Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 1944: Administrative Workers' Compensation Act; modifying definition. Effective date.

SB 1944 amends Oklahoma's workers' compensation law by updating key definitions in the Administrative Workers' Compensation Act. It clarifies who qualifies as an "actually dependent" for benefits, specifies requirements for certified "case managers" (including nursing licenses and specific certifications), and refines the definition of "compensable injury" to exclude injuries caused by alcohol/drug use, natural aging, or preexisting conditions without proven aggravation from work. These changes directly affect injured workers seeking benefits, employers, insurance carriers, and healthcare providers involved in workers' compensation claims. The bill aims to standardize eligibility and claim processing without creating new benefits or altering benefit amounts.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExcludes alcohol/drug-related injuries and preexisting conditions without proven work aggravation, reducing eligible claims under workers' comp.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 2084: Governmental Tort Claims Act; limiting settlement awards for wrongful termination claims; providing for inclusion of certain damages. Effective date.

SB 2084 caps settlement amounts for wrongful termination claims by employees of Oklahoma public institutions of higher education (like state universities) at two years of their base salary at termination. It limits total settlements to include back pay and damages but excludes accrued unpaid wages, leave, and retirement contributions already earned. The bill specifically applies to state law claims, not federal ones, and takes effect November 1, 2026. This directly affects public university employees filing termination disputes under Oklahoma law.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesCaps government spending on wrongful termination settlements, reducing state expenditures for public university employee claims by limiting settlement amounts.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill limits settlement amounts for wrongful termination claims by public university employees, reducing potential compensation (a benefit) for teachers/staff, opposing enhanced educator protections.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentCaps wrongful termination settlements at 2 years' base salary for public university employees, excluding earned wages/retirement benefits, restricting worker compensation rights.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · House May 12, 2026

HB 3467: Education employees; maternity leave; adoption; purpose; effective date; emergency.

HB 3467 modifies leave policies for education employees in Oklahoma, specifically expanding maternity and adoption leave to cover children under four years old. The bill directly affects public school staff and other education employees who take leave for childbirth or adoption. Its key provision limits eligibility to cases where the child is under four years of age, narrowing the scope of existing leave coverage. The bill was amended to include this age restriction and referred to the Education Oversight committee for further review.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill restricts maternity/adoption leave eligibility to children under four, narrowing coverage and reducing employee benefits compared to broader existing policies.95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRestricts maternity/adoption leave eligibility to children under 4, narrowing existing coverage scope per bill summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · House May 5, 2026

HB 3043: Soldiers and sailors; Department of Veterans Affairs; seasonal employees; codification; effective date.

HB 3043 creates a new category of "seasonal employees" for Oklahoma's Department of Veterans Affairs, defined as unclassified staff working under 1,699 hours annually. These employees will not receive benefits like paid leave, health insurance, retirement, or paid holidays. The bill requires the Department to report annual usage of these positions, including worker counts and total wages, in its budget requests. The law takes effect November 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates cost-saving seasonal employee category without benefits, requiring budget transparency and promoting fiscal responsibility through reduced state spending on non-essential staff.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentDenies benefits (health insurance, paid leave, retirement) to seasonal VA employees, restricting employment protections for a defined worker category.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · House May 4, 2026

HB 3086: Prisons and reformatories; Corrections Act of 1967; expanding powers and duties of the State Board of Corrections; effective date.

HB 3086 requires Oklahoma's State Board of Corrections to approve the Director's authority over prisoners' discipline and work programs. It specifically creates a Construction Division within the Department of Corrections for inmate work crews and prohibits inmates in this program from forming unions, striking, or engaging in collective bargaining. The bill also mandates Board approval for the Director to appoint staff, accept funding, or establish policies governing prison operations. These changes primarily affect prisoners working in the Construction Division and correctional staff managing prison programs.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeProhibits inmate union formation and collective bargaining, restricting prisoner rights within corrections95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentProhibits prison inmates from unionizing or collective bargaining, directly restricting labor organizing rights within correctional work programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · House May 4, 2026

HB 2288: Teachers' Retirement System; postretirement employment; earning limitations; retired member; earnings without reduction in retirement benefits; effective date; emergency.

