Sen. Mary Boren

Maddy summarySB 314 expands paid parental leave to include full-time employees at Oklahoma's public colleges and universities. It provides six weeks of paid leave after a birth or adoption, with the employee's full salary maintained during the leave period. The law modifies previous "maternity leave" language to "parental leave" to cover all parents, ensures the leave does not affect seniority or benefits, and is in addition to existing pregnancy-related sick leave. This change directly affects state employees at institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.

Maddy summarySB 149 (Oklahoma) protects tenants from landlord retaliation for reporting rental issues. It prohibits landlords from evicting tenants, raising rent, or reducing services for 180 days after a tenant files a complaint about unsafe conditions, reports bed bugs, requests repairs, or participates in a code enforcement inspection. Landlords who violate this face fines of $100-$2,000 per violation plus legal costs. The bill also requires large Oklahoma municipalities to publish online lists of rental property code violations, including owner names and penalties. It takes effect November 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 87 creates paid parental leave for eligible Oklahoma state employees, expanding existing leave benefits beyond maternity leave to include parental leave. It requires state agencies to continue paying employees their regular wages during approved parental leave and provides job protections during this period. The bill amends Oklahoma Statutes Section 840-2.20 to integrate these parental leave provisions into the state’s existing leave framework, affecting all state employees who qualify under the updated rules. The policy change takes effect July 1, 2023, as specified in the bill.

Maddy summarySB 88 amends Oklahoma's Teachers' Retirement System law to grant the Board of Trustees authority to approve cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for specific retirees under defined circumstances. This change directly affects certain retired teachers covered by the Oklahoma Teachers' Retirement System who qualify for COLAs based on the Board's discretion. The bill updates statutory language to clarify the Board's role in approving these adjustments while maintaining gender-neutral terminology. It does not create new benefits but modifies the administrative process for existing COLA determinations. The bill focuses solely on the Board's procedural authority, with no new financial obligations or eligibility criteria specified in the provided text.

Maddy summarySB 610 requires Oklahoma electric utilities to submit information about their use or non-use of grid enhancement technology when applying to the Corporation Commission for approval of new power generation facilities, purchases of existing facilities, or long-term power contracts. This disclosure must be included in the application and will be considered by the Commission during its review. The bill does not change cost recovery rules but adds a specific requirement for utilities to report on technologies that could mitigate energy costs. The goal is to ensure the Commission has complete information about cost-saving options before approving major utility investments.

Maddy summarySB 498 requires all Oklahoma medical marijuana license revocation hearings to follow standard court procedures under the Oklahoma Pleading Code (Title 12, Section 2001 et seq.), replacing previous administrative processes. It also mandates that these hearings be recorded, with copies provided to law enforcement if revocation relates to alleged criminal activity. This change directly affects medical marijuana license holders facing revocation proceedings and aims to standardize hearing procedures while clarifying information-sharing requirements between the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority and law enforcement. The bill does not alter medical marijuana access or business operations, focusing solely on procedural changes to license revocation hearings.

Maddy summarySB 612 requires Oklahoma public utilities (defined under state law) to create and maintain an annual energy security plan. The plan must identify risks to energy supply, outline response and recovery steps for disruptions, and include public notification methods to help residents prevent outages. Utilities must publish the plan on a public website and update it yearly. This bill applies directly to all electric, gas, and water utilities operating in Oklahoma, effective November 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 613 requires Oklahoma's Attorney General's Office to create a statewide hotline for residents to report water quality concerns. The hotline will connect callers to the Department of Environmental Quality for investigations, testing, and enforcement actions. It also authorizes the Attorney General to create rules supporting this system. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025. This directly affects Oklahoma residents who may report water issues, while establishing a new reporting mechanism for state agencies.

Maddy summarySB 610 amends Oklahoma law to change how electric utilities regulated by the Corporation Commission recover costs for specific investments. It establishes that transmission upgrade costs (especially for wind generation projects approved by the Southwest Power Pool) and capital expenditures for environmental compliance (like the Clean Air Act) are presumed recoverable through rate adjustments, subject to Commission review. Utilities must submit detailed information about these projects, including grid technology usage, when applying for cost recovery. The bill also creates a new process for approving new power plants or long-term energy contracts, requiring the Commission to act within 240 days. This directly affects Oklahoma electric utilities seeking to recover infrastructure and compliance costs from ratepayers.

Maddy summarySB 614 requires the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to publish and annually update information about energy efficiency programs on its website. This includes details on programs for households, multi-family housing, and business collaboration tools like utility company service areas and designated contacts. The bill directly affects residents, businesses, and local/tribal governments seeking energy efficiency incentives by making program access clearer and more transparent. It also transfers the former Energy Conservation Services Division from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to the Department of Commerce. The requirement takes effect November 1, 2025.