SB 1930 amends Oklahoma's brine and produced water laws to clarify definitions and explicitly include water reuse and recycling as policy goals. It directly affects oil and gas producers who handle brine (subsurface saltwater) and produced water, defining key terms like "brine," "solution gas," and "effluent" to distinguish between brine extraction and oil/gas production. The bill updates statutory language to align the Oklahoma Brine Development Act with the Oil and Gas Produced Water Recycling Act, ensuring consistent regulation of brine operations and effluent disposal. These changes aim to streamline management of brine resources while promoting reuse of produced water, without creating new regulatory requirements.
SB 239 modifies Oklahoma's tax credit for electricity generated by zero-emission facilities (like wind, solar, hydro, or geothermal power plants). It limits the credit to tax years ending by 2025, ending the ability to carry forward unused credits beyond that year. For credits claimed after July 2019, taxpayers must choose between receiving an 85% direct refund or carrying the credit forward for up to 10 years (ending in 2025). This bill directly affects businesses and entities generating eligible renewable electricity in Oklahoma, altering how they can use or access these tax credits.
SB 919 clarifies lease terms for Oklahoma's Land Office trust lands, defining "commercial leases" to include renewable energy projects and restricting agricultural leases to certain entities. It amends ownership rules to limit corporations, trusts, and LLCs from leasing agricultural land unless they meet strict criteria (e.g., 65% income from farming/minerals, member/owner restrictions). The bill also updates investment rules for public funds, removing exemptions for real property investments and requiring that the value of real property leased by public entities be excluded from the 5% investment cap. These changes directly affect land leaseholders, agricultural businesses, and the Land Office's management of public funds.
HB 1452 imposes a state tax on owners of wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric facilities in Oklahoma, equal to the federal production tax credit amount they could have claimed. The tax applies regardless of whether the facility owner actually used the federal credit. Government-owned facilities are exempt from this tax, while private owners must report and pay the tax monthly to the Oklahoma Tax Commission. All revenue collected flows into the state's General Revenue Fund.
SB 1012 establishes a formal process for wind energy developers to request waivers from setback distance rules near airports, schools, and hospitals in Oklahoma. The bill requires written waivers approved by school boards or hospital governing bodies to be submitted to the state energy agency (Corporation Commission) before construction begins. Developers who fail to provide required waivers or military airspace clearances (via FAA Form 7460-1) face daily penalties of up to $1,500 per violation. The law, effective July 1, 2025, updates existing rules to clarify compliance requirements for wind energy facilities while maintaining distance standards. It directly affects wind energy project developers and local school/hospital boards responsible for granting waivers.
SB 2 establishes new setback requirements for wind energy facilities in Oklahoma, effective November 1, 2025. It requires wind turbines to be at least one-quarter nautical mile from homes and neighboring property (previously 1.5 miles from schools/hospitals), and mandates that projects near military installations must obtain a Federal Aviation Administration "Determination of No Hazard" and resolve Department of Defense impacts before construction. Developers who fail to comply face daily penalties of up to $1,500 per violation. The bill directly affects wind energy developers, landowners, and communities near proposed sites, with specific rules for military compatibility and dispute resolution.
SB 1001 prohibits public utilities that are the sole provider in their service area from including advertising expenses in their operating costs when calculating customer rates. The bill defines "advertising" broadly but excludes specific communications, such as energy conservation information, billing inserts, appliance efficiency promotions, and required safety notices. These excluded items can still be included in rate calculations without restriction. The law takes effect on November 1, 2025, directly affecting electric, gas, and telecommunications utilities operating as sole providers in Oklahoma.
SB 1003 requires Oklahoma's Corporation Commission to create rules ensuring electricity grid affordability and reliability. It mandates that the grid maintain 115% guaranteed power capacity (sufficient backup power) to prevent outages, requires new wind/solar projects to include backup power costs in their total expense calculations, and directs the Commission to select new power sources based on the lowest total cost to ratepayers. These rules directly affect electric utilities and the Corporation Commission, with specific requirements including preventing premature retirement of existing power plants unless cost-effective and ensuring power sources meet continuous operating needs during extreme weather. The bill aims to prevent power shortages through measurable reliability standards, effective November 1, 2025.
HB 2751 proposes setback requirements for wind energy towers in Oklahoma counties with specific population density (>8.5 people/sq mile) or low wind speed (<9.5 mph). It requires towers to be placed at least 2.5 times their tip height or 1/4 mile from nearby properties, whichever is greater, and allows counties to vote to waive this requirement via referendum every five years. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission must maintain a public database tracking which counties have active setback rules. The bill failed in the Energy Committee on April 24, 2025, and remains pending. This would directly affect property owners and wind energy developers in designated counties.
SB 1300 requires Oklahoma's Corporation Commission to prioritize energy sources that are affordable, reliable, and secure within the state. It mandates that energy providers prioritize U.S.-sourced fuel (excluding nuclear), ban critical materials from "foreign adversary nations" (as defined by federal designations), and prioritize infrastructure built in Oklahoma or the U.S. The bill also requires a sufficient supply of "green energy" (defined to include nuclear and natural gas meeting EPA standards) that is dispatchable - meaning available on demand - to meet all customer needs without interruptions. This directly affects energy providers and grid operators subject to the Commission's oversight.
