Transcript Highlights:

• idea on this is to make sure that the young engineers that we have going into the research and development
• UASAM, are going to be eligible for the tax credit. ers that we have going into the research and development
• about letting the public know because, as we get further away from the capitol, we don't get any Oklahoma

Bills: HB3882 , HB4273 , HB4280 , HB4281

Committee: House A&B Transportation Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• Intentional doing of an act with knowledge that the act was wrongful, willful.
• There's a litany of things, but this is a medical malpractice act.
• In a lot of states, it's called the Corporate Responsibility Act.
• I mean, I can go to Texas or I can go to Oklahoma and Arizona.
• And so, it's good to see this act, Mr.

Bills: SB38 , SB17 , SB41 , SB264

Committees: Senate Senate Judiciary , Senate House Judiciary

Keywords: SB38, pet food, registered pet food, registration fee, fees, sunset repeal, repeal of repeal, revenue, state fee, business regulation, animal feed, pet food registration, New Mexico, gun control, firearm safety, dealer regulation, illegal trade, background checks, sexual crimes, statute of limitations

Transcript Highlights:

• The Texas Medical Disclosure Panel is responsible for developing informed consent notices that physicians
• In Oklahoma, a similar campaign led to an 185% increase in volume.
• In Oklahoma, a similar campaign led to an 185% increase in volume.
• And the reason being, the response I got back is we're waiting for the legislature to act.
• In 2009, THA, the Nurses Association, and the Legislature worked together to develop the nurse staffing

Bills: HB 107 , HB742 , HB1639 , HB1700 , HB2071 , HB2187 , HB2402 , HB2516 , HB3211 , HB4529 , HB5342 , HB694 , HB923 , HB4655 , HB107

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a series of health and human services bills and left each one pending after public testimony. HB 4655 would expand financial literacy instruction for youth aging out of foster care to include credit scores, predatory lending, scams, banking, budgeting, and related consumer topics; the sponsor and Buckner International described the need to protect foster youth from financial pitfalls. HB 923 would add three public members and one physician to the Texas Medical Disclosure Panel; supporters said it would improve informed consent and patient voice, while a witness raised concerns about a House amendment requiring a physician majority for decisions and senators questioned scope-of-practice limits. HHSC said the panel is an independent body and the bill expressly bars it from changing scope of practice.

Transcript Highlights:

• It will not exceed $75,000 but will make tourism and recreation exempt from the Oklahoma Central Purchasing
• Act, and the main goal here is that we have golf courses, lodges, and different entities and venues

Bills: SB1365 , SB2139

Committee: House Government Oversight

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation is patterned off of the Arkansas Credit Act that passed in 2023.
• First, it increases access to workforce development assessments.
• First, it increases access to workforce development assessments.
• Are we starting to see some results like we do, for example, with ACT?
• We see workforce development as key for our employers.

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• The act covers more than just personally identifiable information.
• Out on the Street Act.
• In Oklahoma, I worked very closely with the Oklahoma Health Professionals Program, OHPP, I worked very
• I'm going to present AB 1064, the Lead for Kids Act.
• The Lead for Kids Act.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills related to reproductive access, child safety online, immigration enforcement in schools, health privacy, location data, digital provenance, reparations, and age assurance. AB 54 would protect the medication abortion supply chain and shield providers and others from liability; AB 1137 would strengthen reporting and enforcement tools for child sexual abuse material on social media; AB 49 would limit ICE activity at California public schools; AB 82 would expand privacy and safety protections for gender-affirming care patients and providers; AB 1355 would restrict the collection, use, and sale of precise location data; AB 853 would expand provenance requirements for AI-generated and authentic content; AB 62 would create a pathway for restitution for racially biased eminent domain takings; and AB 1043 would create a device-based age assurance framework for online services. Supporters generally framed the bills as necessary responses to current harms: reproductive rights advocates emphasized California’s role as a safe haven; child safety witnesses described the persistence and re-victimization caused by CSAM online; immigrant rights and education advocates said schools should remain safe from immigration enforcement; health and LGBTQ+ advocates stressed privacy and safety risks tied to tracking and harassment; privacy and consumer groups backed limits on location data and stronger provenance tools; and reparations advocates said AB 62 would help address historic injustices. Opposition came from family policy, tech, business, law enforcement, and industry groups, who raised concerns about safety claims, constitutional issues, implementation burdens, transparency, law enforcement access, and the need to preserve existing privacy frameworks and voluntary standards. The committee members largely expressed support for the policy goals while noting implementation concerns on some measures. Several members asked for or were offered coauthor status on bills. AB 1137, AB 54, AB 49, AB 82, AB 1355, AB 853, and AB 62 all received do-pass votes to Appropriations, with some members voting no or not voting on certain bills. AB 1355 and AB 853 were advanced with amendments or ongoing work promised with opponents, and AB 1043 was presented with discussion of possible amendments on parental consent and age assurance details, though the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Acting Chairman, Vice Chairman, members of the committee. My name is R.N.C. A.C.
• How does this impact innovation and developing new technologies that could move our industry forward?
• You see it in Montana, Arizona, California, Nevada, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Virginia have all
• You are guaranteed, you get an authorized rate of return, which acts as a cap on what you can earn.
• John Hensley, here on behalf of the Missouri Energy Development Association.

