Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1273 creates the Oklahoma State Agency Board and Commission Review Task Force.
• agencies, boards, and commissions.
• My understanding of this bill is that it's basically wanting the various state agencies to make public
• This bill ensures that state agencies cannot quietly regulate Oklahomans through guidance documents that
• Other states, by the way, are doing this.

Bills: HJR1032, SB1273, SB1433

Keywords: HJR1032, House Joint Resolution 1032, Service Oklahoma, administrative rules, rule repeal, joint resolution, Oklahoma Administrative Code, OAC 670:15-1-10, OAC 670:15-1-14, agency regulation, legislative oversight, Secretary of State, Oklahoma Register, rulemaking, permanent rules, administrative code, state government, task force, agency review, board review

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1273 creates the Oklahoma State Agency, Board, and Commission Review Task Force.
• agencies, boards, and commissions.
• My understanding on this bill is that it's basically wanting the various state agencies to make public
• This bill ensures that state agencies cannot quietly regulate Oklahomans through guidance documents that
• Other states, by the way, are doing this.

Bills: HJR1032, SB1273, SB1433

Keywords: HJR1032, House Joint Resolution 1032, Service Oklahoma, administrative rules, rule repeal, joint resolution, Oklahoma Administrative Code, OAC 670:15-1-10, OAC 670:15-1-14, agency regulation, legislative oversight, Secretary of State, Oklahoma Register, rulemaking, permanent rules, administrative code, state government, task force, agency review, board review

Summary: The Senate Administrative Rules Committee met to discuss upcoming rule-review packets and then considered three measures sponsored by Senator Bergstrom. Chairman Bergstrom said the committee’s first packet covered judiciary rules, a second packet on education would follow, and members were expected to review the materials and raise questions so agencies could provide written responses. Senate Bill 1273 created the Oklahoma State Agency, Board, and Commission Review Task Force to examine the efficiency, effectiveness, and necessity of state agencies, boards, and commissions and recommend legislative action. Members asked about overlap with existing committee work and whether the task force would require staff or create a fiscal impact. Bergstrom said it would use existing House and Senate staff and should have no fiscal impact. The bill passed 9-0. Senate Bill 1433, the Guidance Transparency Act, would require state agencies to publicly disclose guidance documents, memos, bulletins, and similar materials in a searchable database so they cannot function as undisclosed rules. Bergstrom said the measure was intended to prevent agencies from regulating through unofficial guidance and that the governor’s office and Secretary of State supported it. After questions about staffing and whether agencies could evade disclosure, the bill passed 7-2. House Joint Resolution 1032 would align Service Oklahoma rules with existing law and prior executive action regarding changes to birth certificates and state IDs related to sex or gender identity changes; Bergstrom said the rules, not statutes, were being moved. It passed 7-2. The meeting ended with Bergstrom urging members to review the rule packets and submit questions before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:07.360><c> auditor</c> studied the office of the state auditor studied the office of the state
• </c><00:22:47.720><c> of</c> revenue for the state of revenue for the state of Minnesota<00:22:49.400
• state state government<00:28:04.519><c> so</c><00:28:04.760><c> quickly</c><00:28:05.519><c> um</c><
• </c><00:28:23.200><c> of</c> management and budget on the state of management and budget on the state
• First, there are operating adjustments for state agencies.

Bills: HF3

Keywords: legislative auditor, reporting, accountability, state finance, executive agency oversight, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Now we have to be really thoughtful about our relationships with our agencies and our state entities.
• He added that the office must be thoughtful about its relationships with agencies and state entities,
• He emphasized that the office must be careful with its relationships with agencies and state entities
• state work with agencies the fu of the state work with agencies at<00:49:44.920><c> times</c><00:49:45.319
• at 7% the first year the clearly State at 7% the first year the agency<00:52:07.079><c> said</c><00:

Bills: HF3

Keywords: legislative auditor, reporting, accountability, state finance, executive agency oversight, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• State government committee will Okay. State government committee will come to order.
• Chevron case where they basically said The Chevron case where they basically said that as government agencies
• give all due The court system was to give all due deference to the ruling or the findings of the agency
• and said, "nope, you aren't" precedent out and said, "nope, you aren't" to give deference to the agency

