Sen. Lonnie Paxton

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution formally recognizes Joseph Castiglione for his 28-year tenure as the University of Oklahoma's Vice President and Director of Athletics, the longest in Football Bowl Subdivision history. The bill highlights his achievements in balancing academic success with athletic excellence, including 26 national championships and 117 conference titles during his leadership. It also notes his contributions to facility development, fiscal responsibility, and national leadership roles in collegiate athletics. The resolution serves as a commemorative acknowledgment of his service to the university and the state of Oklahoma.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution congratulates the 2025 University of Oklahoma women's gymnastics team and their coach for winning a national championship and representing the state with distinction. The document formally recognizes specific athletic achievements, including the team's seventh national title, individual awards won by team members, and record home attendance. It expresses appreciation for how the team and coach exemplified the values of the University of Oklahoma and the State of Oklahoma. The resolution serves as an official commendation without creating new laws or requiring any administrative action.

Maddy summaryHB 1427 creates tax credits for Oklahoma taxpayers who invest in qualifying clean-burning motor vehicle fuel equipment. It directly affects vehicle owners and businesses that install or purchase equipment allowing vehicles to run on compressed natural gas, hydrogen, liquefied natural gas, or liquefied petroleum gas. The bill provides tiered credits: up to $5,500 for light vehicles (under 6,000 lbs), up to $100,000 for heavy trucks (over 26,500 lbs), and 45% of costs for commercial refueling stations. Credits are limited to new, certified equipment meeting safety standards and must be claimed against state income tax. Unused credits can be carried forward for up to five years.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to Oklahoma that limits how much money the state must return to local governments when they lose tax revenue due to property tax exemptions for new manufacturing facilities. The amendment would cap reimbursement to counties, cities, schools, and other taxing jurisdictions at the amount of tax revenue they collected before the new or expanded manufacturing facility was built. It also allows counties to keep up to 25% of increased tax revenue after the five-year exemption period ends, provided they use it for economic development. The bill requires a special election on August 25, 2026, where Oklahoma voters will decide whether to approve or reject this change to the state constitution.

Maddy summaryThis Oklahoma bill updates state election laws to establish specific dates for primary and runoff elections, standardizing when candidates can file for office and when political affiliation changes are permitted. It sets primary elections for the first Tuesday in March of even-numbered years and runoff primaries for the third Tuesday in June of the same year, while also defining allowable dates for special and regular elections across the state. The legislation restricts when voters may switch party affiliations to prevent last-minute changes during critical election periods, and it clarifies procedures for municipalities and school districts to schedule elections alongside state and federal contests. These changes directly affect voters, candidates, political parties, and election officials by creating a more predictable and structured election calendar.

Maddy summarySB 1809 increases Oklahoma's homestead property tax exemption from $1,000 to $5,000 annually for homeowners. It directly affects residents who own their primary residence as a homestead by reducing their taxable property value. The bill amends tax law to raise the exemption amount starting with the 2027 tax year, meaning homeowners will pay property tax only on the value exceeding $5,000. The change takes effect November 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 683 creates an Oklahoma income tax credit for families covering education expenses for eligible students. It directly affects Oklahoma taxpayers with children in accredited private schools or using approved alternative education methods (like homeschooling). The credit amount varies by family income: up to $7,500 annually for lower-income families ($75,000 adjusted gross income or less), decreasing to $5,000 for higher earners ($250,000+), with separate provisions for schools serving homeless or financially disadvantaged students. Qualified expenses include private school tuition, tutoring, textbooks, and standardized test fees, but exclude amounts covered by scholarships. The bill amends existing tax law to define terms and update references, effective for tax years 2024 and beyond.

Maddy summarySB 1518 prevents the Statewide Official Compensation Commission from increasing the salary of any elected state office held by a current Oklahoma state legislator. This applies specifically to positions including Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Treasurer, and others listed in the bill, blocking any salary increase above the level in effect as of January 1, 2025. The bill updates Oklahoma law to clarify this restriction and becomes effective on November 1, 2026. It does not affect salary adjustments for offices not held by current legislators.

Maddy summarySB 1494 requires Oklahoma's Legislature to annually appropriate funds for a flexible benefit allowance for school district employees. This allowance, which can be used to pay for health insurance or taken as taxable cash, applies to employees in districts meeting specific instructional requirements: those with 170+ days of in-person classroom instruction receive full funding, while others get a minimum set amount based on 2026 standards. The bill mandates that school districts establish a cafeteria plan for employees to access these benefits and clarifies the allowance does not count toward retirement contributions or salary calculations. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 2146 clarifies and updates Oklahoma's homestead tax exemption rules, affecting homeowners who qualify for property tax relief. It sets a 160-acre limit for rural homesteads (including agricultural land) and a 1-acre limit for urban homesteads, while specifying that agricultural land use categories are excluded from urban exemptions. The bill adds a special provision allowing tornado victims (from 2013 onward with a Presidential disaster declaration) to claim exemptions using simplified ownership documentation if they rebuilt elsewhere in Oklahoma. It also ensures parents living with children on jointly owned property can claim the full exemption. The changes take effect January 1, 2027.