SB 599 modifies Oklahoma's criminal penalties for offenses against children, specifically increasing punishments for sexual abuse and exploitation. It mandates a minimum 25-year prison sentence for anyone convicted of child sexual abuse or exploitation involving a child under 12, while maintaining maximum life imprisonment. The bill also requires post-prison supervision for certain offenders sentenced to two or more years in prison. It applies to all individuals responsible for a child's welfare (like parents or caregivers) who commit these crimes, and clarifies that consent is never a defense. The law became effective after the governor approved it on May 22, 2025.
SB 642 expands workers' compensation rights for injured employees in Oklahoma by clarifying when they can pursue legal action against employers. It directly affects injured workers, their families, and contractors (both general and subcontractors) who must now ensure workers' compensation insurance is made available to subcontractors. Key provisions include: allowing lawsuits if employers fail to secure required insurance or commit intentional torts (with strict proof requirements), defining "provides workers' compensation insurance" as making coverage available (not requiring it to cover specific incidents), and clarifying that immunity from lawsuits does not apply in these cases. The bill also updates definitions for contractors and ensures insurance requirements apply consistently across construction projects.
SB 638 amends Oklahoma's Unfair Sales Act to specifically address motor fuel pricing. It updates how retailers and wholesalers calculate "cost" for motor fuel (e.g., including freight, cartage, and taxes) and increases penalties for selling below cost: $1,000 fines for motor fuel (up from $500 for other goods). This directly affects gas stations and fuel distributors selling motor fuel at retail or wholesale. The law takes effect November 1, 2025.
SB 462 allows retired Oklahoma municipal police officers to request in writing to keep their issued firearm and badge after retirement, subject to specific exceptions. The municipal law enforcement agency head may deny the request if the officer is not in good standing, has a felony conviction involving moral turpitude, is incapacitated, or if granting it would harm public safety. The bill also permits the agency head to award the firearm and badge to a spouse or next of kin of a deceased officer who died before retirement. This law, effective November 1, 2025, amends Oklahoma Statutes to codify these provisions.
SB 674 creates the "Charter Schools Incentive and Closure Reimbursement Fund" to support charter schools with startup costs, building renovations, and closure expenses. It requires charter schools to pay $5 per student (based on average daily membership) into this fund, while modifying how state funding is calculated - allowing new schools a 1.333 multiplier for first-year enrollment to determine initial funding. The bill also clarifies that charter schools receive state aid based on their own enrollment (not their sponsor’s), prohibits sponsors from charging fees beyond a 3% administrative cap on state aid, and states charter schools are considered local education agencies for funding purposes. This affects all Oklahoma charter schools, virtual charter schools, and their sponsors, with the bill now law after governor approval on May 23, 2025.
HB 2235 creates a new automatic process for sealing eligible arrest records in Oklahoma, directly affecting individuals with clean-slate eligible arrests (e.g., dismissed cases or non-convictions). It requires the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to monthly identify eligible records, notify law enforcement and prosecutors, and automatically seal records after 45 days if no objections are raised (e.g., for unpaid restitution or ongoing criminal activity). The bill mandates annual reports to the legislature on non-sealed cases and prohibits employers/educators from requiring disclosure of sealed records. This focuses on expungement procedures, not compensation for wrongful convictions, as clarified by the codified process in the bill text.
SB 1027 modifies Oklahoma's initiative process by shortening the deadline for collecting signatures from 90 to 10 days. It also changes signature verification timelines from 90 to 180 days and requires new disclosures for initiative petitions. The bill directly affects citizens and organizations seeking to place measures on the ballot through citizen initiatives. These changes streamline the signature-gathering process while adding specific disclosure requirements.
HB 1607 requires all Oklahoma state agencies to report the number and pay details for each contract employee they hire through existing payroll software like Workday VNDLY. The Office of Management and Enterprise Services gains authority to create rules for implementing this reporting system. Agencies must comply starting November 1, 2025. This bill directly affects state agencies' administrative processes for tracking contract workforce data.
SB 841, the "Strong Readers Act," modifies how the Statewide Literacy Revolving Fund is used and changes training requirements for students in teacher preparation programs. It directs funds toward literacy programs supporting K-12 students and requires teacher candidates to complete specific literacy instruction training before certification. The bill affects school districts, literacy programs, and teacher education institutions by altering funding allocation and educator preparation standards. Signed into law on May 23, 2025, it takes effect immediately as an emergency measure.
HB 1865 requires all Oklahoma election ballots to be printed in advance of election day, mandates polling places open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (with voters in line at closing allowed to vote), and requires voters to go to their assigned polling place instead of using centralized voting centers. The bill prohibits county election boards from operating voting centers (where voters can vote at any location in the county) except during emergencies approved by the State Election Board. It also clarifies that county election boards must follow these rules and specifies that emergency exceptions for voting centers are limited to precincts directly impacted by the emergency. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 652 modifies Oklahoma's election scheduling rules, primarily affecting county election boards, municipalities, school districts, and other local political subdivisions. It establishes specific permissible dates for regular and special elections (e.g., second Tuesday in February, first Tuesday in April, and additional dates for special elections like January 2nd Tuesday), while requiring elections on state/federal election days to be filed 75 days in advance. The bill also mandates rescheduling elections that fall on state holidays to the next Tuesday and sets candidate filing periods for certain elections. These changes apply to all elections held after January 1, 2026.
HB 1096 modifies Oklahoma school district requirements for teacher professional development. It updates goals to prioritize increasing academic performance scores, closing achievement gaps, and reducing college remediation rates. The bill adds mandatory annual training on dyslexia and dysgraphia for teachers, expands autism awareness training for early childhood educators, and requires data-driven planning for professional development programs. School districts must annually report on these programs to the State Department of Education, including progress toward specific student achievement goals. The bill does not reference the Classic Learning Test in its substantive provisions as described in the provided text.
