HB 2992: Corporation Commission; creating the Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026; effective date; emergency. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to change its title from 'Data Center Customer Protection Act' to 'Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act' to better reflect its focus on billing fairness. The list of sponsors was updated to include additional legislators who joined the bill in the Senate. The text was also reformatted to reflect the Senate floor version, including updated page headers and dates.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on regulating large data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations, but the title change clarifies that the primary goal is protecting ratepayers from unfair cost allocation.

SCOPE

The bill title was changed to 'Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026' to emphasize protection for utility customers rather than just data center customers.

ELIGIBILITY

The list of bill sponsors was expanded to include additional House and Senate members who joined the legislation during the Senate session.

TECHNICAL

Page headers and document metadata were updated to reflect the 'Senate Floor Version' and the specific date of April 16, 2026.

HB2992 (4-27-26) (GREEN) FA1.PDF → Floor (House) · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was converted from a Senate chamber amendment into a House Floor version, which completely restructured the legislation. The new version establishes the 'Data Center Customer Protection Act of 2026' to regulate large energy consumers, such as data centers and crypto miners.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to explicitly define 'large load customers' as new data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations, and AI facilities requiring 75 megawatts or more of power after July 1, 2026.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for 'Applicable governing body', 'Cost causation', 'Electric supplier', 'Large load customer', and 'Residential customer'.

REQUIREMENT

Required electric suppliers to create separate terms, conditions, and tariffs specifically for large load customers to ensure fair cost allocation.

Mandated that service agreements for large load customers must have a minimum term of ten years.

ENFORCEMENT

Granted the Oklahoma Corporation Commission exclusive jurisdiction to enforce the act against retail electric suppliers.

TECHNICAL

Changed the document format from a Senate amendment proposal to a formal House Floor Committee Substitute bill.

House Committee Substitute → HB2992 (4-27-26) (GREEN) FA1.PDF · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add a new requirement for large load customers (such as data centers) to notify the Corporation Commission and nearby property owners at least 60 days before purchasing land outside of specific industrial zones. This includes a mandate for public notice via newspaper publication and a public meeting. The amendment also establishes a penalty of up to $1,500 per day for failing to provide this notice.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include specific land acquisition procedures and penalties for large load customers, moving beyond just rate protection and service terms.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for large load customers to notify the Corporation Commission, county commissioners, and nearby property owners 60 days before purchasing land outside of designated industrial areas or municipalities.

Mandated that the land purchase notice include publication in a local newspaper and the scheduling of a public meeting.

ENFORCEMENT

Created an administrative penalty of up to $1,500 per day for each violation of the new land purchase notification requirements.

DEFINITION

Updated the bill's title and section numbering to accommodate the new Section 7 regarding land acquisition.

House Conference Committee Substitute → House Committee Substitute · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was converted from a Conference Committee Substitute back to a Committee Substitute, removing the names of additional House sponsors and Senate sponsors who were part of the compromise version. The substantive policy text regarding data center protections, ratepayer safeguards, and service terms remains identical to the previous version.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's applicability and the policy requirements for electric suppliers and data centers remain unchanged; only the legislative metadata and sponsor lists were modified.

TECHNICAL

Removed the names of additional House sponsors (Cornwell, Hildebrant, Staires, Dobrinski, Clinton, Dollens, Wolfley, Alonso-Sandoval, Menz, Harris, Munson, Adams, Waldron, Stewart, Hill, Pogemiller, Turner, Kelley, McCane, Tedford, Rosecrants, Hays, and Grego) and Senate sponsors (Seifried, Mann, Coleman, Prieto, Deevers, Kirt, Hamilton, and Nice) who were listed in the Conference Committee version.

Changed the document header from 'CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE' to 'COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE' to reflect the bill's return to its original committee status.

Adjusted the list of sponsors to only include Boles, Chapman, Cornwell, and Hildebrant for the House, and added Green for the Senate, indicating a reversion to the original bill text before the conference committee meeting.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → House Conference Committee Substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from a 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute' to a 'Conference Committee Substitute,' indicating it has been amended to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions. The most significant substantive change is the adjustment of the 'Large load customer' threshold, which was lowered from 100 megawatts to 75 megawatts, thereby expanding the number of data centers and AI facilities subject to the new ratepayer protection rules. Additionally, the act's title was updated to reflect 'Customer Ratepayer Protection' instead of 'Customer Protection,' and the list of sponsors was expanded to include members from both legislative chambers.

Scope change

The scope of the bill was expanded by lowering the minimum load threshold for 'Large load customers' from 100 megawatts to 75 megawatts, bringing more data centers and AI facilities under the act's regulatory requirements.

ELIGIBILITY

The definition of 'Large load customer' was changed to include facilities with 75 megawatts or greater, down from the previous 100 megawatts threshold.

DEFINITION

The term 'Electric supplier' was updated to include 'public power utilities' in the list of covered entities.

SCOPE

The act's title was amended to 'Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026' to better reflect the inclusion of ratepayer protection provisions.

ENFORCEMENT

New language was added regarding the collection of penalties and enforcement of violations for failing to provide required notices.

REQUIREMENT

The requirement for public power utilities using tax-exempt financing to have a service term of at least ten years was modified to allow for a shorter term if dictated by IRS guidelines.

TECHNICAL

The bill text was reorganized to reflect the Conference Committee format, including updated sponsor lists and corrected section numbering.

