SB 650: Public finance; cabinet secretary approval for salary increases in excess of specified percentage; limitation; rules; employee categories. Effective date. Emergency. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was transitioned from the House version to the Senate floor version, which includes significant substantive amendments to the requirements for public utility maintenance plans. The Senate version adds specific details on how utilities must notify the public about their plans, clarifies funding sources for sewer repairs, and expands the capital improvement plan to include equipment access and lift station repairs. These changes aim to ensure more robust oversight and clearer financial planning for municipal sewer systems.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on public utilities providing sewage services, but the specific requirements for their maintenance and operation plans have been expanded and clarified.

REQUIREMENT

Added specific notification methods for public utilities, requiring annual publication in local newspapers, on utility websites, or in monthly bills to inform ratepayers about maintenance plans.

Added 'access or purchase equipment' and 'repair or replace municipal sanitary sewer lift stations' to the required five-year capital improvement plan.

FISCAL

Expanded the funding availability model to explicitly include bonding capacities (revenue and general obligation bonds) as a source for sewer system operations and capital improvements.

DEFINITION

Added a new subsection defining 'public utility' specifically as a municipally owned or publicly owned utility providing sewage services through a sanitary sewer system.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a provision stating that public utilities implementing the prescribed policies will be considered in compliance with the bill's provisions.

Committee Substitute → Floor (House) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill text was updated from a 'Committee Substitute' version to the 'Floor (House)' version, reflecting the final changes approved by the House of Representatives. The content of the legislation regarding public utility maintenance plans remains substantively the same, but the session year was updated from 2025 to 2026, and the document was reorganized to include House-specific formatting and signatures.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; it still applies to municipally owned utilities and other publicly owned utilities providing sewage services.

TIMELINE

The legislative session year was updated from the 1st Session of 2025 to the 2nd Session of 2026.

TECHNICAL

The document header changed from 'Committee Substitute' to 'Engrossed Senate' and 'House of Representatives - Floor Version', indicating the bill has passed the Senate and is now in its final form for the House.

Signatures and page headers were updated to reflect the House floor version, including the addition of Representative Harris's name and new page numbering.

Engrossed → Committee Substitute · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was converted from an 'Engrossed' version to a 'Committee Substitute,' which typically indicates the bill has been revised by a legislative committee to address concerns or incorporate new language before final passage. The substantive content regarding public utility maintenance plans appears largely unchanged, though the document formatting and page numbering were updated to reflect the committee's edits.

Scope change

No change in the scope or applicability of the bill; it continues to apply to municipally owned utilities providing sewage services.

TECHNICAL

The document header was updated from 'ENGROSSED SENATE BILL' to 'COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE,' indicating the bill has been amended by a committee.

Page numbering and tracking numbers (e.g., 'Req. No. 1830') were updated throughout the document to reflect the new version.

Several lines of text containing tracking numbers and page headers were removed during the conversion process.

Amended And Engrossed → Engrossed · 6 edits · Mar 26, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered to reflect its final Senate version and completely replaced its original text. The new version shifts the focus from state employee salary limits to regulating public utilities, specifically requiring them to adopt a maintenance plan for sanitary sewer systems. It mandates specific actions like root control, inspection programs, and public notifications to prevent sewage overflows.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from regulating executive branch agency salaries to regulating public utilities and their sanitary sewer systems.

SCOPE

The subject matter changed entirely from state employee pay limits to public utility sewer maintenance requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Public utilities must adopt a plan including mapping, inspections, root control, and policies to respond to sewage overflows.

Utilities must adopt ordinances to prevent fats, oils, and grease from entering the sewer system and require backflow prevention devices on new construction.

ENFORCEMENT

State agencies providing funding to utilities must consider whether the utility has adopted the required maintenance plans when approving grants.

ELIGIBILITY

All provisions regarding salary increases and bonuses for state employees were removed.

DEFINITION

A new definition for 'public utility' was added, specifically covering municipally owned utilities providing sewage services.

Introduced → Amended And Engrossed · 5 edits · Mar 26, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was completely replaced with a new piece of legislation focused on public finance rather than public utilities. The original text, which mandated sewer maintenance plans for utility companies, was deleted and substituted with a bill limiting executive branch salary increases and bonuses to 10% without cabinet approval.

Scope change

The scope changed entirely from regulating municipal sewer systems to regulating state employee compensation and salary increases.

SCOPE

All provisions regarding public utility sewer maintenance plans, inspections, and funding models were removed.

REQUIREMENT

New requirements were added to limit executive branch salary increases and bonuses to 10% without formal cabinet secretary approval.

ELIGIBILITY

Exemptions were created for high-level executives, licensed professionals (doctors, engineers), non-appropriated agencies, and public school employees.

ENFORCEMENT

New enforcement mechanisms were established requiring agencies to retain copies of approval forms and document salary adjustments exceeding the limit.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the new salary rules was set to July 1, 2026.

Public finance; cabinet secretary approval for salary increases in excess of specified percentage; limitation; rules; employee categories. Effective date. Emergency.

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