Bills: SB248, SB242, HB44, SB266, HB44

Keywords: Alabama Administrative Procedure Act, APA, administrative law, judicial review, agency deference, Chevron deference, de novo review, contested case, state agency, regulatory power, individual liberty, statutory interpretation, rule interpretation, license revocation, license suspension, tax assessment, tax refund, administrative appeal, circuit court, Montgomery County

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:48:28.400><c> oversight</c> functionally impair the state oversight functionally impair the state
• </c> agencies that were defrauding the state agencies that were defrauding the state of<01:02:26.240>
• Second, we have concerns about the practicality of requiring state agency oversight of nonprofit compensation
• </c><01:36:30.639><c> agency</c><01:36:31.080><c> oversight</c><01:36:31.800><c> of</c> requiring state
• agency oversight of requiring state agency oversight of nonprofit nonprofit nonprofit compensation<01

Bills: HF1, HF2

Keywords: Office of Inspector General, inspector general, legislative audit, fraud prevention, waste and abuse, public funds, grant oversight, state grants, grant management, whistleblower protection, retaliation, subpoena power, data practices, government transparency, accountability, law enforcement referrals, sanctions, debarment, payment withholding, public assistance fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, currently we have two statutes that cover the State Ethics Commission.
• We're gonna get you on up real quick on 128, the sunset on Alabama sickle cell oversight.
• that</c><00:09:07.279><c> is</c><00:09:07.519><c> being</c><00:09:07.680><c> rolled</c> of those agencies
• > don't</c><00:09:25.360><c> know</c><00:09:25.440><c> if</c><00:09:25.600><c> that</c> sunset um agency
• I don't know if that sunset um agency I don't know if that takes<00:09:26.080><c> care</c><00:09:26.240

Bills: SB89, SB54, SB127, SB128, SB77, SB78, SB100, SB101, SB102, SB103, SB113, SB126, SB122, SB136

Keywords: pilotage, commission, statewide laws, maritime regulation, repeal, sunset law, Alabama Surface Mining Commission, environmental regulation, mining, state commission, Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling, state agency, continuous operation, government efficiency, sickle cell disease, healthcare, regulatory commission, public health, 911 services, 911 Board

Transcript Highlights:

• to state agencies.
• were too burdensome for that state agency to put into place.
• The state agency does not provide this information.
• This is just for state agencies. So the state agency will put this information together.
• However, Texas law still references the outdated standards and also requires state agencies, state agency

Bills: HB512, HB2248, HB2679, HB2832, HB3112, HB3368, HB3490, HB3512, HB3623, HB3666, HB3700, HB3711, HB3770, HB3963

Keywords: grievance procedures, state agency, employee rights, workplace regulations, employment law, employees, employment actions, appeal, state employees, workplace rights, disciplinary actions, employment conditions, employment disputes, job protections, public information, transparency, government accountability, information access, notification requirements, federal funding

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:10:38.480><c> designate</c><00:10:38.800><c> a</c> state agencies um need to designate a state
• </c> the operations of state agencies. the operations of state agencies.
• state agency knew of If MMB or another state agency knew of specific<00:32:13.039><c> fraudulent</c><
• And we invested in oversight in all of our agencies.
• </c> Accountability within our state agencies.

Bills: HF3676, HF3683, HF3395

Keywords: Safe at Home, address confidentiality, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, harassment, victim privacy, survivor protection, confidential address, protected address, secret address, identity protection, residential confidentiality, program participant, nondiscrimination, court disclosure, protective order, service of process, driver's license, state ID

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill Pulte, the nominee to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency, failed to assure us that he would
• William Polte to be the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Keywords: nomination, Senator Warren, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Undersecretary of Commerce, accountability, oversight

Summary: The committee convened to discuss several nominations, notably for key positions including the directors of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Undersecretary of Commerce. Senator Warren raised significant concerns during her opposition to all four nominees, citing their failure to provide satisfactory answers regarding their qualifications and policy perspectives. She expressed particular alarm over Jonathan McKernan's ties to external influences and Jeffrey Kessler's hesitance to acknowledge geopolitical threats, leading to discussions about accountability in nominations and oversight. The votes resulted in a mixed outcome, with some nominees being approved while others faced substantial opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• Of that total savings, it saves the state an estimated $30 million...
• Of that total savings, it saves the state an estimated $30 million in state general fund alone in HB
• The requested increase is $20,556,666 in state general fund.
• Louisiana State Law Institute, $1.2 million.
• agencies, but outside interests, but also from members as well.

