Transportation

HB 2263 prohibits using cellular telephones or electronic devices while driving on specific road segments, directly affecting drivers who use phones in those areas. The bill removes the previous exception for zones where workers are present and changes the effective date to November 1, 2025 (from July 1, 2026). It establishes penalties for violations and allows municipalities to enforce stricter local ordinances. The law applies to all road segments designated under the bill, not limited to construction zones.

This bill allocates $10.8 million from Oklahoma's Progressing Rural Economic Prosperity Fund to three specific projects. It provides $5 million for a municipal park in a county exceeding 750,000 residents (per 2020 Census) north of I-344 and west of I-35, $4 million to relocate a naval submarine east of Highway 165 and north of Highway 62, and $1.8 million for infrastructure improvements at an industrial park south of Highway 62 and east of Highway 283. The funding is directed to these precise locations as defined in the bill. The bill became law without the Governor's signature on May 29, 2025.

HB 2603 transfers enforcement authority for Oklahoma's motor carrier safety regulations - from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to the Department of Public Safety - effective July 2026. This change affects commercial trucking companies and drivers by shifting oversight of safety rules, weigh station inspections, and permit enforcement to the Department of Public Safety. The bill creates a 12-month transition period (July 2026-June 2027) with a task force to coordinate the transfer of personnel, property, and responsibilities. Key provisions include requiring the Department of Public Safety to assume full enforcement authority over specific statutes related to motor carrier operations, permits, and safety compliance. The goal is to create a more unified enforcement approach for public safety in the commercial transportation sector.