Rep. Jason Lowe

Maddy summarySB 223 allows Oklahoma taxpayers to claim a 5% credit toward their state income tax for each stillbirth that results in an official birth certificate under Oklahoma law (Title 63, Section 1-318.2). This credit applies only in the tax year the stillbirth occurs and equals 5% of the federal child tax credit amount that would have been available if the child were a dependent in the household. It affects parents who experience stillbirths after 2025, with the credit becoming available for tax year 2026. The Oklahoma Tax Commission will establish rules to implement this provision.

Maddy summarySB 1057 modifies Oklahoma's special license plate programs, updating rules for existing plates like Firefighter, Wildlife Conservation, and Environmental Awareness plates. It requires 100 prepaid applications before new plates can be issued (for plates authorized after July 2004), and changes how fees are handled - retaining them with licensed operators until 2025 before shifting to standard registration fees. Fees collected support specific causes, such as the Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum, Wildlife Diversity Fund, and Child Abuse Prevention Fund. This affects license plate applicants who choose these specialty plates and the state funds they support.

Maddy summaryHB 1073 creates the "Prison Inmates Act of 2025" as a named legislative act but contains no substantive policy provisions. It specifies that the act will not be codified into Oklahoma Statutes and becomes effective November 1, 2025. This is a procedural bill establishing a title and effective date for future legislation, not a policy change affecting inmates or prison operations. The bill itself does not alter any current laws or create new obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 1074 modifies Oklahoma's commutation process by allowing nonviolent offenders to submit applications for sentence reduction once every two years, instead of more frequently. This change directly affects individuals serving sentences for nonviolent offenses who seek commutation (a reduction in their sentence) through the Pardon and Parole Board. The bill does not alter eligibility criteria or the review process but standardizes the application frequency. It maintains existing requirements, such as notifying victims and prosecutors before hearings, and includes other provisions like an accelerated docket for cases where crimes were reclassified from felony to misdemeanor. The bill takes effect on the date specified in its text.

Maddy summaryHB 1070 requires that after arrest and booking into an Oklahoma city or county jail, individuals must be allowed to make at least three telephone calls within 48 hours. These calls must be to an attorney (or public defender if indigent), a bail bondsman, or a relative, with local calls provided at no cost and out-of-area calls at the person's expense. Jails must post attorney contact numbers and provide the calls immediately upon request. The law directly affects anyone arrested and booked into Oklahoma county or city jails, ensuring timely access to legal and support contacts.

Maddy summaryHB 1072 amends Oklahoma law to prohibit specific groups from possessing, purchasing, or using firearms. It directly affects people convicted of felonies (with limited pardon exceptions), those on felony probation, individuals adjudicated as delinquent children/youthful offenders for felony-level offenses (for 10 years), undocumented immigrants, and those convicted of domestic violence. Key provisions ban firearm possession in homes, vehicles, or under immediate control for these groups, with penalties including misdemeanor fines for undocumented immigrants ($250) and felony charges for others violating the ban. The bill updates existing restrictions under Oklahoma Statutes § 1283 and takes effect November 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1071 automatically expunges certain misdemeanor convictions in Oklahoma without requiring individuals to file a court petition. It directly affects people convicted of nonviolent misdemeanors who paid fines under $501, completed deferred judgments (after 1 year), or had convictions dismissed (after 5 years), provided they have no pending charges or felony convictions. Key provisions include setting specific timeframes (1-5 years post-sentence) and excluding violent offenses, sex offenses, or cases involving restitution or treatment programs not fully completed. The bill also allows agencies to seek unsealing of records in limited circumstances. This law changes how criminal records are cleared for qualifying individuals under defined conditions.