Oklahoma Bills | MyRepTracker

died · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SB 72: Sales Tax Relief Act; modifying authorized claim amounts for certain years. Effective date.

SB 72 updates Oklahoma's Sales Tax Relief Act for tax years 2025 and later. It raises income limits for qualifying residents: individuals without additional exemptions can claim relief if household income is ≤$35,000 (receiving $200 per exemption) or ≤$40,000 ($100 per exemption). For those with exemptions, disabilities, or age 65+, the limits are $45,000 ($200) or $50,000 ($150) per exemption. The bill replaces the previous fixed $40 relief amount with these tiered, higher payments. This directly affects low-income Oklahoma residents filing for sales tax relief under the Act.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

died · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SB 959: Health care; granting certain rights and protections to health care institutions and payors; prohibiting certain discrimination and adverse actions. Effective date.

SB 959 protects healthcare institutions (like hospitals and clinics) and payors (like insurers) from discrimination or penalties if they refuse to provide services based on religious or moral beliefs. It prohibits actions such as job termination, denial of licenses, or loss of contracts for such refusals, while requiring emergency care under federal law. Religious entities can make hiring and admission decisions aligned with their beliefs, but state-run facilities are excluded from these protections. The bill failed committee review in March 2025 and did not become law.

Topics ✗ Healthcare ✗ Labor & Employment

died · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SB 239: Income tax; limiting credit allowance for zero-emission facilities to certain tax years; limiting carry forward of credit. Effective date.

SB 239 amends Oklahoma's tax code to limit income tax credits for electricity generated by zero-emission facilities (like wind, solar, and geothermal plants). It restricts the credit to tax years ending by 2025 and replaces the previous option to carry forward unused credits with a new 85% refund option for credits generated after 2013. This directly affects electricity producers who previously could carry forward unused credits for up to 10 years; now, they may elect to receive 85% of unused credits as a direct refund instead. The bill also clarifies that certain entities, such as pass-through businesses, can claim the refund or allocate credits to owners.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Energy ✗ Environment

died · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SB 1107: Financial services; creating the Financial Services Freedom Act. Effective date.

Oklahoma's SB 1107, the Financial Services Freedom Act, prohibits large financial institutions (banks with over $100 billion in assets or payment processors handling similar transaction volumes) from denying or restricting financial services based on a customer's protected religious beliefs, political speech, or other constitutionally safeguarded activities. The bill requires institutions to provide a clear, written explanation if they deny service and authorizes customers to sue for damages or seek court orders if denied service for prohibited reasons. It defines "social credit scores" as evaluations tied to protected activities like religious practice, political expression, or refusal to comply with certain environmental or diversity initiatives beyond legal requirements. The law aims to increase transparency in financial service decisions and prevent discrimination based on constitutionally protected conduct.

died · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SB 159: Veterans; establishing certain center; requiring collaborations. Effective date.

SB 159 requires the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a veterans resource center in Del City, Oklahoma, serving as a hub to connect veterans with public and private services through information and referral. It mandates all state agencies providing veteran services to collaborate with this center to streamline access to support. The bill creates a centralized point for veterans to find assistance and ensures state agencies coordinate through the Del City location. The center becomes operational starting November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Veterans

died · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 26, 2025

SB 472: Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act; expanding scope of scholarships while participating in the program. Effective date.

SB 472, titled "Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act; expanding scope of scholarships while participating in the program," was withdrawn from committee on February 19, 2025, and is no longer active. The bill's original intent, as reflected in its title, was to expand tax credit eligibility for education scholarships under Oklahoma's parental choice program. However, with the title stricken and the bill withdrawn, no legislative action or policy changes were enacted. This procedural withdrawal means the proposed expansion of scholarship access did not advance.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

died · Oklahoma · House Feb 26, 2025

HB 2896: Game and fish; lifetime licenses; nonresident property owners; license amount; effective date; emergency.

HB 2896 establishes lifetime fishing and hunting licenses in Oklahoma with tiered fees based on residency, age, and veteran status. Residents pay $375 for a lifetime fishing license or $1,024 for a combination license, while nonresidents pay $3,000 or $7,500 respectively. Senior citizens (65+) pay reduced rates ($30/$60), and disabled veterans with ≥60% disability pay $25 for a combination license. Nonresident property owners must own at least 160 acres of land they’ve owned for a year, paid taxes on, and provide proof to qualify for discounted nonresident licenses. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Veterans

died · Oklahoma · House Feb 26, 2025

HB 2896: Game and fish; lifetime licenses; nonresident property owners; license amount; effective date; emergency.

HB 2896 creates new lifetime fishing and hunting licenses in Oklahoma with tiered pricing based on residency, age, and veteran status. It directly affects residents (who pay $375 for fishing or $1,024 for combo licenses), nonresidents (who pay $3,000 or $7,500), seniors (65+ at $30/$60), and disabled veterans ($25-$200). Nonresidents owning qualifying land (160+ acres, owned 1+ year, with tax proof) can purchase licenses for themselves and minor children. The bill replaces annual licenses with lifetime permits and sets an effective date of July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

died · Oklahoma · House Feb 26, 2025

HB 2696: Open records; educational records; requiring schools to release certain records; specifying certain information cannot be omitted; effective date.

HB 2696 requires Oklahoma public schools to provide parents, guardians, or students aged 18+ with all requested student records - including personal communications, assessments, and Individualized Education Program details - without redaction, unless the information would violate the law. The bill mandates that schools release "directory information" (like name, address, and activity participation) in a timely manner and allows parents to opt out of sharing specific details. Schools are prohibited from selling or releasing student directory information without authorization under federal law or Oklahoma statutes. This law applies to all public educational institutions in Oklahoma and takes effect on November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Education

died · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 26, 2025

SB 472: Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act; expanding scope of scholarships while participating in the program. Effective date.

SB 472 expands Oklahoma's Parental Choice Tax Credit to cover additional educational expenses beyond private school tuition. Taxpayers can now claim credits for nonpublic learning programs (online or in-person), academic tutoring, textbooks, curriculum materials, and fees for standardized tests like college entrance exams. The credit amount depends on household income, with maximums of $7,500 for families earning under $75,000, $7,000 for $75,000-$150,000, and $6,500 for higher earners. This affects Oklahoma parents or guardians paying for these approved expenses for eligible students enrolled in accredited private schools or approved educational programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

died · Oklahoma · House Feb 25, 2025

HB 2189: Housing; creating the Oklahoma Workforce Housing Commission; Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency; reports; affordable housing; effective date.

HB 2189 creates the Oklahoma Workforce Housing Commission to oversee affordable housing initiatives. The commission, working with the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, must submit annual reports to the legislature starting December 1, 2026. Key provisions include adjusting the commission's initial report deadline from 2034 to 2028 and requiring ongoing annual reporting to legislative leaders. This bill directly affects state housing programs and legislative oversight of affordable housing efforts. The commission's work aims to improve housing access through structured reporting and planning.

Topics ✓ Housing

died · Oklahoma · House Feb 25, 2025

HB 1668: Agriculture; Oklahoma Farmed Cervidae Act; definition; Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry; inspection; license fee; Department of Wildlife Conservation; rule promulgation authority; emergency.

HB 1668 creates a new commercial harvesting license for facilities breeding or hunting deer, elk, or other cervidae (like hybrids or exotic species) for profit. It requires license applicants to prove animals weren’t sourced from Oklahoma’s wild populations and mandates annual $300 fees. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAF) gains authority to inspect facilities and promulgate rules, replacing previous oversight by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. The bill also updates existing licensing fees and expiration dates for commercial hunting operations.