Welcome to the Oklahoma House of Representatives

OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill making it a felony crime to traffic abortion pills has been signed into law by the governor. Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, is the author of House Bill 1168 . The measure creates a felony offense for anyone to knowingly possess or deliver abortion-inducing drugs — including mifepristone, misoprostol and methotrexate — to someone who intends to use them for an unlawful abortion. "Abortion is already illegal in Oklahoma other than to protect the life of a mother in an emergency," Crosswhite Hader said. "What has happened, however, since that has become law in our state, is that people are trafficking abortion-inducing drugs to women who are already in a vulnerable state. That's unscrupulous, and it needs to stop.  "This bill is about protecting women from the horrible side effects of these pills. It's also to protect women from being taken advantage of by someone looking to personally profit from the distribution of these pills." Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, is the Senate author of the bill. He had this to say about its signing. "We hear a lot about the trafficking of humans and children and rightfully so. We have worked hard to eliminate this enslavement of people. The trafficking of the abortion pill is no different than human trafficking and possibly worse. It is the largest killer of babies and the greatest threat to motherhood. It is the death sentence to an innocent baby who has been convicted of no crime and a false hope to a mother, soon to kill the child she carries. In fact, the injustice of the abortion pill being trafficked in Oklahoma is a generational loss of Holocaust proportions, and the victims are always twofold. Today, we took a big step in stopping both of those wrongs. Oklahoma will continue to stand for the rights of a person to have life, liberty and property."    Crosswhite Hader said she's heard reports of women being given these drugs by non-medical professionals who do not understand what the medications can do to a woman if administered incorrectly. The drugs are often taken in isolation. This leaves the woman to go through cramping and bleeding and the shedding of her pregnancy with no medical expert on hand to help her through not only the physical pain and after-effects of the drugs, but also the mental anguish that can result from seeing her pre-term pregnancy in a non-viable state. "I'm concerned that a woman given these drugs could die by herself, and they could keep her from being able to carry to term a pregnancy at a later date should that be desired," she said.  There's also a concern that only the second drug in a two-drug sequence are being given in some instances. The first drug is intended to stop the growth of the pregnancy. The second is to evacuate. To give the second drug without the first presents a greater danger to the woman, she said.  Under HB 1168, anyone convicted of trafficking or attempting to traffic abortion-inducing drugs could face a fine of up to $100,000, up to 10 years in prison, or both. This is the same as current law for those performing an illegal abortion. The legislation only addresses those who intend to distribute these drugs illegally to others, not those who are accessing these drugs for themselves, Crosswhite Hader said.  This measure does not limit or prohibit the sale of contraceptives, and it would not impact couples undergoing IVF treatment. Under the definition of "Abortion-inducing drug, " included in the bill, it specifies that this definition does not apply to drugs that may be known to cause an abortion, but which are prescribed for other medical indications, such as chemotherapeutic agents or diagnostic drugs, or for treatment of an ectopic pregnancy or spontaneous miscarriage.  Additionally, HB 1168 does not apply to pharmacists, drug manufacturers or distributors who legally possess, sell or distribute pharmaceuticals intended for lawful medical purposes.  Crosswhite Hader said another factor to consider is the release of the abortifacient "forever" chemicals into wastewater that cannot be treated by facilities or septic systems. These then enter water supplies to be drunk by the rest of the population. The bill passed the House last year and the Senate this year. It was signed into law by the governor May 5. He held a ceremonial signing of the bill today, allowing authors of the bill and pro-life supporters to be present to celebrate the measure becoming law.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Chris Banning, R-Bixby, and Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville, today commented on the signing of House Bill 2979 , known as the “Talyn Bain Act,” a measure to improve safety for students by establishing lower speed limits on certain highways near schools. The legislation is named in honor of Talyn Bain, a nine-year-old Glenpool student who lost his life in a crash near his school in 2025. Banning, the House author of the bill, said he hopes the bill will help prevent similar accidents. "House Bill 2979 is in honor of a young man we lost too soon, Talyn Bain," Banning said. "This legislation ensures we’re addressing dangerous situations where high-speed highways run too close to schools. If we can prevent even one tragedy like this from happening again, then this effort is worth it." Talyn’s family said they are grateful the