Sen. Regina Goodwin

Maddy summarySB 1056 makes Oklahoma peace officers personally liable when they violate constitutional rights protected under Article II of the Oklahoma Constitution (such as rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights). It prohibits the use of "qualified immunity" as a defense in lawsuits and requires officers' employers (like cities or counties) to cover legal costs unless the officer acted recklessly or committed a crime. The bill also mandates that winning plaintiffs in such cases automatically receive reasonable attorney fees and costs. This directly affects peace officers, individuals whose rights were violated, and local governments employing officers.

Maddy summarySB 1058 requires healthcare providers to screen mothers for depression and anxiety during pregnancy and up to one year after childbirth. Providers must share screening data with Oklahoma's State Department of Health (DOH) under privacy laws. The DOH must create a public website and mobile app offering perinatal resources and compile an annual report on maternal/infant health outcomes, including depression rates by demographics. This bill directly affects mothers, healthcare providers, and the DOH through new screening, data-sharing, and resource-access requirements.

Maddy summarySB 278 creates a program to provide $2 million payments to living survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre who are alive on the bill's effective date (July 1, 2025). It establishes a "Tulsa Race Massacre Victims’ Compensation Revolving Fund" in the state treasury, funded by a $4 million appropriation from the General Revenue Fund. Payments to survivors (or to their descendants if a survivor dies before receiving funds) will be administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. The bill requires the department to work with a committee including Tulsa-area legislators and nonprofit organizations to implement the program.

Maddy summarySB 177 creates the "Morrill Act of 1890 Revolving Fund" within the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. It appropriates $418,986,272 from the General Revenue Fund for fiscal year 2026 to provide equitable funding distribution to Oklahoma's 1890 land-grant institutions. The fund is structured as a continuing account, not subject to annual budget limits, with expenditures authorized by the Regents for this specific purpose. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and declares an emergency to expedite implementation.

Maddy summarySB 74 appropriates $300 million from Oklahoma's General Revenue Fund to create the Tulsa Race Massacre Compensation Revolving Fund. The fund will provide payments to survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and their descendants for damages to persons and property during the event. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce will administer the program with input from a committee of nine community representatives, including Tulsa-area legislators and experts. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and declares an emergency to expedite implementation.

Maddy summarySJR 14 proposes a constitutional amendment to clarify voting procedures for Oklahoma's Pardon and Parole Board. It specifies that a tie vote on clemency recommendations for death penalty cases does not deny clemency and establishes a process for using alternate board members to break ties. Alternate members (seven total, appointed by the same authorities as regular members) must review cases for at least 180 days and represent the same appointing authority as the absent member. This directly affects the Board, the Governor (who makes final clemency decisions), and individuals seeking commutations, pardons, or parole, particularly those facing capital punishment or life sentences without parole.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Oklahoma voter eligibility rules by allowing individuals with felony convictions to register once they have fully completed their sentences, including any incarceration, parole, supervision, or probation. It also clarifies that people adjudged as incapacitated remain ineligible to vote until a court determines they are no longer incapacitated, while those with only partial incapacitation retain their right to vote unless specifically restricted. The changes take effect on January 1, 2025.