OKLAHOMA CITY Three southwest Oklahoma representatives - Reps. Stacy Jo Adams (R-Duncan), Dick Lowe (R-Amber) and Daniel Pae (R-Lawton) - are co-sponsors of House Bill 1389, which pertains to mammography screening.
The measure seeks to amend existing state law by increasing the definitions and coverage requirements for diagnostic examinations and breast cancer screening. If passed, several new types of examinations will be added, including molecular breast imaging and contrast-enhanced mammograms.
A new definition for supplemental examination is proposed, which is based on personal or family medical history and risk factors. The bill seeks to ensure that health benefit plans allow coverage for lowdose mammography screenings without copays or deductibles. The goal is to provide more comprehensive breast cancer screening options and coverage.
In addition, Adams also is co-sponsor of HB 1203, the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act. Pae has also signed on as a co-sponsor of the measure. If passed, the State Treasurer and state retirement funds will be permitted to invest in certain digital assets with specific safeguards and restrictions.
The State Treasurer would be allowed to invest up to 5% of public funds from the State General Fund, Revenue Stabilization Fund and Constitutional Reserve Fund in Bitcoin or other digital assets. Guidelines suggest the investments into digital assets must have a market capitalization over $500 billion and the assets must be held by a qualified custodian or through an exchange-traded product.
Also, staking digital assets through third-party solutions would be permitted and also would allow state retirement funds to invest in digital asset exchange-traded products registered with the Commodities Future Trading Commission or the Securities Exchange Commission.
Both bills received a second hearing in the Senate last week and are scheduled for further review.
Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) authored or co-sponsored 26 bills that saw legislative action last week. Eight bills he authored received a second hearing in the Senate last week and have been referred to the Senate Energy Committee for further review. They are:
• HB 1369, which pertains to oil and gas and seeks to modify the requirements for operators to show financial ability to plug wells, close surface impoundments and remove equipment in the state.
The Category A surety (a financial statement proving net worth) would be phased out by Nov. 1 and introduces a tiered Category B surety system based on the number of wells an operator manages. Current operators in good standing will be able to retain the Category A surety.
Ensuring that oil and gas operators have sufficient financial resources to fulfill their operational and environmental responsibilities is the goal of the bill. In addition, the measure seeks to protect the state from potential cleanup costs if operators fail to manage their sites and wells.
• HB 1370, which would extend and modify the Corporation Commission Plugging Fund by making several key changes to how gas and oil excise taxes are allocated. The bill would also extend the sunset date from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2031, to maintain the fund.
• HB 1371, the Production Revenue Standard Act, would amend the state’s existing law regarding gas and oil production revenue payments. The measure specifically targets how and when proceeds must be paid to the owners. It also addresses interest calculation for uncashed or undeliverable physical payment checks, which will not continue to earn interest after the first mailing date.
• HB 1372 seeks to modify the state’s gross production tax law and stipulates a 50% tax reduction for oil and gas recovery projects be provided, if wells are used from the Corporation Commission’s orphaned well list. The intent is to encourage the recovery and productive use of orphaned wells.
• HB 1373 would establish critical statutory protections for landowners hosting industrial solar facilities. It would ensure that solar companies are held accountable for decommissioning activities. The state currently lacks regulations governing the removal of solar infrastructure if a company goes out of business or doesn’t decommission in a timely manner once production ends.
The measure also introduces new requirements for solar companies, such as requiring financial assurance to the landowner that must be at least equal to the estimated amount by which the cost or removing the solar power facilities from the property. It also specifies that the property be restored to as near as reasonably possible to the condition prior to the solar facility installation.
• HB 1374, also known as “behind the meter legislation,” relates to utilities. The measure would allow private industry to develop and manage their own power solutions “behind the meter.” The intent of the bill is to encourage economic growth in the state, particularly in light of Oklahoma’s abundant natural gas resources.
• HB 1375, known as The Oklahoma Nuclear Energy Feasibility Act of 2025, proposes to provide a timeline for the Corporation Commission to engage an outside consulting firm to provide the service of conducting a technical and legal feasibility study on promoting nuclear energy generation.
• HB 1427 proposes to modify existing state tax law in regards to clean burning motor vehicle fuel property tax credits. It would extend and adjust tax credits for investments in alternative fuel vehicle technologies.
Rep. Trey Caldwell (R-Lawton) is the Chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee, which has multiple hearings scheduled this week for proposed bills.
In addition, Caldwell authored 13 bills that saw legislative action last week, including two measures referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. They are:
• HB 2752 would amend the state’s eminent domain law by placing new restrictions on how electric and gas utilities can use eminent domain powers. The measure, in part, would specifically prohibit the use of eminent domain for siting or building renewable energy facilities such as wind turbines, solar facilities, battery storage and hydrogen gas facilities on private property.