legislation will help protect other Oklahoma children and families. "The Talyn Bain Act becoming law means Talyn's name will forever stand for protecting children across Oklahoma," the Bain family said. "While we would give anything to have our son back, we are incredibly grateful that his life is creating change that could help save other families from this kind of heartbreak. "Thank you to Representative Chris Banning, Senator Gollihare and everyone who stood beside us, believed in this bill and helped make this happen. Talyn was so deeply loved, and we will continue doing everything we can to make sure his life matters far louder than the tragedy that took him from us." HB2979 directs the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) to create 45 mph school zones on portions of state highways upon request from a local jurisdiction, provided specific safety conditions are met. These include highways with speed limits of 65 mph or higher that run within 150 yards of a school and lack a direct exit ramp into the school zone. The measure allows local communities to partner with ODOT to identify qualifying locations and implement the reduced speed zones. The agency has identified approximately 14 locations statewide that meet the criteria outlined in the bill. "This law is about protecting our children and making sure no family has to endure the kind of loss the Bain family has experienced," Gollihare said. "By slowing traffic in high-risk areas near schools, we are taking a commonsense step to improve safety and potentially save lives. Talyn’s legacy will be one of lasting impact, helping safeguard students across Oklahoma for years to come. This was a collaborative effort and I’m grateful to Representative Banning and all those who worked to move this bill forward. I appreciate the governor’s support in signing it into law." Under the law, ODOT will install appropriate signage, while local jurisdictions will be responsible for ongoing maintenance and operational costs. The Tayln Bain Act will take effect Nov. 1, 2026.

OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill requiring all youth camps and outdoor programs to conduct a site-specific hazard assessment and develop an emergency action plan by the end of the year has become law. Rep. Josh Cantrell, R-Kingston, is the author of House Bill 1675 . "Camp should be a fun time for our kids," Cantrell said. "But in Oklahoma, we have a lot of severe weather. Making sure our camps are as prepared as they can be will help keep young campers safe and give parents and everyone else involved much more peace of mind." Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, is the Senate author of the bill. “As someone who has consistently worked on policies encouraging kids to put down their digital devices and spend more time playing outdoors, I’m proud to have been the primary Senate author of House Bill 1675," Seifried said. "Summer camps are an important rite of passage, and I want every child who goes to camp to have nothing but positive experiences. Under this new law, camp operators and staff will be better prepared for unexpected storms so kids can spend the summer making new friends and lifelong memories.”  HB 1675 requires all camp facilities, youth camps and outdoor programs to conduct a site-specific hazard assessment and develop an emergency action plan before Jan. 1, 2027. The assessments and plans then must be reviewed every three years. The emergency action plan must include response protocols for each severe weather hazard applicable to the site, evacuation routes and other items as outlined in the measure. Hazards include potential for flooding, exposure to high winds or tornadic systems, hail, lightning, extreme heat or cold, wildfires or smoke from fires and other weather-related conditions.  Additionally, the camps and programs must maintain two independent methods of receiving severe weather alerts, including one method that does not rely on cellular service. They also must have an internal communication system, procedures for notifying guardians, and be able to provide access to shelters.  Potential threats of severe weather and emergency response procedures must be disclosed to all participants. Camp staff are required to receive annual emergency procedure and hazard recognition training and conduct periodic drills. A copy of the hazard assessment and the emergency action plan must be kept on file with the applicable regulating authority. Regulating authorities are authorized to adopt rules necessary to implement these provisions and can impose corrective action plans, civil penalties, and close camp facilities, youth camps and outdoor programs for material noncompliance. Lastly, the measure requires recreational campgrounds to have an emergency action plan and procedures in place for natural disasters and severe weather events. The plan must identify site specific hazards that might require evacuation, outline evacuation routes, and include methods for issuing emergency alerts. Emergency action plans must be kept on file with the local emergency management agency and updated annually.  "We're not trying to make this too hard for our camp owners or facility operators," Cantrell said. "We're just trying to make sure our youth are safe, our parents are aware of what plans are in place, and our emergency responders have up-to-date and accurate information should the need arise." The bill becomes effective Nov. 1.