sequestration Storage Facility Revolving Fund (all under the Corporation Commission jurisdiction pursuant to the Oklahoma Carbon Capture and Geologic Sequestration Act). 

SB480 Green/Boles – The Oklahoma Energy Resources Board shall be subject to the provisions of the Oklahoma Sunset Law until July 1, 2028. Their purpose is to coordinate a program designed to demonstrate to the general public the importance of the Oklahoma oil and natural gas exploration and production industry, to encourage the wise and efficient use of energy, to promote environmentally sound production methods and technologies, to develop existing supplies of Oklahoma’s oil and natural gas resources, to support research and educational activities concerning the oil and natural gas exploration and production industry, and to cause remediation of historical oilfield environmental problems. 

SB713 Jech/Newton – No new wind energy facility may commence operations in this state unless the developer, owner, or operator of the facility applies to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for installation of a light-mitigating technology system and facilities already in operation must install within 24 months. A COUNTY CAN ISSUE REVENUE BONDS TO PURCHASE THE LIGHT MITIGATING TECHNOLOGY FOR EXISTING WINDMILLS!!! The installation and maintenance of the technology must be paid for by the operator of any such windmills.  THE TAXPAYER ON THE HOOK FOR THIS–OUTRAGEOUS!!! .

SB915 Green – Relating to solar energy facilities on Commissioners of the Land Office (CLO) land:  1. Be installed on permanent grass that is suitable for livestock grazing. Provided, the landowner shall not be liable for any damage to the facility caused by livestock; 2. Be constructed at not less than six (6) feet high from the lowest point of the solar panel; 3. If there is more than one row of solar panels, provide not less than twenty (20) feet of space between each row; 4. Be constructed not less than five hundred (500) yards from the nearest point on the outside wall of any residential dwelling; 5. Promote optimal runoff flow with diversions, terraces, basins, and other earthworks to prevent soil loss and erosion; and 6. Be liable for all soil erosion occurring along the land in which the panels are installed for the life of the project. (GRASS DOES NOT GROW UNDER SOLAR PANELS. THIS WILL ELIMINATE GRAZING LIVESTOCK ON CLO LAND AND TURN IT COMPLETELY OVER TO SOLAR COMPANIES). To governor who vetoed, veto override May 29.

SB998 Green (originally Gollihare)/Caldwell, T – Requires the Corporation Commission to enter an order with natural gas electric facilities seeking to build a new electric generation facility and that such facilities are eligible for a separate rate adjustment mechanism to recover costs. The Commission is required to permit a special rate for the recovery of such expenses. If the initiative to construct or expand a natural gas facility is terminated before completion, the utility must automatically refund customers any money collected through the special rate plus interest. (So apparently the RATE PAYERS WILL BE PAYING THE RATE ADJUSTMENT). 

OK Energy Press release excerpts:  Governor Kevin Stitt allowed a controversial utility bill to become law without his signature on Wednesday and opponents of SB998 suggested a constitutional challenge is coming. They also were not happy with the governor’s handling of the measure that opponents contend will lead to immediate costs for consumers. The measure is controversial because it allows utilities to use a WPIC or work in progress maneuver to charge ratepayers while projects are under construction rather than waiting to recover costs after completion of the project. But Gov. Stitt, in announcing a budget deal claimed the measure will “allow more energy generation” and “create a more reliable and affordable energy grid.” The Corporation Commission, chaired by Kim David, had voted in late April to oppose the measure and on Wednesday, she indicated displeasure at the governor’s decision. “I’m very disappointed that the Governor chose not to veto SB998. The question of whether a utility should be allowed to implement an immediate rate increase for new power generation should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis—not granted as a blanket policy.” The commissioners had raised the issue that the bill removed some of their constitutional duties and responsibilities and could face a legal challenge. She had earlier explained the CWIP “goes against 100 years of ratemaking principles and usurps the constitutional duty of the statewide-elected Corporation Commissioners to keep rates fair, just, and reasonable.” “Consumers take the construction cost risk for the investment without realizing any benefit for many years while the utility profits from the investment,” Hiett said. “This radical approach shifts the burden from shareholders to customers to fund capital investment and allows for a utility to profit from this investment before it produces electricity.”

