Rep. Mark McBride

Maddy summaryThis bill reestablishes the Oklahoma-Israel Exchange Commission to foster cooperation between the two states in areas such as trade, agriculture, energy research, and education. The nine-member commission will be appointed by Oklahoma state officials and business leaders, with meetings held quarterly and records kept publicly. The commission is authorized to raise funds through donations and grants, and it must submit annual written reports to state leadership detailing its activities and recommendations. The law takes effect on November 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the rules for the Oklahoma Commissioners of the Land Office regarding how they create and enforce regulations. It requires the agency to hold public hearings and mail direct notice to current land and mineral lessees at least 30 days before adopting any new rules. Additionally, the bill mandates that any official interpretations of these rules must be published and directly notified to affected lessees to be considered binding. These changes aim to increase transparency and ensure that people leasing state land are informed before rules affecting them are finalized.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Oklahoma Capital Assets Maintenance and Protection Act to establish a new revolving fund dedicated to maintaining and improving state-owned real and personal property. It authorizes the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority to manage this fund, acquire or dispose of property, and enter into memoranda of understanding with state agencies to administer capital projects without creating legal obligations for the state. A newly formed Capital Assets Management and Protection Board will oversee the fund's allocation and direct the Authority on how to spend money on repairs, refurbishments, and deferred maintenance. The legislation also requires the Authority to submit annual reports to state leadership detailing the fund's financial activity and mandates the development of five-year strategic plans for higher education, tourism, and general state needs.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates an investment rebate program in Oklahoma designed to encourage large manufacturing projects in smaller cities. To qualify, businesses must invest at least $800 million in real property located within a municipality of 20,000 to 30,000 people and have already spent at least 20% of their planned investment. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce will review applications and may offer a rebate equal to 6.25% of the qualified capital expenditure costs. Funding for these rebates comes from a new state fund initially seeded with $50 million, with any remaining funds transferred to the general revenue after 2030.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority to use $4.3 million from the Legacy Capital Financing Fund to design and build a State Capitol Arch dedicated to honoring the Oklahoma National Guard. The legislation designates a specific parcel of land for the arch's construction and directs the State Capitol Preservation Commission to hire contractors to execute the project based on preliminary designs. Additionally, the bill applies existing administrative rules for the Legacy Capital Financing Fund to this project and sets an effective date of July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis Oklahoma bill creates a program to offer financial incentives to experienced teachers who return to public schools in the state. To qualify, educators must have at least three years of prior teaching experience, not have worked in an Oklahoma public school in the last five years, and agree to teach full-time for a minimum of five years. If approved, eligible teachers will receive a total bonus of $35,000 paid in five annual installments of $7,000 each, with payments beginning no later than September 1 of each year. The law also specifies that these bonus payments will not count toward a teacher's official salary for retirement or minimum pay schedule calculations.