Rep. John Pfeiffer

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural bill that names a future law and sets its effective date. HB 3925 formally establishes the "Children's Law Act of 2026" and specifies it will take effect on November 1, 2026. The bill contains no substantive policy changes or provisions affecting children, families, or state agencies. It serves only as a naming and timing mechanism for a future law that has not yet been drafted. As introduced, it does not directly affect any individuals or entities beyond establishing the act's title and implementation date.

Maddy summarySB 985 creates the Oklahoma Local Food for Schools Program, enabling the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture to help school districts purchase food from local producers. The program reimburses school districts for local food costs and allows the department to establish rules for implementation. It also creates a dedicated "Oklahoma Local Food for Schools Revolving Fund" in the state treasury, funded by legislative appropriations, to support these purchases. The bill directly affects school districts (as purchasers) and local food producers (as suppliers), with the fund operating continuously without annual budget limits. It takes effect November 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2167 modifies fees for publishing legal notices in Oklahoma newspapers. It increases per-word charges (to $0.22 for first insertions, $0.20 for subsequent) and sets a $25 minimum fee for notices. The bill requires newspapers to post all legally required notices for free on their websites and a statewide online platform, with no paywall access. It also specifies formatting rules (8-10pt type, no hyphenated words) and prohibits unreadable notices. The law takes effect November 1, 2025, affecting courts, government entities, and newspapers publishing legal notices.

Maddy summaryHB 2163 establishes a Public Access Counselor Unit within Oklahoma's Attorney General's office to handle disputes over denied public records requests. It allows individuals denied access (excluding commercial requests) to file a review within 30 days, requiring public bodies to respond within 7 business days to the Counselor. The Attorney General must issue a binding advisory opinion within 60 days, directing public bodies to comply or explaining why no action is needed. This directly affects citizens seeking public records and public bodies like city councils or school boards that must follow the Counselor's guidance.

Maddy summaryHB 2164 strengthens Oklahoma's public corruption laws by creating a new felony offense for state employees, officers, or contractors who misuse nonpublic government information. It prohibits using such information for personal financial gain, disclosing it improperly, or aiding others in these acts. Violators face up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, and permanent bans from holding public office or entering state contracts. The law directly affects anyone with access to confidential state information due to their government role.

Maddy summaryHB 2167 adjusts fees for publishing legal notices in Oklahoma newspapers and requires online posting. It increases word-based notice costs (e.g., $0.15 first insertion, $0.14 subsequent) and sets a $25 minimum charge, while raising tabular notice fees (e.g., $1.10 per line first insertion). The bill mandates that newspapers publish notices online at no cost to the public on both their websites and a statewide platform, and requires notices to be in readable 8-10 point type. This directly affects individuals, government entities, and newspapers publishing legal notices, including county treasurers handling delinquent tax lists.

Maddy summaryHB 2164 strengthens Oklahoma's public corruption laws by creating a new felony offense for state employees, officers, or contractors who misuse nonpublic information for personal gain. It prohibits using such information to speculate, acquire property, disclose secrets, or benefit family members or businesses, with violations punishable by up to 5 years in prison, a $10,000 fine, and lifetime bans from public office or state contracts. The bill also amends removal provisions to clarify that corruption - including misuse of office for personal benefit - constitutes grounds for dismissal from state employment or office. These changes directly affect current and former state employees handling sensitive information, aiming to deter insider abuse of government positions.

Maddy summaryHB 2163 establishes a Public Access Counselor Unit within Oklahoma's Attorney General's office to handle disputes over public records requests. It allows individuals denied access to public records (excluding requests for commercial purposes) to file a review request within 30 days, with the Counselor issuing binding advice to public bodies within 60 days. Public bodies must comply with this advice or face potential lawsuits, while the Counselor may deny frivolous requests and shield certain communications from disclosure. The bill also permits advisory opinions for public bodies seeking guidance on compliance.

Maddy summarySB 988 transfers the administrative responsibility for filing certain secured transactions (like business loans secured by property) from the Oklahoma Secretary of State to the Oklahoma County Clerk. This change directly affects businesses and lenders in Oklahoma County that use the Uniform Commercial Code for financing agreements. The bill amends specific sections of the law to replace "Secretary of State" with "Oklahoma County Clerk" in the relevant statutes. The change took effect without the Governor's signature on May 28, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 626, the Security Breach Notification Act, requires businesses to notify Oklahomans when specific personal data used to verify identity (like Social Security numbers or account credentials) is compromised in a security breach. This law directly affects businesses and organizations that collect or store such identifying information, including credit bureaus, healthcare providers, and financial institutions. The key provision clarifies that notifications are mandated only when data enabling authentication of an individual is breached, not for all types of data. The law became effective on May 28, 2025, without the Governor's signature.