SENATE GENERAL/MISC. Bills:

SB20 Sacchieri/Wilk – CCR: Requires the holder of a non-domiciled commercial driver license or commercial learner’s permit issued by any other state must possess a valid work visa and provide proof of citizenship to validate their identity while operating a commercial motor vehicle. A driver found to be in violation is subject to a fine of $3,000 for each violation. Any person operating a commercial motor vehicle must possess a valid commercial driver license from the United States, Canada or Mexico and a valid work visa and proof of citizenship of the country that issued the license. Proof of citizenship is to be shown by presentation of a birth certificate or valid passport.  Requires  an operator of a commercial motor vehicle to demonstrate sufficient proficiency of the English language. 

SB56 Gollihare/Stinson – Allows a family member of a Medicaid enrollee to provide services through a licensed home care agency for reimbursement. The family member must be recognized by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) as a family caregiver and must be under the direction and supervision of a Registered Nurse. 

SB209 Pederson/Pae – Creates the Taiwan Regional Trade Office under the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. The Office shall provide information about business trading opportunities to Oklahoma-based businesses and facilitate travel between Taiwan and Oklahoma (at the Oklahoma taxpayers expense). 

SB249 Thompson, K/Townley –  Extends the expiration date for tax incentives provided by the Oklahoma Tourism Development Act to January 1, 2032. .

SB269 Rader/Luttrell –  Provides that the Corp. Commission shall regulate carbon capture efforts in the state. Applicants to build injection wells must give notice by 2 publications. At least 1 of the publications must be 30 days prior to the Commission hearing. Applications may be filed if the applicant owns 63% of the tracts of land to be included in the CO2 storage unit. A map of the effected areas shall be included in the application.  Notice shall be provided to owners of effected wells, owners of mineral rights and surface owners. 

SB287 Pugh/Miller – Extends tax credit sunset for aerospace industry to 2031. 

SB324 Thompson, K/Hill – Creates the Oklahoma Research and Development Rebate Fund and Program to allow qualifying establishments to receive a 5% rebate reimbursement for qualified research expenditures administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce limited to a $20 million cap/year.

SB418 Daniels/Hasenbeck – DOC; every restroom, changing room, sleeping quarters shall only be used by members of the designated sex. 

SB453 Howard/Harris – Conference committee substitute addressess issues related to civil procedure and creates the Oklahoma Expedited Actions Act to allows lawsuits with a monetary relief request of $250,000 or less, admissibility of expert testimony to align with the federal rules of evidence and raises the award cap for noneconomic losses for bodily injury claims from $350,000 to $500,000. For permanent and severe personal bodily injuries, there will be no cap.  

SB480 Green/Boles – Allows certain companies and individuals that produce power on their own premises to avoid being regulated as a public utility. To be exempt from public utility regulation, the power producer must:  • use the power directly for themselves; or  • use the power indirectly to serve a specific customer; or  • be an exempt wholesale generator. They may not sell the power to the public and utilize a natural gas component in their generation.  

SB490 Gollihare/Lawson – Updates NIL rights to allow student-athletes at state universities to enter licensing and endorsement deals, aligning Oklahoma with national standards.

SB500 Murdock/West, R -Prohibits a governmental entity from entering into a contract with a company for the purchase of goods or services unless the contract contains a written verification from the company that it does not have a practice, policy, guidance, or directive that discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association. 

SB544 Wingard/Kerbs – Clarifies that the Department of Public Safety is the only law enforcement agency to have access to any information collected through the use of computerized finger imaging without obtaining a court order.  

SB552 Hines/Duel – Prohibits a state agency that receives federal or state funds using or procuring any biotechnology equipment or service that originates from a company designated by the federal government to be a biotechnology company of concern. 

SB553 Pugh/Sterling – Prohibits the State Department of Education from issuing a teaching license to anyone who has been convicted of failing to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Any certified teacher convicted of the crime will have their teaching license revoked.  Any time a teacher or substitute teacher leaves a school district and seeks a position at another district, the measure requires the original district to state in a letter whether the teacher was the subject of any allegation of inappropriate behavior with a student. 

