HB 2746 amends Oklahoma's Remote Quality Jobs Incentive Act to require proxy establishments (entities that attract remote workers to the state) to verify that included remote workers have basic health insurance meeting specific coverage standards. The insurance must cover hospital care, physician services, mental health, substance abuse treatment, prescription drugs, and prenatal care, with employees paying no more than 50% of the premium. The bill also clarifies key terms like "remote worker" (an employee working outside Oklahoma who hasn't lived there in the past year) and "new direct job" (a job created by an establishment other than the proxy that didn't exist before application approval). The law takes effect November 1, 2025, and became effective without the Governor's signature on May 8, 2025.
SB 370 prohibits Oklahoma school districts from requiring or coercing employees to participate in activities related to employee organizations (like teacher associations) or distribute their materials. It specifically bans districts from forcing employees to meet with, listen to, or interact with these groups, distributing membership solicitations on their behalf, or granting them access to district meetings, facilities, or communications systems. The bill directly affects school employees and employee organizations by protecting their right to choose whether to engage with such groups. It amends Oklahoma Statute 70 O.S. § 509.11 to establish these protections, effective immediately upon passage.
SB 577 requires manufacturing facilities seeking a five-year property tax exemption to submit annual information to the Oklahoma Tax Commission, including proof of out-of-state sales revenue and wage compliance. It mandates the Tax Commission to share specific data with the Incentive Evaluation Commission to verify exemption eligibility. The bill updates requirements for facilities to qualify, including an annual investment cost threshold adjusted for inflation (based on CPI) and wage standards tied to Oklahoma's Quality Jobs Program. This affects manufacturers building, expanding, or acquiring facilities with qualifying investments, ensuring transparency in tax exemption programs.
HB 2252 requires Oklahoma school districts to provide a 20% wage increase to school support employees earning less than $80,000 annually for the 2025-2026 school year, if they continue working for the same district. The increase is calculated based on the employee’s 2024-2025 salary and adjusted proportionally for hours worked. This change takes effect on July 1, 2025, and applies in addition to any existing compensation, benefits, or collective bargaining agreements.
Oklahoma Senate Bill 117 updates the state's safety belt law to require front-seat passengers in commercial vehicles (like trucks and buses) and all passengers in passenger vehicles (excluding motorcycles, farm vehicles, and trucks) to wear seat belts. It adds a medical exemption process where a physician's written attestation allows a driver to skip the requirement, with the exemption noted on their license. The bill limits fines for violations to $20 and clarifies that municipalities cannot enforce stricter seat belt rules than the state law. It also declares an emergency to take effect immediately upon approval.
HB 1914 requires railroads operating in Oklahoma on main or branch lines to carry physical copies of key safety documents, including a freight manifest, emergency response guide, and Federal Railroad Administration safety certification, for all trains. It mandates that conductors, engineers, and railroad staff must have tangible, non-electronic identification documents on hand during operations. Violations incur daily civil penalties of $2,500-$10,000, with potential fines up to $250,000 for gross negligence causing harm. The law, effective November 1, 2025, applies directly to railroads and their operating personnel within Oklahoma.
HB 2766 is the Oklahoma state budget bill for fiscal year 2026, allocating over $1.65 billion from the General Revenue Fund to support public schools. It directs specific funding for teacher salaries, textbooks, health benefits for staff, school administration, and the School Consolidation Assistance Fund, drawing from multiple sources including the Education Lottery Trust Fund and Mineral Leasing Fund. The bill was enacted without the Governor's signature on May 29, 2025, and directly affects all Oklahoma public schools and their students through these state-funded resources.
HB 1281 creates a $35,000 signing bonus program for classroom teachers and school counselors returning to Oklahoma public schools after leaving the state. To qualify, applicants must have at least three years of prior experience, not have worked in an Oklahoma public school in the past year, and agree to teach full-time for five years. The State Department of Education verifies eligibility before payment and requires annual confirmation of continued employment. If false information is found or the five-year commitment isn't met, participants must repay the bonus or a pro-rated portion. The bonus is excluded from salary calculations for retirement benefits and minimum pay schedules.
SB 314 expands paid parental leave to include full-time employees at Oklahoma's public colleges and universities. It provides six weeks of paid leave after a birth or adoption, with the employee's full salary maintained during the leave period. The law modifies previous "maternity leave" language to "parental leave" to cover all parents, ensures the leave does not affect seniority or benefits, and is in addition to existing pregnancy-related sick leave. This change directly affects state employees at institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.
SB 689 modifies Oklahoma's property tax exemption for qualifying manufacturing facilities by adjusting the minimum investment threshold for eligibility to $500,000 (adjusted annually for inflation via the Consumer Price Index) and adding a new wage requirement. Facilities seeking exemption must now pay new employees an average annual wage meeting Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program standards for the year the property was placed in service. This bill directly affects manufacturing facilities, including those in aircraft repair, computer services, distribution centers, and custom order manufacturing, by changing how they qualify for a five-year property tax exemption. It updates definitions, clarifies payroll requirements, and requires annual publication of the adjusted investment threshold by the Oklahoma Tax Commission.