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended from an 'Oversight' version to a 'Policy' version, primarily changing the title to reflect a focus on policy rather than oversight. The most significant substantive change is the redefinition of 'large load customers' to include new artificial-intelligence computing facilities, whereas the previous version did not explicitly name AI. Additionally, the required term of service for these large customers was shortened from ten years to at least ten years, removing a specific exception for public power utilities that previously allowed for a shorter term based on IRS guidelines.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include new artificial-intelligence computing facilities under the definition of 'large load customers', ensuring they are subject to the same rate protections and service terms as data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'large load customer' was updated to explicitly list 'new artificial-intelligence computing facilities' alongside data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations.

REQUIREMENT

The requirement for a ten-year term of service for large load customers was modified; the previous version included a specific exception for public power utilities allowing a shorter term, which was removed in this version.

TECHNICAL

The bill title was changed from 'Proposed Oversight Committee Substitute' to 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute', and the committee name was updated from 'Oversight' to 'Policy'.

Engrossed → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to replace the entire text of the original version with a new committee substitute. While the core policy provisions regarding data center protections, definitions, and utility requirements remain largely consistent, the amendment updates the bill title, adds a formal amendment header, and slightly reorders the sections for the legislative record.

Scope change

The bill's substantive scope and applicability remain unchanged; the amendment is primarily procedural and cosmetic.

TECHNICAL

The entire text of the bill was replaced with a new version submitted by the committee, which includes updated headers and formatting but retains the same legal provisions.

The bill title was updated to 'Data Center Customer Protection Act of 2026' (previously 'Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026') to reflect the committee's preferred nomenclature.

A formal 'Committee Amendment' header was added to the document to track the legislative history of the changes.

Amended And Engrossed → Engrossed · 4 edits · Apr 28, 2026

MODERATE

The Senate amendments add a new requirement for large data center developers to publicly notify county officials and neighboring property owners at least 60 days before purchasing land for new facilities. This includes publishing notices in local newspapers and holding public meetings to ensure community awareness of upcoming high-energy projects. The bill also clarifies that the Corporation Commission has exclusive jurisdiction over enforcing these rules for regulated utilities, ensuring consistent oversight.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include a mandatory public notification process for large land purchases related to data centers, affecting developers, municipalities, and local property owners within a five-mile radius of proposed projects.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new Section 7 requiring large load customers and developers to notify the Corporation Commission, county commissioners, and nearby property owners 60 days before purchasing land for data centers.

Mandated that land purchase notices be published in local newspapers for two consecutive weeks and include details for a public meeting.

ENFORCEMENT

Established an administrative penalty of up to $1,500 per day for each violation of the new notification requirements.

Clarified that the Oklahoma Corporation Commission has exclusive jurisdiction to enforce the act for utilities under its regulation.

Enrolled (final version) → Amended And Engrossed · 5 edits · Apr 28, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add 'Ratepayer' to its official title, clarifying that it protects residential and commercial customers from high costs. The most significant change is the addition of a new Section 7, which requires large energy consumers (like data centers) to publicly notify the Corporation Commission and nearby residents 60 days before purchasing land, including a plan for a public meeting. This ensures community awareness and allows for oversight of major energy projects.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include a mandatory public notice requirement for large land purchases related to energy projects, affecting developers, municipalities, and large load customers.

DEFINITION

The bill title was changed from 'Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act' to 'Data Center Customer Protection Act' in the amended version, though the text still references the longer name.

REQUIREMENT

A new Section 7 was added requiring large load customers or developers to notify the Corporation Commission, county commissioners, and property owners within a five-mile radius at least 60 days before purchasing land outside industrial development projects.

The new notice requirement mandates publication in a local newspaper and the inclusion of information for a public meeting, with the first publication occurring at least 30 days before the meeting.

ENFORCEMENT

A penalty of up to $1,500 per day per violation was established for failing to provide the required notice.

TECHNICAL

Several House coauthors and Senate coauthors were added to the bill's sponsor list to reflect the final legislative consensus.

Introduced → Enrolled (final version) · 6 edits · Mar 24, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from 'Introduced' to 'Enrolled', indicating it has passed all legislative stages and is ready for the governor's signature. The core policy content was expanded to include new definitions for large data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations, requiring electric suppliers to create separate tariffs for these high-load customers. The bill now mandates a minimum ten-year contract term for these facilities to ensure they pay for all infrastructure costs, even if they leave early. It also establishes that residential and small business customers must be protected from paying for the costs of these large new facilities.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a general consumer protection act to specifically target new large data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations, and AI computing facilities that consume 75 megawatts or more of electricity.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for 'large load customer' to include new data centers, crypto mining, and AI facilities with loads of 75 megawatts or more.

REQUIREMENT

Required electric suppliers to establish separate terms and tariffs specifically for large load customers to ensure cost allocation.

Mandated a minimum ten-year service term for large load customers to secure long-term cost recovery for electric suppliers.

PROTECTIONS

Added explicit protections ensuring residential, commercial, and industrial customers do not pay for costs directly caused by large load customers.

ENFORCEMENT

Granted the Corporation Commission exclusive jurisdiction to enforce the act against regulated electric suppliers.

TECHNICAL

Changed the bill status from 'Introduced' to 'Enrolled' and updated the title to reflect the new specific protections and definitions.

Corporation Commission; creating the Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026; effective date; emergency.

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