Rep. Forrest Bennett

Maddy summaryHB 1713 expands small brewer licenses in Oklahoma to allow license holders to purchase, sell, and serve spirits (like whiskey and vodka) in addition to beer and cider. This directly affects small breweries that currently only produce and sell beer/cider, enabling them to offer a wider range of alcoholic beverages. Key provisions include permitting the sale of spirits for on-premises consumption at breweries, allowing self-distribution of beer/cider to retail locations without distributors, and clarifying event sales (e.g., festivals) without needing separate venue permits. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025, and maintains existing rules like a 12-ounce daily sample limit for visitors.

Maddy summaryHB 1714 prohibits Oklahoma employers from refusing to hire applicants or discriminating against employees based on off-the-job cannabis use or the presence of nonpsychoactive cannabis metabolites in drug tests. The law allows employers to still conduct drug tests for psychoactive THC and require testing for safety-sensitive roles (like aviation or jobs requiring federal security clearances), which must be identified before hiring. It does not override federal or state drug testing requirements for certain positions but ensures applicants cannot be penalized for off-the-job cannabis use that doesn’t impair work performance. The bill takes effect on November 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1721 is a procedural bill that establishes the name "Oklahoma Prisons and Reformatories Act of 2025" for a future legislative act. It specifies the bill will become effective on November 1, 2025, and clarifies it will not be codified into the Oklahoma Statutes. The bill contains no substantive policy provisions or mechanisms, as it solely creates a title for an unnamed future act. It directly affects Oklahoma's legislative process by defining how this specific act will be referenced, but does not change prison operations, funding, or policies. This is a naming and procedural measure with no direct impact on incarcerated individuals or correctional facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 1719 is a procedural bill that establishes the name "Insurance Act of 2025" for future insurance-related legislation and sets its effective date as November 1, 2025. It does not create new policies or affect specific groups; it solely provides a naming convention and timeline for related bills. The bill has no substantive provisions or mechanisms beyond this naming and timing. It was introduced on February 3, 2025, and referred to the Rules Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 1720 is a procedural bill that names the "Insurance Act of 2025" and sets its effective date. It does not change any insurance regulations or affect specific groups; it solely establishes the bill's official title and specifies November 1, 2025, as the implementation date. The bill has no substantive policy provisions and is currently in the early stages of review (first reading, referred to Rules committee). This is a naming and timing measure, not a policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 1710 is a procedural bill that establishes the name "Oklahoma Education Support Staff Act of 2025" for future legislation. It has no substantive policy provisions and only sets an effective date of November 1, 2025. The bill does not describe any specific changes to labor laws or affect any particular group. As a naming resolution, it serves only to formally identify future related legislation. This bill is currently in committee referral after its initial introduction.

Maddy summaryHB 1718 is a procedural bill that names a future law as the "Oklahoma Criminal Law Act of 2025" and specifies it will take effect on November 1, 2025. It does not create new criminal laws or change existing statutes; instead, it establishes a naming convention for a future codified criminal law framework. The bill is noncodified, meaning it will not be included in the official Oklahoma Statutes. This summary is based solely on the bill's text and does not describe any substantive policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis Oklahoma law allows health insurance companies to send important notices and documents electronically instead of by traditional mail, provided the recipient agrees to this method. The bill requires insurers to obtain clear consent from individuals or their plan sponsors before switching to digital delivery and must inform people of their right to receive paper copies or withdraw consent at any time. By treating electronic delivery as legally equivalent to physical mail, the measure aims to modernize communication while ensuring consumers can still access information in a format they prefer.