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OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation authored by Rep. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, updating Oklahoma’s process for correcting death certificates has become law without the governor’s signature.  House Bill 3931 updates state law governing requests to correct a death certificate. Under current law, corrections may only be made within one year of issuance. The measure extends that timeframe, allowing individuals to file a petition through the administrative hearing process to correct false information beyond the one-year limit.  "Oklahomans deserve to have an accurate record of their life and death," Stark said. "When a family is grieving, paperwork is not always the first thing on their mind. If an error is discovered later, they should still have a fair opportunity to make it right. We heard from families who had been waiting and following this bill closely because these records matter deeply to them and their loved ones."  The measure helps ensure official records remain accurate while providing families additional flexibility to address errors that may not be identified immediately following a loved one’s death.  Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, is the Senate author of the bill.

Legislation expanding Oklahoma’s Caring for Caregivers Tax Credit has become law, providing additional relief to families who care for loved ones at home. Rep. Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City, authored House Bill 4118 to broaden eligibility for the tax credit and recognize additional expenses incurred by unpaid family caregivers. The measure removes the minimum age requirement for eligible family members receiving care, increases the income cap and adds mileage for medical appointments as a qualifying expense. Additionally, all filers would qualify for up to $3,000. "Family caregivers are quietly stepping up every day to meet critical needs, often without recognition or support," West said. "By expanding the Caring for Caregivers Tax Credit, we're acknowledging the real financial burden they carry and making sure more Oklahoman can access meaningful relief. This is a practical way to support strong families and keep care close to home." The credit took effect in 2024, and Oklahomans could begin claiming it on their 2025 tax returns. According to AARP, family caregivers spend around $7,200 annually caring for a family member, including transportation, medical needs and daily support. "Oklahoma’s Caring for Caregivers Tax Credit was the first of its kind when it was established a few years ago to help Oklahomans supporting an elderly family member," Hall said. "The unpaid responsibilities that many Oklahomans take on as a parent or grandparent ages often come with thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses for medical care, in-home health aides and transportation to and from doctor’s visits. House Bill 4118 updates this successful tax credit to better reflect the challenges these residents face as they lovingly care for an aging family member at home." HB4118 takes effect Nov. 1, 2026. Oklahomans can begin claiming the credit's additional provisions on their 2026 tax returns.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Reps. Jonathan Wilk, R-Goldsby, and Tim Turner, R-Kinta, along with Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, issued the following statements on Senate Bill 137 , legislation relating to Oklahoma’s Electronic Monitoring Program for inmates in the custody of the Department of Corrections. "Drunk driving can leave victims and families carrying the consequences for the rest of their lives," Wilk said. "When someone causes great bodily injury while driving under the influence, accountability matters. Victims deserve to know sentences handed down by the courts will be taken seriously and reviewed through the proper judicial process." "The Oklahoma Legislature will continue working to make sure victims receive the justice they deserve," Wilk added. "I also look forward to the Senate considering House Bill 3114 , which follows the grand jury’s recommendation to require offenders to serve at least 20% of their sentence before becoming eligible for the program."  "I am honored to be a small part of the effort to correct this oversight in our laws and make Oklahoma a safer place," said Hamilton. "Every crime eligible for the electronic monitoring program is an offense in which another person is not physically harmed. This bill was a true team effort consisting of input from both chambers, as well as prosecutors, judges, justices and citizens." "Protecting Oklahoma streets matters," Turner said. "When someone chooses to drink and drive and causes great bodily harm, that victim’s life is changed forever. Causing that kind of injury with a vehicle should be treated with the seriousness it deserves."  "Oklahomans deserve safe roads, and they deserve legislators who stand with law enforcement and victims," Turner added. "If someone seriously injures another person in a DUI crash, there should not be special treatment or special privileges that allow them to avoid serving their sentence."  SB137 modifies eligibility requirements for the state’s electronic monitoring program and adds additional restrictions for certain offenders. The measure is authored by Sen. Warren Hamilton in the Senate and Reps. Wilk and Turner in the House. The bill became law without the Governor's signature and takes effect Nov. 1, 2026.

