Oklahoma House Bill HB2116

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/3/25
• Refer: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/11/25
• Refer: 2/17/25
• Refer: 2/19/25
• Report Pass: 3/9/26
• Engrossed: 3/16/26
• Refer: 4/1/26

Caption

Public retirement systems; Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System; participation; employees; agency; codification; emergency.

Summary

HB2116 amends the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System statutes to add commissioned or CLEET-certified officers hired by the Office of the State Fire Marshal on or after July 1, 2026, as members of the system. The bill also clarifies related membership language in the retirement code and states that these new officers will participate in and contribute to the Law Enforcement Retirement System rather than the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, except for participation in the state deferred compensation and deferred savings incentive plans. The measure is framed as an amendatory retirement bill with an emergency clause, meaning it would take effect immediately upon passage and approval. It updates the statutory definition of “member” in 47 O.S. Section 2-300 and creates a new codified section directing the State Fire Marshal’s Office to be a participating employer for these officers. The bill therefore changes which retirement plan covers a specific class of public safety employees and affects employer contribution obligations and employee retirement benefits for future hires. The overall sentiment around HB2116 appears strongly favorable. It advanced out of the House Banking, Financial Services and Pensions Committee and the House Government Oversight Committee unanimously, and it passed the House on third reading by a wide margin of 88-0. The lack of recorded opposition suggests broad agreement that the retirement coverage change for State Fire Marshal officers is appropriate. There is little visible contention in the available record. No committee transcript is provided, and the votes show no dissent. Any practical questions would likely center on the fiscal and administrative implications of moving a new group of officers into the law enforcement retirement system, but no specific objections or competing viewpoints are reflected in the available materials.

Impact

HB2116 would amend Title 47 provisions governing the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System to expand membership eligibility to include commissioned or CLEET-certified officers hired by the Office of the State Fire Marshal on or after July 1, 2026. It also creates a new statutory section requiring those officers to participate in the Law Enforcement Retirement System and prohibiting their participation in Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System plans other than the deferred compensation and deferred savings incentive plans. This changes retirement coverage, contribution requirements, and future benefit administration for that workforce, while making the State Fire Marshal’s Office a participating employer in the system.

Sentiment

The bill’s reception was overwhelmingly positive in the available legislative history. It received unanimous committee approval in both House committees listed and passed the House 88-0 on third reading. No negative votes, recorded objections, or adverse committee discussion are available, indicating broad support and little visible resistance.

Contention

No notable contention is reflected in the provided record. The bill appears to have been treated as a technical or targeted retirement-system expansion for a specific public safety agency. Any potential concerns would likely involve retirement-system cost, employer participation, or whether the State Fire Marshal officers should be placed in the law enforcement system rather than the public employees system, but no legislator or committee member is shown raising those issues in the available materials.