Sen. David Bullard

Maddy summarySB 66 creates a $10 million revolving fund specifically for airport improvements at regional airports located east of U.S. Highway 69, south of U.S. Highway 70, and within Oklahoma municipalities with populations between 10,000 and 20,000 people. The fund requires matching contributions of $10 million from local, county, tribal, federal, or private sources before state funds can be used for repairs, upgrades, or air traffic control towers at eligible airports. The state appropriates $10 million from the General Revenue Fund to the revolving fund, with unspent funds reverting to the General Revenue Fund by July 1, 2027, if no spending decisions are made. This bill directly affects smaller regional airports in southeastern Oklahoma meeting the specified population and geographic criteria.

Maddy summaryHJR 1003 proposes adding a new constitutional section to Oklahoma that restricts the use of eminent domain for specific wind and solar energy projects. It prohibits government from taking private land for wind turbine construction or associated transmission lines if the project receives U.S. government financial assistance exceeding 3% of its total cost, or if the transmission lines exclusively serve federally incentivized wind/solar projects. The bill does not affect voluntary land purchases or projects without federal funding or tax incentives. This would directly impact energy developers seeking to build wind/solar infrastructure relying on federal support, while preserving eminent domain for other projects.

Maddy summarySB 309 creates an Oklahoma income tax credit for married couples with dependent children under 19 who qualify for federal dependent status. The credit amount ranges from $500 (for couples married 1-5 years) to $2,000 (for couples married 15+ years) per child, based on marriage duration. Credits are capped at $10,000 for joint filers and $5,000 for separate filers, cannot reduce tax liability below zero, and unused portions may be carried forward for up to five years. This bill directly affects married couples filing jointly or separately with qualifying children, excluding single-parent households.

Maddy summarySB 848, the "Oklahoma Independent Education Act," prohibits Oklahoma public school districts and charter schools from using federal or state funds to support activities promoting sexual orientation or gender identity. It requires the state to develop a plan to phase out federal education funding (for pre-K through 12th grade) and replace it with state funds, including a timeline and funding needs analysis. The bill establishes a working group to monitor implementation, exempting it from open meeting and records laws, and mandates that schools stop using funds for the prohibited activities. This directly affects all Oklahoma public schools receiving federal education funding.

Maddy summarySB 850 requires Oklahoma public school teachers to include specific primary source quotes from founding figures in US history courses, emphasizing Christianity's role in America's founding. The bill mandates teaching that the Constitution was "made only for a moral and religious people" and directs educators to use 14 prescribed quotes from figures like John Adams, George Washington, and Noah Webster. It specifies including content about the "original intent of the founding fathers" and the "influence of the Ten Commandments and the Bible" on founding documents. The law applies to all public school US history curriculum and takes immediate effect as an emergency measure.

Maddy summarySB 895 creates the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Board, which will govern the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) as its new oversight body. The board consists of nine members: two appointed by the Governor, two by the Senate President, two by the House Speaker, and one each by the Oklahoma State Troopers Association, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Director, and the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training. Members serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority, with the board required to hold meetings, elect leadership annually, and establish a quorum of five members. This bill shifts governance from the Commissioner of Public Safety to the new board, as amended in Section 2-105 of the Oklahoma Statutes, while maintaining existing officer hiring and qualification rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1094 requires Oklahoma public schools to teach about the "atrocities of communism" to students in grades six through twelve starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The State Department of Education must develop grade-appropriate curriculum resources and integrate this content into existing courses, covering causes, human costs, societal impacts, and comparisons with U.S. constitutional principles. Teachers must receive professional development on this topic, with "communism" defined to include historical regimes like the Soviet Union and Cambodia. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 856 allows designated public school personnel - such as security staff with proper licenses or trained teachers - to carry concealed handguns on school property under specific conditions. It requires school boards to adopt written policies authorizing this, mandates 24 hours of annual training (including weapon retention and active shooter scenarios), and removes prior storage requirements for firearms. The bill applies only to personnel meeting strict criteria, such as holding a valid security guard license, reserve peace officer certification, or completing state-approved training. It does not permit general staff to carry or affect private school policies. The law takes effect immediately, declared an emergency.

Maddy summaryHB 2451 is a procedural bill that orders a legislative referendum asking Oklahoma voters whether to call a constitutional convention. It specifies the exact ballot wording: "Shall a constitutional convention be called pursuant to Section 2 of Article 24 of the Oklahoma Constitution?" The bill requires filing this referendum with the Secretary of State for inclusion on the next General Election ballot. This measure does not create a convention itself but sets up the process for voters to decide on one.

Maddy summaryHB 1236 amends Oklahoma's tax code to clarify and expand exemptions for motor vehicle sales. It specifically adds electric vehicles (low-speed or medium-speed) to the list of vehicles exempt from sales tax when the Oklahoma Motor Vehicle Excise Tax has been paid. The bill also clarifies that trade-in value is excluded when calculating gross receipts for motor vehicle sales tax purposes. This directly affects motor vehicle buyers, dealers, and tax collectors by standardizing when sales tax applies. The changes ensure electric vehicles receive the same tax treatment as conventional vehicles for sales tax exemption purposes.