Rep. Kevin West

Maddy summarySB 481 bans public employees (including state, local, and school district workers) from participating in group strikes or work stoppages. It automatically terminates employment, revokes pensions and civil service rights, and revokes teaching certificates for educators who violate the ban. The law explicitly allows individual employees to stop working without group action. This bill takes effect November 1, 2025, and applies broadly across Oklahoma's public workforce.

Maddy summaryHJR 1032 is a procedural resolution repealing specific rules within Service Oklahoma's administrative code. It removes three provisions from OAC 670:15-1-10 (subparagraphs 4, 5, and 6) and two provisions from OAC 670:15-1-14 (subparagraphs 3 and 4), which governed how the agency handled certain service distributions. The resolution directly affects Service Oklahoma's operational procedures by eliminating these specific rule requirements. This is a technical repeal with no new policy or funding changes, solely removing existing administrative language.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 862) is a minor procedural amendment to a bill about emergency management authority. It specifically changes wording on Page 2, Line 19 from "Imposing" to "Knowingly imposing" in the original text. The amendment does not create new policy or affect any specific group; it only refines the existing language regarding government authority during emergencies. As a technical wording adjustment, it has no substantive policy impact.

Maddy summaryHB 3126 redirects funds from Oklahoma's oil and gas lease revenues to create a dedicated revolving fund for concurrent enrollment programs, which allow high school students to take college courses. It requires the Commissioners of the Land Office to transfer bonus and delay rental income from oil and gas leases into a new "Concurrent Enrollment Revolving Fund," which can be invested to generate interest and provide ongoing funding. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education must use these funds exclusively for concurrent enrollment, with no other purposes allowed. This ensures a stable, continuing source of support for high school students accessing college-level coursework.

Maddy summaryHB 3137 would keep Oklahoma on Central Standard Time year-round (without seasonal clock changes) unless two neighboring states (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, or Texas) also adopt permanent daylight saving time. The bill amends state law to require Oklahoma to switch to permanent daylight saving time only if two of those contiguous states do the same, ensuring regional coordination for commerce and convenience. It also includes a provision that if federal law changes to allow year-round daylight saving time, Oklahoma would adopt it. The bill takes effect November 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 3141 is a procedural bill that names itself the "Oklahoma Abortion Consolidation Act of 2026" and sets its effective date as November 1, 2026. The bill does not create new abortion policies or alter existing laws; it merely establishes the bill's official name and implementation date. As a noncodified act, it will not be added to Oklahoma's official statutes. This bill affects no specific individuals or groups, as it serves only as a naming convention for the legislation itself.

Maddy summaryHB 3139, the "Safeguarding Personal Expression At K-12 Schools (SPEAKS) Act," protects K-12 students in Oklahoma public schools from discrimination based on religious, political, or ideological speech. It prohibits schools from penalizing students for expressing these viewpoints in class discussions, assignments, clothing, gatherings, or clubs - on equal terms with other student expression. The bill allows students to sue schools for violations (including seeking damages and attorney fees) within two years, while explicitly permitting schools to restrict only unprotected speech like true threats, harassment, or material disruptions. It also waives state immunity, meaning schools can be held legally accountable for violating these protections.

Maddy summaryHB 3138, known as the "Free to Speak Act," requires public schools and state higher education institutions in Oklahoma to respect biological sex (defined as observed at birth) regarding student and staff interactions. It prohibits employees from facing discipline for refusing to use names or pronouns inconsistent with a student's biological sex (without parental permission for minors) and bars schools from disciplining students who decline to use such names or pronouns. The bill allows individuals harmed by violations to pursue private lawsuits for damages, injunctions, or attorney fees within two years. It applies to all public K-12 schools and state colleges, effective November 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 3135 increases Oklahoma's homestead property tax exemption for homeowners. It raises the base exemption from $1,000 to $2,000 per homestead and adds a conditional $3,000 exemption if two conditions are met: (1) a county's ad valorem tax revenue grows by at least 5% compared to the prior year, and (2) the county commissioners approve the additional exemption. This bill directly affects homeowners in counties meeting the revenue growth threshold, effective January 1, 2027. The key mechanism requires both verified revenue growth and local government approval to trigger the higher exemption amount.

Maddy summaryHB 3136 allows licensed health care providers (including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists) and health care institutions in Oklahoma to refuse certain medical procedures based on moral, ethical, or religious beliefs. It requires providers to submit written notice of their objection to their employer, listing the specific procedure they will not perform. The bill grants immunity from lawsuits, job penalties, or loss of privileges for providers acting in good faith under this law, but explicitly excludes emergency situations covered by federal law (42 U.S.C. §1395dd). Whistleblower protections prevent retaliation against providers reporting violations, and the law ensures compliance with federal regulations. It takes effect November 1, 2026.