Administrative Procedures Act; establishing guidelines for interpretation of statutes or administrative rules. Effective date.

SB 70 requires Oklahoma courts and administrative hearing officers to interpret state statutes, rules, and other documents "de novo" (without deferring to agency interpretations). Instead, courts must directly interpret the law themselves, and when ambiguity remains, they must resolve it in favor of limiting agency power and maximizing individual liberty. The bill, effective November 1, 2025, amends Oklahoma’s Administrative Procedures Act to change how legal interpretations are handled in cases involving state agencies.