HB 1370 establishes a "Corporation Commission Plugging Fund" to address seeping natural gas and environmental safety issues related to oil and gas operations. The bill requires the fund to maintain $5 million, and if it falls below this level, an additional excise tax on oil and gas will be imposed until replenished. It specifies that 10.526% of oil excise tax revenue and 10.5555% of natural gas excise tax revenue must be allocated to this fund, with the remaining portions going to the General Revenue Fund and the Interstate Oil Compact Fund. The bill extends the fund's sunset date from 2026 to 2031, ensuring continued funding for these environmental response efforts.
This bill changes Oklahoma's requirements for oil and gas operators to provide financial guarantees (surety) for well plugging and environmental compliance. It phases out "Category A" surety (based on $50,000 net worth) for new operators starting November 2025, while current operators may keep it but can voluntarily switch to "Category B" surety (like letters of credit or bonds). Category B amounts scale with the number of wells operated, starting at $25,000 for 1-10 wells (rising to $50,000 by 2028) and higher for larger operations, with a maximum of $150,000. Operators with fines or poor compliance records must use Category B, and the Commission can require higher amounts based on performance.
SB 1928 modifies Oklahoma's water rights law by removing mandatory metering requirements for most wells while introducing a new five-year flexible groundwater allocation system. It applies to existing and new groundwater permit holders in designated basins, requiring annual usage reports and fees to maintain their allocation. The bill allows permit holders to temporarily exceed their annual usage limit by up to 200% in any single year, as long as their total usage over five years stays within the basin's overall limit. Domestic wells are explicitly excluded from these provisions. The changes take effect January 1, 2027.
HB 1543 expands the Oklahoma Conservation Commission's authority to coordinate conservation efforts, specifically adding requirements to include tribal governments in its work and removing restrictions on the Conservation District Consolidation Fund. The bill allows the Commission to enter contracts with tribes, federal agencies, counties, and other entities to administer statewide conservation programs and secure funding. It directly affects Oklahoma's 157 conservation districts, tribal governments, and state agencies collaborating on resource conservation. The key change requires the Commission to actively coordinate with tribes and manage funds for district programs, while maintaining its existing role in supporting local conservation planning and reporting.
HB 1205 repeals Oklahoma's tax credit for small wind turbine installations by removing Section 2357.32B from the state's tax code. This change directly affects small wind turbine owners and installers who previously qualified for the credit. The repeal takes effect on November 1, 2025, eliminating the tax incentive for new installations after that date. The bill is procedural and does not create new policy, only removing an existing tax provision.
HB 2037 removes specific energy conservation rules from Oklahoma law by repealing Sections 456, 457, and 458 of Title 19 O.S. 2021 and Section 5-131.2 of Title 70 O.S. 2021. This bill eliminates existing statutory requirements related to energy conservation without creating new provisions. It takes effect on November 1, 2025, after being approved by the governor on May 9, 2025. The repeal directly affects the legal framework governing energy conservation in Oklahoma, removing these specific sections from the state code.
SB 777 modifies Oklahoma's regulations for harvesting fish and aquatic species by giving the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF) discretion to create rules governing these activities. It allows certain harvesting but requires it to follow Department-set restrictions, replacing mandatory language ("shall") with discretionary terms ("may"). The bill removes a prior requirement for the state to assess fees and transfers this authority to ODAFF. This change directly affects commercial and recreational fishers by shifting regulatory oversight to the Department, which will determine specific harvesting rules. The bill became law on May 12, 2025, without a gubernatorial signature.
SB 460 establishes natural gas as the preferred fuel source for new fossil fuel electricity generation facilities in Oklahoma, requiring all new plants built after July 1, 2025, to use natural gas unless a generator can demonstrate to regulators that another fossil fuel better serves consumers. The bill amends Oklahoma law to create a "natural gas energy standard" that supplements renewable energy goals, specifically targeting new construction and added capacity at existing fossil fuel plants. This policy directly affects electricity generators planning new facilities or expansions, shifting the default fuel choice from other fossil fuels to natural gas. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and was enacted as an emergency measure.
SB 352 prohibits utility companies from using eminent domain to build wind turbines, solar facilities, battery storage, or hydrogen gas facilities on private property. It also requires electricity providers to obtain a Corporation Commission certificate before using eminent domain for high-voltage transmission lines (over 300 kV). The bill directly affects utility companies seeking to expand infrastructure and private property owners whose land might be targeted for such projects. These changes amend Oklahoma’s eminent domain law (27 O.S. §7) to restrict certain facility siting and add oversight for major transmission projects. The bill was introduced in the 2025 Oklahoma Legislature and referred to the Energy and Natural Resources Oversight committee.
SB 568 requires Oklahoma state agencies and their investment managers to vote shares solely based on financial returns for pension beneficiaries, not social or environmental considerations. It prohibits following proxy adviser recommendations unless those advisers commit in writing to prioritize financial interests. Agencies must annually report all proxy votes - including management and adviser recommendations - to the State Treasurer via a public website. This applies to all state investments held for retirement plans, such as pension funds.