Bills: HB1, HB312, HB313, HB314, HB383, HB983, HB1126, HCR3

Keywords: state budget, appropriations, education funding, public health, social services, government operations, state institutions, budget, funding, state general fund, local government, fiscal year, economic development, state treasury, emergency response, education, voting technology, sustainability, revenue sharing, fund distribution

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a bill to make sure that state governments and agencies, state entities, don't use state funds
• That's not the purview of these state agencies. You're recognized. Thank you.
• That's not the purview of these state agencies. You're recognized. Thank you.
• description of agency, this is agency board commission department or other state government entities.
• So would you be okay with state agencies using funds to target folks who might have autism?

Bills: HB3415, HB2206, HB3414, HB3265, HB3310, HB3413, HB4486, HB1219

Keywords: state government, vendor contracts, subcontracting, public database, contract assessment, transparency, retirement, law enforcement, Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System, school resource officers, public safety, public finance, contract management, service-driven contracts, state accounting, intangible assets, Oklahoma Police Pension, disability benefits, mental health, retirement system

Summary: The Senate Committee on Retirement and Government Resources met with a quorum and first took up two executive nominations for Ben Lepak, one to serve as Secretary of State and one to serve in the governor’s cabinet. Lepak described the Secretary of State office’s work on business filings, recordkeeping, and initiative petitions, and said the office’s career staff handled those duties well. Senators asked about fairness in the initiative petition process and administrative rules; Lepak emphasized transparency and ministerial, nonpolitical administration. Both nominations advanced on 8-0 votes. The committee then considered several House bills tied largely to government transparency and purchasing oversight. House Bill 3415 would require state entities to report contracts and subcontractors, include performance metrics, publicly post contracts and assessments, and document consultant outcomes; it passed 8-0 despite concerns about a $2 million fiscal impact and added OMES workload. House Bill 3414 would require OMES to identify whether contracts are service-based and create a digital warehouse for intangible assets; it passed 6-0. House Bill 3310 would authorize OMES payment-procedure rules, require invoice legitimacy checks and a 60-day payment window, and create compliance reporting with possible budget recommendations for noncompliance; it passed 7-0 after questions about appeals and penalties. House Bill 3413, requiring agencies to include more detail on contractors and consultants in annual budget submissions, also passed 7-0. The committee also approved House Bill 2206, which moves new school resource officers into a law-enforcement retirement system rather than teacher retirement, with testimony that it would help recruit officers and would apply only to new hires; it passed 6-0. House Bill 3265, which expands who can make PTSD disability determinations for first responders to include psychologists and certain licensed mental health professionals, passed 7-0 after discussion of psychiatrist shortages and concerns about diagnostic standards. House Bill 4486, authorizing a Gold Star monument at the Capitol funded by private donations, passed 7-0. Finally, House Bill 1219, barring state agencies and schools from using state funds or resources to promote LGBTQ or Pride Month events or fly the Pride flag, generated extensive debate over its impact on outreach, public health, education, and LGBTQ Oklahomans; it passed 5-2 and the committee adjourned with notice of a larger agenda the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows the PRC to operate as a self-funded agency while preserving legislative and executive oversight
• , we gave it to the agency.
• every county in the state.
• the state.
• We stand in support of this bill because it provides accountability and oversight to ensure that state

Bills: HB70, HB93, HB95, HB139, HB140, HJR4

Keywords: Public Regulation Commission, PRC, utility oversight fund, public utilities, utility regulation, commissioners, commission staff, chief of staff, ethics, Gift Act, revolving door, post-employment restrictions, consumer complaints, telecommunications, pipeline safety, natural gas pipelines, oil pipelines, license fees, regulatory oversight, administrative cleanup

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, that the state capitol does not have oversight. We don't have oversight.
• This is a bill to Make sure that state governments and agencies don't use state funds and resources to
• So would This means that state agencies could not participate in pride events. That is correct.
• What we're saying is that, as a state agency, even in times of budget crunches like we have now, why
• So, would you be okay with state agencies using funds to target folks who might have autism?

Bills: HB3415, HB2206, HB3414, HB3265, HB3310, HB3413, HB4486, HB1219

Keywords: state government, vendor contracts, subcontracting, public database, contract assessment, transparency, retirement, law enforcement, Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System, school resource officers, public safety, public finance, contract management, service-driven contracts, state accounting, intangible assets, Oklahoma Police Pension, disability benefits, mental health, retirement system

Transcript Highlights:

• That's in the northwest corner of the state. Examiners, please introduce Representative Lawrence.
• the State Treasury.
• I think it helps every district, it helps our state, and we certainly are leading the way.
• the citizens of the state of Alabama.
• I can't begin to tell you the level of fraud that exists in pharmacy in the United States.

Bills: HB159, HB110, HB114, HB115, HB116, HB123, HB125

Keywords: U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission, public facilities, space exploration, education programs, bond issuance, Governor involvement, HB110, sunset bill, Alabama Sunset Law, State Board of Medical Examiners, Medical Licensure Commission, medical licensing, physician regulation, healthcare regulation, professional licensing, ethics law, state ethics code, public servants, board members

Transcript Highlights:

• other state revenue sources as recognized by REC and a reduction of $47.1 million in state general fund
• to capture savings by balancing the budget to updated expenditure projections for various state agencies
• State general fund savings in the Medicaid program.
• Office of State Procurement, $13.4 million with 99 T.O. positions.
• Environmental State Revolving Loan Funds, $126.5 million.

Bills: HB1, HB2, HB3, HB312, HB313, HB314, HB383, HB983, HB1126, HCR3

Keywords: state budget, appropriations, education funding, public health, social services, government operations, state institutions, capital outlay, budget, infrastructure, appropriation, general obligation bonds, bond authorization, capital improvement, financial management, state treasury, funding, state general fund, local government, fiscal year

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to call this meeting of the State Government Finance and Policy Committee to order for today
• agency uncollectible debts in the previous fiscal year.
• agency uncollectible debts in the previous fiscal year.
• Next testifier, state your name, who you're with. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• practices piece if you receive state money... ...if you receive state money, uh... thank you thank you

Bills: HF1, HF1754, HF1809, HF1478

Keywords: Office of Inspector General, inspector general, legislative audit, fraud prevention, waste and abuse, public funds, grant oversight, state grants, grant management, whistleblower protection, retaliation, subpoena power, data practices, government transparency, accountability, law enforcement referrals, sanctions, debarment, payment withholding, public assistance fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes they also have to notify other state agencies.
• So a rule— and I'm going to state this and see if you know about this—but a rule means a state agency
• And so any state agency rule can restrict freedom.
• Current law also states that state agencies shall develop procedures for use in achieving a management-to-staff
• We also gathered input from about 46 state agencies.

Bills: HB565, HB3743, HB4310, HB5083, HB5129, HB5195, HB5331, HB5469, SB21, HB3185, SB 21

Keywords: constitutional amendment, fiscal impact, state budget, ballot measure, transparency in voting, management-to-staff ratio, state agencies, employee regulations, government efficiency, workforce management, public information, governing board, transparency, confidentiality, access rights, privacy, identifying information, state agency, consent, occupational license

Transcript Highlights:

• H.J.R. 1093 addresses all the rules regarding the health-related agencies in the state that promulgated
• The agency did not follow the correct process.
• from agencies or the public as required by the APA.
• from agencies of the public as required by the APA.
• able to operate outside of legislative oversight.

