SB 642 Oklahoma Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Worker's compensation; expanding rights and remedies granted to certain persons; authorizing agreement between contractors to provide certain insurance coverage. Emergency.

SB 642 expands workers' compensation rights for injured employees in Oklahoma by clarifying when they can pursue legal action against employers. It directly affects injured workers, their families, and contractors (both general and subcontractors) who must now ensure workers' compensation insurance is made available to subcontractors. Key provisions include: allowing lawsuits if employers fail to secure required insurance or commit intentional torts (with strict proof requirements), defining "provides workers' compensation insurance" as making coverage available (not requiring it to cover specific incidents), and clarifying that immunity from lawsuits does not apply in these cases. The bill also updates definitions for contractors and ensures insurance requirements apply consistently across construction projects.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Signed May 27, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 8 comparisons

What changed between versions

Floor (House) Floor (Senate) · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill amends Oklahoma's workers' compensation laws to clarify that exclusive remedy protections apply to general contractors and other principals who provide insurance to subcontractors. It also expands the ability to sue employers for damages in specific situations, such as when an employer fails to pay compensation or commits an intentional tort.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of who is protected by exclusive remedy provisions to include general contractors, principals, officers, and other related parties who provide workers' compensation insurance to subcontractors.
SCOPE

Extended exclusive remedy protections to cover general contractors and other principals who provide insurance coverage to subcontractors.

Clarified that immunity from civil liability applies even if the employee is denied compensation or deemed ineligible to receive it.

Expanded immunity exceptions to include actions against other employers on the same job site, even if they are not the immediate employer.

ELIGIBILITY

Added specific exceptions allowing injured employees to sue in court if the employer fails to pay compensation or if the injury was caused by an intentional tort.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 18, 2025 · House May 8, 2025

How they voted

387
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 49
Mar 18, 2025
D Democratic9
2 Yea 7 Nay
77% Nay
R Republican40
36 Yea 4
90% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
39
Key actions
12
Committee
8
Amendments
3
May 27, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor 05/23/2025
upper
May 21, 2025
Committee
Referred for enrollment
upper
May 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
Fourth Reading, Measure and Emergency Passed: Ayes: 81 Nays: 12
lower
May 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
Measure and Emergency passed, to House: Ayes: 40 Nays: 6
upper
May 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
CCR adopted
upper
May 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Conference granted, naming Conference Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight
lower
May 13, 2025
Amended
HAs rejected, conference requested
upper
May 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Engrossed, signed, to Senate
lower
May 8, 2025
Committee
Referred for engrossment
lower
May 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third Reading, Measure and Emergency passed: Ayes: 74 Nays: 18
lower
May 8, 2025
Introduced
Amended by floor substitute
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
CR; Do Pass Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Policy recommendation to the Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight committee; Do Pass Civil Judiciary
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Committee
Referred to Civil Judiciary
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Introduced
First Reading
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
Engrossed to House
upper
Mar 18, 2025
Committee
Referred for engrossment
upper
Mar 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Measure and Emergency passed: Ayes: 37 Nays: 7
upper
Mar 18, 2025
Introduced
General Order, Amended
upper
Feb 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Business and Insurance committee; CR filed
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Introduced
First Reading
upper
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors