Budget & Taxes

HB 1372 temporarily lowers the gross production tax rate for oil and gas from existing wells (spudded before the law's effective date) to 5% for 36 months, instead of the standard 7%. It also creates two new tax exemptions: 1) 5 years of tax-free production for secondary/tertiary recovery projects approved after July 2022, and 2) a 24-month tax exemption for wells using recycled water (proportional to recycled water usage). For orphaned wells, producers must post a $25,000 surety bond per well to qualify for a 50% tax reduction for 36 months. The bill sets annual refund limits of $15 million for recovery projects and $10 million for recycled water exemptions, requiring producers to apply for refunds through the Tax Commission.

SB 582 requires Oklahoma state agencies collecting revenue into the General or Special Revenue Funds to provide the Office of Management and Enterprise Services with detailed, itemized forecasts of expected collections for the current year and the next two fiscal years. It also mandates the Oklahoma Tax Commission to submit comprehensive economic reports - analyzing recent performance and forecasting national/state trends - to the Director of Management and Enterprise Services at least two weeks before State Board of Equalization meetings, including assessments of past forecast accuracy. These reports and revenue estimates must be shared simultaneously with key legislative committees. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025, and became law without the Governor's signature on May 7, 2025.

SB 600 increases court filing fees in Oklahoma by adding new mandatory assessments to existing civil case fees. It requires an additional $6 for the Law Library Fund, $25 for the Court Information System, $5-$10 for court-appointed child advocates (OCASA), and $2 split between judicial complaint and interpreter services funds. These new fees apply to all civil court filings, including common cases like divorce ($183 base fee) and small claims ($150 base fee), with the exception of those qualifying for fee waivers due to poverty. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025, and includes a temporary $10 fee for court records preservation until November 2027.

HB 2087 modifies Oklahoma's income tax credit for donations to qualified research institutes. It adjusts annual funding caps: for biomedical research institutes, the limit drops from $2 million to $1.5 million per year starting in 2026, while cancer research institute credits are capped at $500,000 annually. The credit percentage for each donation type is recalculated yearly based on prior-year claims, using specific formulas to stay within these new limits. Taxpayers donating to qualifying nonprofit biomedical or cancer research institutes (defined by NIH funding requirements) can claim the credit, with individual limits of $1,000-$25,000 depending on filing status or business type.

HB 1220 prohibits Oklahoma cities and towns from imposing franchise fees or sales/use taxes on specific revenue streams used by utilities to repay private financing. It directly affects electric cooperatives and other utilities that used private financing under the February 2021 Utility Consumer Protection Acts to avoid immediate cost burdens on customers. The bill defines "securitization revenue streams" as rates and charges solely for repaying such private loans, and bans local taxes on these streams for bonds issued by the Oklahoma Development Finance Authority under those acts. This prevents municipalities from taxing revenue dedicated to repaying utility loans structured to protect consumers from upfront costs.