SB 1734, the Oklahoma Responsible Technology in Schools Act, restricts AI tool use in public schools to educator-supervised settings, requiring all classroom AI applications to operate under teacher oversight ("human-in-the-loop") with educators reviewing outputs before use in instruction or assessment. It prohibits AI from determining high-stakes outcomes like grading, discipline, or student placement, and mandates school districts to adopt policies by the 2027-2028 school year covering data privacy, appropriate use, and transparency for families. The State Department of Education must develop guidance to help districts comply, while ensuring AI tools meet federal privacy laws (like FERPA) and minimize student data sharing. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and does not compel schools to adopt AI but sets guardrails for its responsible use.
HB 1276 requires Oklahoma public school districts to adopt policies banning student cell phones and personal electronic devices (like tablets, smartwatches, or laptops) during the entire school day and on school grounds, effective July 2025. Exceptions are permitted for medical emergencies documented by a licensed professional. School boards may opt out of the ban through annual approval, but must still allow device use for emergencies. The bill defines "personal electronic devices" to exclude school-issued tech used for instruction and clarifies "school day" as the full instructional period from first to last bell. It directly affects all K-12 students and school districts in Oklahoma.
SB 1122 requires Oklahoma's State Board of Equalization to assess property used for **wired broadband service** (offering internet over 100 Mbps download/20 Mbps upload) at a **15% tax rate** for tax years 2026-2036. It applies only to infrastructure in areas with **less than 10% broadband coverage** (per FCC maps) and exclusively to property used for broadband, excluding other services like video streaming. The bill amends tax code to define "broadband service providers" and mandates this specific assessment ratio for qualifying assets, including fiber, cables, and network infrastructure. This policy directly affects **wired broadband providers** expanding service in underserved rural or low-coverage regions.
HB 4358 limits screen time for prekindergarten through fifth grade public school students to one hour per school day, including all classroom activities using devices like tablets, computers, or smart devices. The law exempts students requiring special education accommodations under IEPs or 504 plans, as well as necessary assistive technology. It applies to all public schools in Oklahoma starting the 2026-2027 school year. The bill defines "screen time" broadly to cover both teacher-directed and student-selected digital activities during school hours.
HB 1016 requires content creators in Oklahoma who feature minors in compensated online videos to set aside earnings in a trust account for the minor until they turn 18. It mandates detailed record-keeping of minor-related content, views, and earnings, and allows minors aged 13+ to demand removal of their likeness from content. Content creators must maintain these records until the minor turns 21 and face civil penalties for violations, including lawsuits for unpaid trust funds. The law directly affects minors appearing in compensated video content on platforms like social media or streaming services within Oklahoma.
HB 3647 creates the "Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative" requiring most licensed health care providers in Oklahoma to submit anonymized claims and enrollment data to a state-designated health information exchange starting July 1, 2026. It establishes an Office within the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to oversee the initiative, with limited exemptions for providers facing financial hardship, small practice size, or technological limitations. The law mandates strict confidentiality and privacy protections for patient data, aligning with federal standards like HIPAA, and prohibits misuse of the collected information. This initiative aims to build a centralized database for health care cost and utilization data, primarily affecting hospitals, clinics, and insurers participating in Oklahoma's health care system.
SB 1716 amends Oklahoma's Security Breach Notification Act to limit class action lawsuits against private entities following cybersecurity breaches. It prohibits class action liability unless a breach results from the entity's "willful and wanton conduct or gross negligence." The bill also clarifies that private entities using reasonable safeguards and providing required breach notices cannot be held liable for civil penalties, while those failing to use reasonable safeguards face reduced penalties ($75,000) but not class actions. This directly affects businesses and organizations handling personal data in Oklahoma, shifting enforcement exclusively to the Attorney General or district attorneys for most cases.
SB 139 requires Oklahoma public school district boards of education to adopt cell phone policies by the 2025-2026 school year. Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, boards may choose to implement policies prohibiting students from using cell phones or personal electronic devices on school campuses "from bell to bell" during school hours. The bill directly affects school districts by setting a timeline for policy adoption and defining the scope of device restrictions during instructional time. This legislation, approved by the governor on May 3, 2025, provides a framework for district-level decisions without mandating specific enforcement.
SB 53 updates Oklahoma's legal definitions related to child sexual abuse material by clarifying terms like "child sexual abuse material," "distribute," and "reasonable age verification methods" across multiple statutes. It specifies that "reasonable age verification" includes using digitized ID cards, third-party services, or other commercially reasonable methods to confirm users are 18+ before accessing certain online content. The bill modifies existing definitions in statutes covering possession, distribution, and child abuse offenses but does not create new criminal penalties or change sentencing. It directly affects online platforms, service providers, and law enforcement by standardizing how these terms are applied in Oklahoma law. The bill was signed into law by the governor on May 3, 2025.
Oklahoma's SB 552 bans state agencies that receive federal or state funds from using biotechnology equipment or services from companies designated by the federal government as "biotechnology companies of concern" (entities controlled by foreign adversaries posing national security risks through multiomics data collection). The bill specifically targets the use of multiomics technology - which combines data from genomics, proteomics, and other biological research areas - to prevent potential security threats. State agencies cannot contract with entities using such biotechnology, and the law only takes effect after a comparable federal law is enacted. This directly affects all Oklahoma state agencies managing federal or state funds, requiring them to avoid specific biotech vendors.