Bills: HJR1090, HJR1091, HJR1092, HJR1093, HJR1094, HJR1095, SJR49

Keywords: administrative rules, rule approval, joint resolution, Oklahoma Register, Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, Corporation Commission, Department of Environmental Quality, Liquified Petroleum Gas Board, water resources, wildlife conservation, tourism, zoning commission, energy regulation, agricultural regulation, agency rules, permanent rules, state agencies, Oklahoma Legislature, business and commerce, professional licensing

Summary: The committee took up several joint resolutions dealing with agency rules. H.J.R. 1090, approving energy- and agriculture-related agency rules, was adopted and passed 10-0. H.J.R. 1091, covering business and commerce rules, was also adopted and passed 10-0. H.J.R. 1092, which had been split out from the business and commerce packet because of a reported $10 million cost impact on one business, was adopted after discussions with regulators about delaying remodeling requirements and addressing safety concerns; it passed unanimously. H.J.R. 1093, approving health-related agency rules, passed 11-0, with some Oklahoma Health Care Authority major rules noted as being handled separately in the Senate. The committee then discussed H.C.R. 1094, a major rule from the Long-Range Capital Planning Commission. Members raised concerns that the agency’s rule impact statement contained errors, incorrect notice and hearing information, and an incomplete economic analysis. After debate over whether the resolution could be amended or had to be accepted or rejected as a whole, the committee voted 11-0 that it did not pass. The committee then considered H.J.R. 1095 with an amendment to specifically disapprove a proposed permanent rule change by the Long-Range Capital Planning Commission that would have allowed the commission to ignore its own rules in the “best interest of the state.” The amendment was adopted 11-1, and the resolution as amended passed. At the end of the meeting, the chair thanked members and staff for their work and said the committee would try to move the resolutions to the floor on Thursday, with another meeting likely needed to address additional major rules coming from the Senate. A committee member also suggested a brief educational review of a prior procedural issue at a future meeting, and the chair agreed to discuss broader concerns about the administrative rules process in a later wrap-up.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we had testimony in support first up from State Health Planning and Development Agency.
• Health Planning and Development State Health Planning and Development Agency.
• I first wanted to acknowledge our emergency agencies, given that we are in a state of emergency currently
• Other<00:29:07.600><c> states</c> Other states Other states they<00:29:09.240><c> the</c><00:29:09.360
• mix in this state in this state state state both<00:34:56.399><c> in</c><00:34:56.480><c> the</c><00

Bills: SB2109, SB2151

Keywords: emergency preparedness, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, multilingual resources, American Sign Language, public education, community resilience, disaster response, emergency management, governor powers, legislative oversight, public safety, 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Public Safety met on March 20, 2026, and the chair opened by noting severe rain and flooding conditions in Hawaii and said the committee would proceed with the hearing but defer decision-making until the next meeting on March 25. The first measure discussed was SB 2109, an omnibus bill on emergency preparedness communications. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support, including from state agencies and advocacy groups such as the Disability and Communications Access Board, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Legal Clinic, the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and others. Supporters emphasized the need for funding and planning for multilingual emergency materials and language access, citing current evacuation notices that were not available in languages such as Ilokano or Tongan. The chair stated that action on SB 2109 would be deferred until March 25. The committee then heard SB 2151, relating to emergency management and changes to the governor’s emergency authority. Testimony was mixed but heavily focused on concerns about executive power. Earthjustice supported the bill with amendments, saying it should narrow extraordinary emergency powers, add definitions for emergency and disaster, preserve transparency under the Uniform Information Practices Act, and lower the legislative threshold to terminate an emergency proclamation from two-thirds to a simple majority. Other supporters, including the League of Women Voters of Hawaii and some individuals, also backed reform. Opponents, including Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and numerous individuals, argued the bill still gave the governor too much power, used overly broad disaster definitions, and did not sufficiently protect constitutional rights; several urged major amendments or repeal of portions of Chapter 127A. Some opponents specifically objected to the two-thirds termination standard and to provisions they said could enable compulsory immunizations or other mandates. Members questioned Earthjustice about whether the bill would suspend constitutional rights. Earthjustice responded that the bill would not authorize constitutional violations, but would allow suspension of laws enacted by the legislature, and pointed to existing statutory procedures for individuals to challenge emergency proclamations. The witness described a Mauna Kea case in which a three-judge panel granted relief to an individual under the current statute, and explained that the process could potentially affect a broader proclamation if allowed to run to completion. The hearing continued with additional testimony and questions, but no final vote or committee action on SB 2151 was taken during this portion of the meeting.