Sen. Lonnie Paxton

Maddy summaryHB 3464 is a procedural bill that creates the title "Battery Storage Regulation Modernization Act of 2026" for future legislation. It does not establish new regulations or policy changes but formally names the upcoming act and sets its effective date as November 1, 2026. This bill directly affects Oklahoma's legislative process by designating the name for future battery storage regulation legislation. The bill itself contains no substantive provisions or mechanisms, as it is solely for naming and setting an effective date.

Maddy summarySB 1491 updates Oklahoma's process for filling vacancies among Presidential Electors. If an elector fails to attend the designated meeting or refuses to vote for their party's nominees, remaining electors must appoint a replacement. The new law requires this replacement to swear an oath promising to vote for the candidates nominated by their political party. This oath must be witnessed by the Governor or their designee and filed with the Secretary of State. The bill takes effect on November 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 4422 requires Oklahoma's Department of Human Services to verify applicants' immigration status using the federal SAVE system before approving benefits for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). It establishes a five-year bar for qualified aliens who entered the U.S. on or after August 22, 1996, from receiving TANF or certain other benefits, unless exceptions apply. If SAVE verification shows unverified status, the department must notify the Oklahoma Attorney General, who may then alert U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The bill directly affects non-citizen legal residents applying for TANF or SNAP benefits, mandating status checks and specific notification procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 3705 increases Oklahoma's Parental Choice Tax Credit Program, allowing taxpayers to claim credits for education expenses of eligible students. The bill raises the maximum annual credit for private school tuition to $7,500 (or actual tuition, whichever is lower) for families earning under $75,000, with tiered reductions up to $5,000 for households earning over $250,000. It also creates special credit tiers for students experiencing homelessness ($7,500) and those at financially disadvantaged private schools (maximum credit based on average school costs). Qualified expenses include tuition, tutoring, textbooks, and standardized test fees, but exclude scholarship-funded amounts. This directly affects Oklahoma families choosing private education or approved alternative learning programs.

Maddy summaryHB 3151, the Education Reform Act of 2026, sets minimum requirements for classroom instruction time in Oklahoma public schools. It mandates that districts provide at least 181 days or 1,086 hours of actual classroom instruction annually, prohibiting the counting of more than 30 hours of staff meetings or 12 hours of parent-teacher conferences toward this total. Starting in 2026-2027, schools cannot count virtual instruction days toward the required hours, except for up to two days (12 hours) per year with prior approval of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The bill directly affects all Oklahoma public school districts and charter schools by defining what constitutes valid instructional time.

Maddy summaryHB 1739 increases employer contributions to Oklahoma's law enforcement retirement system from 11% to 16.5% over five years, starting July 2025. It changes how retirement benefits are calculated for certain officers by using the highest salary for similar positions (instead of final average salary) to determine payments. The bill directly affects current and future retirees in the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System, including highway patrol officers, investigators, and other covered law enforcement roles. Benefits will be based on the greater of either the top salary for comparable positions or the member's final average salary, multiplied by 2.5% per year of service.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to establish the "Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust Fund" for Oklahoma's tobacco settlement funds. It requires that at least 75% of new tobacco settlement payments (after 2001) be deposited into this trust fund, with specific percentages increasing over time. The trust fund's earnings must be used for cancer research, tobacco prevention programs, children's health initiatives, senior care programs, and education-related expenses, with unused funds remaining in the trust. The amendment creates two governing boards to manage investments and allocate funds, and it would require voter approval before taking effect.

Maddy summaryOklahoma's SJR 39 proposes a constitutional amendment to reduce limits on annual increases in property tax assessments. It would lower the maximum annual growth rate for most real property from 5% to 3% (for tax years 2027 onward) and further reduce limits for homestead properties (primary residences) and agricultural land from 3% to 1%. The amendment applies to locally assessed real property, excluding personal property and properties with recent transfers or improvements. If approved by voters, these changes would take effect for tax years beginning in 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 3974 modifies Oklahoma's Governmental Tort Claims Act to limit lawsuits against state, city, or county governments for housing federal inmates or inmates from other states in facilities run by private prison contractors. It removes immunity for governments or public trusts (where the sole beneficiary is a city/town/county) that house such inmates, and limits lawsuits to the specific government entity that placed an inmate in shared housing facilities. This bill directly affects counties, cities, and private prison contractors by clarifying which entities can be sued regarding inmate housing conditions. The changes take effect November 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution commemorates the 31st anniversary of the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. It formally acknowledges the 168 lives lost, honors the survivors, and expresses gratitude to the first responders who acted during the attack. The measure urges the state to continue the process of healing for all affected by the tragedy. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws or allocate funding but serves to remember the event and its impact.