Oklahoma Senate Bill SB1365

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26
• Refer: 2/3/26
• Report Pass: 2/17/26
• Engrossed: 2/26/26
• Refer: 3/30/26
• Report Pass: 4/16/26
• Enrolled: 4/30/26
• Passed: 5/6/26

Caption

Central Purchasing Act; exempting certain purchases made by the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department.

Summary

SB1365 amends the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act to add a new exemption for the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. Under the bill, the department may make purchases of merchandise for resale—such as items sold online, in publications, or through department retail outlets like lodges, gift shops, golf pro shops, and restaurants—without following the Central Purchasing Act, so long as the purchases do not exceed $75,000. The bill also clarifies that this exemption does not apply to leasing or contracting for state-owned restaurants in state parks. In addition to the new tourism-related exemption, the bill updates the list of entities already exempt from the Central Purchasing Act and preserves the State Purchasing Director’s ability to convene an advisory committee of exempt entities. That committee may help develop shared purchasing contracts, coordinate purchasing platforms and catalogs, and explore procurement technology and joint purchasing opportunities. The measure is framed as a targeted procurement flexibility bill rather than a broad rewrite of state purchasing rules.

Impact

The bill narrows the reach of the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act by creating a specific statutory carveout for tourism-related resale merchandise purchases and by codifying that exemption in Title 74. It affects how the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department can procure goods for retail resale, allowing faster or more flexible purchasing up to the stated dollar cap, while leaving other procurement requirements in place for larger purchases and for restaurant leasing/contracting. It also reinforces the existing framework for exempt entities to participate in advisory purchasing coordination efforts.

Sentiment

Overall sentiment appears generally favorable, especially in the Senate where the bill advanced with strong support and passed third reading by a comfortable margin. The House also moved the bill through committee and third reading, indicating broad acceptance of the idea of giving the tourism department more purchasing flexibility. However, the later House emergency vote failed, suggesting that while the underlying policy had support, there was not enough agreement to give the measure immediate effect.

Contention

The main point of contention appears to be the scope of procurement exemptions and whether the tourism department should be allowed to bypass normal purchasing rules for resale merchandise. Supporters likely viewed the change as a practical administrative tool for retail operations tied to tourism promotion, while opponents may have been concerned about reduced oversight, competitive bidding, or the precedent of expanding exemptions from the Central Purchasing Act. The failed emergency clause vote suggests some members were willing to pass the policy but not to accelerate its implementation.