Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 1944: Administrative Workers' Compensation Act; modifying definition. Effective date.

SB 1944 amends Oklahoma's workers' compensation law by updating key definitions in the Administrative Workers' Compensation Act. It clarifies who qualifies as an "actually dependent" for benefits, specifies requirements for certified "case managers" (including nursing licenses and specific certifications), and refines the definition of "compensable injury" to exclude injuries caused by alcohol/drug use, natural aging, or preexisting conditions without proven aggravation from work. These changes directly affect injured workers seeking benefits, employers, insurance carriers, and healthcare providers involved in workers' compensation claims. The bill aims to standardize eligibility and claim processing without creating new benefits or altering benefit amounts.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExcludes alcohol/drug-related injuries and preexisting conditions without proven work aggravation, reducing eligible claims under workers' comp.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 1425: Health care; repealing provisions related to the Health Care Workforce Resources Board. Effective date.

SB 1425 repeals three existing Oklahoma statutes related to health care workforce programs: 70 O.S. 2021 §2640 (Oklahoma Health Care Workers and Educators Assistance Program) and 74 O.S. 2021 §§3200.1-3200.2 (Health Care Workforce Resources Act). This bill eliminates the legal framework for these specific programs, which previously provided assistance to health care workers and educators. The repeal takes effect on November 1, 2026, and directly affects the administrative structure and operations of those programs. No new provisions or funding are created; the bill solely removes the existing laws.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRepeals statutes funding health workforce programs, eliminating legal framework for assistance to healthcare workers and educators, effectively defunding these initiatives.95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRepeals health care worker assistance programs, eliminating funding and support for workers' benefits and resources.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 2084: Governmental Tort Claims Act; limiting settlement awards for wrongful termination claims; providing for inclusion of certain damages. Effective date.

SB 2084 caps settlement amounts for wrongful termination claims by employees of Oklahoma public institutions of higher education (like state universities) at two years of their base salary at termination. It limits total settlements to include back pay and damages but excludes accrued unpaid wages, leave, and retirement contributions already earned. The bill specifically applies to state law claims, not federal ones, and takes effect November 1, 2026. This directly affects public university employees filing termination disputes under Oklahoma law.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesCaps government spending on wrongful termination settlements, reducing state expenditures for public university employee claims by limiting settlement amounts.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill limits settlement amounts for wrongful termination claims by public university employees, reducing potential compensation (a benefit) for teachers/staff, opposing enhanced educator protections.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentCaps wrongful termination settlements at 2 years' base salary for public university employees, excluding earned wages/retirement benefits, restricting worker compensation rights.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · House May 12, 2026

HB 3467: Education employees; maternity leave; adoption; purpose; effective date; emergency.

HB 3467 modifies leave policies for education employees in Oklahoma, specifically expanding maternity and adoption leave to cover children under four years old. The bill directly affects public school staff and other education employees who take leave for childbirth or adoption. Its key provision limits eligibility to cases where the child is under four years of age, narrowing the scope of existing leave coverage. The bill was amended to include this age restriction and referred to the Education Oversight committee for further review.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill restricts maternity/adoption leave eligibility to children under four, narrowing coverage and reducing employee benefits compared to broader existing policies.95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRestricts maternity/adoption leave eligibility to children under 4, narrowing existing coverage scope per bill summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 1277: Employment benefits; modifying conditions for disqualification; specifying work search actions. Effective date.

SB 1277 modifies Oklahoma's unemployment benefits rules by requiring job seekers to complete five specific work search activities each week to maintain eligibility. It lists 15 acceptable actions, such as submitting resumes, attending job fairs, completing online job search workshops, or developing a resume in the state's employment system. The bill replaces vague prior requirements with clear, actionable steps for recipients to prove they are actively seeking work. It does not change benefit amounts but affects individuals receiving unemployment benefits in Oklahoma. The changes take effect November 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRequires stricter weekly work search activities to maintain unemployment benefits, increasing barriers to eligibility and restricting access to benefits.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · House May 5, 2026

HB 3043: Soldiers and sailors; Department of Veterans Affairs; seasonal employees; codification; effective date.

HB 3043 creates a new category of "seasonal employees" for Oklahoma's Department of Veterans Affairs, defined as unclassified staff working under 1,699 hours annually. These employees will not receive benefits like paid leave, health insurance, retirement, or paid holidays. The bill requires the Department to report annual usage of these positions, including worker counts and total wages, in its budget requests. The law takes effect November 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates cost-saving seasonal employee category without benefits, requiring budget transparency and promoting fiscal responsibility through reduced state spending on non-essential staff.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentDenies benefits (health insurance, paid leave, retirement) to seasonal VA employees, restricting employment protections for a defined worker category.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · House May 4, 2026

HB 3086: Prisons and reformatories; Corrections Act of 1967; expanding powers and duties of the State Board of Corrections; effective date.

HB 3086 requires Oklahoma's State Board of Corrections to approve the Director's authority over prisoners' discipline and work programs. It specifically creates a Construction Division within the Department of Corrections for inmate work crews and prohibits inmates in this program from forming unions, striking, or engaging in collective bargaining. The bill also mandates Board approval for the Director to appoint staff, accept funding, or establish policies governing prison operations. These changes primarily affect prisoners working in the Construction Division and correctional staff managing prison programs.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeProhibits inmate union formation and collective bargaining, restricting prisoner rights within corrections95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentProhibits prison inmates from unionizing or collective bargaining, directly restricting labor organizing rights within correctional work programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · House May 4, 2026

HB 2288: Teachers' Retirement System; postretirement employment; earning limitations; retired member; earnings without reduction in retirement benefits; effective date; emergency.

HB 2288 modifies rules for retired Oklahoma teachers who return to public school employment. It establishes a 60-day cooling-off period after retirement before reemployment and sets annual earnings limits: retired teachers under 62 may earn up to half their final salary (or Social Security's limit, whichever is lower), while those 62+ may earn up to $30,000 or half their final salary. The bill also creates a three-year exception (ending July 2027) allowing certain retired teachers who haven't worked for a public school in the past year to return without earnings limits. It clarifies that part-time work for state government (like the Legislature) doesn't count as public school employment under these rules.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentImposes earnings limits on retired teachers returning to public employment, restricting income potential post-retirement and weakening retirement benefit protections.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 3383: State employees; working hours; emergency conditions; Office of Management and Enterprise Services.

HB 3383 limits most Oklahoma state employees to working no more than 14 hours in any 24-hour period, including overtime. This rule may be temporarily suspended during officially declared emergencies to protect life, public safety, or critical infrastructure. The Office of Management and Enterprise Services must define what qualifies as an emergency, and all state agencies must create new scheduling rules to comply. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentLimits state employee work hours to 14/day, protecting against excessive overtime and enhancing workplace safety standards for public sector workers.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 4199: Workforce; creating the child care Tri-Share Workforce Pilot Program; stating eligibility criteria; requiring certain reports; effective date.

HB 4199 establishes a three-year Tri-Share Workforce Pilot Program to help working parents afford child care for children aged birth to 8. It requires participating employers, the state, and parents to share costs equally - state matching employer contributions up to one-third of total costs, with parents covering the remainder - targeting employees earning 150-250% of the federal poverty level who don’t qualify for existing child care subsidies. The program will test in six Oklahoma counties (two urban, four rural) starting July 2026, with the Department of Human Services developing guidelines, providing technical assistance, and reporting annually on participation and impacts. If successful, it could lead to a statewide program, but the pilot itself is limited to the specified counties and eligibility criteria.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides child care cost-sharing for working parents, easing employment barriers and supporting workforce participation for low-income workers.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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