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.

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.

SB 1114 creates a property tax credit for Oklahoma homeowners with qualifying homesteads who meet the existing "limitation on growth of fair cash value" under state law. The credit equals the difference between a homeowner's current year property tax and the prior year's tax, but only if the current tax is lower. County assessors must deduct this credit from the tax bill by October 1 annually, though the credit cannot reduce taxes below zero. The credit applies starting tax year 2026 and is codified in Oklahoma Statutes. It directly affects qualifying homestead property owners by potentially lowering their annual property tax burden.

SB 572 ends Oklahoma's technology business financing program, which previously provided funding to help local businesses commercialize innovations. The bill requires all remaining program funds and annual royalty payments (from businesses that received funding) to be transferred to the state's General Revenue Fund by November 1, 2025. This affects OCAST (the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology), businesses that had received program funding, and state finances. The program officially ceases upon the bill's effective date, redirecting all unused funds to general state revenue.

SB 367 modifies Oklahoma's earned income tax credit (EITC) calculation for tax years 2022 through 2025. It sets the state credit at 5% of the federal EITC amount and requires that the maximum credit be prorated based on how much a taxpayer's Oklahoma-adjusted gross income compares to their federal adjusted gross income. This change directly affects low-to-moderate income Oklahoma residents who claim the state EITC on their tax returns. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025.