Administrative Procedures Act; judicial review; providing for timing of certain claim; requiring interpretation of statute, rule, or regulation be provided; establishing guidelines; effective date.
House Bill 2729 amends Oklahoma's Administrative Procedures Act, impacting how state agencies operate and how individuals interact with agency decisions. It mandates that reviewing courts and administrative hearing officers interpret state statutes and rules *de novo*, meaning they cannot defer to a state agency's interpretation, and should resolve any remaining doubt in favor of limiting agency power. The bill also requires a jury trial for civil penalties sought by administrative agencies if the underlying conduct would typically entitle a defendant to a jury trial at common law. Additionally, it clarifies when a claim for judicial review of a final agency order accrues and updates provisions for awarding court costs in review proceedings.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 3, 2025
Signed May 21, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 6 comparisons
What changed between versions
Floor (House)
→
Floor (Senate)
·
3 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended during Senate review to add a new section prohibiting civil penalties in administrative actions that could also be tried as common law cases with a jury trial right. The Senate also updated the committee report attribution and changed the bill title to reflect the Administrative Procedures Act more broadly.
Scope change
Added a new provision (Section 321.1) that limits when administrative agencies can impose civil penalties, specifically prohibiting them in cases where the conduct could also be prosecuted in court with a jury trial.
ENFORCEMENT
New Section 321.1 prohibits administrative agencies from awarding civil penalties for conduct that could also be subject to a common law suit with jury trial rights, unless a jury trial was actually held.
TECHNICAL
Updated the bill title description to reference the Administrative Procedures Act more comprehensively and added new effective date language.
Changed committee report attribution from 'Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight' to 'Judiciary' and updated the date.
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
31
Key actions
10
Committee
7
May 21, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor 05/21/2025
lower
May 14, 2025
Committee
Referred for enrollment
lower
May 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Fourth Reading, Measure passed: Ayes: 71 Nays: 16
lower
May 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
SA's read, adopted
lower
May 6, 2025
Upper · Passed
Engrossed to House
upper
May 5, 2025
Committee
Referred for engrossment
upper
May 5, 2025
Upper · Passed
Measure passed: Ayes: 37 Nays: 8
upper
Apr 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Judiciary committee; CR filed
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Introduced
First Reading
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Engrossed, signed, to Senate
lower
Mar 3, 2025
Committee
Referred for engrossment
lower
Mar 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third Reading, Measure passed: Ayes: 79 Nays: 16
lower
Feb 25, 2025
Lower · Passed
CR; Do Pass Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Policy recommendation to the Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight committee; Do Pass Civil Judiciary
lower
Feb 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to Civil Judiciary
lower
Feb 3, 2025
Introduced
First Reading
lower
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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