HB 3972 creates a state "Ad Valorem Reimbursement Fund" to reimburse Oklahoma counties for property tax revenue losses caused by specific exemptions. It directly affects counties that lose revenue due to tax exemptions for new manufacturing facilities, veterans' homes (if exemptions exceed 0.8% of population), school district exemptions, buffer strip valuation changes, or state property purchases over $300 million (limited to two tax years). Counties must file claims by April 30 each year, with the Tax Commission reviewing them by June 15; reimbursements prioritize manufacturing exemptions and state property purchases before other claims. The fund is a revolving account with no fiscal year limits, and disbursements are exempt from standard spending caps. The bill takes immediate effect due to an emergency declaration.
HB 3981 creates a program to provide financial incentives to full-time prosecutors working in Oklahoma's designated high-need localities. Eligible prosecutors can receive up to $50,000 over five years, with potential additional $10,000 for each two-year service extension beyond that period, subject to available funding. To qualify, prosecutors must agree to a service obligation; leaving early requires repaying funds proportionally. The program is funded through a new revolving fund in the state treasury, managed by the District Attorneys Council, which determines high-need areas based on factors like population size, remoteness, and recruitment challenges.
HB 3986 modernizes Oklahoma's gross production tax for oil, gas, and mineral production. It sets a 7% tax rate on most oil and gas production (increasing from previous rates), with a temporary 5% rate for wells spudded before the law's effective date for 36 months. The bill creates tax exemptions for 5 years for secondary/tertiary recovery projects (approved after July 2022) and offers a 50% tax reduction for 36 months on production from orphaned wells (requiring a $25,000 bond per well). Producers of oil/gas using recycled water for well completion also get a 24-month exemption proportional to recycled water use. Refunds for exempt production are capped annually at $15 million for recovery projects and $10 million for recycled water projects.
SB 244 establishes the Program of American Civic Thought and Leadership at the University of Oklahoma (OU). It creates a new academic program focused on teaching American political principles, leadership, civic engagement, and foundational texts of U.S. history and government through courses for students. The program will hire faculty, develop new majors/minors, and offer courses including an upcoming requirement for all OU students to complete a civic knowledge course. It requires annual strategic plans and reports to state leadership, with initial courses launching in fall 2027. The program will operate independently on OU's Norman campus, funded by state appropriations and donations.
HB 4426 creates a state income tax credit for businesses making qualified economic development expenditures in specific Oklahoma locations. It allows eligible businesses to claim up to 10% of qualifying construction, equipment, or infrastructure costs (capped at $6 million per project), or up to 50% for rail infrastructure (capped at $3 million). The credit can be assigned to project affiliates like vendors or investors and carried forward for up to five years, with an annual state cap of $12 million. The bill applies to projects in counties under 100,000 population, industrial parks, economic development zones, or near qualifying railroads, effective November 2026.
HB 1590 establishes the "Oklahoma Education Infrastructure Linked Deposit Program" to provide reduced-rate loans for school infrastructure projects. It directly affects charter schools and nonprofit education service entities by enabling them to access funding for constructing, expanding, or repairing buildings and integrated systems like HVAC. The program works by having the State Treasurer place state funds (as certificates of deposit) with eligible banks, which then offer these low-cost loans to qualifying schools, requiring borrowers to certify funds will be used solely for infrastructure. The State Treasurer and Board review applications, with banks applying standard credit checks and prioritizing schools based on local educational needs.
HB 3705 increases Oklahoma's Parental Choice Tax Credit Program, allowing taxpayers to claim credits for education expenses of eligible students. The bill raises the maximum annual credit for private school tuition to $7,500 (or actual tuition, whichever is lower) for families earning under $75,000, with tiered reductions up to $5,000 for households earning over $250,000. It also creates special credit tiers for students experiencing homelessness ($7,500) and those at financially disadvantaged private schools (maximum credit based on average school costs). Qualified expenses include tuition, tutoring, textbooks, and standardized test fees, but exclude scholarship-funded amounts. This directly affects Oklahoma families choosing private education or approved alternative learning programs.
SB 1122 requires Oklahoma's State Board of Equalization to assess property used for **wired broadband service** (offering internet over 100 Mbps download/20 Mbps upload) at a **15% tax rate** for tax years 2026-2036. It applies only to infrastructure in areas with **less than 10% broadband coverage** (per FCC maps) and exclusively to property used for broadband, excluding other services like video streaming. The bill amends tax code to define "broadband service providers" and mandates this specific assessment ratio for qualifying assets, including fiber, cables, and network infrastructure. This policy directly affects **wired broadband providers** expanding service in underserved rural or low-coverage regions.
HB 3711 requires Oklahoma school districts with websites to publicly disclose detailed spending data on their websites, including all state, federal, and local funds used for instruction, administration, and other purposes. It specifically mandates that districts display the percentage of total spending allocated to "instructional expenditures" (defined as funds directly supporting teaching, per the National Center for Education Statistics) on their homepage. This applies to all school districts with websites, requiring them to post this information alongside full expenditure details like budgeted vs. actual costs and superintendent compensation. The bill aims to increase transparency for parents and the public about how school funds are spent.
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to establish the "Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust Fund" for Oklahoma's tobacco settlement funds. It requires that at least 75% of new tobacco settlement payments (after 2001) be deposited into this trust fund, with specific percentages increasing over time. The trust fund's earnings must be used for cancer research, tobacco prevention programs, children's health initiatives, senior care programs, and education-related expenses, with unused funds remaining in the trust. The amendment creates two governing boards to manage investments and allocate funds, and it would require voter approval before taking effect.
