Oklahoma Senate Bill SB1079

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/3/25
• Refer: 2/4/25

Caption

Food; requiring disclosure by licensed food establishments for use of cell-cultured meat. Effective date.

Summary

SB 1079 would create a new section of Oklahoma law governing the sale of cell-cultured meat, also described in the bill as lab-grown, cultivated, synthetic, or fake meat. The bill defines cell-cultured meat as meat developed from animal cell cultures rather than from the traditional raising and slaughter of livestock, and it expressly excludes plant-based or other non-meat imitation products. Under the bill, licensed food establishments would be prohibited from offering any food or other human-consumption product containing cell-cultured meat unless they comply with disclosure rules to be adopted by the State Commissioner of Health. The commissioner would be directed to promulgate rules requiring establishments that sell such products to disclose that fact to customers and to identify which menu items or products contain cell-cultured meat. The rules could vary by type of food establishment as the commissioner deems appropriate. The act would take effect November 1, 2025.

Impact

The bill would add a new disclosure and regulatory framework to Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes for food establishments that sell cell-cultured meat. It would not ban the product outright, but it would condition sales by licensed food establishments on compliance with future health department rules and customer disclosure requirements. The measure would affect restaurants, retailers, and other licensed food establishments, while leaving plant-based meat alternatives outside its scope.

Sentiment

The available legislative record shows the bill was introduced and referred to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, but there are no recorded committee transcripts or votes in the provided materials. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to reflect a precautionary or consumer-information approach toward emerging food technology rather than a broad food-safety overhaul. Because no debate or vote history is included, there is no documented support or opposition in the record provided.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely to be whether cell-cultured meat should be treated differently from conventional meat and whether mandatory disclosure is necessary or burdensome. Supporters would likely emphasize consumer transparency and clarity in labeling, while opponents may argue the bill singles out a new food technology, could create compliance costs for food establishments, and may discourage market entry for alternative protein products. The bill also draws a clear distinction between cell-cultured meat and plant-based products, which may be important to stakeholders in the alternative protein industry.