HB 1420 requires Oklahoma state agencies to reduce owned and leased property by prioritizing the sale of underutilized state-owned assets, eliminating unnecessary leases, and using existing property instead of new construction. It mandates that all state agencies obtain approval from the Office of Management and Enterprise Services before leasing, purchasing, or constructing new property, with proceeds from sales deposited into a dedicated building maintenance fund. The bill also requires annual public reporting on property sales, lease reductions, and fund usage, while exempting agencies like the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and Turnpike Authority from these requirements. This policy directly affects all state agencies (except the exempted entities) by changing how they manage real estate assets and funding for building maintenance.
HB 1221 creates "SAFE Accounts" in Oklahoma’s State Treasury to manage specific federal funds received by state agencies. It requires agencies to seek legislative approval (via concurrent resolution) before accessing funds from competitive grants, federal relief payments, or block grants, and mandates detailed reporting to the Legislature about grant applications and funding purposes. Existing federal programs already managed by agencies as of January 1, 2025, are excluded from these requirements unless they involve competitive grants needing reapplication after November 2025. The bill also establishes deadlines for submitting notices and holding hearings on new federal funding sources, effective July 1, 2025, for block grants and November 1, 2025, for competitive grants.
HB 1760 creates tax credits for Oklahoma taxpayers who contribute to eligible scholarship-granting or educational improvement organizations. It allows a 50% tax credit (up to $1,000 for individuals, $2,000 for married couples, $100,000 for businesses) on contributions, increasing to 75% for those making a multi-year commitment with written proof. The bill also modifies how credits are allocated to business owners and requires annual financial reporting from participating organizations. These credits are subject to annual caps established by the Oklahoma Tax Commission.
HB 1280 (2025) requires Oklahoma school districts to spend at least 50% of their annual budget on classroom instruction starting in 2025-2026. If a district falls below this threshold, it must increase instructional spending by 2% annually until reaching 50%, or face a written warning and, after four years of non-compliance, a permanent 2% annual teacher pay raise for each year missed. The bill defines "annual budget" to exclude bond sales, fundraisers, and non-educational grants, and "instructional expenditures" per federal standards. The bill failed to pass (36-57) on March 27, 2025, so it is not law.
HB 2033 creates a revolving fund called the "Community Health Center Access to Care Revolving Fund" within Oklahoma's State Department of Health. The fund, not limited by fiscal years, will use appropriated monies to increase access to care at federally authorized community health centers (as defined under 42 U.S.C. §330). The Department of Health can spend these funds to support such centers, with expenditures requiring State Treasurer warrants based on approved claims. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and was declared an emergency to allow immediate implementation.
HB 1621, the State Department of Education Spending Transparency Act, requires Oklahoma’s State Treasurer to create a public online portal displaying detailed annual spending data from the Oklahoma State Department of Education (the "Submitting Party"). The portal must include searchable records of all expenditures - showing amounts, dates, payees, employee roles for payroll, and U.S. Census-based spending categories - and allow data downloads and summaries. It mandates annual agreements between the State Treasurer and the education department to maintain the portal, which must be prominently linked on both the Treasurer’s and education department’s websites, effective November 1, 2025.
HB 1258 creates a new defined contribution retirement plan for Oklahoma teachers hired on or after November 1, 2024. Teachers must make a one-time irrevocable election to join this plan, which replaces the existing defined benefit system for them; those who don’t elect it default to the current retirement system. Employees contribute a mandatory minimum of 4.5% of salary, with employers matching 6% (increasing to 7% if employees contribute more), all managed in tax-qualified retirement accounts. The plan prevents accrual of service credits under the old system, and participation is binding for all future service with participating employers.
