SB 1530 Oklahoma Senate · 2026 Regular Session

State government; Oklahoma Research and Development Rebate Fund; authorizing increase in certain rebate amount under specified condition; imposing certain duties on the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Effective date.

SB 1530 requires the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to verify that businesses claiming research and development rebates actually conducted eligible research within Oklahoma. It affects companies seeking rebates equal to 5% of their qualified research expenses, with a $20 million annual cap on total payments. The bill mandates that businesses submit applications and documentation for verification before receiving rebates, and if funds are insufficient, payments are prorated or carried over to future years. This amendment updates existing rules for the Oklahoma Research and Development Rebate Fund, effective July 1, 2026.

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

Apr 2026

Introduced Feb 2, 2026 Signed Apr 21, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

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

MINOR

The bill was transitioned from the House version to the Senate floor version, resulting in minor formatting adjustments and the addition of a committee report. The substantive policy content, including funding limits, eligibility criteria, and effective dates, remains unchanged.

Scope change

No change in scope or applicability; the bill covers the same Oklahoma Research and Development Rebate Fund provisions.

TECHNICAL

Updated the header and page footers to reflect the Senate floor version instead of the House floor version.

Added a new committee report section indicating the bill was passed by the Committee on Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism.

Adjusted line numbers and spacing in the text to align with Senate formatting standards.

Introduced → Engrossed · 7 edits · Mar 12, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was updated from its original introduction to its final engrossed version, incorporating substantive policy changes to the Oklahoma Research and Development Rebate Fund. The most significant change is the addition of specific exclusions for what counts as 'research and development,' such as routine testing and market research, to ensure the rebate targets genuine innovation. Additionally, the bill now allows for a higher rebate rate of up to 7% if an establishment partners with a local university, and it adds a requirement for the Department of Commerce to verify that research expenses actually occurred within the state.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed by adding specific exclusions to the definition of eligible research activities, preventing routine or administrative tasks from qualifying for the rebate.

DEFINITION

Added a detailed definition of 'research and development' that explicitly excludes routine product testing, quality control, market research, literary projects, natural resource exploration, software integration, and existing knowledge application.

FISCAL

Introduced a new provision allowing the rebate rate to increase from 5% to 7% if the qualifying establishment partners with an in-state institution of higher education.

REQUIREMENT

Added a specific requirement for establishments to provide documentation proving that their research and development expenditures occurred within Oklahoma.

Added a mandate for the Department of Commerce to verify all submitted applications and documentation before awarding any rebate payments.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a new requirement for the Department to annually publish a report on the program's return on investment, including details about recipients and partnered universities.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the act from July 1, 2026, to November 1, 2026.

TECHNICAL

Removed the 'emergency clause' that would have allowed the bill to take effect immediately upon passage.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 11, 2026 · House Apr 13, 2026

How they voted

36–4

Passed · 10 other

Total votes 50

Mar 11, 2026

D Democratic9

7 Yea 2

77% Yea

R Republican41

29 Yea 4 Nay 8

70% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 13, 2026

Committee

Referred for enrollment

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third Reading, Measure passed: Ayes: 58 Nays: 27

lower

Apr 8, 2026

Lower · Passed

CR; Do Pass Appropriations and Budget Committee

lower

Apr 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Recommendation to the full committee; Do Pass Appropriations and Budget Natural Resources Subcommittee

lower

Mar 31, 2026

Committee

Referred to Appropriations and Budget Natural Resources Subcommittee

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

First Reading

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

Engrossed to House

upper

Mar 11, 2026

Committee

Referred for engrossment

upper

Mar 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

Measure passed: Ayes: 36 Nays: 4

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism committee; CR filed

upper

Feb 2, 2026

Introduced

First Reading

upper

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors