HB 1408 requires public school administrators to optionally report when students leave for private schools, homeschooling, or other education methods. The State Department of Education must create an online portal for these reports. This change excludes students whose departures are reported under the bill from being counted as "school dropouts" in existing state reporting requirements. The bill amends current law to clarify that reported departures do not count toward dropout statistics, which are used for annual legislative reports and program planning. The policy takes effect July 1, 2025.
HB 2265 requires new Oklahoma notaries to pass an exam based on a state-approved course covering notary laws, ethics, and procedures. It mandates that all notaries maintain a detailed journal of every notarial act (including date, identity verification, and fees) for 10 years, in either a physical bound book or a secure electronic format. Notaries must transmit their journals to the Secretary of State upon resignation, suspension, death, or if the journal is lost/stolen. The bill applies directly to all current and new notaries public in Oklahoma and takes effect November 1, 2025.
HB 1366 enacts Oklahoma's participation in the American Association of Dental Boards (AADB) Compact, allowing dentists and dental hygienists to more easily practice across participating states. The bill establishes a uniform licensing process requiring a standardized exam, shares disciplinary records through the AADB Clearinghouse, and eliminates duplicate fees for licensees. It specifically waives application fees for active-duty military members and their spouses, expediting their ability to practice when relocating. This compact affects dental professionals seeking multi-state licensure and streamlines processes for military families.
HB 2194 amends Oklahoma's tax code to adjust how businesses calculate taxable income, specifically changing the rules for applying federal net operating losses (NOLs) to Oklahoma taxes. It directly affects businesses with multi-state operations that carry forward or back NOLs, requiring Oklahoma to treat these losses consistently with federal rules for tax years beginning after December 31, 2008. The key change aligns Oklahoma's NOL carryback and carryforward rules with the federal Internal Revenue Code, replacing "federal" terms with "Oklahoma" equivalents while maintaining similar time limits for loss application. This simplifies the calculation process for businesses operating across state lines. The bill became effective upon enactment as specified in the legislative text.
HB 2800 is a technical amendment to an existing property owners association law, not a substantive policy change. The bill corrects punctuation by deleting the word "or" between "fines" and "assessments" and inserting a comma, changing "fines or assessments" to "fines, assessments" in the text. This minor grammatical adjustment has no impact on fees, disclosures, or legal obligations for homeowners or property associations. The amendment passed unanimously in the House and is now moving to the Senate for consideration.
SB 484 prohibits municipalities with populations under 300,000 (per the latest federal census) from approving new schools, shelters, or homeless shelters operated within places of worship near existing schools, hospitals, or government buildings. The bill directly affects smaller Oklahoma cities and towns by restricting where certain facilities can be built. Key provisions remove ambiguous language about "property" and explicitly include homeless shelters in places of worship within the prohibited locations. This creates a clear geographic restriction to prevent new facilities from being sited adjacent to existing community infrastructure.
HB 1384 requires Oklahoma's Department of Transportation (DOT) to mandate post-installation inspections for storm pipes that fail a structural test before installation. Contractors must pay for these inspections and any necessary fixes - like replacing or reinforcing pipes - to meet DOT standards. Inspections must verify structural integrity, proper installation, joint alignment, and absence of defects like cracks. The law takes effect November 1, 2025, and directs the DOT to create implementing rules.
HB 2209 allows members of local government bodies (like city councils or school boards) to join public meetings remotely from their home using video or phone, without disclosing their exact address. To comply, members must label their location as "private residence" on meeting notices, use technology that lets the public see/hear them, and ensure their remote participation doesn’t block public access. The bill does not apply if meetings are held entirely at a member’s home or if multiple members gather at one home, requiring full location disclosure in those cases. It aims to protect members' home addresses while maintaining transparency under Oklahoma’s Open Meeting Act. The law takes effect November 1, 2025.
HB 1480 changes how Oklahoma courts handle court fees and fines for children and their families. It requires courts to assess ability to pay before enforcing financial obligations (like fees, costs, or fines), considering income, expenses, dependents, and disability status. Families receiving federal aid (like TANF, SNAP, or disability benefits) or earning below 150% of the poverty level are automatically presumed unable to pay and receive debt waivers. Courts must inform families of their obligations and provide free cost hearings to determine payment ability, with no fees for requesting these hearings. The law applies to all juvenile cases involving court-ordered financial obligations.
SB 401 prevents traffic control contractors and subcontractors from being held legally responsible for personal injury, property damage, or death caused by their work, provided they followed all Department of Transportation (DOT) safety regulations related to the incident. The law applies specifically to contractors working directly with Oklahoma's DOT on road construction projects. It creates a legal shield only when contractors were fully compliant with DOT safety rules at the time of the incident. This change directly affects contractors by limiting their liability in specific accident scenarios, without altering the DOT's safety standards.
HB 2603 transfers enforcement authority for Oklahoma's motor carrier safety regulations - from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to the Department of Public Safety - effective July 2026. This change affects commercial trucking companies and drivers by shifting oversight of safety rules, weigh station inspections, and permit enforcement to the Department of Public Safety. The bill creates a 12-month transition period (July 2026-June 2027) with a task force to coordinate the transfer of personnel, property, and responsibilities. Key provisions include requiring the Department of Public Safety to assume full enforcement authority over specific statutes related to motor carrier operations, permits, and safety compliance. The goal is to create a more unified enforcement approach for public safety in the commercial transportation sector.
HB 1603 requires Oklahoma public schools to teach a specific human growth and development curriculum, including a high-definition ultrasound video showing fetal development and a computer animation of cell/organ growth. It mandates this content be delivered in an age-appropriate manner, with parents able to opt their child out using a state-prescribed form two weeks before instruction. The bill affects all public school students in grades 9-12, as completion of this curriculum is required for graduation with a standard diploma unless a parent opts out. Schools must integrate this into health or science courses and align it with state academic standards, effective November 1, 2025.
