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Legislation designed to safeguard Oklahoma’s legal system from foreign influence has been signed into law by the governor.  House Bill 2619 , authored by Rep. Erick Harris, R-Edmond, and known as the Foreign Litigation Funding Prevention Act, increases transparency in civil litigation and prevents foreign adversaries from covertly funding lawsuits in Oklahoma courts. The new law requires that commercial litigation funding agreements be disclosed during litigation proceedings.  "I appreciate the governor's support of this measure," Harris said. "It is essential that we preserve the sanctity of our courts and keep them free from corruption by foreign powers seeking to manipulate outcomes for their own gain. By requiring full transparency in commercial litigation funding, we are reinforcing trust in our legal institutions and taking a proactive step to defend our sovereignty and uphold the rule of law."  In addition to requiring disclosure of litigation funding agreements, the law mandates that parties reveal whether a foreign government or its entities are, have been or will be involved in financing such agreements. HB2619 takes effect Nov. 1. 

Wilk praises passage of Oklahoma Secure Roads and Safe Trucking Act of 2025   The Oklahoma House of Representatives this week passed Senate Bill 20 by a vote of 71-13. SB20, or the Oklahoma Secure Roads and Safe Trucking Act of 2025, is a measure that strengthens requirements for non-domiciled commercial drivers operating in the state. Authored by Representative Jonathan Wilk, R-Goldsby, the bill mandates that all foreign commercial drivers possess a valid work visa, provide proof of citizenship and demonstrate English language proficiency. “This legislation puts an end to the days of foreign drivers slipping through the cracks and putting our citizens at risk,” said Rep. Wilk. “President Trump showed us the importance of securing our borders and standing up for American workers. SB 20 brings that same America First mindset to Oklahoma roads. We are no longer going to tolerate drivers who can’t prove who they are, can’t speak the language, and can’t follow the law. I am thankful to all of my colleagues, leadership and Senator Kendal Sacchieri for getting this done." This bill directly aligns with President Trump’s executive order signed earlier this year, which reinforces state authority to enforce immigration and transportation laws as part of a broader crackdown on illegal labor and unvetted foreign workers. Under SB 20, any non-domiciled commercial driver without proper documentation will face a $3,000 fine and be barred from operating a vehicle until they meet all identification and visa requirements. Those who violate the prohibition will be charged with a misdemeanor, face up to 90 days in jail, and be subject to additional fines. The legislation also imposes English language requirements to ensure that all commercial drivers can safely and effectively communicate with law enforcement, emergency responders, and the motoring public. Speaker of the House Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, also praised the passing of the bill. "President Trump has led the way and made it clear: we’re done with the chaos and we’re standing up for legal, law-abiding, hardworking Americans," said Speaker Hilbert. "This bill reinforces the rule of law and strengthens public safety. I commend the work Rep. Wilk did to get this bill across the finish line. The bill also includes enforcement provisions for commercial carriers and cargo owners, ensuring that no one escapes responsibility when Oklahoma laws are broken. All fines collected under SB 20 will be directed toward weigh station infrastructure and trauma care, helping protect communities across the state. SB 20 now heads to Governor Kevin Stitt’s desk, where it is expected to be signed into law.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle, issued the following statement today after defending the amendment she filed to Senate Joint Resolution 22 , which addressed the immigration status of students, before it was ultimately tabled. "I brought this amendment forward because the people of Oklahoma deserve to know how their tax dollars are being used," Jenkins said. "The rule would have required a simple headcount of non-citizen students in our schools. That’s not just reasonable, it’s responsible." During her debate on Wednesday, Jenkins, vice chair of the House Administrative Rules Committee, challenged the notion that Plyler v. Doe prohibits the collection of immigration-related data. "Opponents of the amendment like to hide behind Plyler v. Doe, which says we must provide an education for students here illegally, and we are," she continued. "But nothing in that ruling prevents us from tracking where public funds are going. We are not denying services. We are demanding transparency." Jenkins argued that the Oklahoma State Department of Education's proposed data collection would only involve one aggregate figure and would not require students or their families to provide their names or any personal information beyond their immigration status. "We have clear statutory authority to collect this kind of data, and we should," Jenkins argued. "The State Department of Education proposed this rule because illegal