Transportation

HB 1957 requires street-legal low-speed electric vehicles and golf carts to be registered as motor vehicles in Oklahoma. It removes the need for an "M" license endorsement for operators (who must be at least 16 with a standard driver’s license) and mandates compliance with federal safety standards for vehicles operated on roads with speed limits ≤35 mph. Service Oklahoma can register converted golf carts meeting federal safety rules without requiring a full 17-digit vehicle identification number. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025, and does not override local city restrictions on low-speed vehicle use.

HB 3662 limits where commercial vehicle enforcement can occur near fixed facilities like weigh stations. It restricts enforcement to a 7-mile radius around standard weigh stations or a 25-mile radius around port-of-entry weigh stations once they are established. The bill also requires enforcement to stop in areas where facilities are planned but not yet built, ending by July 1, 2016, or when the facility opens. This directly affects the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s roadside enforcement operations for commercial motor vehicles. The policy change aims to reduce duplicate inspections and clarify enforcement zones near fixed facilities.

HB 2603 transfers enforcement authority for Oklahoma's motor carrier safety regulations - from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to the Department of Public Safety - effective July 2026. This change affects commercial trucking companies and drivers by shifting oversight of safety rules, weigh station inspections, and permit enforcement to the Department of Public Safety. The bill creates a 12-month transition period (July 2026-June 2027) with a task force to coordinate the transfer of personnel, property, and responsibilities. Key provisions include requiring the Department of Public Safety to assume full enforcement authority over specific statutes related to motor carrier operations, permits, and safety compliance. The goal is to create a more unified enforcement approach for public safety in the commercial transportation sector.