Oklahoma Senate Bill SB1397

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26
• Refer: 2/3/26

Caption

State fiscal affairs; requiring entities of state to round price of certain transactions. Effective date. Emergency.

Summary

SB1397 would require certain state-related entities that accept cash payments to round the total amount of a transaction down to the nearest cent that is a multiple of five. The requirement applies to agencies and various state-created bodies, including boards, bureaus, commissions, offices, authorities, public trusts where the state is a beneficiary, and interstate commissions. It covers prices, fees, penalties, and other charges, but specifically excludes tax levies. The bill also addresses mixed-payment transactions. If an individual pays using both cash and another form of payment, only the cash portion of the transaction would be rounded down under the bill’s procedure. The measure is set to take effect July 1, 2026, and includes an emergency clause, indicating the author’s intent for immediate effectiveness upon passage and approval.

Impact

If enacted, SB1397 would add a new section to Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes governing how certain state entities handle cash transactions. It would require those entities to adjust qualifying charges downward to the nearest five-cent increment, changing billing and payment practices for affected agencies and public entities that accept cash. The bill would not apply to tax levies, and it would not appear to alter the underlying amount owed except for the rounding rule used at payment.

Sentiment

The available legislative history shows little recorded debate or formal vote activity, so there is no strong evidence of controversy or broad opposition in the materials provided. The bill’s referral to the Revenue and Taxation Committee and then the Appropriations Committee suggests it was treated as a fiscal administration measure. Overall, the proposal appears procedural and technical in nature rather than ideologically divisive.

Contention

The main policy issue is the rounding requirement itself: affected entities must round down cash transactions, which could slightly reduce amounts collected on individual payments. Potential points of concern would likely involve revenue impacts, administrative implementation, and whether rounding down is appropriate for fees and penalties, though no specific objections are documented in the provided transcripts or votes. The explicit exclusion of tax levies may also reflect an effort to limit the bill’s reach and avoid broader tax administration disputes.