SB 1122 requires Oklahoma's State Board of Equalization to assess property used for **wired broadband service** (offering internet over 100 Mbps download/20 Mbps upload) at a **15% tax rate** for tax years 2026-2036. It applies only to infrastructure in areas with **less than 10% broadband coverage** (per FCC maps) and exclusively to property used for broadband, excluding other services like video streaming. The bill amends tax code to define "broadband service providers" and mandates this specific assessment ratio for qualifying assets, including fiber, cables, and network infrastructure. This policy directly affects **wired broadband providers** expanding service in underserved rural or low-coverage regions.
This Oklahoma bill requires investor-owned electric utilities to evaluate and potentially deploy grid-enhancing technologies that increase the capacity and efficiency of existing transmission lines without building new infrastructure. The law mandates that utilities analyze the cost-effectiveness of advanced technologies like dynamic line rating and high-performance conductors in their planning processes and report findings to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. If the Commission determines these technologies are cost-effective, utilities can recover the associated costs through rates paid by customers. The legislation specifically applies to investor-owned utilities and does not cover cooperatives or municipal providers.
HB 4144 requires Oklahoma law enforcement agencies to make specific arrest and incident reports publicly available, including arrest details (name, date of birth, cause), incident summaries, radio logs, crime summaries, jail records, and body-worn camera footage. Agencies must redact sensitive information like minor identities, medical details, or ongoing investigation details before release, but must disclose redacted portions once investigations conclude. This bill directly affects all Oklahoma law enforcement agencies by expanding public access to policing records while establishing clear redaction standards for privacy and safety concerns. The policy changes standardize transparency for public record requests related to law enforcement activities.
SB 1386 requires Oklahoma's Supreme Court and Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to establish statewide policies for recording judicial proceedings, including technical standards for audio/video systems, AI-assisted transcripts, and confidential audio channels. It mandates that recording systems support ADA-compliant closed captioning, secure metadata logging, and accurate transcription, while prohibiting local court funding for required equipment (using state appropriations instead). The bill directly affects all Oklahoma district courts and court reporters by updating recording, storage, and accessibility requirements under the Oklahoma Court Information System (OCIS), with penalties for noncompliance and whistleblower protections.
SB 1535 amends Oklahoma's Personal Privacy Protection Act to clarify when public agencies may disclose "personal affiliation information" (data identifying people as members, donors, or volunteers of 501(c) nonprofit organizations). It generally prohibits public agencies from requiring or disclosing this information but adds specific exceptions, such as for lawful court orders, Attorney General investigations, or court proceedings with protective orders to prevent public release. The bill directly affects individuals who support nonprofits and public agencies handling such data, ensuring privacy while allowing limited disclosures under strict legal conditions. It becomes effective November 1, 2026.
SB 146 expands mental wellness services provided by Oklahoma's Department of Public Safety to include retirees of public safety personnel (such as police and firefighters), in addition to current employees. It creates a dedicated revolving fund (Section 9102) to finance these services and strengthens privacy protections by prohibiting the sharing of individual mental health data without consent, while allowing aggregate data use for policy improvements (Section 9101). The bill also mandates that all Mental Wellness Division resources operate separately from other department divisions. These changes took effect November 1, 2025, after becoming law without the Governor's signature on May 29, 2025.
HB 2258, the Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act, requires Oklahoma state agencies to publish key legal documents (like session laws, administrative codes, court decisions, and agency rules) electronically in an official, authenticated format. It mandates that official publishers (such as the Secretary of State and courts) designate electronic records as official, authenticate them to ensure they are unaltered, preserve them securely, and make them permanently accessible to the public. This law directly affects state agencies that produce legal materials, establishing that authenticated electronic versions are legally valid and presumed accurate unless proven otherwise. The bill shifts how Oklahoma makes official legal records available, prioritizing digital access while ensuring reliability and security.
HB 2289 creates the Oklahoma Elected Official and Judicial Security and Privacy Act of 2025, requiring state agencies to remove specific personal details - including home addresses, phone numbers, school locations, and children's information - from public records for elected officials, judges, and their immediate families. Agencies must delete such "covered information" within 72 hours of a request and cannot publicly display it. The law also mandates annual reports to the legislature on security spending and data collection methods related to protecting these individuals. It became law without the Governor’s signature on May 28, 2025.
HB 1547 updates Oklahoma's rules for county agricultural fairs and funding. It allows fair associations to spend funds on digital communication tools (like internet and email) and clarifies that officers must attend at least 50% of meetings to retain their positions. The bill also adds a 12-hour voting window for electing fair association leaders and expands allowable expenses to include transporting exhibits between local and state fairs. Counties can now levy up to 1 mill per $1,000 in property value (or 0.25 mills in larger counties) to fund fair operations, premiums, maintenance, and advertising. These changes directly affect county fair associations, county excise boards, and local governments managing agricultural fairs across Oklahoma.
HB 1124 modifies Oklahoma's Statewide Recovery Fund to specify that funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (specifically sections for coronavirus capital projects and state/local recovery funds) will be directed to this fund, excluding money designated for local governments. It clarifies that all interest earned on these deposits will also be added to the fund. The bill ensures these funds are available for broadband-related projects without requiring new appropriations. It takes effect November 1, 2025, and became law without the governor's signature on May 12, 2025.
