HB 1146 authorizes Oklahoma counties to levy a severance tax on surface-mined materials (excluding coal) at a maximum rate of $0.10 per ton, requiring voter approval through a special election or initiative petition. The tax revenue must be split equally: 50% for county road and bridge improvements, and 50% for municipal infrastructure projects based on population. Exemptions include limestone used for agriculture, materials sold for hydraulic fracturing, and personal extraction not for profit. Counties must notify taxpayers 60 days before rate changes and cannot impose additional fees on mining operations. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025.
SB 122 appropriates $9 million from Oklahoma's General Revenue Fund to the Weigh Station Improvement Revolving Fund for the 2023 fiscal year. This funding directly supports the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (DOT) in upgrading weigh stations, which inspect commercial truck weights to ensure road safety and compliance with weight limits. The bill provides concrete financial resources for the DOT to carry out its legal duties related to weigh station maintenance and improvements. It becomes effective July 1, 2025, with an emergency declaration allowing immediate implementation upon approval. The bill does not alter laws or create new regulations but allocates specific funds for existing DOT responsibilities.
SB 25 establishes the "Rural Economic Transportation Reliability and Optimization Fund" to fund highway improvements in rural Oklahoma counties with populations under 50,000 experiencing traffic safety hazards due to unexpected economic growth. The bill allocates $200 million from unappropriated general revenues for fiscal year 2026, requiring the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to use these funds - up to 50% of project costs - to prioritize road repairs and upgrades where traffic volumes have become unsafe. It prohibits the fund from reducing existing state transportation funding levels, mandating the State Board of Equalization to verify annually that the fund enhances rather than replaces traditional funding. This directly affects rural communities facing traffic safety risks from unanticipated economic development, with projects requiring documentation of the economic growth link to traffic issues.
SB 1309 modifies Oklahoma's funding for road and bridge projects by increasing annual allocations to the Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety Fund (ROADS Fund). It sets specific annual amounts: $100 million starting in fiscal year 2026 (up from $80 million), rising to $575 million for 2021, $590 million for 2022, and $610 million for 2025 onward. The bill requires the full annual amount to be allocated by July 30 each year and directs $2 million annually to the Heartland Flyer rail project and $3 million to public transit. These funds are exclusively for state highway construction, maintenance, debt service, and specific infrastructure projects managed by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
HB 1132 creates Oklahoma's Industrial Access Improvement Grant Program, providing state funding for infrastructure projects that enhance industrial site accessibility. It directly affects eligible municipalities with populations over 750,000 (per the 2020 Census), requiring the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to administer grants for roadway expansions, bridge upgrades, freight corridor improvements, and other access-related construction. The bill establishes a revolving fund in the state treasury to support these grants, mandates an application process with project descriptions and local matching requirements, and requires the Department to allocate funds based on project merit. The program becomes effective November 1, 2025.
SB 1349 establishes the "Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety Fund" to provide dedicated funding for Oklahoma's road and bridge infrastructure. It mandates specific annual funding amounts starting at $80 million for fiscal year 2021, increasing to $1 billion annually by 2034, with the first $80 million allocated each year for debt service on transportation bonds before other projects. The fund must be used by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation for constructing, maintaining, and operating state roads, bridges, highways, and matching federal transportation funds. The bill also includes a mechanism to reduce fund allocations if the state faces a General Revenue Fund shortfall, and it declares an emergency to take effect immediately upon passage.
SB 173 redirects excess vehicle tax revenue that would otherwise go to Oklahoma's General Revenue Fund into a new Municipal Improvements for Roads and Bridges Fund. Starting in 2019, any funds exceeding the 2015 apportionment level for transportation will now fund local road and bridge projects instead. This directly affects Oklahoma cities and counties seeking to improve their infrastructure through this dedicated funding source. The bill modifies existing vehicle fee distribution rules without creating new taxes, using money that would have otherwise been added to the General Revenue Fund.
SB 1358 creates the Preserving and Advancing City and Town Transportation Fund, which will receive 0.5% of Oklahoma's sales tax revenue starting in fiscal year 2028. This fund directly supports cities and towns by providing dedicated funding for local transportation infrastructure projects like road and bridge maintenance. The bill amends existing sales tax apportionment rules to redirect this specific percentage of revenue to the new fund, replacing previous allocations for other state purposes. The legislation requires the Department of Transportation to confirm fund allocations before disbursement, ensuring funds are used for eligible city and town transportation needs.
HB 2267 creates the "Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety Fund" to finance transportation infrastructure projects. It increases annual funding to $575 million for fiscal year 2021 and $650 million starting July 1, 2025, with $80 million allocated annually first to cover transportation debt payments before funding roads, bridges, and highways. The bill specifies that funds cannot replace existing state transportation budgets and requires annual audits to ensure money enhances (rather than supplants) current state funding. It also allocates $2 million yearly for the Heartland Flyer rail project and $3 million for public transit.
SB 73 amends Oklahoma's vehicle license fee distribution rules to cap the percentage of funds apportioned to school districts at the level established for the 2015 fiscal year (ending June 30, 2015). For fiscal years beginning July 1, 2019, and later, school districts will continue to receive 36.20% of vehicle registration fees, but the total amount cannot exceed what was distributed in 2015. Any excess funds above this cap will be directed to the Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety Fund instead of school districts. This bill directly affects school districts that receive vehicle registration fee distributions under Oklahoma law.
