Sen. Micheal Bergstrom

Maddy summarySB 5 establishes a new Administrative Rules Division within Oklahoma's Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency. This division will review proposed state agency rules to ensure they align with the Oklahoma Constitution, fulfill legislative intent, avoid disproportionate negative impacts, and comply with the agency's statutory authority. The division must issue reports within 90 days of the bill's effective date, limited to five full-time employees. The bill directly affects state agencies' rulemaking processes by adding an additional layer of legislative review before rules take effect.

Maddy summaryHB 2738 changes Oklahoma's property tax filing deadlines for business personal property. It extends the deadline for taxpayers to submit property lists from March 15 to April 15 (with a further extension to May 15 for late filings), and adds specific penalty tiers: 10% of assessed value for filings between April 15-May 15, and 20% for filings after May 15. The bill directly affects businesses and property owners required to list taxable personal property annually. It also ensures all submitted tax records remain confidential under Oklahoma's Open Records Act.

Maddy summarySB 639 requires courts and administrative hearing officers in Oklahoma to interpret state statutes, agency rules, or related documents from scratch ("de novo"), without deferring to agency interpretations. It mandates that when ambiguity remains after standard interpretation methods, courts must favor interpretations that limit agency power and maximize individual liberty. This bill directly affects courts, administrative hearing officers, state agencies, and individuals or entities challenging agency actions. The law takes effect on November 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2069 repeals two existing Oklahoma statutes related to toll enforcement: 21 O.S. 2021, Section 1755 (about toll booth fines) and 47 O.S. 2021, Section 11-806.2 (regarding speed limits in toll zones). The bill removes these specific rules, meaning they will no longer apply to drivers using toll roads. It does not create new fines or requirements but eliminates the repealed provisions. The repeal takes effect on November 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 639 requires Oklahoma courts and administrative hearing officers to independently interpret state statutes, agency rules, and related documents without deferring to an agency's prior interpretation. It mandates that courts re-examine the meaning of laws from scratch ("de novo") and, when ambiguity remains, favor interpretations that limit agency authority and protect individual rights. This bill directly affects state agencies, courts, and individuals involved in legal disputes with agencies over rule enforcement. The law takes effect on November 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 5 establishes an Administrative Rules Division within Oklahoma's Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency. This division will analyze state agency budgets, compare them to prior years, and conduct performance evaluations of agency operations and programs. The bill revises the Office's duties to include forecasting revenues, assessing budget alignment with agency responsibilities, and evaluating efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance. These changes directly affect executive branch agencies by subjecting their budgeting and operations to new oversight mechanisms. The Office may also contract with external entities to conduct independent audits, as directed by the oversight committee.

Maddy summarySB 157 requires the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering to hire an executive director and an assistant executive director. The executive director must not be actively practicing cosmetology/barbering and must dedicate full time to managing board operations, including license issuance and fee collection. The assistant executive director must hold a current Oklahoma master cosmetology instructor license and meet specific education/experience requirements. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025. (This is a procedural staffing change affecting the board's internal structure, not direct public policy.)

Maddy summaryHB 2738 changes the annual deadline for businesses to list their personal property (like equipment and inventory) for property tax purposes in Oklahoma from March 15 to April 15 each year. It also adjusts penalty dates: a 10% penalty applies for filings between April 15 and May 15, and a 20% penalty for filings after May 15. The bill directly affects businesses required to file property lists and county assessors who administer the process. Key provisions standardize filing forms, extend office hours for late filings, and protect submitted tax information from public disclosure under the Open Records Act. The changes take effect November 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2069 repeals two Oklahoma statutes related to toll booth fines: 21 O.S. 2021, Section 1755 (regarding toll booth fines) and 47 O.S. 2021, Section 11-806.2 (limiting fines in toll booth zones). The bill eliminates these specific legal provisions, meaning the repealed sections will no longer govern toll enforcement. It becomes effective November 1, 2025. This is a procedural repeal with no new policy provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 2730 amends Oklahoma's tax interest and penalty rules for state tax liabilities. It changes the interest rate calculation for delinquent taxes to use Wall Street Prime plus 3 percentage points (previously fixed rates), adjusts penalty timelines (15 days for sales/tax delinquencies vs. 30 days for others), and modifies refund interest deadlines (30 days for electronic filings, 90 days for paper after 2010). These changes directly affect Oklahoma taxpayers who owe state taxes, including those with late payments, underpayments, or delayed refunds. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025, applying to all delinquent accounts existing or occurring after that date.