immigration is placing a growing burden on our schools. Biden’s reckless open border policies have left Oklahoma families footing the bill." Jenkins said Oklahomans have a right to know what is happening in their schools and how their tax dollars are being spent. "Oklahomans deserve to know what’s going on in their public education system, from enrollment numbers to funding formulas," she said. "This amendment was just the first step. I'll continue to pursue legislation to ensure full transparency, accountability, and a real look at the impacts of this border crisis on our classrooms. We owe it to Oklahoma families to be honest, to be accountable and to act." After a motion was made to table the amendment to SJR22, Jenkins requested a division vote rather than the standard voice vote. Although the amendment was tabled, Jenkins made it clear she will continue to fight for Oklahomans. "I called for called for a division vote to hold members publicly accountable for their stance," Jenkins concluded. "Oklahomans sent me here to stand up for them, and that’s exactly what I’ll keep doing, loudly, clearly and without backing down."

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, and House Assistant Democratic Leader Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, released the following statements after a divided Supreme Court blocked the creation of the nation’s first religious charter school. “The U.S. Constitution and Oklahoma Constitution were upheld today. As stated in both our state and U.S. Constitutions, Oklahomans across our state have demanded that public dollars stay in public schools, not religious or private schools. Oklahomans across our state have demanded that religious teaching stay in the home and responsibility of parents, not teachers. Today's decision is a win for taxpayers and religious freedom. Let’s get back to work on funding and protecting our public schools.”– House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City “Today, our U.S. Constitution held strong. In Oklahoma, we have had a front row seat to the effort to embed religious instruction into our public schools. Today, we are reassured that religious teaching, no matter the denomination or belief, remains in the rightful hands of parents and guardians, and not on the shoulders of Oklahoma taxpayers.” – House Assistant Democratic Leader Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa -END-

The Oklahoma Legislature has completed its work on administrative rules for the 2025 session, approving a total of six joint resolutions addressing rules submitted by state agencies and finalizing four major reform bills The House and Senate concluded the rules process with the passage of six joint resolutions this week, each disapproving specific proposed rules from state agencies. In total, 62 agencies, boards and commissions submitted more than 5,600 pages of rules ahead of the Feb. 1 deadline. The Legislature cannot amend rules; it only has the authority to approve or disapprove them. Once approved, rules carry the full force of law. "When we allow rules that lack proper statutory grounding, we are complicit in the erosion of that authority and willingly hand over the reins of lawmaking to unelected administrators," said House Administrative Rules Chair Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, R-Altus. "Rules without specific statutory authority are not merely overstepping—they bypass the will of the people and their elected representatives. Disapproving such rules is not obstruction; it is fidelity. It is our constitutional responsibility to preserve the boundaries of government power and to protect the liberty of the governed." "This work doesn't get done without the hard work and dedication of my House colleagues who spent hours reviewing hundreds of proposed rules and their related statutes," Kendrix added. "I also appreciate the House staff that has worked long hours with us and for us."  The final three resolutions, all adopted unanimously by the House, were: Senate Joint Resolution 22 , disapproving certain rules proposed by the State Department of Education. Senate Joint Resolution 21 , disapproving certain rules from the Oklahoma Department of Securities and the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. Senate Joint Resolution 18 , disapproving certain rules submitted by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. On Wednesday, the Senate gave final approval to three additional resolutions addressing rules related to energy, agriculture and wildlife agencies; judicial and public safety agencies; and health-related agencies. All six resolutions were authored by Kendrix and Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, chair of the Senate Administrative Rules Committee. "As these pieces of legislation become law, we are taking significant steps to ensure that regulations are no longer created in isolation by state agencies, but instead, are subject to greater oversight by the people’s elected representatives," Bergstrom said. "With these reforms in statute, Oklahomans will see a more transparent, accountable, and responsive administrative rules process that will better serve our state. I appreciate and commend everyone who played a role in getting these bills across the finish line." In addition to reviewing rules, lawmakers