Committees

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, along with Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, recognized Sam Madewell, an aviation maintenance instructor at Putnam City Schools, on the House floor for being named Teacher of the Year by the Oklahoma Air and Space Forces Association Gerrity Chapter. Madewell was selected for his commitment to student achievement and excellence in preparing young Oklahomans for careers in aviation and aerospace. He will now advance to the national Teacher of the Year competition. "Sam represents the very best of Oklahoma educators," Stark said. "He is preparing students for real careers in a field that is important to our state’s economy. When young people earn industry recognized credentials before they graduate, that speaks volumes about the strength of this program and the leadership behind it. Oklahoma has a proud aviation history. Programs like this are helping build the next generation of skilled professionals who will carry that legacy forward." The ATEC General Aviation Maintenance Credential is an industry recognized certification formally accepted in Oklahoma as a state approved credential. Students prepared using the Prepware School program alongside the Choose Aerospace curriculum, which mirrors the testing format used for FAA written exams and helps ensure students are ready for professional certification environments.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Rep. Jim Shaw, R-Chandler, secured committee passage of a bill that would add criminal penalties to Oklahoma’s existing prohibitions on hostile foreign ownership of land.  While state law already restricts certain foreign ownership of property, Shaw said current statutes lack meaningful criminal enforcement mechanisms. House Bill 1453  would close that gap by making violations a felony offense.  HB1453 would prohibit foreign governments, entities and businesses linked to countries subject to U.S. arms regulations, as well as entities of particular concern designated by the U.S. Department of State, from acquiring real property or agricultural land in Oklahoma. "This bill puts real consequences behind the law," Shaw said. "We already say hostile foreign actors should not own land in Oklahoma. This bill would make sure that if they do, it is not just a paperwork issue. It is a crime. If you are tied to a foreign adversary, you should not be buying up property in this state."  Under this bill, a prohibited foreign party found in violation would have one year to divest the property. If the property is not divested, the district attorney with jurisdiction or the Attorney General would be required to initiate legal action, which could result in judicial foreclosure.  If passed by the Legislature and signed into law, violations of HB1453 would be punishable by up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $30,000 or both. The bill would also require an affidavit affirming compliance with the law to be filed with any deed recorded by a county clerk.  HB1453  passed the House Civil Judiciary Committee on a 6-2 vote and now advances to the Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee for further consideration.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Cody Maynard, R-Durant, this week passed two bills in committee aimed at protecting and benefitting youth. House Bill 3544 would protect youth as they interact with Artificial Intelligence (AI). House Bill 3548 would create the Oklahoma Youth Entrepreneurs Promotion and Development Act of 2026. "My focus with both pieces of legislation is protecting young Oklahomans," Maynard said. "One bill would protect them from predatory practices embedded in certain artificial intelligence. The second would protect them from burdensome regulation as they begin to learn the basic principles of business ownership." HB3544 unanimously passed the House Civil Judiciary Committee on Thursday. It now awaits a hearing in the Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee. "This bill would protect children when interacting with artificial intelligence chatbots that are designed to simulate emotional or human-like relationships," Maynard said. "There have been multiple incidences reported across the country where children have committed self-harm after these chatbots have encouraged it. I am asking that the Oklahoma Legislature be proactive in putting some common-sense policies in place." HB3548 unanimously passed the House Appropriations and Budget Finance Subcommittee on Wednesday. The measure would exempt sales tax for businesses owned and operated primarily by individuals who are under the age of 18. The exemption would extend only if the business receives limited assistance from adults and if the business generates gross revenue of less than $1,000 during the calendar year "This legislation encourages real-world learning by allowing young people to operate small businesses without being buried in taxes and unnecessary red tape," Maynard said. "If a child wants to run a lemonade stand for a week, they should not have to purchase multiple permits to do so. I ask that we teach our kids entrepreneurship before we regulate them." Maynard said the legislation complements Gov. Stitt's recently signed Executive Order 2026-04, which makes it easier for entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses in Oklahoma. Key actions of the governor's order include the exploration of tax waivers for startups and fairer access to state contracts for young businesses. Reports on fees, taxes, education and contracts are to be shared with legislative leaders by the end of the legislative session. The next stop for HB3548 will be the full A&B Committee.