Rep. Neil Hays

Maddy summarySB 1595 prohibits Oklahoma state agencies and contracted entities from giving specific recommendations for or against commercial driver training schools. It also bans agencies administering student grants from withholding funds based on a student’s choice of school. Affected schools or students can sue if these rules are violated. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and is classified as an emergency measure.

Maddy summarySB 346 modifies Oklahoma's school employee background check rules for teachers moving between districts. It allows full-time teachers applying to new districts to skip a new criminal history check if they provide a copy of a check done within the last five years and a letter from their previous district. This letter must specifically state whether allegations of inappropriate behavior between the teacher and a student were raised or if an investigation was pending. The bill also includes similar exceptions for substitute teachers moving between positions within the same or different districts under specific conditions. The policy aims to reduce redundant background checks for educators with stable employment records.

Maddy summaryHB 3462 updates Oklahoma's plumbing licensing rules by revising definitions and qualification requirements for license applicants. It reclassifies "master plumber" as "plumbing contractor" and specifies that residential journeyman applicants must be 18+ with 3 years of experience, an associate's degree plus 2,000 hours of training, or military experience. Unlimited journeyman applicants require similar education and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training under a licensed contractor. The bill directly affects plumbing professionals seeking licenses in Oklahoma, particularly those applying for residential or unlimited journeyman or contractor credentials.

Maddy summaryHB 3297 requires highway remediation and cleanup companies operating in Oklahoma to maintain $3 million in liability insurance with pollution coverage, including completed operations coverage. It mandates these companies publish a clear, annual price list online for their top 50 frequently billed services, including standard charges and surcharges. The bill also establishes a lien system allowing companies to claim payment for nonconsensual roadside cleanup services, requiring written notice within 10 days and formal filing within 30 days to enforce the lien. Additionally, it amends towing fee rules to align with existing Corporation Commission rate structures for wrecker services.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 4260) is a procedural measure that formally names future workers' compensation legislation as the "Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Act of 2026" and sets its effective date for November 1, 2026. It does not change workers' compensation benefits, rules, or procedures - its sole purpose is to establish a specific title for upcoming legislation. The bill is not codified in Oklahoma Statutes, meaning it serves only as a naming convention for future bills. It directly affects how future workers' compensation legislation will be referenced but does not alter current or future policy.

Maddy summaryHB 1268 allows licensed emergency medical personnel (including EMTs, paramedics) and deputy sheriffs/county jailers with at least 20 years of service to defer receiving their retirement benefits for up to five years while continuing to work. During this deferral period, employer contributions continue, participants receive cost-of-living adjustments, and they can choose to receive their accrued benefits as a lump sum or annuity upon retirement. The bill specifically applies to members of the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System who elect this option, with death benefits paid to survivors without the standard 30-month marriage requirement if death occurred during duty. It takes effect November 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1212 requires Oklahoma counties to conduct annual equalization ratio studies comparing property assessed values to fair market values. Counties must meet strict standards: ratios must deviate no more than 0.75% from constitutional assessment limits for property types, and assessments within property categories must vary by no more than 20%. The Oklahoma Tax Commission must develop a computer system to monitor compliance but cannot remotely access county tax systems. The law takes effect November 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 1199 updates Oklahoma's school contract rules to apply to technology center school districts and clarify conflicts of interest. It expands prohibitions to include board members' immediate family members with 5% or more ownership in a company, requiring members to abstain from voting on such contracts. Exceptions now include contracts with nonprofits (excluding staff/student services), regulated utility providers, and the only local supplier within 10 miles of the school district. The bill also clarifies documentation requirements when using the "only local supplier" exception.

Maddy summaryHB 2973 requires all Oklahoma public school districts to report how they spend state-appropriated funds using a specific data code in the Oklahoma Cost Accounting System, starting with the 2026-2027 school year. This applies only to state funds, not other funding sources, and the State Board of Education must establish the required data code. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and was declared an emergency to allow immediate implementation. It directly affects school districts by mandating a new reporting structure for state education funding.

Maddy summarySB 175 imposes a $100 fee on commercial vehicles registered under the International Registration Plan that report mileage in Oklahoma. The fee revenue is split: 5% funds a new "Uninsured Commercial Vehicle Recovery Reimbursement Fund" to reimburse tow operators who provide nonconsensual towing services to uninsured commercial vehicles, while 95% goes to an existing driver safety fund. The bill creates this fund in the state treasury as a continuing account with no fiscal year limits. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and is declared an emergency. The bill directly affects commercial vehicle operators using the International Registration Plan in Oklahoma.