SB 61 Oklahoma Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Memorial highways and bridges; designating various memorial highways and bridges. Effective date.

This bill (SB 61) is a ceremonial naming act that designates specific Oklahoma bridges and highways as memorials to honor individuals. It designates seven locations, including the "ABLE Agent Lori Thomas Memorial Bridge" on U.S. Highway 70 in Durant and the "Donald Ray Ward Memorial Bridge" on I-40 in Oklahoma County. The bill requires the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to install permanent markers at these locations. It does not create new policies or affect residents' rights, as it is purely a symbolic naming procedure. The bill became law on May 21, 2025, with an effective date of November 1, 2025.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Signed May 21, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 7 comparisons

What changed between versions

Floor (House) Floor (Senate) · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was revised to reflect its progression from the House to the Senate floor, resulting in the removal of specific memorial designations for the Donald Ray Ward Bridge, Ike Glass Intersection, Novak and Jean Bullard Bridge, PFC Lewis Othel Branscum Bridge, SFC Tomas L. Avey Highway, and SSGT Kenneth Michael Pannell Highway. The Senate version retains only the ABLE Agent Lori Thomas Memorial Bridge designation. Additionally, the committee reporting information was updated to reflect the Senate Committee on Aeronautics and Transportation instead of the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development.
Scope change
The bill's scope was significantly narrowed; it now authorizes only one memorial bridge designation instead of the six originally proposed.
SCOPE

Designations for six memorials (Donald Ray Ward Bridge, Ike Glass Intersection, Novak and Jean Bullard Bridge, PFC Lewis Othel Branscum Bridge, SFC Tomas L. Avey Highway, and SSGT Kenneth Michael Pannell Highway) were removed from the text.

TIMELINE

The specific effective date of November 1, 2025, which was listed in the House version, was removed from the Senate text.

REQUIREMENT

The committee report attribution was changed from the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to the Senate Committee on Aeronautics and Transportation.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 26, 2025 · House Apr 29, 2025

How they voted

460
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 49
Mar 26, 2025
D Democratic9
9 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican40
37 Yea 3
92% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
33
Key actions
9
Committee
7
Amendments
1
May 13, 2025
Committee
Referred for enrollment
upper
May 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
Measure passed: Ayes: 43 Nays: 0
upper
May 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
HAs adopted
upper
Apr 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Engrossed, signed, to Senate
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Committee
Referred for engrossment
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third Reading, Measure passed: Ayes: 87 Nays: 0
lower
Apr 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
CR; Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Commerce and Economic Development Oversight Committee
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Policy recommendation to the Commerce and Economic Development Oversight committee; Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Transportation
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Committee
Referred to Transportation
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Introduced
First Reading
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Engrossed to House
upper
Mar 26, 2025
Committee
Referred for engrossment
upper
Mar 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
Measure passed: Ayes: 44 Nays: 0
upper
Mar 26, 2025
Introduced
General Order, Amended by Floor Substitute
upper
Feb 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported Do Pass Aeronautics and Transportation committee; CR filed
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Introduced
First Reading
upper
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors