OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Collin Duel, R-Guthrie, on Tuesday won committee passage of a bill he says will make the state pro-business and more competitive.

House Bill 3498 is a modernization of the Oklahoma General Corporation Act and state LLC statutes.

"This is a pro-business bill that would invite new investment in Oklahoma and ensure the businesses that are here remain," Duel said. "It would update numerous outdated provisions to better reflect how corporations actually act in today's economy."

Duel acknowledged announcements in the past week of two major Oklahoma employers moving operations to Houston. While this bill might not have changed the outcome, he said, it would have improved the chances of keeping those businesses in Oklahoma.

"A number of our corporation and business laws have not been updated in years," he said. "This would help us modernize our corporate structure so Oklahoma can compete with other states."

Duel said a number of companies incorporate in Delaware, for instance, because that state has laws similar to what is included in his bill.

"This would give financial certainty that our laws will encourage investment," he said.

The bill passed the House Business Committee on a vote of 7-1. It now is eligible for consideration in the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development Oversight.