Roads and bridges; Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driving Safety Fund; increasing apportionment; utilization; weigh stations; effective date; emergency.
Summary
HB2772 amends Oklahoma’s Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety (ROADS) Fund statute to increase and extend the amount of state revenue apportioned to transportation purposes. The bill sets a baseline annual apportionment of $80 million to the ROADS Fund and raises the total target apportionment to $575 million for FY 2022, $590 million for FY 2023, and $610 million beginning in FY 2025 and thereafter. It also preserves the use of those funds for highway, bridge, road, and related transportation purposes, including debt service on certain transportation obligations.
The bill adds new dedicated uses after the ROADS Fund apportionment is met: $2 million annually for the Heartland Flyer passenger rail project and $3 million annually for the Public Transit Revolving Fund. It also authorizes up to $20 million per fiscal year from FY 2025 through FY 2033 for construction, repair, and maintenance of weigh stations on the state highway system. The act takes effect July 1, 2025, but includes an emergency clause for immediate effectiveness upon passage and approval.
Impact
HB2772 changes state law governing the distribution and use of certain revenues that would otherwise flow to the General Revenue Fund, directing larger and more specific amounts into transportation-related accounts. It amends 69 O.S. 2021, Section 1521 to adjust apportionments to the ROADS Fund, clarify debt-service priorities, remove a prior limitation on appropriation authority, and eliminate a reporting duty of the State Board of Equalization. The bill also updates references and expands the list of authorized expenditures by the Department of Transportation, including a new earmark for weigh stations.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support. It passed the House committee stage 26-0, the Senate Appropriations and Budget Committee 22-2, the House floor 83-6, and the Senate floor 39-7. Those margins suggest general agreement on the need to continue and expand transportation funding, while still leaving some minority opposition.
Contention
The main points of contention likely involve the size and permanence of the revenue diversion from the General Revenue Fund, as well as the bill’s specific earmarks. Some lawmakers may have objected to increasing mandatory transportation apportionments, reducing budget flexibility, or directing money to particular projects such as the Heartland Flyer, public transit, and weigh stations. The bill also retains a mechanism to reduce ROADS Fund apportionments during a General Revenue Fund revenue failure, indicating concern about balancing transportation commitments with broader state fiscal conditions.
Crimes and punishments; modifying offenses in certain classes of felonies; creating felony offenses for second or subsequent offenses; adding offenses for which registration pursuant to the Sex Offenders Registration Act applies. Effective date.
Crimes and punishments; creating felony offense related to false impersonation of peace officers; broadening scope of allowable seizure. Effective date.