SB 2 establishes new setback requirements for wind energy facilities in Oklahoma, effective November 1, 2025. It requires wind turbines to be at least one-quarter nautical mile from homes and neighboring property (previously 1.5 miles from schools/hospitals), and mandates that projects near military installations must obtain a Federal Aviation Administration "Determination of No Hazard" and resolve Department of Defense impacts before construction. Developers who fail to comply face daily penalties of up to $1,500 per violation. The bill directly affects wind energy developers, landowners, and communities near proposed sites, with specific rules for military compatibility and dispute resolution.
HB 2115 transfers administration of Oklahoma's Energy Conservation Assistance Fund from the Department of Commerce to the Department of Human Services. It provides grants of up to $3,000 for weatherization work (like insulation, storm windows, and structural repairs) to low-income elderly and handicapped homeowners who meet income guidelines (125% of federal poverty level). The bill requires an energy audit before grants are issued, prioritizes applicants with greatest need, and establishes a revolving fund for ongoing program funding. This directly affects qualifying homeowners seeking energy efficiency improvements to their primary residences.
HB 1170, the Oklahoma Public Finance Protection Act, requires state pension fund managers to base all investment decisions solely on financial factors affecting returns or risk, prohibiting consideration of environmental, social, political, or ideological goals. It directly affects all Oklahoma public pension plans (including those managed by state entities, counties, municipalities, and schools) and their fiduciaries. The law mandates that fiduciaries evaluate investments exclusively using "pecuniary factors," such as financial risk and return, and prohibits voting proxies or making investment choices to advance nonfinancial objectives, while allowing incidental consideration of factors with proven material financial impact.
This bill amends Oklahoma's Renewable Energy Facility Act to clarify which infrastructure projects are covered under the legislation. The key change excludes transmission and distribution lines that serve renewable energy facilities from the bill's scope, narrowing the definition of eligible projects. This amendment directly affects utility companies and developers by specifying that only the renewable energy generation facilities themselves are included, not the power lines connecting them to the grid. The change aims to provide clearer boundaries for what types of infrastructure fall under the act's regulations and incentives.
HB 2157 creates the Oklahoma Agrivoltaics Advisory Committee to coordinate renewable energy development with agriculture. The 17-member committee includes representatives from farming, ranching, tribal governments, renewable energy, and state agencies, tasked with advising on policies that support both industries. It requires the Corporation Commission to submit a 2026 report identifying existing tools, policy options, and research needs for siting renewable projects without harming farming, ranching, or forestry. A new revolving fund will support these efforts, with monies from public or private sources.
HB 1427 creates tax credits for Oklahoma taxpayers who invest in qualifying clean-burning motor vehicle fuel equipment. It directly affects vehicle owners and businesses that install or purchase equipment allowing vehicles to run on compressed natural gas, hydrogen, liquefied natural gas, or liquefied petroleum gas. The bill provides tiered credits: up to $5,500 for light vehicles (under 6,000 lbs), up to $100,000 for heavy trucks (over 26,500 lbs), and 45% of costs for commercial refueling stations. Credits are limited to new, certified equipment meeting safety standards and must be claimed against state income tax. Unused credits can be carried forward for up to five years.
Oklahoma's SB 130 requires the Corporation Commission to conduct a feasibility study on nuclear energy generation within 90 days, exempting the hiring process from standard state procurement rules. The study must evaluate economic, environmental, safety, and workforce impacts - including site selection near military bases, small modular reactor potential, and tax base effects - and include recommendations for federal funding. The Commission must complete the study within nine months and deliver findings to the Governor, Senate President Pro Tempore, and House Speaker. This bill directly affects the Corporation Commission and future energy planning in Oklahoma, without mandating nuclear development.
HB 2752 modifies Oklahoma's eminent domain rules for electricity providers, prohibiting the use of eminent domain for renewable energy facilities (like wind, solar, battery storage, or hydrogen projects) on private property. It requires electricity companies seeking eminent domain for high-voltage transmission lines (>300 kV) to first obtain a Certificate of Authority from the Corporation Commission. The bill directly affects electricity providers, private landowners, and renewable energy developers by restricting eminent domain access for renewables and adding a regulatory step for major infrastructure. It takes effect November 1, 2025.
This bill requires owners of commercial solar energy facilities in Oklahoma to pay annual property taxes on their solar installations by December 31 each year. It directly affects commercial solar facility owners, who previously may have been exempt from such taxes. The key provision mandates that taxes and other assessments be paid to the county treasurer annually, aligning commercial solar facilities with standard property tax rules. This changes the tax treatment for commercial solar projects, making them subject to local property tax requirements effective immediately.
HB 1422 increases the maximum bond capacity for Oklahoma's Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) from $1.41 billion to up to $3.6 billion, subject to Oklahoma Department of Commerce approval under specific economic development criteria. The bill authorizes GRDA to issue bonds to fund infrastructure projects like dams, hydroelectric power plants, transmission lines, and facility improvements. It updates outdated language to be gender-neutral and declares an emergency to expedite the process. This change directly affects GRDA's ability to finance major energy and water infrastructure projects across Oklahoma.