The Oklahoma House of Representatives has adopted House Resolution 1058 , recognizing Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week and honoring the law enforcement officers who protect communities across Oklahoma.  Authored by Rep. Erick Harris, R-Edmond, HR1058 acknowledges the courage, sacrifice and dedication of peace officers, while paying tribute to those who lost their lives in the line of duty. Harris said the resolution serves as an important reminder of the risks law enforcement officers face every day in order to keep Oklahoma families safe. "Our law enforcement officers willingly put themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities, uphold the rule of law and serve others before themselves," Harris said. "This resolution is one way we can honor the brave men and women who wear the badge and to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our state and nation. Oklahoma stands firmly behind the heroes in law enforcement who work tirelessly to keep our neighborhoods safe." Rep. John George, R-Newalla, who coauthored the resolution, served with the Oklahoma Police Department for more than 30 years. "As someone who spent most of their life in law enforcement, this week is of course meaningful to me," George said. "I've seen firsthand the horrors that sometimes come with being the first on the scene of a violent crime. But I've also seen the moments when officers change someone's life for the better just by showing up to provide protection or to diffuse a potentially dangerous situation. To all the men and women who put on a uniform and serve the public at great risk, I say thank you. You deserve our recognition and our appreciation. I especially want to take time to remember our fallen officers, those who didn't make it back from their last call. Your ultimate sacrifice is not forgotten. We will keep your families lifted in our prayers, and we will do everything in our power to make sure your service will never be said to have been in vain." The resolution names six law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty within the last year: Deputy Sheriff Thomas "Walker" Lemay of the LeFlore County Sheriff's Office, Trooper Vernon Brake of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Sergeant Thomas Duran of the El Reno Police Department, Deputy Gary Brooks of the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, Recruit Franklin Leinen of the Broken Arrow Police Department, and Reserve Officer Clint Lawrence of the Haileyville Police Department. Following the adoption of the resolution, the House took a moment of silence in remembrance of the six fallen officers and other fallen law enforcement across the nation. National Police Week was established to recognize the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers. Peace Officers Memorial Day is observed annually on May 15.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Mark Chapman, R-Broken Arrow, today commented on the signing of House Bill 1739 , a measure relating to the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System. HB1739 updates provisions within the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System to strengthen benefits for those who serve in law enforcement. "This bill reinstates an increased benefit to officers hired since 2012 fixing a divide among the members and ensuring successful recruitment and retention," Chapman said. "I appreciate the work Pro Tem Paxton put into helping get this across the finish line and I am grateful to the Oklahoma State Troopers Association for their support and input along the way. This makes sure there is real support in place for the people who risk everything to protect our communities." The measure also modifies contribution structures within the system and clarifies eligibility for certain retirement benefits, helping ensure long-term stability while maintaining support for active and retired members. Chapman said the bill was shaped with input from law enforcement, including the Oklahoma State Troopers Association. "On behalf of the Oklahoma State Troopers Association, I want to extend our sincere appreciation to Representative Chapman for his leadership in passing this important legislation," said Trooper C.J. Williams, president of the Oklahoma State Troopers Association. "His commitment to public safety and to the men and women of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol will have a lasting impact across our state. This measure strengthens our ability to serve and protect Oklahomans, and we are grateful for his continued support of law enforcement." House Bill 1739 takes effect July 1, 2026.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Rob Hall, R-Tulsa, and Sen. Kelly Hines, R-Oklahoma City, today commented on the signing of House Bill 3720 , a measure updating Oklahoma’s Homemade Food Freedom Act and expanding opportunities for small, local food producers. House Bill 3720 renames the law as the Local Food Freedom Act and updates several provisions to reflect the growth of Oklahoma’s local food industry. The measure increases the allowable annual sales cap for local food businesses from $75,000 to $250,000 and clarifies how products can be sold and delivered to consumers. "This will make it easier for small producers to grow without getting buried in red tape," Hall said. "Oklahomans have turned these local businesses into real opportunities for their families, and this law reflects that. It keeps commonsense protections in place while giving people more room to succeed." The bill also updates definitions in statute, expands where local food products can be produced, and maintains food safety requirements for products that require time or temperature control. Sen. Kelly Hines, R-Oklahoma City, is the Senate author of the measure. "This legislation gives homegrown businesses more runway to get off the ground. Right now, some of the limits in state law unintentionally hold these home-based entrepreneurs back by disincentivizing them from growing their small businesses. Under the Local Food Freedom Act, these businesses will have every opportunity to grow and flourish" The Local Food Freedom Act preserves existing labeling requirements, including clear disclosure that products are made in a facility not subject to state inspection, while continuing to exclude the sale of certain higher-risk items such as meat and poultry products. The measure takes effect Nov. 1, 2026.