Budget & Taxes

died · Oklahoma · House Feb 5, 2025

HB 2098: Court fees; forcible entry and detainer; effective date.

HB 2098 amends Oklahoma's court fee structure for district court filings, setting specific flat fees for various case types. It directly affects individuals and entities filing court cases, including those involving forcible entry and detainer (set at $100), and establishes new funding streams: $6 for the Law Library Fund, $25 for the Court Information System, $5 for court-appointed advocates (OCASA), and $2 split between judicial complaints and interpreter services. The bill also allows counties to add up to $10 per case for courthouse security and includes a fee waiver process for indigent litigants who prove poverty through an affidavit. It takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates court fees to fund Law Library, Court Information System, and OCASA programs, directly advancing state fiscal management through dedicated funding streams.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Fees & Licensing

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failed · Oklahoma · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 3984: Workforce recruitment; Oklahoma Talent Attraction and Relocation Act; Oklahoma Department of Commerce; grants; Oklahoma Talent Attraction and Relocation Revolving Fund; codification; effective date.

HB 3984 creates the "Oklahoma Talent Attraction and Relocation Program" under the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to award grants for recruiting households relocating to Oklahoma from outside the state. It directly affects cities, towns, counties, and nonprofits (as grant applicants) and households earning at least $55,000 annually who move into Oklahoma. Key provisions include a $250,000 annual grant limit per municipality, requiring applicants to cover 20% of program costs, tying 50% of funds to meeting half the household relocation goal, and mandating detailed reports on program outcomes. The bill establishes a revolving fund to reuse repayments and unused grant money for ongoing administration.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates a revolving fund and allocates state grants ($250k/municipality) for talent recruitment, directly funding a new program under government spending.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives

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signed · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 21, 2026

SB 1530: State government; Oklahoma Research and Development Rebate Fund; authorizing increase in certain rebate amount under specified condition; imposing certain duties on the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Effective date.

SB 1530 requires the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to verify that businesses claiming research and development rebates actually conducted eligible research within Oklahoma. It affects companies seeking rebates equal to 5% of their qualified research expenses, with a $20 million annual cap on total payments. The bill mandates that businesses submit applications and documentation for verification before receiving rebates, and if funds are insufficient, payments are prorated or carried over to future years. This amendment updates existing rules for the Oklahoma Research and Development Rebate Fund, effective July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesVerifies R&D rebate eligibility to prevent misuse of $20M cap, promoting fiscal responsibility in state spending.85% confidence

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 25, 2025

SB 734: Fees; increasing sheriff's fee for certain service. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 734 increases court fees for defendants convicted in Oklahoma criminal cases, directly affecting individuals sentenced for offenses like traffic violations, misdemeanors, and felonies. The bill adds new mandatory fees: $3 for the Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Account, $10 for courthouse security, $15 for impaired driving cases, and additional amounts for the Law Library Fund, Court Information System, Victim Services, and other state accounts. It maintains the existing sheriff’s service fee range ($50-$150 for within-county service) but clarifies how these fees are allocated. These changes apply to all criminal cases, with fees collected at sentencing and deposited into specified state funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAdds mandatory fees to fund state accounts (Child Abuse, courthouse security, etc.), increasing state revenue for public services per bill summary.90% confidence ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases mandatory fees on defendants for criminal cases, adding financial burden without reform measures, aligning with 'oppose' indicators of reduced defendant rights.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement Sentencing

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 17, 2025

HB 2917: Agricultural education; Ag in the Classroom Education Revolving Fund; Agricultural Awareness license plates; funding; program expansion; effective date.

HB 2917 creates the "Ag in the Classroom Program" under Oklahoma's State Department of Agriculture to educate students (pre-K through 12th grade) about agriculture in both urban and rural schools. It increases the fee for Agricultural Awareness license plates from $24 to $27, directing the extra $3 per plate into an Ag in the Classroom Education Revolving Fund. The fund will support program expansion, particularly into urban areas, with the Department of Agriculture having exclusive control over the program and fund spending. This bill takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases license plate fee by $3 to fund agricultural education program expansion, directly allocating tax revenue to support a specific initiative.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates Ag in the Classroom Program with new funding via license plate fee increase to expand agricultural curriculum access in K-12 schools, including urban areas.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 2145: Public trusts; requiring voter consent for debt issuance. Effective date.

