Welcome to the Oklahoma House of Representatives

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today the Oklahoma House passed House Bill 4420 strengthening the Strong Reader’s Act and ensuring our students can read by the third grade.  The legislation includes early identification of reading deficiencies through consistent, statewide screening; targeted intervention grounded in the science of reading; clear communication with parents about their child’s reading progress and available at-home supports; accountability measures to ensure students demonstrate reading ability before advancing to the next grade; giving 2nd graders the option of taking the state test; expanded teacher training and classroom support to improve instruction outcomes; new requirements and accountability for colleges of education preparing our state’s future teachers; a new funding formula that supports all students, while also giving additional funds to students who need more help and rewarding schools seeing growth; and creates a revolving fund to encourage public-private partnerships. “Our goal is to have the strongest reading bill in the country,” said House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow and author of the bill. “This bill is not a partisan issue - we all want our kids to read by the third grade. This legislation balances accountability with support for teachers, schools and parents, all of whom play an important role in teaching a child to read. We are taking what we have seen states like Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana do - with similar state demographics - and building upon it to make our law even stronger and unique to our students’ needs.” The legislation has received overwhelming support, largely because the statistics around Oklahoma’s reading levels are alarming. In 2015, Oklahoma students performed near the national average in reading. Today, we trail peer states by more than a full grade level. Based on Spring 2025 testing, just 27 percent of Oklahoma third graders are reading at or above grade level. “Before third grade, students learn to read. After third grade, they read to learn. When that transition does not happen, the consequences compound quickly and follow students for life,” said Hilbert. “ We want to talk about career pathways and dream jobs for our students, but our children will be perpetually underemployed if they cannot read. Oklahoma has already taken important steps, and I am proud of the work our educators are doing. But we must be honest about where our current approach falls short and make immediate shifts to ensure more of our students are reading on grade level.” The bill passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 86-6 and now moves to the Senate for further consideration. 

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma House of Representatives has passed House Bill 2933 , authored by Rep. Mark Tedford, R-Jenks.  The measure increases transparency in Oklahoma’s insurance market while strengthening protections for policyholders navigating the claims process.  "We ask people to carry insurance to protect what matters most to them," Tedford said. "When that protection is needed, the process ought to be clear, consistent and easy to follow."  HB2933 requires insurers to submit detailed quarterly reports to the Oklahoma Insurance Department, including data on policies, cancellations, claims activity and dispute resolution efforts. The bill also makes this information publicly available, providing greater visibility into industry trends and insurer practices.  In addition, the measure establishes a Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights, improves timelines for claim responses and payments and ensures clearer communication between insurers and policyholders.  Tedford said the bill is about restoring confidence in a system people rely on during difficult times.  "A system works best when everyone understands it and can rely on it," Tedford said. "This puts structure around the process and helps bring a little more predictability to something that can otherwise feel uncertain."  The bill also strengthens enforcement authority for the Insurance Commissioner and updates consumer protections related to policy cancellations, rate increases and claims handling practices.  HB2933 now moves to the Senate for further consideration, where Sen. Aaron Reinhardt, R-Jenks, is the Senate author.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, has advanced legislation to strengthen maternal safety and improve health outcomes for mothers and infants across Oklahoma after House Bill 4285 passed the House with an 85-5 vote. House Bill 4285 would create the Perinatal Quality Improvement Revolving Fund within the Oklahoma State Department of Health to support initiatives in birthing hospitals statewide. "When you talk to families and health care providers, you hear the same thing, we can do better when it comes to caring for moms and babies," Miller said. "This bill would give the 41 birthing hospitals in Oklahoma the support they need to make real improvements and help more families have safe and healthy outcomes." The bill would allow the State Department of Health to partner with quality improvement initiatives and organizations across Oklahoma to address preventable maternal and infant health issues. HB4285 would focus on reducing maternal mortality and morbidity, as well as lowering rates of preventable complications and deaths among newborns and infants. The measure also would support collaboration among providers to strengthen standards of care and expand access to proven best practices. The revolving fund structure would allow the state to receive and utilize a variety of funding sources, including federal funds, grants and private contributions, helping support long-term improvements in care. HB4285 now moves to the Senate for consideration, where Sen. Christi Gillespie, R-Broken Arrow, is the Senate author.