Committee: House General Laws

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, Senate Bill 1767 will hopefully stop illegal shipments of spirits into Oklahoma.
• It will hopefully stop illegal shipments of spirits into Oklahoma. It does a couple things.

Summary: The committee considered two Senate bills. Senate Bill 1859, presented by Representative Chapman, would establish a cyber crimes unit within the OSBI and create a revolving fund for future use. Chapman said it was nearly identical to a prior bill and moved for adoption; after no questions or debate, the committee voted 8-1 to pass it. Representative Fiffer then presented Senate Bill 1767, which aims to stop illegal shipments of spirits into Oklahoma by strengthening the state’s prohibition on out-of-state shipping of spirits and authorizing the Attorney General to enforce state and federal law. He said the bill should be revenue neutral or slightly positive for ABLE, despite a fiscal impact note. After no questions or debate, the committee voted unanimously, 9-0, to pass the bill. The meeting concluded after both measures were approved and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Corey, as a follow-up, could you talk a little bit about how, you know, DCB, for example, how do you develop
• And so the Oklahoma State one called the other day absolutely through the roof because she's going to
• And essentially what the youngest one said at Oklahoma State was, I had to learn to share space and studying
• But they have a housing circumstance where it would be a— And so the Oklahoma State one called the other
• This is a new policy developed by the board, Policy 409.1, a reduced credit bachelor's degree program

Summary: The committee met at Dakota College at Bottineau, approved the January 15, 2026 minutes, and heard an extensive campus update from Dean Corey Gorder and other DCB leaders. Gorder described the college’s affiliation with Minot State and its growing use of shared services, including business office functions, HR, institutional research, Title IX, printing, financial aid support through UND, and payroll support through NDSU. He said the arrangement lets DCB focus on its core mission while relying on system partners for specialized administrative work, and noted that accreditation concerns were not believed to limit those shared-service arrangements. He also highlighted DCB’s mission, enrollment growth, dual-credit reach across rural schools, and the college’s emphasis on nursing, dental, paramedic, farm management, and other workforce-oriented programs. Committee members asked detailed questions about dual credit, program delivery, and whether DCB’s partnerships were exclusive. Gorder said the relationships are generally collaborative rather than exclusive, that schools can choose other providers, and that many partnerships began through personal outreach and ongoing relationships with rural schools. Lisa Johnson of the university system added that transfer complaints are rare and that dual credit generally transfers well within North Dakota, though highly selective out-of-state institutions may treat credits differently. Members also asked about stipends for high school instructors, the share of K-12 versus DCB instructors, and the capacity limits in dental hygiene and other programs. Gorder said dental hygiene is capped by space and staffing, that there were more applicants than seats, and that expansion is being considered; he also said he would provide follow-up information on the paramedic program and instructor breakdowns. Gorder closed by identifying long-term challenges, including aging residence halls, recruiting faculty and staff, and the need to review low-enrollment programs. He said DCB should consider expanding into more high-demand trades such as welding, HVAC, and electrical work, and should streamline dual credit and strengthen its Minot programming. The committee then heard from the North Dakota Student Association, whose leaders outlined student priorities from the last session and the interim. Their main concerns included campus housing quality and affordability, food insecurity and food pantries, mental and physical health resources, student-led research funding, academic and career readiness, internships, and campus collaboration. They also discussed dual credit, saying it is valuable but uneven across the state, and raised questions about how to better retain students in North Dakota through the system. Members asked follow-up questions about housing, transferability of dual credit, and whether incentives could be used to encourage students to stay in-state for higher education.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will call the Energy Development and Transmission Committee. Good morning, committee.
• Because I'd love to see the coal develop with that.
• Because I'd love to see the coal develop with that.
• to residential developments and a lot of other stuff.
• And that was eight years before the federal SMCRA Act.

Summary: The committee met at the Coteau Freedom Mine in Mercer County, approved the June 2 minutes, and heard an overview of the mine from Coteau Properties president Andrew Hawbaker. He described the Freedom Mine’s production history, customer mix, safety record, reclamation practices, workforce, community involvement, and economic impact. Members asked about how long land stays in production before reclamation, how quickly it returns to agriculture, labor shortages, groundwater impacts, and which skilled trades are hardest to fill. Hawbaker said the mine typically disturbs land for three to five years, reclamation returns much of the land to agricultural use, and the biggest hiring challenges are electricians, welders, mechanics, operators, engineers, and accountants. The committee then heard from Public Service Commission Chairman Randy Christman on coal mining reclamation. He reviewed the history of North Dakota and federal reclamation laws, the PSC’s permitting and inspection authority, bonding requirements, contemporaneous reclamation standards, and how the state handles topsoil, subsoil, drainage, and revegetation. He emphasized that North Dakota’s program is well regarded, with frequent inspections and no corrective-action issues in recent federal reviews. Christman also discussed problems caused by federal coal ownership that can delay mine plans, and he answered questions about reclamation timing, wildlife easements, wind and pipeline reclamation, and whether similar bonding concepts could apply to data centers. In the afternoon, the committee received an update from Lignite Energy Council President and CEO Jonathan Fortner on the lignite industry. He highlighted the industry’s long-term role in providing reliable electricity, jobs, and tax revenue, along with North Dakota’s low electricity rates and strong grid reliability. Fortner discussed severance and conversion tax revenues, federal regulatory changes, litigation over EPA rules, carbon capture, critical minerals, and the potential for large-load customers such as data centers to support new coal generation. He said the industry sees a window of opportunity for growth and expressed support for new large-load development, while noting that diversified energy companies are also pursuing natural gas and other resources. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and adjourning for the tour.

Transcript Highlights:

• both Of these bills, so we can get together and come up with some water policy for the state of Oklahoma
• to work Kindly, let's try to get some good policy that works for all applications in the state of Oklahoma

Bills: SB1928 , SB259

Committee: Senate Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• not go to countries or entities that really don't have the best interests of the United States or Oklahoma
• Who gets listed on the federal adversary or foreign adversary company list that Oklahoma will have to

Committee: House State Powers

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development will come to order.
• , and the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development.
• Innovation and Opportunity Act.
• Innovation and Opportunity Act.
• On the makeup of the board, it is in workforce development, correct?

Committee: House Higher Education and Workforce Development

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2510, sponsored by Rep. Steinmeier, which would create a coordinated state framework for critical minerals involving the Departments of Natural Resources, Economic Development, and Higher Education and Workforce Development. The sponsor said Missouri is well positioned because it contains 36 of 60 minerals deemed critical to national security and manufacturing, and argued the bill would help Missouri pursue federal funding, build a workforce pipeline, and support advanced manufacturing with a five-year sunset. Committee members questioned the need for a new state structure and fund, the cost to Missouri, the role of universities, and whether the task force was too narrowly written around the University of Missouri system and mistakenly included DESE instead of higher education. A Missouri Chamber witness supported the bill for its economic and national security benefits, while an environmental witness urged adding an environmental professional to the task force and a mining permitting framework, citing health and water concerns and suggesting a separate mining-regulation bill as an amendment. The committee then took up House Bill 2585, sponsored by Rep. Castile, which updates Missouri workforce development statutes to align with federal law and implement the new Workforce Pell Grant program. The sponsor said the bill would allow short-term, high-value training programs in fields like welding, public safety academies, health technology, and trucking to qualify for Pell support, while preserving oversight and tying eligibility to outcomes such as completion, job placement, and earnings. Members asked about the number and makeup of the workforce board, whether the bill’s staffing references still pointed to the wrong department, how the 150% poverty-level threshold and reporting metrics would work, and whether the board could move quickly enough to meet federal timelines. A Missouri Community College Association witness said all 12 community colleges have programs likely to qualify and explained the federal eligibility standards, including a 70% completion rate, 70% job placement rate, and three-year rolling data review; a FGA Action witness and the Missouri Chamber also supported the bill as a way to expand access to skills training and draw down federal funds. After the bill hearings, the committee received an informational presentation from the Midwestern Higher Education Compact. The presenter described the compact’s regional cost-saving work, including reciprocity for distance education, technology contracts, grants, and efforts on dual credit and FAFSA support. She also shared Missouri-specific data on educational attainment, enrollment trends, student migration, and net price, noting that Missouri lags slightly behind the U.S. in attainment, has projected declines in high school graduates, retains most in-state students, and has higher net prices for low-income students than the Midwest average. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The port has room for retail development.
• That specifically talks about economic development board.
• An airport is a true economic development asset.
• Louisiana is not acting alone.
• Louisiana is not acting alone.

Summary: The committee first heard and favorably reported House Bill 1175, which updates aeronautics-related definitions to make Louisiana more attractive to the aviation industry. It then approved House Bill 655, giving DOTD clearer authority to contract for operation and maintenance of state ferry systems on a cost-plus basis, with testimony focused on flexibility for the Cameron Ferry and other state-run ferries. House Bill 1037, which reorganizes certain DOTD operations by shifting duties to a chief operating officer and extending work on a unified permitting platform, was also reported favorably, as was House Bill 1174, which recreates the Department of Transportation and Development on a revised cycle. House Bill 714 was voluntarily deferred. The committee next took up several port-related measures. House Bill 871, which would have added two St. Tammany appointees to the Port of New Orleans board, was voluntarily deferred after the author said the timing was premature given ongoing work on the LIT project and regional trade zone issues. House Bill 345, expanding the Rail Infrastructure Improvement Program to include rail infrastructure at ports, was reported favorably. House Bill 713, which would cap the Caddo-Bossier Port executive director’s compensation at the statewide average of the top ten port directors, drew extensive testimony for and against; supporters argued the salary was excessive and the port needed accountability, while opponents said ports are different from one another, the local appointing authorities already oversee the board, and the bill could hurt recruitment. The committee voted 12-1 to involuntarily defer HB 713. House Bill 667, which would change the Caddo-Bossier Port Commission from appointed to elected members, also drew strong opposition over cost, voter confusion, and loss of local appointing authority, and it too was involuntarily deferred by a 12-1 vote. The committee then favorably reported House Bill 743, creating the Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport District in St. Mary Parish, after testimony that the airport should be managed as a dedicated economic development asset. House Bill 836, which would reconfirm members of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East, was amended to move the reconfirmation date from August 1, 2026, to December 1, 2026, to avoid disrupting hurricane-season operations, and was reported favorably by substitute. Finally, House Bill 730, concerning the use of ADS-B aircraft tracking data, was discussed with an amendment limiting the bill’s application to smaller aircraft; the measure was presented as a privacy and safety bill to prevent assessors or others from using ADS-B data to impose fees or taxes on aircraft owners.

Transcript Highlights:

• going to do is not to exceed $75,000, but it's going to make tourism and recreation exempt from the Oklahoma
• Central Purchasing Act.

