OKLAHOMA CITY – Two bills aimed at modernizing Oklahoma’s unemployment tax system—one reducing costs for employers and the other cracking down on fraud—have passed the House floor and now head to the governor’s desk.

Carried in the House by Rep. Mark Tedford, R-Jenks, Senate Bill 911 reduces the top unemployment tax rate from 9.2% to 6.5%—a significant cut that offers direct relief to Oklahoma employers. The change especially benefits small businesses, which can hit the top rate after only a few claims. By lowering the rate and updating outdated formulas, the bill brings greater fairness and predictability to the unemployment system. SB911 also establishes a new conditional factor rate table and raises the threshold for triggering an unemployment insurance surcharge from $25 million to $50 million. 

Senate Bill 924, also carried by Tedford, targets fraud within the unemployment system. The bill allows the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) to require in-person interviews when fraud is suspected and authorizes denial of claims when the employer is not correctly named—two tools critical to protecting the system’s integrity. It also updates statutory language and clarifies judicial review procedures to improve efficiency and consistency in appeals. 

“For small business owners, just one or two claims can send their unemployment tax rate sky-high. That’s not sustainable for those working trying to keep people employed,” Tedford said. “And when fraud slips through the cracks, it hurts everyone. These bills help level the playing field—making taxes fairer and tightening up the system so benefits go where they’re supposed to.” 

Both bills passed the House unanimously. If signed into law, they will take effect Nov. 1.