Rep. Derrick Hildebrant

Maddy summaryHB 2961 waives tuition and fees for spouses and children of Gold Star veterans (those killed in U.S. military service) at Oklahoma's public higher education institutions and career technology schools. It expands existing tuition waivers - previously limited to children of fallen peace officers, firefighters, and law enforcement retirees - to include Gold Star families who meet residency requirements (Oklahoma resident at death or during enrollment). The waiver covers all tuition and fees for up to five years and applies to both the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education and career technology districts. This bill modifies Sections 3218.7-1, 14-134, and 14-134.1 of Oklahoma Statutes, effective July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 3369 requires Oklahoma food trucks to meet fire safety standards, currently allowing them to use two standard fire extinguishers and annual staff training instead of automatic systems. This option expires January 1, 2026, after which all food trucks must comply with the latest state fire codes. The bill mandates annual inspections by the State Fire Marshal, with specific scheduling for high-population counties and statewide coverage. It also establishes a permit decal system and prevents local governments from creating conflicting fire safety rules, except in counties over 400,000 residents. The law takes effect November 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 3075, the "Oklahoma Common Cents Act," allows Oklahoma political subdivisions (like cities, counties, or school districts) to round cash payments to the nearest five cents. Specifically, it requires rounding: 1-2 cents down to zero, 3-4 cents up to 5 cents, 6-7 cents down to 5 cents, and 8-9 cents up to 10 cents. This rule applies only to cash transactions (not cards or digital payments) and becomes mandatory starting July 1, 2027. Political subdivisions must account for rounding discrepancies using their own funds or county unappropriated revenue, with the bill taking effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 3062 expands Oklahoma's existing law to allow retired municipal judges to carry concealed firearms for personal protection statewide. It requires these retired judges to complete a specific handgun qualification course for court officials and obtain an identification card from the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training. The bill explicitly adds "retired municipal judge" to the list of eligible individuals (alongside active judges and retired district court judges) who can carry firearms under these conditions. The identification card must be returned if eligibility ends, and the law takes effect November 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 3261 requires Oklahoma school districts to submit detailed information about all school support staff (including their full name, school district, position, and a permanent state-issued ID) to the State Department of Education by October 1, 2026. The law creates a centralized database to track support staff employment across districts, using a unique ID that remains consistent if an employee changes schools. School districts must update the database within 30 days of hiring or terminating support staff. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and directly affects school districts (as data submitters) and support staff (whose records are maintained in the database).

Maddy summaryHB 3147 creates a new Route 66 Centennial special license plate for Oklahoma drivers to support the historic highway's 100th anniversary. To activate the plate, Service Oklahoma must receive 100 prepaid applications within 180 days of the bill's effective date. Fees collected from plate purchases will fund Route 66 centennial activities, following existing procedures for special license plate revenue. This plate is available to any Oklahoma driver who wants to display support for Route 66, similar to other existing special plates like firefighter or wildlife conservation plates.

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution designates April 21, 2026, as Route 66 Day to mark the centennial anniversary of the historic highway. It formally recognizes the contributions of key figures like Cyrus Avery and Andy Payne who helped establish and promote the route through Oklahoma. The bill highlights the state's significant economic benefits from Route 66, noting that the road supports over 46,000 jobs and generates billions in annual revenue. Additionally, it expresses gratitude to the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission and the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission for their preservation and development efforts. Copies of the resolution are to be sent to the chairs of both commissions to acknowledge their work.

Maddy summarySB 1386 requires Oklahoma's Supreme Court and Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to establish statewide policies for recording judicial proceedings, including technical standards for audio/video systems, AI-assisted transcripts, and confidential audio channels. It mandates that recording systems support ADA-compliant closed captioning, secure metadata logging, and accurate transcription, while prohibiting local court funding for required equipment (using state appropriations instead). The bill directly affects all Oklahoma district courts and court reporters by updating recording, storage, and accessibility requirements under the Oklahoma Court Information System (OCIS), with penalties for noncompliance and whistleblower protections.

Maddy summaryThis Oklahoma bill (SB 2158) allows residents who use health care sharing ministries to deduct membership fees and administrative costs from their state income tax starting in 2027. It also makes money received from these ministries for medical expenses tax-free. To qualify, individuals must have been active members for at least one month during the tax year. The law expires if Oklahoma stops collecting individual income tax.

Maddy summaryHB 2942, the "Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act," allows Oklahoma residents who are active members of Health Care Sharing Ministries (HCSMs) to deduct their qualified health care sharing expenses from their state income tax starting in 2027. It directly affects Oklahoma residents using HCSMs - non-profit organizations that share medical costs based on shared ethical or religious beliefs - by granting them tax treatment similar to health insurance premiums. Key provisions include permitting deductions for self-employed individuals and employer contributions (treated as nontaxable benefits), requiring documentation to claim the deduction, and ensuring funds received from HCSMs are not considered taxable income. The bill takes effect November 1, 2026, with the Oklahoma Tax Commission overseeing implementation and reporting.