HB 2778 creates the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program (expiring November 1, 2028) to support child care workers at licensed facilities. It directly affects child care employees who work at least 20 hours weekly and meet income limits: $120,000 annual household income for two-parent households or $60,000 for single-parent households. Key provisions waive co-payments for eligible employees and exempt their income from subsidy program cost-sharing calculations, while requiring providers to notify the Department of Human Services if an employee leaves. The program operates under Oklahoma’s Child Care Subsidy Program rules, with all other eligibility conditions remaining unchanged.
HB 1138 creates a State Employee Dispute Resolution Program for Oklahoma state employees, requiring the Human Capital Management and Civil Service Divisions to handle complaints about disciplinary actions like terminations, suspensions, or written reprimands. It mandates mediation for most disputes before hearings, establishes an Office of Veterans Placement, and creates a confidential whistleblower program for reporting mismanagement or fraud involving state funds. The bill sets strict timelines (10 days to file complaints, 30 days for hearings) and requires quarterly reports on case volumes to state leadership. It directly affects most state employees but excludes elected officials, judges, certain political appointees, and employees in specific categories like temporary or seasonal roles. The law also shifts all state employee positions to be administered by the Human Capital Management Division without prior classified/unclassified distinctions.
SB 688 grants a 5-year property tax exemption for qualifying manufacturing facilities in Oklahoma, directly affecting manufacturers that meet specific investment, wage, and sales criteria. The bill exempts new or expanded facilities (including research labs) from ad valorem taxes if they invest at least $500,000 (adjusted annually for inflation) in qualifying assets, pay new jobs at or above Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program wage standards, and meet sales requirements (e.g., 50% revenue from out-of-state buyers for tech facilities). Facilities must annually file affidavits with the Oklahoma Tax Commission to verify eligibility. This law, enacted May 28, 2025, modifies existing tax exemptions to streamline eligibility for manufacturers expanding operations.
This bill modifies Oklahoma's minimum wage calculation by allowing employers to count up to 50% of tips, meals, or lodging toward meeting the state's minimum wage requirement, provided the base cash wage meets federal standards (29 C.F.R. § 531.50(a)(1)). It directly affects tipped workers (like restaurant staff) and their employers when Oklahoma's minimum wage exceeds the federal rate. The key provision updates how wages are computed, ensuring employers cannot reduce cash wages below federal thresholds while crediting qualifying non-cash compensation. The law takes effect November 1, 2025.
SB 662 expands the Oklahoma Workforce Commission's authority to implement workforce development programs. It requires the Commission to collect specific data (like participant wages, job openings, and program outcomes) and create a public dashboard to track workforce efforts, directly affecting educational institutions, state agencies, and workforce programs. The bill establishes a revolving fund for program funding and mandates implementation of initiatives targeting high-demand occupations through partnerships with schools, scholarship matching, and work-based learning opportunities like apprenticeships. These changes became effective July 1, 2025, after the bill was signed into law without the Governor's signature on May 27, 2025.
HB 2011, titled "Fighting Chance for Firefighters Act," actually expands health insurance benefits for firefighters rather than providing tax credits, as the title incorrectly states. The bill amends Oklahoma Statutes Section 1315 to explicitly include municipal fire departments (organized under 11 O.S. § 29-101) and county fire departments (under 19 O.S. § 351) in the Oklahoma Employees Insurance and Benefits Plans. This allows firefighters employed by these departments to access the same health insurance coverage available to state employees, including continuation of coverage after retirement or termination with eight years of service. The law, enacted without the Governor’s signature on May 27, 2025, directly affects firefighters in local fire departments by improving their access to health insurance benefits.
SB 434 increases the maximum combined contribution rate for Oklahoma county employees' retirement systems from 18.5% to 22% of an employee's monthly compensation. This change directly affects county employees participating in retirement funds, allowing employers and employees to collectively contribute up to 22% of pay toward their retirement savings. The bill amends existing law to set this new 22% cap, effective July 1, 2025, and allows counties to adjust employer/employee contribution splits as long as the total remains at 22%. The policy change simplifies retirement funding parameters without altering benefit calculations.
SB 577 requires manufacturing facilities seeking a five-year property tax exemption to submit annual information to the Oklahoma Tax Commission, including proof of out-of-state sales revenue and wage compliance. It mandates the Tax Commission to share specific data with the Incentive Evaluation Commission to verify exemption eligibility. The bill updates requirements for facilities to qualify, including an annual investment cost threshold adjusted for inflation (based on CPI) and wage standards tied to Oklahoma's Quality Jobs Program. This affects manufacturers building, expanding, or acquiring facilities with qualifying investments, ensuring transparency in tax exemption programs.
SB 924 amends Oklahoma's Employment Security Act of 1980 to update procedures for unemployment claims. It modifies definitions (including clarifying "digital portal filing" and "electronic e-filing"), allows the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission to adjust appeal filing requirements, and updates rules for dismissing cases due to missing information or confidentiality. These changes directly affect claimants applying for unemployment benefits, employers, and the Commission. The bill was vetoed by the Governor on May 10, 2025, and did not become law.
HB 2746 amends Oklahoma's Remote Quality Jobs Incentive Act to require proxy establishments (entities that attract remote workers to the state) to verify that included remote workers have basic health insurance meeting specific coverage standards. The insurance must cover hospital care, physician services, mental health, substance abuse treatment, prescription drugs, and prenatal care, with employees paying no more than 50% of the premium. The bill also clarifies key terms like "remote worker" (an employee working outside Oklahoma who hasn't lived there in the past year) and "new direct job" (a job created by an establishment other than the proxy that didn't exist before application approval). The law takes effect November 1, 2025, and became effective without the Governor's signature on May 8, 2025.
