SB 158 Oklahoma Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Severe weather tracking creating the Oklahoma Emergency Weather Response and Tracking Regulatory Act of 2025. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 158 creates the Oklahoma Emergency Weather Response and Tracking Regulatory Act of 2025, requiring licenses for professional severe weather trackers employed by TV stations (with FCC licenses) or affiliated with Oklahoma universities offering meteorology programs. It mandates that trackers maintain a license on file with their employer, display license numbers on vehicles, pass background checks, provide insurance for vehicles, and obtain a letter from a chief meteorologist verifying their qualifications. The bill establishes a "Severe Weather Tracker Licensure Fund" to support the licensing program and sets fines for violations. This law directly affects media outlets, universities, and individuals conducting severe weather tracking during significant weather events like tornadoes, blizzards, or flash floods as defined in the bill.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Last action Feb 19, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Committee Substitute · 8 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from an Introduced version to a Committee Substitute version, which significantly simplified the licensing framework and expanded eligibility. The original version created a formal licensing system through Service Oklahoma with background checks and fees, while the substitute version allows media outlets and universities to directly credential their own weather trackers without state licensing. The substitute also broadened the definition of qualified media outlets to include radio stations and streamlined requirements for vehicle markings and emergency vehicle privileges.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from a state-administered licensing program to a self-regulated credentialing system where qualified entities directly manage their own weather tracker credentials.

ELIGIBILITY

Removed the requirement for professional severe weather trackers to obtain a state license from Service Oklahoma; instead, media outlets and universities directly issue credentials to their hired trackers.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the maximum number of professional severe weather trackers allowed per entity from unlimited to a limit of five per qualified media outlet or institution.

Replaced state-mandated background checks and insurance requirements with entity-specific credentialing and insurance requirements set by the hiring organization.

Added requirement for professional severe weather trackers to complete an emergency driving course administered by law enforcement entities.

Changed vehicle marking requirements to be determined by the hiring entity rather than standardized state requirements.

DEFINITION

Expanded the definition of qualified media outlets to include radio broadcasting stations in addition to television stations.

Modified the definition of significant weather events to use 'predicted' rather than 'declared' for risk conditions and simplified language for weather warnings.

TECHNICAL

Updated the short title from 'Oklahoma Emergency Weather Response and Tracking Regulatory Act of 2025' to 'Oklahoma Emergency Weather Response and Tracking Regulatory Act of 2025' with minor wording adjustments throughout.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 19, 2025

Committee

Referred to Appropriations

upper

Feb 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Retirement and Government Resources committee; CR filed

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Introduced

First Reading

upper

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors