Sen. Brent Howard

Maddy summaryHB 1166 changes Oklahoma city and town annexation rules by requiring written consent from a majority of landowners (65% for municipalities under 12,000 people) before adding territory. It mandates cities to create and implement service plans for water, sewer, fire, and police within 120 days of annexation, or risk detaching the area if services aren’t completed. The bill also prohibits annexing "connecting strips" of land solely to create legal contiguity and specifies detailed notice and hearing procedures for property owners.

Maddy summaryHB 2753 sets a $15 million annual cap on state tax credits for capital investments under Oklahoma's Rural Jobs Act, affecting rural funds and investors seeking these credits. It requires that at least 10% of a rural investor's capital must come from internal sources like employees or directors (not the entity claiming credits) and includes a process for verifying eligible businesses. The bill also authorizes an additional $200 million in tax credits for rural investments, expanding the program effective July 1, 2025, while maintaining consistent administration under existing rules. These changes aim to structure and grow rural economic development opportunities through defined credit limits and investment requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 1562 creates specialized business courts in Oklahoma County and Tulsa County (for cities with populations over 500,000) to handle complex commercial litigation. It establishes these courts within existing district courts, sets business court judges' salaries equal to regular district court judges ($145,567 annually), and specifies their locations. The bill also modifies court personnel rules to include business court-specific roles like law clerks and secretary-bailiffs. This directly affects businesses and legal parties involved in high-tech commercial disputes in those two counties.

Maddy summaryHB 2131 amends Oklahoma's criminal procedure laws to clarify rules for grand jury operations and handling of transcripts. It restricts who can advise grand juries (prohibiting district attorneys from advising during investigations of their own office), requires sealed court proceedings for transcript requests, and bans using grand jury transcripts in unrelated civil cases. The bill directly affects defense attorneys, prosecutors, witnesses, and judges by limiting transcript access to only criminal proceedings related to the original grand jury investigation. Key provisions include strict penalties for unauthorized disclosure (misdemeanor or contempt) and requiring the prosecutor to be notified before any transcript is released. The law takes effect November 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1563 allows criminal defendants to subpoena specific records from law enforcement and businesses in Oklahoma. It permits defendants to request body camera footage, traffic videos, incident reports, or security camera recordings covering the time of the alleged crime from businesses or commercial entities. The bill includes safeguards: law enforcement can object if records involve juvenile confidentiality, ongoing investigations, or informant privacy, and requires strict fee limits ($0.25/page for copies). This directly affects criminal defendants seeking evidence, while balancing access with protections for sensitive information.

Maddy summaryHB 2048, the "340B Nondiscrimination Act," prohibits health insurers, pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs), and third-party payors from discriminating against healthcare providers participating in the federal 340B drug discount program. It specifically bans lower reimbursement rates for 340B drugs, extra fees or administrative burdens for 340B entities, exclusion from provider networks based on 340B status, and requirements to disclose 340B-specific billing details. The law applies to all 340B entities - such as community health centers and hospitals participating in the federal program - and ensures they receive equal treatment in billing, reimbursement, and network access. Enforcement is handled by the Attorney General, with the Oklahoma Medicaid program excluded from these provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 2163 establishes a Public Access Counselor Unit within Oklahoma's Attorney General's office to handle disputes over denied public records requests. It allows individuals denied access (excluding commercial requests) to file a review within 30 days, requiring public bodies to respond within 7 business days to the Counselor. The Attorney General must issue a binding advisory opinion within 60 days, directing public bodies to comply or explaining why no action is needed. This directly affects citizens seeking public records and public bodies like city councils or school boards that must follow the Counselor's guidance.

Maddy summaryHB 1562 creates specialized business courts in Oklahoma County and Tulsa County (for cities over 500,000 population) to handle complex commercial disputes. It sets business court judges' salaries equal to regular district court judges ($145,567 annually) and requires each business court to have a law clerk and secretary-bailiff. The bill directly affects businesses involved in high-tech commercial litigation and the Oklahoma court system by establishing dedicated case management for these disputes. It modifies court rules to exclude business courts from standard venue requirements and specifies staffing and compensation for business court operations.

Maddy summaryHB 2048, the "340B Nondiscrimination Act," prohibits health insurers, pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs), and other third-party payors from discriminating against Oklahoma healthcare providers participating in the federal 340B drug discount program. It directly affects 340B entities (like hospitals and clinics that purchase discounted drugs) and their contracted pharmacies, ensuring they receive equal reimbursement rates for 340B drugs without extra fees, special billing requirements, or network exclusions based on their 340B status. Key provisions ban lower payments for 340B drugs, require equal terms for non-340B providers, and prevent manufacturers from interfering with 340B drug delivery to contracted pharmacies. The law excludes Oklahoma Medicaid program reimbursements (as specified in Section 3B) and takes effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 2131 modifies Oklahoma's criminal procedure rules for handling grand jury transcripts. It allows attorneys for the accused and prosecutors to obtain transcripts at their expense (with the state covering costs for indigent defendants) but restricts their use exclusively to related legal proceedings like trials or civil asset forfeiture cases tied to the grand jury investigation. Unauthorized disclosure of transcripts is prohibited and punishable as a misdemeanor, and requests for transcripts require sealed court filings with closed hearings unless a judge permits public access for compelling reasons. The bill aims to balance legal access with maintaining grand jury secrecy.