Bills: SB1365 , SB2139

Committee: House Government Oversight

Summary: The Government Oversight committee met briefly with a prayer and then heard two Senate bills. Senate Bill 1365, presented by Representative Townley, updates and modernizes statutory language for the tourism promotional fund, caps the fund at $75,000, and exempts tourism and recreation purchases from the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act so tourism venues such as golf courses and lodges can keep stock on hand without procurement delays. After a do pass motion and no debate, the committee approved the bill 7-4 and reported it out. Representative Kelly then presented Senate Bill 2139, which provides clarifying language to Senate Bill 1617 from 2024. Kelly said it resulted from a year of research and stakeholder discussion and had passed unanimously in the Senate. The committee moved the bill with no questions or debate and approved it 11-0. The chair then thanked members for their work and adjourned the meeting, noting it was likely the last meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• direct result of H.B. 1576, which was passed by the legislature last year regarding rules with the Oklahoma
• H.J.R. 1100 is dealing with the rule through the Oklahoma Management and Enterprise Services that we

Bills: HJR1096 , HJR1097 , HJR1098 , HJR1099 , HJR1100

Committee: House Administrative Rules

Summary: The committee considered three resolutions, all presented by Chairman Kendrick with full PCS substitutes. H.J.R. 1096 approved a medical marijuana rule that had originally been treated as a major rule but was later determined not to be one; members asked no questions and the resolution was adopted unanimously. H.J.R. 1099 was described as a direct result of H.B. 1576 from the prior session concerning Oklahoma Health Care Authority rules; it also drew no questions and passed unanimously. H.J.R. 1100 addressed a rule from the Oklahoma Management and Enterprise Services that was discovered late to be a major rule; after brief discussion and no substantive questions, it too passed unanimously. During the meeting, members voted on each resolution after motions for adoption and do pass. The recorded votes were unanimous in favor on all three measures, with no nay votes. After H.J.R. 1100 passed, Chairman Kendrick noted there would be one more committee meeting the next morning at 9 a.m. to address a late-arriving resolution, and he offered to discuss the late major-rule issue with Representative Chapman after adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• The PCS and the bill is a request bill from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.
• From the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Well, you'd like to adopt? Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman.

Committee: House Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• not go to countries or entities that really don't have the best interests of the United States or Oklahoma
• how does someone get listed on the federal adversary or the foreign adversary company list that Oklahoma

Committee: House State Powers

Summary: The State Powers Committee met with a quorum and took up House Bill 4193, as amended by a proposed committee substitute (PCS), which the committee adopted as the working draft without objection. Representative Chapman explained that the revised bill removed references to political subdivisions and would apply only to state contracts and state purchasing. He said the bill’s purpose was to prevent state tax dollars from going to countries or entities that do not have the best interests of the United States or Oklahoma at heart, with particular concern about foreign adversaries such as China. During questions, members asked how the foreign-adversary list would be determined and enforced. Chapman said the list is a federal issue and that the state purchasing director would reference it, with enforcement largely left to the purchasing director’s discretion and whistleblowers. He said contracts could be terminated if a prohibited entity were identified. OMES was referenced as the agency involved in the purchasing process, and Chapman indicated the bill had been revised after discussions with OMES. After discussion, the committee moved to a vote and passed the bill out of committee by a 4-0 vote, reporting it as “do pass.” The meeting then adjourned with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• This hearing in the Minnesota Senate Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development
• </c> in Oklahoma. in Oklahoma.
• ,</c><00:33:52.080><c> even</c> Day for that theme to develop, even Day for that theme to develop, even
• Rather, the new requirement is just that it goes to develop a farming incubator project for aspiring
• There's been no markets that have been able to be developed to get rid of this waste.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• Jeff Hearn of Oklahoma. John, Jeff Hearn of Oklahoma. John, Jeff Hearn of Oklahoma.
• <02:55:46.920><c> of</c><02:55:47.040><c> 1946</c> Act of 1946 Act of 1946 the<02:55:48.720><c> chair
• </c> bring up HR 3899 the American Family act bring up HR 3899 the American Family act under<04:28:50.199
• </c><04:29:16.840><c> to</c> must pass the American families act to must pass the American families act
• </c> all papers and perform all other acts all papers and perform all other acts for<05:34:12.320><c>