HB 2293: Oklahoma Broadband Office; extending termination of Board, Office and Council; duties; authority; effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was transitioned from the House to the Senate floor version, resulting in significant substantive changes to the Oklahoma Broadband Office's oversight bodies. The termination dates for the Broadband Governing Board and the Broadband Expansion Council were shortened from December 31, 2030, to June 30, 2028. Additionally, the council's name was changed from 'Broadband Expansion Council' to 'Broadband Expansion Council' (a minor correction), and new requirements were added for the Board to create a specific plan and utilize the Attorney General for legal services.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding the lifespan of the oversight committees was reduced, and new operational requirements were added to the Broadband Governing Board.

TIMELINE

The termination date for the Broadband Governing Board was changed from December 31, 2030, to June 30, 2028.

The termination date for the Broadband Expansion Council was changed from December 31, 2030, to June 30, 2028.

REQUIREMENT

The Broadband Governing Board is now required to create a specific plan and direct the Oklahoma Broadband Office to include certain information in that plan.

The Broadband Governing Board is now required to utilize the legal services of the Attorney General for all legal matters.

SCOPE

The name of the council was updated from 'Broadband Expansion Council' to 'Broadband Expansion Council' (minor text correction).

Senate Committee Substitute for House Bill → Floor (House) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was reformatted from a Senate Committee Substitute to a House Floor version, standardizing the layout and header information. Substantively, the termination dates for the Broadband Governing Board and the Broadband Expansion Council were extended from June 30, 2028, to December 31, 2030, allowing these oversight bodies to operate for an additional two and a half years.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's impact on the Broadband Governing Board and Broadband Expansion Council was expanded by extending their operational timelines.

TIMELINE

The termination date for the Broadband Governing Board was changed from June 30, 2028, to December 31, 2030.

The termination date for the Broadband Expansion Council was changed from June 30, 2028, to December 31, 2030.

TECHNICAL

The document was converted from a Senate Committee Substitute format to a House Floor version, updating headers and page numbering.

House Committee Substitute → Senate Committee Substitute for House Bill · 4 edits

MODERATE

The Senate version of the bill updates the legislative title to reflect that it is an 'Engrossed' bill and modifies the description of the bill's purpose to include new requirements for the Oklahoma Broadband Office to create and approve a specific plan. The substantive text of the bill retains the original termination dates for the Broadband Governing Board and Broadband Expansion Council but includes new directives for the Office to develop a plan with specific informational requirements and approval procedures.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include a new mandate for the Oklahoma Broadband Office to create and approve a specific plan, in addition to the existing duties of overseeing the Broadband Governing Board and Broadband Expansion Council.

TITLE

Changed the header from 'House Committee Substitute' to 'Committee Substitute for Engrossed House Bill', indicating the bill has passed both chambers and is in its final form.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for the Oklahoma Broadband Office to create a specific plan, include certain information in that plan, and follow procedures for its approval.

TIMELINE

Updated the description of termination dates for the Broadband Governing Board and Broadband Expansion Council to clarify that they terminate pursuant to procedures in Section 5 of the act, rather than on a fixed calendar date.

DEFINITION

Changed the name of the 'Broadband Expansion Council' to 'Broadband Expansion Council' in the summary description (minor wording adjustment).

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 2 → House Committee Substitute · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to update the termination dates for the Broadband Governing Board and Broadband Expansion Council from June 30, 2028, to December 31, 2030. Additionally, the composition of the Broadband Expansion Council was modified to include specific representatives for small municipalities and wireless internet service providers, while expanding the total membership to fourteen members.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding the operational timeline of the broadband oversight bodies was extended, and the eligibility criteria for council membership were broadened to include specific rural and technical expertise.

TIMELINE

The termination date for the Broadband Governing Board and Broadband Expansion Council was extended from June 30, 2028, to December 31, 2030.

ELIGIBILITY

The Broadband Expansion Council composition was changed to include a representative from a small municipality (under 35,000 people) and a wireless Internet service provider, increasing the total membership to fourteen.

REQUIREMENT

New requirements were added for the Broadband Expansion Council to include specific expertise in rural health care, private sector technology, and small community representation.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 2 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was updated from a 2025 proposal to a 2026 substitute version, reflecting a new legislative session. The most significant substantive change is the extension of the termination dates for the Broadband Governing Board and the Broadband Expansion Council from December 31, 2030, to December 31, 2032. Additionally, the composition of the Council was modified to explicitly include the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Broadband Office as one of the three members appointed by the Governor.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on the Oklahoma Broadband Office, but the timeline for the governing bodies has been extended by two years.

TIMELINE

The termination dates for the Broadband Governing Board and the Broadband Expansion Council were extended from December 31, 2030, to December 31, 2032.

REQUIREMENT

The requirements for the Broadband Expansion Council were updated to explicitly state that one of the three members appointed by the Governor must be the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Broadband Office.

TECHNICAL

The bill text was updated to reflect the 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026) and corrected citation references from 2024 to 2025.

Engrossed → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The Policy Committee Substitute completely rewrites HB 2293, replacing the original text with a new version that corrects the termination dates for the Broadband Governing Board and Broadband Expansion Council from December 31, 2030, back to June 30, 2028. This amendment also updates the legal citations to reflect the 2024 legislative session instead of 2025, ensuring the bill aligns with the current fiscal year and statutory references.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding the duration of the Broadband Governing Board and Broadband Expansion Council was significantly altered by shortening their authorized existence by approximately six months.

TIMELINE

The termination date for the Broadband Governing Board and Broadband Expansion Council was changed from December 31, 2030, to June 30, 2028, effectively ending their operations one year earlier than the original proposal.

TECHNICAL

Legal citations were updated to reference the 2024 legislative session and 74 O.S. Supp. 2024 instead of 2025, correcting the statutory year references to match the current session.

The entire bill text was replaced to conform to the committee's amendments, removing the original 'Engrossed' version and inserting the revised language.

Introduced → Engrossed · 5 edits · Mar 10, 2026

MODERATE

This bill amends HB 2293 to transition the Oklahoma Broadband Office from an independent entity into a division of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. It extends the termination dates for the Broadband Governing Board, Broadband Expansion Council, and the Office itself from 2028 to 2030, while updating the composition and appointment rules for these bodies to reflect the new organizational structure.

Scope change

The scope of the bill changed from establishing a standalone Oklahoma Broadband Office to integrating it as a division within the Department of Commerce, shifting oversight and rulemaking authority to the Department.

TIMELINE

Extended the termination date for the Broadband Governing Board, Broadband Expansion Council, and the Oklahoma Broadband Office from December 31, 2028, to December 31, 2030.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the Broadband Governing Board composition from nine members to nine members with specific appointment changes, including the addition of the State Treasurer as a member.

Modified the Broadband Expansion Council composition from fourteen members to fourteen members, altering appointment authorities and adding specific requirements for rural mayors, WISPs, and health care representatives.

SCOPE

Transferred powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Oklahoma Broadband Office to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, making the Office a division of the Department.

DEFINITION

Updated statutory references and definitions to align with the new organizational structure and extended timelines.

Oklahoma Broadband Office; extending termination of Board, Office and Council; duties; authority; effective date.

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