SB599 Hamilton/Turner – Provides that a person convicted of lewd molestation of a child under 14 years of age shall be punished by imprisonment for life without parole. 

SB631 Paxton/George – Requires persons convicted of discharging a firearm at or into a dwelling or building used for public or business purposes to serve 85% of their sentence.

SB638 Daniels/Bashore – Strikes language specifying that a markup of 6% to cover a proportionate part of the cost of doing business shall be considered a cost to the retailer as it relates to the Unfair Sales Act. Also creates a misdemeanor crime for selling motor fuel below cost. 

SB642 Paxton/Hilbert – Allows a general contractor to provide workers’ compensation insurance to a subcontractor and their employees through a written agreement. Increases the maximum permanent partial disability workers’ compensation cap from $360 to $375 per week beginning July 1, 2025. 

SB647 Paxton (changed to Frix)/Stinson – Municipal zoning decisions are deemed valid unless the challenging party proves the ordinance lacks a substantial relation to the public health, safety, or general welfare of the public in light of objective and relevant facts, or if a zoning decision constitutes an unreasonable, arbitrary exercise of police power. 

SB658 Daniels/Crosswhite-Hader -Prohibits the DHS from requiring any current or prospective adoptive or foster parent to affirm, accept, or support any government policy regarding sexual orientation or gender identity that conflict’s with the parent’s sincerely held beliefs as a condition to adopt or foster. 

SB672 McIntosh/West, K –  Requires the Governor to have documented scientific evidence that the nature of a particular business would contribute to the direct spreading of disease relating to a DECLARED pandemic before issuing an executive order closing such businesses. 

SB687 Hall/Caldwell, T – Upon notification of approval of a claim from the OBO, the OTC will pay rebate claims with the $14,071,691 appropriated to the Oklahoma Broadband Rebate Revolving Fund. 

SB688 Hall/Hilbert – Waives the payroll requirement for aerospace parts manufacturers that applied for the five-year AD VALOREM manufacturing EXEMPTION between January 1, 2020 and March 16, 2021. The measure provides that the waiver is also applicable to facilities that were previously denied claims as long as they meet all other exemption qualification requirements. 

SB870 Rader/Williams – Creates the “Accountability, Transparency, and Protection for Exploited Youth Act.” The measure requires employees and contractors of a state-run juvenile facility, private contractor or group home under the supervision of the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) to report any form of sexual misconduct or exploitation between staff, volunteers, or contractors with juveniles. 

SB889 Murdock/Lepak – Requires hospitals to comply with federal guidelines under the Public Health Service Act, which pertain to the disclosure of standard hospital charges. The State Department of Health (OSDH) is authorized to monitor each hospital’s compliance. 

SB912 Rosino/Archer – The committee substitute to SB 912 modifies the number of members on the Oklahoma Aerospace and Aeronautics Commission from seven members to nine members. Seven members are to be appointed by the Governor and two members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and Speaker of the House. 

SB987 Thompson, K/Osburn – Creates the Oklahoma Department of Commerce Board consisting of nine (9) voting members. (Gann did a press release on this because he doesn’t like it). 

SB991 Thompson, K – Adopts the non-legally binding Working Definition of Anti-Semitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) on May 26, 2016.

SB1019 Thompson, K/Stinson – Prohibits any insurer from establishing, implementing, or enforcing any policy, practice, or procedure which imposes a time limit on the amount of covered anesthesia services provided during a medical or surgical procedure or restricting or excluding coverage or payment of anesthesia time. 

SB1073 Murdock – Provides that the hunting of mountain lions shall be administered through a lottery system. (Multi county constituent request bill). 

SB1150 Hall/Caldwell, T – Appropriates $15 million to the Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics for infrastructure upgrades at a primary commercial airport.

SB1160 Hall/Caldwell, T – Appropriates $238,077,462.00 to the Prison Acquisition Revolving Fund from the Revenue Stabilization Fund and $73,922,538.00 from General Revenue to the Prison Acquisition Revolving Fund. (to purchase the prison from a private company to house 2,000+ inmates in Lawton). 

SB1168 Hall/Caldwell, T – Expands “public employee” as it relates to the Governmental Tort Claims Act to include a public trust and any sole member not-for-profit corporation of the public trust and any sole member not-for-profit subsidiary of such corporation. 

Tax Cut and Reform: 

● Immediate Tax Relief: Reduces the income tax rate from 4.75% to 4.5% for the top three brackets starting in tax year 2026.  

● Simplified Tax Brackets: Consolidates six personal income tax brackets into four brackets on taxable income for easier understanding and administration.  

● Automatic Reduction Triggers: Ties future tax rate reductions to state revenue performance, allowing for 0.25% cuts if certified benchmarks are met.  

● Fiscal Safeguards: Nullifies any scheduled reduction if a revenue failure is declared, ensuring the state can continue to meet essential funding needs.  

Path to Full Income Tax Repeal – Trigger Framework  

● Trigger Mechanism: Beginning in 2026, a 0.25% rate cut will be triggered when the comparison year’s total collections exceed the base year’s total collections by an amount equal to the cost of a 0.25% rate cut multiplied by 1.25.  

● Certified by BOE: The State Board of Equalization will certify fiscal benchmarks annually in December.  

● Delayed Effective Date: Any triggered cut takes effect in two tax years, providing ample time for budget adjustments.  

● Revenue Failure Provision: If a revenue failure is declared in the intervening time, the scheduled cut is automatically nullified.

_____________________________________________________

The House and Senate overrode 47 of Governor Stitt’s 68 vetoes.

Per May 30, 2025 NonDoc (complete list of overrides to vetoes):

When all was said and done, both chambers overrode the governor’s vetoes on 47 bills:

