OKLAHOMA CITY - When it comes to Oklahoma’s future, President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle) feels confident the First Session of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature contributed to laying a solid foundation. Lawmakers adjourned sine die on Friday, May 30.
“We came in with a clear mission to put our state on a stronger footing, and we delivered,” Paxton said in a press release. “We passed transformational tax reforms that return hard-earned dollars to Oklahoma families and businesses while keeping our state competitive.
“I’m proud of the Senate’s work to pass common-sense legislation that reflects the values of the people we represent. From reducing unnecessary virtual school days to making classrooms more focused by removing cellphones and curbing DEI [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] ideology on our campuses, to modernizing the way we approach energy and economic development, we took bold steps to improve our state’s future. We’ve proven that good governance yields real results. We’re not just talking about the future, we’re building it.”
Among the top accomplishments contributing to the state’s solid foundation are the following measures: House Bill 2764, Comprehensive Tax Reform, is a significant reduction in personal income taxes and modernization of Oklahoma’s tax code, aimed at strengthening the state’s economy.
HB 2781, Economic Development Initiatives, is the Reimagine Oklahoma Act, which supports the construction of a new aluminum plant, revitalizing Oklahoma’s industrial base and creating thousands of new jobs.
Senate Bill 758, In-Person Learning, reduces reliance on virtual school days to ensure students receive the benefit of in-person learning.
SB 139, Bell-to-Bell No Cell, requires public school districts to limit student cellphone use from “bell-to-bell” for the entire 2025-2026 school year.
SB 796, Ending DEI on College Campuses, prohibits taxpayer-funded Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs at public colleges and universities.
SB 1168, SB 642 and SB 453, Tort Reform. These are a series of bills to strengthen legal protections for businesses and ensure fairness and speedy settlements in civil litigation while also making much-needed workers’ compensation reforms.
SB 480, Energy Innovation, is also known as the “Behind the Meter” law and is designed to increase energy generation as the demand for electricity rises nationwide due to a growing number of large-scale manufacturing facilities, data centers and artificial intelligence processing centers.
As of press time, Paxton had about 30 pieces of legislation he authored or co-sponsored that were filed with the Secretary of State. Those measures were either approved by the governor or became law without the governor’s signature.
This includes SB 632, which pertains to business courts and aims to focus on complex commercial litigation. These courts will be established in the state’s most populous counties, which are Oklahoma and Tulsa counties. They will be presided over by judges appointed by the governor who have at least 10 years of experience in civil litigation or business law.
During the legislative session, a bill sent to the governor’s desk can become law without his signature provided no action, such as approval or veto, is taken within five days. After sine die, the governor has 15 days to take action on legislation that advanced to his desk.
Sen. Brent Howard (R-Altus) also had close to 30 pieces of legislation he authored or co-sponsored that were filed with the Secretary of State. Those measures, too, were approved by the governor or became law without the governor’s signature during session.
This includes HB 2163, which pertains to open records and will create a new Public Access Counselor (PAC) Unit within the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office to help resolve disputes involving open records requests. Anyone denied access to public records would be able to file a review request with the PAC within 30 days and explain the public body’s response to their original request.
Sen. Spencer Kern (R-Duncan) had about 25 pieces of legislation he authored or co-sponsored that were filed with the Secretary of State. The measures were approved by the governor or became law without the governor’s signature.
This includes SB 1077, a fish and wildlife bill approved by the governor, that amends Oklahoma’s wildlife transportation laws by adding two new exceptions to existing regulations.
The first new exception will allow transportation of deceased, intact Cervidae (deer, elk or other species in the deer family) to a taxidermist in good standing with the Secretary of State. The second new exception will allow owners or operators of commercially licensed hunting facilities to transport Cervidae between instate hunting facilities without a permit from the Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Penalties for violating wildlife transportation regulations will remain the same, with potential fines between $50 and $200 and possible county jail time between 10 and 60 days.
Sen. Kendal Sacchieri (R-Blanchard) also had about 25 pieces of legislation she authored or co-sponsored that were filed with the Secretary of State. Her measures were approved by the governor or became law without the governor’s signature.
This includes SB 20, also known as the Secure Roads and Safe Trucking Act of 2025, which specifies that only drivers who meet strict requirements – proof of citizenship, valid work visa status and English proficiency – are allowed to operate commercial vehicles in Oklahoma.
Of the 3,253 bills introduced during the 2025 regular session, 546 (about 17%) have been completed to date.