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives this week adopted House Resolution 1057 , recognizing May 6 through May 12 as National Nurses Week. Authored by Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, and Rep. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, the resolution honors the vital role nurses play in delivering high-quality, compassionate care to Oklahomans. Roe, a nurse of more than 40 years and chair of the House Public Health Committee, and Stark, a former nurse of 35 years and vice chair of the committee, said their firsthand experience makes the recognition especially meaningful. "Nurses deserve this recognition and more," Roe and Stark said in a joint statement. "They are there in life’s most critical moments, offering skilled care, steady hands and compassion when it is needed most. They carry the weight of long hours, difficult conversations and life-changing decisions, often all in a single shift. "Nurses are more than caregivers. They are the backbone of our health care system, serving everyone from all across our state. "With more than 52,000 registered nurses, 16,000 licensed practical nurses and more than 6,500 advanced practice registered nurses in Oklahoma, their impact reaches every corner of our lives. On any given day, they could welcome new life into the world, care for the sick and injured or have the difficult job of standing beside families during their hardest moments. "To every nurse across Oklahoma, thank you. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for your strength and thank you for your unwavering commitment to others. Our state is stronger because of you." HR1057 encourages Oklahomans to join in recognizing National Nurses Week and the life-saving contributions of nurses in every community.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, is calling for an Elector Bill of Rights to affirm that every Oklahoma voter has the right to be fully represented by the elected official they sent to the Capitol. Gann said the proposal is aimed at House rules that restrict ordinary members from freely making motions, forcing accountability, advancing district concerns or seeking recorded votes without procedural permission from leadership.  “The people do not elect representatives to come to the Capitol and ask permission to represent them,” Gann said. “They elect us to speak, question, amend, move, object and demand accountability. When a House rule hinders a representative, it does not merely burden that member — it burdens the voters who sent that member here.” The Elector Bill of Rights is built on a simple principle: the right to vote includes the continuing right to be represented after the election is over. Gann said internal House rules should organize the legislative process, not suppress the voice of districts whose representatives are outside leadership or outside favored committees. “Every elector has the right to equal representation,” Gann said. “That means their representative should not be reduced to a passive observer, a silent voter or a member dependent on leadership permission to act.” The proposed Elector Bill of Rights declares that Oklahoma voters have the right to:  Have their representative treated as an equal member of the House; Expect their representative to speak, question, amend, object and seek votes; Know who supports, opposes, delays or blocks legislation; See important public questions debated and voted on in public; Have committee and floor decisions made with transparency and accountability; Be protected from internal rules that concentrate legislative power in the hands of a few. Gann said House Resolution 1002 , the current House rules package, has shifted too much power away from individual members and toward leadership-controlled gatekeeping. “When legislation can be stalled without a committee vote, without a floor vote and without a public explanation, the people lose accountability,” Gann said. “That is not just a procedural problem. It is a representation problem.” Gann said the Elector Bill of Rights reframes the debate over House rules. The issue is not merely whether a legislator has been inconvenienced, but whether the citizens of that district are receiving the full representation they voted for. “The elector’s right is not merely the right to cast a ballot every two years,” Gann said. “It is the right to be represented every day the House is in session.”  Gann said he will continue advocating for rules reform that restores member equality, protects open debate and ensures public accountability.  “A rule that silences a representative does not just silence one member,” Gann said. “It silences the district that sent that member here.”

A measure defending the fundamental rights of parents across Oklahoma has been signed into law by the governor.  Rep. Erick Harris, R-Edmond, authored the "Right to Raise Act" to ensure that no Oklahoman is denied the opportunity to adopt or foster children simply for using biologically accurate language or for raising a child consistent with their God-given biological sex.  House Bill 3586  also clarifies that such parenting decisions do not constitute child abuse or neglect.  "The Right to Raise Act reinforces that parents have the fundamental right to raise their children according to their values and beliefs," Harris said. "This bill makes it clear that Oklahoma will stand with families who choose truth over ideology and will not allow them to be punished for it." HB3586 was authored in the Senate by Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond. "This measure is about protecting the fundamental rights of parents and ensuring the state does not impose ideological litmus tests on families who want to provide a loving home," Thompson said. "No qualified Oklahoman should be denied the opportunity to adopt or foster simply for acknowledging biological reality or raising a child in accordance with their deeply held beliefs. I appreciate Representative Harris for putting this forward to provide clarity in the law." The Right to Raise Act will take effect Nov. 1, 2026.