this year passed a suite of reforms aimed at modernizing and strengthening legislative oversight of the rulemaking process. "These reforms mark a significant step forward in restoring legislative oversight and reinforcing the separation of powers in Oklahoma," said House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. "By strengthening the rulemaking process, we are ensuring that agencies remain accountable to the law and, ultimately, to the people of Oklahoma. I’m proud of the work our members have done to uphold the Legislature’s constitutional responsibility." Three reform measures have now been signed into law: House Bill 2728 creates the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025, which establishes new statutory requirements for state agencies adopting major administrative rules. The Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) is tasked with conducting impact analyses for proposed rules with a significant fiscal impact. House Bill 2729 brings an end to the Chevron deference in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2024 decision to overturn the Chevron doctrine. The measure establishes that state courts must independently interpret state statutes, regulations and sub-regulatory documents rather than deferring to a state agency’s interpretation. Senate Bill 1024 would prohibit the adoption of a proposed rule by an agency unless the agency receives approval from the Governor or the appropriate cabinet secretary. A fourth bill is still on the governor's desk. Senate Bill 995 clarifies that any rule not explicitly approved by the Legislature is considered disapproved. He has until Saturday, May 24, at midnight to act on the measure.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Jim Grego, R-Wilburton, today praised the governor's signing of a bill that will save taxpayers money on vehicle registration. House Bill 1183 simplifies how motor vehicle excise tax is determined for vehicle purchases by requiring the tax to be based on the actual sales price of the vehicle. Any consideration to the average retail price of the vehicle is removed from the formula for determining the tax. "I've been looking for ways to save the taxpayer money without increasing fees somewhere else, and this I believe is a great solution," Grego said. "Requiring Service Oklahoma to base excise tax on the actual sales price of a vehicle rather than using a National Auto Dealers Association value, will result in savings for car buyers when registering their vehicle." HB1183 eliminates the 20% adjustment above and below the average retail price when determining the taxable value. To allow Service Oklahoma time to adjust for the change, the act will take effect July 1, 2026. The bill was authored in the Senate by Sen. Avery Frix, R-Muskogee. 

OKLAHOMA CITY — Rep. Preston Stinson, R-Edmond, and Sen. Brent Howard, R-Altus, today commented on the governor’s veto of House Bill 2048 . The bill would prohibit drug manufacturers and distributors from arbitrarily limiting the number of pharmacies with which 340B hospitals and health care providers can contract, a practice that makes it nearly impossible for all qualified patients to be covered under this federal program. 340B providers are rural, nonprofit and critical-access hospitals and health centers that serve a high number of uninsured and low-income patients. Stinson and Howard issued the following joint statement: “Today, rural Oklahoma lost to Big Pharma. Out-of-state and foreign drug companies and the dark money interests working for them successfully derailed the most important legislation introduced this year to help the health care providers who serve our most vulnerable communities. By lobbying for a veto of House Bill 2048, these deep-pocketed interest groups effectively undermined protections for essential medical services, including cancer treatments and obstetrical care, across our state. “These groups spread blatant lies and misinformation to attack us and our fellow conservatives in the Legislature. They claimed we support illegal immigration and gender transition surgeries for minors, when nothing could be further from the truth. This same supermajority GOP Legislature banned such procedures in 2023. “The Oklahoma Legislature overwhelmingly passed House Bill 2048 to give rural Oklahomans a fighting chance against the $7 trillion drug industry that prioritizes profits over people. We ask our colleagues in the House and Senate to join us in urging leadership in both chambers to override this veto so Oklahomans across the state, from Boise City to Edmond to Burns Flat and everywhere in between, do not lose access to life-saving health care. We introduced this bill to stand with Oklahoma patients, local pharmacists, and frontline providers while Big Pharma rakes in record profits and fights President Trump’s mission to lower prescription drug costs for all Americans. “While we agree with the Governor that broader reforms are needed to fix the federal 340B program, Oklahomans can’t afford to wait while the Washington bureaucracy drags its feet. This Legislature will not be intimidated by Big Pharma’s shady tactics and smear campaigns. It’s time to override this veto to protect our local providers and reject the profit-driven motives of out-of-state pharmaceutical companies.”