HB 2288 modifies rules for retired Oklahoma teachers who return to public school employment. It establishes a 60-day cooling-off period after retirement before reemployment and sets annual earnings limits: retired teachers under 62 may earn up to half their final salary (or Social Security's limit, whichever is lower), while those 62+ may earn up to $30,000 or half their final salary. The bill also creates a three-year exception (ending July 2027) allowing certain retired teachers who haven't worked for a public school in the past year to return without earnings limits. It clarifies that part-time work for state government (like the Legislature) doesn't count as public school employment under these rules.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentImposes earnings limits on retired teachers returning to public employment, restricting income potential post-retirement and weakening retirement benefit protections.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 95: Workers' compensation; amending definitions. Effective date.

SB 95 updates key definitions in Oklahoma's workers' compensation law to clarify eligibility and claims processing. It directly affects injured workers (claimants), employers, insurance carriers, and medical providers by defining terms like "case manager" (requiring specific nursing licenses or certifications) and "carrier" (explicitly including self-insured employers). The bill also clarifies what constitutes a "compensable injury," excluding age-related conditions like arthritis and adding drug testing rules for claims involving intoxication. These changes aim to standardize claims administration and reduce disputes over coverage. The bill became effective after the governor signed it on May 6, 2025.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareExcludes age-related conditions (e.g., arthritis) from compensable injuries, restricting healthcare coverage under workers' compensation for specific medical conditions.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExcludes age-related conditions (e.g., arthritis) from compensable injuries, restricting worker benefits under workers' comp.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

signed · Oklahoma · House May 5, 2025

HB 1187: Oklahoma Employees Insurance and Benefits Act; opt-out option; removing group insurance; effective date.

HB 1187 allows Oklahoma state employees to opt out of the state's basic health and dental insurance plans if they have separate group coverage, while retaining life and disability benefits. To opt out, employees must provide proof of their separate coverage and sign an annual affidavit, and they receive $150 instead of the flexible benefit amount they would otherwise receive. The state retains any savings from employees opting out of health coverage. This bill directly affects eligible state employees who qualify for separate group insurance and takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentReduces employee health benefits by replacing flexible coverage with $150 annual payment instead of full benefits, weakening workplace compensation standards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

passed · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 24, 2025

SB 521: Franchises; modifying definition; updating statutory reference. Effective date.

SB 521 updates Oklahoma's franchise law by clarifying key definitions in Section 6005 of Title 59. It defines "franchisor" to include subfranchisors who handle both pre-sale and post-sale activities, and specifies that a "franchise" requires trademark use, franchisor control or assistance, and a payment. Crucially, the bill explicitly states that franchisors are not employers of franchisee employees, and franchisee employees are not considered employees of the franchisor. This directly affects franchise businesses and their workers in Oklahoma by clarifying legal employer-employee relationships. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly states franchisors are not employers of franchisee employees, removing franchisor liability for employment conditions and weakening worker protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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died · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 24, 2025

SB 358: Railroad safety; requiring certain placement of hot bearings detector. Effective date.

SB 358 requires railroad operators on Oklahoma’s "main lines" (routes handling over 5 million tons of annual traffic) to install and maintain infrared hot bearings detectors every 10 miles along those tracks. These detectors identify overheating train components like bearings, axles, or wheels to prevent safety hazards. Violations carry fines of $1,000 to $5,000, enforceable by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. The law, effective November 1, 2025, applies specifically to commercial freight rail operations, excluding tourist or scenic lines.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires safety detectors to prevent train component overheating, directly enhancing workplace safety for railroad workers per Labor & Employment topic definition.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationMandates safety detectors on rail infrastructure to prevent accidents, directly enhancing transportation safety standards per bill's requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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