Sen. Avery Frix

Maddy summarySB 1605 limits liability for property owners who allow dirtbike use on their private land. It states that participants (renters or users of dirtbikes) assume the inherent risks of dirtbike riding - such as surface changes, collisions, or remote location injuries - and cannot sue property owners for related injuries or deaths. The bill excludes liability protection for cases involving intentional harm, gross negligence, unsafe equipment, or failure to exercise reasonable care. This law takes effect November 1, 2026, and applies to all private property owners hosting dirtbike activities.

Maddy summarySB 1610 creates the Oklahoma Work Zone Safety and Contractor Protection Act to enhance safety for road workers and contractors. It grants immunity from liability to contractors who follow federal traffic control standards (MUTCD) during work zones, protecting them from lawsuits when crashes are caused by third-party drivers. The bill also establishes a Work Zone Safety Revolving Fund to support safety initiatives and updates definitions in Oklahoma law to clarify which workers qualify for protection. These changes directly affect road construction contractors, state transportation workers, and drivers operating in work zones. The law aims to balance worker safety, automated enforcement use, and fair liability standards without advocating for specific outcomes.

Maddy summarySB 1626 bans specific anti-competitive clauses in health insurance contracts between insurers and healthcare providers. It prohibits "gag clauses" (which hide price or cost information from patients), "anti-steering clauses" (restricting insurers from directing patients to lower-cost providers), "all-or-nothing clauses" (forcing full network inclusion), and "most-favored-nations clauses" (blocking price competition). The law also bans any other contract terms that create anti-competitive effects. Violations are treated as unfair or deceptive acts, allowing Oklahoma's Insurance Commissioner to impose penalties or refer cases to the Attorney General for enforcement.

Maddy summarySB 2077 increases Oklahoma's maximum surcharge for credit card payments from 2% to 4% of the transaction amount, or the actual processing fee, whichever is lower. It requires businesses to clearly post surcharge amounts at physical points of sale, online checkout pages, and verbally disclose them for phone orders. The bill also permits private schools, municipalities, and money transmitters to charge service fees limited to actual costs like bank processing fees, while prohibiting surcharges that exceed the new cap. This change takes effect November 1, 2026, applying to all businesses operating in Oklahoma that accept credit cards.

Maddy summarySB 1586 modifies Oklahoma's Firefighters Pension System to increase benefits for eligible firefighters by changing how final average salary is calculated. It updates the definition of "final average salary" to include certain salary reductions (like those under IRS sections 125, 457, and 414(h)) that were previously excluded, potentially raising retirement payments. This directly affects current and future members of the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System who are eligible for retirement benefits. The bill amends specific statutes (11 O.S. § 49-100.1 and § 49-109) and includes an emergency declaration for immediate implementation.

Maddy summarySB 1580 creates a default presumption that joint custody is in a child's best interest, requiring courts to assume it unless evidence shows otherwise. It mandates that parents submit detailed parenting plans covering living arrangements, support, healthcare, and school placement before a custody decision. The bill also establishes strong exceptions: courts must presume sole custody is better if abuse, domestic violence, stalking, or harassment has occurred, or if a parent is required to register as a sex offender. These changes apply to all Oklahoma family court cases involving minor children.

Maddy summarySB 1823 allows Oklahoma counties with fewer than 200,000 residents to impose up to a 5% tax on hotels, motels, and short-term rentals (excluding hospitals, dorms, and stays over 30 days), but requires voter approval via election or petition before implementation. Tax proceeds must fund specific purposes like tourism promotion, with counties creating dedicated funds to track these revenues. The bill prohibits counties from re-voting on the tax for six months after voter rejection and clarifies that municipal lodging taxes override county taxes within city limits. It takes effect November 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 1604, the Railroad Safety Act, creates new criminal penalties for threats or violence targeting trains and railroad operations in Oklahoma. It directly affects passengers, railroad workers, and anyone near trains or stations by prohibiting seizing trains (Class B1 felony), threatening crew/passengers (Class B4 felony), or discharging firearms in stations (Class B4 felony). Key provisions include fines up to $20,000 or 20 years in prison for seizing trains with weapons, and stricter penalties for using deadly weapons during violations. The law defines "station" to include adjacent parking areas and rail zones, and declares an emergency to expedite implementation.

Maddy summarySB 2123 amends Oklahoma's Wind Energy Development Act to clarify and strengthen decommissioning requirements for wind energy facilities. It shortens the abandonment period from 24 months to 180 consecutive days (excluding certain exceptions like curtailment), requiring owners to remove all equipment - including turbines, towers, foundations, and cabling - upon abandonment or end of a facility's useful life. The bill also modifies definitions (e.g., "abandonment," "useful life"), updates permit application criteria, and mandates public hearings for facility expansions. These changes directly affect wind energy facility owners and operators, ensuring clearer accountability for site restoration after operations cease.

Maddy summarySB 1606 modifies Oklahoma's wind energy decommissioning rules by changing the deadline for removing wind facilities from "within 12 months after abandonment" to "within 12 months after the end of the useful life of the commercial wind energy equipment." This affects wind energy facility owners, who must now complete decommissioning (removing turbines, towers, and restoring land to pre-construction conditions) within 12 months of equipment reaching end-of-life, not just when operations stop. The bill maintains existing decommissioning requirements (removing equipment to 30 inches below grade and restoring land) and allows landowners to request road restoration in writing. It takes effect November 1, 2026.