  • HB 1137 makes small changes to existing statute about how the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation shall coordinate with the U.S. Department of Justice on efforts regarding the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous persons;
  • HB 1138 strengthens a state employee dispute resolution program;
  • HB 1178 creates a misdemeanor charge for individuals who are not disabled and falsely claim they have a service animal or use a service animal to gain benefits afforded to disabled people;
  • HB 1216 allows the Construction Industries Board to charge an increased fine for repeat offenses and unpaid initial fines. It also adds roofing to the list of industries it regulates;
  • HB 1273 creates an alternative program for domestic violence offenders and changes obligations related to the existing batterers’ intervention program;
  • HB 1356 requires individuals who enter an easement property through a livestock gate to maintain its original position after using it or else face misdemeanor charges;
  • HB 1389 mandates increased coverage of breast cancer screening services;
  • HB 1487 creates license plates about the Tulsa Air & Space Museum, the Church Studio, Star Spencer High School and the Ralph Ellison Foundation;
  • HB 1543 gives the Conservation Commission the power to enter into contracts and to work with tribal governments. It also repeals a statute that required it to establish a fund to support conservation districts that consolidate. (The Senate had to vote twice to override its veto);
  • HB 1563 authorizes a defendant to issue a subpoena duces tecum — or mandate to provide documents or evidence — to a business or commercial entity for certain records. The bill also requires law enforcement agencies to turn over body camera, dashboard camera and sobriety test evidence to prosecuting authorities within 30 days of a charge being filed, and it requires the prosecutor to turn over that evidence to defense counsel within 90 days;
  • HB 1576 requires the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to include coverage of rapid whole genome sequencing as a separately payable service for Medicaid beneficiaries in certain instances when a health care provider orders the genetic data to assist with diagnosis and treatment of conditions;
  • HB 1592 creates a new law enforcement arm in the Attorney General’s Office to address “organized retail crime;”
  • HB 1751 makes broad changes to Service Oklahoma, including a requirement that the agency “give notice” by first-class mail and stipulations about what decals and details can be placed in driver’s licenses and identification cards;
  • HB 1819 increases the annual license fee that the Board of Examiners in Optometry may charge from $300 to $500. (The Senate had to vote twice to override its veto);
  • HB 2048 adds requirements for pharmacy benefit managers and insurance companies to authorize prescriptions at 340B pharmacies run by hospitals and federally qualified health centers;
  • HB 2131 further limits the circumstances by which anyone can access grand jury transcripts after a grand jury indicts a person;
  • HB 2147 creates the “Municipal Code Lien Enforcement Act of 2025,” which allows municipalities to charge a lien against property in violation of housing and building codes and allows for foreclosure against such property, providing it is not “owner-occupied;”
  • HB 2163 establishes a “Public Access Counselor Unit” in the Attorney General’s Office to assist members of the public in accessing information via the Open Records Act;
  • HB 2164 establishes self-dealing by state and county public officials as a felony punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years. The bill expands the definition of “corruption in office” to “include the use of public office or authority to procure or attempt to procure a personal benefit, profit, or perquisite.” The bill also states that “any agreement or collusion among bidders or prospective bidders in restraint of freedom of competition by agreement to bid at a fixed price or to refrain from bidding for any purpose (…) shall render the bids of such bidders void;”
  • HB 2167 increases newspaper publication fees for public notices and requires legal newspapers to post the notices online in front of a paywall;
  • HB 2260 creates a tax credit for civil engineers;
  • HB 2263 prohibits drivers from holding or using a cell phone while driving through a school zone;
  • HB 2298 expands prescriptive authority for nurse practitioners;
  • HB 2374 modifies the Filmed in Oklahoma Act, defining  changes to how movies and shows filmed in Oklahoma may be taxed;
  • HB 2459 makes changes to statute requiring food trucks to have fire safety systems to say that they “shall be in compliance with the most current adopted fire code;”
  • HB 2584 expands prescriptive authority for physician assistants;
  • HB 2769 is a Military Department omnibus bill that makes numerous changes to the Oklahoma National Guard;
  • HB 2778 creates a new income tax credit for child care professionals;
  • HB 2785 requires the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to ensure a series of practices regarding Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services budgeting; and
  • SB 54 modifies the scope and sentencing provisions for certain motor vehicle offenses;
  • SB 324 creates the Oklahoma Research and Development Rebate Fund and establishes parameters for the Department of Commerce to issue rebates at a maximum amount of $20 million;
  • SB 424 creates the Oklahoma Community Health Worker Act and establishes certain eligibility requirements for voluntary community health worker certification;
  • SB 443 modifies the powers and duties of the Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, as well as certain licensure requirements;
  • SB 574 amends definitions used in the Political Subdivisions Opioid Abatements Grants Act to broaden approved purposes of opioid grants awards. The bill lso authorizes the Attorney General’s Office to use certain funds;
  • SB 687 drops from $42 million to $14 million the maximum amount of rebates available to be issued by the Oklahoma Broadband Office for sales and use taxes paid on certain equipment.
  • SB 631 establishes a minimum sentence for discharging a firearm into a building or dwelling used for public or business purposes;
  • SB 694 provides certain exemptions and allows for written consent related to the annexation and detachment of municipal territory;
  • SB 713 adds a requirement on new wind farm facilities to include certain technology for detection of and warning of airplanes;
  • SB 770 expands the membership of the Commission for Rehabilitation Services;
  • SB 804 requires long-term care facilities to create internal quality assurance committees. The bill also requires the commissioner of health to promulgate rules regarding minimum standards for medical care and medication administration;
  • SB 837 modifies certain special license plates and subsequent issuances of special license plates;
  • SB 870 creates the Accountability, Transparency, and Protection for Exploited Youth Act and amends language related to the obtainment of juvenile records;
  • SB 951 requires appraisal of improvements made to Commissioner of the Land Office property leased to a third party and requires reimbursement of such improvements to a prior lessee by a subsequent lessee;
  • SB 1014 amends language related to the Public Competitive Bidding Act of 1974 requiring local bid preference for certain public construction contracts;
  • SB 1050 decreases the allowable time to file certain claims under the Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act;
  • SB 1083 establishes requirements and parameters regarding blockchain digital asset kiosks;
  • SB 1089 amends definitions related to the determination of mental health competency modifying procedures for proceedings for restoration of competency.

Original content OKGrassroots