• HB 2762 pertains to international corporation agents and creating the International Corporation Agent Political Activity Oversight Act of 2025. The measure intends to establish new regulations for individuals representing international corporations in Oklahoma. The agent will be required to file a specific form with the Secretary of State and pay a $25 filing fee before being allowed to advocate or influence state laws or seek state funding for their associated corporation.
Rep. Toni Hasenbeck (R-Elgin) also saw 13 bills she either authored or co-sponsored receive legislative action last week. Eight of the bills she authored received a second reading in the Senate, which included three measures that received a second reading in the Senate and were referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. They are:
• HB 1273, which pertains to domestic violence and seeks to modify laws by updating requirements for batterers’ intervention programs and treatment for offenders. In part, the measure seeks to have intervention programs certified by the attorney general.
• HB 1346, which pertains to child pornography and amends several sections of state law. Among other changes, this measure changes the term “child pornography” to “child sexual abuse material.” In part, the proposed bill also expands the purpose of the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit to include investigating additional sex-related offenses.
• HB 1360, which seeks to amend state statutes and expand protections for personal information confidentiality related to domestic abuse. It would allow the program manager of the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Address Confidentiality Program to request that personal information be kept secure and not publicly available online.
The measure would also allow ACP participants to obtain a court order requiring county assessors to also keep personal information confidential.
Rep. Gerrid Kendrix (R-Altus) authored or co-sponsored 36 bills that saw legislative action last week. Six of those measures pertained to sunset dates, which passed the Administrative Rules Committee and a committee report was filed.
The six commissions or boards include the Archives and Records Commission, the Capitol-Medical Center Improvement and Zoning Commission, the Oklahoma Funeral Board, the State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision and the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.
In addition, Kendrix authored HB 2728, known as the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025. This bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Boles and Caldwell and received a referral last week to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
This act is a measure designed to enhance transparency and legislative oversight in the state’s administrative rulemaking process and is modeled after similar federal legislation. The intent is to ensure that state agency regulations receive greater legislative review before taking effect.
If signed into law, HB 2728 would require all proposed agency rules to be submitted with an economic impact statement. Additionally, any rule projected to cost at least $1 million over five years would require separate legislative approval before it could take effect.
The bill will also establish the Legislative Economic Analysis Unit (LEAU) within the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) to provide independent reviews of agencies’ economic impact statements.
Rep. Dick Lowe (R-Amber) authored or co-sponsored 10 bills that saw legislative action last week. Four of those measures received a second hearing in the Senate and were referred to the Senate Education Committee. They are:
• HB 1086, which seeks to modify state school district funding regulations and would primarily focus on how general fund money can be calculated and used. It would amend existing statutes and provide school districts with more flexibility in using general fund revenues in specific circumstances.
• HB 1087, which would give teachers in the later portion of their careers the opportunity to earn more money. This proposed measure would extend the teacher salary schedule through 35 years of service instead of the current 25-year cap.
• HB 1088 pertains to schools and seeks to amend state statutes which relate to transfer students. The measure would modify school transfer laws by offering clearer guidelines for students wanting to transfer to an adjacent school district when their home district does not offer the needed grade level.
• HB 1521 seeks to modify the state’s high school graduation requirements and require students to complete specific units in core subjects such as English, mathematics, science and social studies along with new provisions for personal financial literacy.
Rep. Daniel Pae (R-Lawton) authored or co-sponsored 35 bills that saw legislative action last week. This includes a measure he authored, HB 2019, which is related to revenue and taxation and seeks to modify state statutes regarding tax credit provisions for the aerospace industry. Specifically it would extend available tax credits from Jan. 1, 2026, to Jan. 1, 2032.
In addition, Pae signed on with Sen. Roland Pederson (R-Burlington) to support Senate Concurrent Resolution 6, which seeks to designate April 15 as Purple Up! For Military Kids Day in Oklahoma and to thank military families.
The resolution notes the unique challenges military children face as a result of their parents’ service, including frequent relocations, long separations and multiple deployments to combat zones. It also notes that the tradition of wearing purple, known as the “purple suit,” symbolizes unity across all the branches of the military.
Rep. Rande Worthen (R-Lawton) authored or co-sponsored six bills that saw legislative action last week. Two of those measures received a second reading in the Senate and were referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. They are:
• HB 1362, which pertains to new criminal penalties for persons who are illegally in the United States and are arrested for violating a criminal law in Oklahoma.
• HB 1693 pertains to criminal procedure and, in part, would change state statutes relating to death penalty procedures for the mentally incompetent. A mentally incompetent person is defined as someone who is not able to rationally understand why they are being put to death. The measure outlines the process an inmate’s attorney must follow if seeking a ruling of mentally incompetence.
In addition, Worthen signed on to support House Resolution 1018 which seeks to recognize the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation as the premier law enforcement agency of the state and highlight the agency’s service to the citizens of Oklahoma.
The resolution notes that the agency, originally named the State Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, was created on March 28, 1925. The Oklahoma Legislature appropriated $78,000 to fund the Bureau in its first year.
The proposal, HR 1018, was adopted on April 3 and has been referred for enrollment.