SB 2145 requires state, county, or municipal public trusts to obtain majority voter approval before issuing new debt, such as bonds. This applies to trusts authorized under Oklahoma’s Constitution (Articles X and XI), including entities like pension funds or infrastructure trusts. The bill mandates a vote at a public election for each new debt issuance, rather than allowing officials to approve borrowing unilaterally. It takes effect November 1, 2026, and would be codified in Oklahoma Statutes.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesRestricts government debt issuance without voter approval, limiting fiscal flexibility and increasing accountability in borrowing decisions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Debt & Bonds Pensions

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passed · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SB 1339: Schools; directing funds to be allocated to certain school districts to implement the minimum salary schedule. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1339 establishes a tiered minimum salary schedule for certified school personnel (like teachers) in Oklahoma public schools, based on years of experience and education level. It requires the State Board of Education to allocate state funds annually to school districts to implement these salary increases starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The bill directly affects all Oklahoma public school districts and their certified staff by mandating specific pay thresholds. The schedule includes detailed pay rates for different experience levels and degrees, with provisions for fringe benefits and out-of-state certification recognition.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates state funds allocation for teacher salary increases, directly increasing public education spending as required by the bill.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates state funding for teacher salary increases based on experience/education, directly supporting educator compensation and retention in public schools.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates state-funded minimum salary increases for school staff based on experience/education, directly raising wages for certified personnel in public schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers Professional Licensing

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1573: Rural Economic Action Plan of 1996; expanding eligible entities and expenditures. Emergency.

SB 1573 expands funding under Oklahoma's Rural Economic Action Plan by broadening eligibility for communities and projects. It allows 11 additional regional development organizations (like ACOG and INCOG) to apply for funds, and extends eligible projects to include water infrastructure repairs, sewer systems, and water treatment. The bill prioritizes cities/towns with populations under 1,750 and prohibits matching funds, while capping annual awards at $350,000 per entity. It directly affects rural Oklahoma communities, small municipalities, and water districts seeking infrastructure improvements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands state funding for rural infrastructure projects, increasing budget allocation for eligible entities and projects under the Rural Economic Action Plan.95% confidence

Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 6, 2025

SB 11: Teachers' Retirement System of Oklahoma; providing for benefits increase.

SB 11 would increase retirement benefits for Oklahoma teachers currently receiving payments from the Teachers’ Retirement System as of June 30, 2025. Specifically, it mandates a 5% automatic benefit increase for all eligible retirees who continue to receive payments after the bill’s effective date. This policy change directly affects current retirees in the system, providing them with higher monthly payments without requiring additional applications. The bill codifies this increase into Oklahoma Statutes under Section 17-116.23 of Title 70.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases state spending on teacher retirement benefits via automatic 5% payment increase, directly impacting budget allocation for public service funding.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill increases retirement benefits for teachers (5% automatic increase), directly supporting educator compensation and retention within the education topic area.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases retirement benefits for teachers (a worker group), expanding post-employment benefits under employment standards95% confidence

Sub-Topics Pensions

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 87: Paid leave for state employees; providing paid parental leave for certain state employees. Effective date.

SB 87 creates paid parental leave for eligible Oklahoma state employees, expanding existing leave benefits beyond maternity leave to include parental leave. It requires state agencies to continue paying employees their regular wages during approved parental leave and provides job protections during this period. The bill amends Oklahoma Statutes Section 840-2.20 to integrate these parental leave provisions into the state’s existing leave framework, affecting all state employees who qualify under the updated rules. The policy change takes effect July 1, 2023, as specified in the bill.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires state agencies to fund paid parental leave wages, increasing budget expenditure for employee benefits without tax changes.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates paid parental leave with wage continuation and job protection for state employees, expanding worker benefits beyond maternity leave.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave Public Employees

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