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Mark Tedford, R-Jenks, today responded to a recent article about Oklahoma’s rising property insurance premiums, citing the state’s frequent severe weather and ongoing legislative efforts to support homeowners. “Oklahoma faces some of the most destructive and unpredictable weather in the country,” Tedford said. “From widespread hailstorms to wildfires and tornadoes, our events are frequent, damaging and often hit densely populated areas. Claims drive premiums, and storms like the ones we saw in Sulphur, Barnsdall, Holdenville and Claremore last year, along with March's wildfires, cost billions in damages. That’s the reality insurers are responding to.”  He said insurance premiums are also affected by inflation in construction costs, the rising price of materials and labor and the increasing number of high-value claims following back-to-back disasters.  Tedford noted that while many states are now seeing rate increases, Oklahoma’s market adjusted earlier than most. “Oklahoma ranked 35th last year for average rate hikes,” he said. “It’s not the worst in the nation. It’s a sign our market responded early while others are still catching up. I commend the work Commissioner Mulready is doing to improve Oklahoma's Insurance industry.”  Last year, Tedford authored House Bill 3089 to create the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Act, a grant program to help homeowners retrofit their homes with weather-resistant materials. He also worked with the insurance commissioner on House Bills 3092 , 3093 and 3095 to prevent insurers from canceling policies due to older or single claims. He introduced House Bills this year, including House Bill 1084 , focused on reducing claim costs and curbing insurance fraud. Tedford cautioned against overregulation, pointing to other states where stricter policies led insurers to exit the market.  “When states overregulate, insurers leave,” he said. “That’s what happened in California, and it left homeowners without options. We don’t want that in Oklahoma. We can’t change the weather, but we can pursue smart, targeted policies that support homeowners and keep the insurance market strong.”

OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill aimed at improving emergency response to severe allergic reactions in schools has now become law in Oklahoma and will take effect later this summer. House Bill 2047 , authored by Rep. Preston Stinson, R-Edmond and also known as the Emerson Kate Cole Act, requires public schools to call 911 immediately when epinephrine is administered to a student and mandates annual training for school staff on recognizing anaphylaxis, understanding food allergies and properly using epinephrine. “Parents deserve to know that if their child experiences a severe allergic reaction at school, the adults around them will know what to do and act quickly,” Stinson said. “This law is a step forward in protecting Oklahoma students and honoring Emerson’s memory.” The bill passed both chambers of the Legislature with broad bipartisan support, including a 92-0 vote in the House and a 45-0 in the Senate. It becomes law after the governor took no action within the constitutionally required timeframe, allowing it to take effect without his signature. “I want to thank my colleagues in the Legislature for standing behind this bill and for recognizing how important it is to act quickly in emergencies,” Stinson said. “Every school should be equipped and ready to respond to an allergic emergency.” The legislation was prompted by the death of Emerson Kate Cole, a ten-year-old student from Amarillo, TX, who experienced food allergy-related anaphylaxis on Jan. 17, 2023, but did not receive epinephrine. She passed away two days later. Her death sparked a push for stronger protocols to ensure timely emergency responses in schools. HB2047 allows trained school staff to administer epinephrine to any student believed to be having a severe allergic reaction, even without a prior diagnosis. It also requires schools to maintain clear emergency procedures and provide yearly training to personnel. “At the end of the day, this is about making sure there is no delay when a child’s life is on the line,” Stinson said. “Every school should be equipped and ready to respond to an allergic emergency.”