Sales tax apportionment; modifying apportionment limit for the Oklahoma Tourism Promotion Revolving Fund; effective date; emergency.
Summary
HB1733 amends Oklahoma’s sales tax apportionment statute to change how certain sales tax revenues are distributed among state funds. The bill keeps the existing allocations to the General Revenue Fund, education, and teachers’ retirement largely intact, but revises the cap structure for the Oklahoma Tourism Promotion Revolving Fund and related tourism accounts. Beginning in fiscal year 2025, the tourism promotion fund would be limited to $5 million, then the cap would rise in stages to $30 million in FY 2026, $35 million in FY 2027, $40 million in FY 2028, and $45 million in FY 2029 and thereafter. Any revenue above the new caps would go to the General Revenue Fund.
The bill also preserves the current apportionments for the Oklahoma Tourism Capital Improvement Revolving Fund and the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission Revolving Fund, subject to their existing dollar caps, and continues the allocation to the Oklahoma Historical Society Capital Improvement and Operations Revolving Fund. In addition, it adds a new provision for fiscal year 2029 and later directing $50 million to the Oklahoma Capital Assets Maintenance and Protection Fund created by the act. The measure is set to take effect July 1, 2025, and includes an emergency clause for immediate effectiveness upon passage and approval.
Impact
HB1733 would amend 68 O.S. 2021, Section 1353, which governs the apportionment of Oklahoma sales tax revenues. Its main legal effect is to modify the statutory ceiling on the Oklahoma Tourism Promotion Revolving Fund and to redirect any excess tourism-related apportionments back to the General Revenue Fund. It also creates a new dedicated funding stream for the Oklahoma Capital Assets Maintenance and Protection Fund beginning in FY 2029, while leaving other existing apportionments for education, teacher retirement, municipalities/counties, highways, railroads, and historical preservation in place.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available legislative context, the measure appears to be a revenue-allocation and tourism-funding bill with no recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials. The overall tone is procedural and budget-focused rather than controversial on its face, suggesting the bill is intended to adjust funding caps and preserve state revenue flexibility. Because there are no transcripts or vote records, there is no documented public sentiment in the supplied record beyond the bill’s introduction and referral.
Contention
The most likely point of contention is the size and growth of the Oklahoma Tourism Promotion Revolving Fund cap, since the bill both raises the allowable tourism apportionment over time and limits how much can be diverted from General Revenue. Supporters would likely favor the tourism investment and the new capital maintenance funding, while opponents could object to dedicating more sales tax revenue to special funds instead of the General Revenue Fund or other priorities. However, no committee testimony or vote history was provided, so any disagreement is inferred from the funding changes rather than documented debate.
Tourism; increasing apportionment to Tourism funds; removing apportionment cap; limiting funds for operations; eliminating prohibition to spend certain funds on salaries; effective date; emergency.