House Media

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Ross Ford, R-Broken Arrow, has filed legislation that initially would increase the ad valorem tax exemption homeowners are allowed each year from $1,0000 to $2,315.  Under House Bill 4103 , beginning in 2032 and every five years thereafter, the amount would increase by a percentage equal to the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the most recent five-year period for which final data is available immediately preceding the adjustment date. "There's been a lot of discussion about the elimination of property taxes," Ford said. "The consequent worry, however, is what that might mean for core services such as public education, safety, infrastructure and many other areas," Ford said. "This approach strikes a balance between giving homeowners a larger exemption on their property taxes while still supporting the services and programs they use every day." Rep. Mark Chapman, R-Broken Arrow, is a co-author on the bill. "Property tax relief is something homeowners across Oklahoma care deeply about,” Chapman said. “At the same time, we have to be mindful of how changes might affect the local services on which families rely. This bill takes a responsible approach by providing meaningful relief while maintaining long-term stability for our communities." If enacted, the legislation would take effect Jan. 1, 2027. HB4103 has been assigned to the House Appropriations and Budget Finance Subcommittee. If it passes there, it would face a vote in the full A&B Committee before being eligible for a vote by the full membership of the House. Bills have until Feb. 19 to pass out of subcommittee. 

OKLAHOMA CITY— Several Oklahoma state lawmakers are expressing concern regarding recent student walkouts and protests occurring within taxpayer-funded public schools that target ICE agents, law enforcement personnel and officers tasked with ensuring the safety and security of Oklahoma communities. Rep. Gabe Woolley, R-Broken Arrow; Sen. Dana Prieto, R-Tulsa; Sen. Julie McIntosh, R-Porter; Rep. Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle; Rep. Jim Olen, R-Roland; Rep. Jim Shaw, R-Chandler; Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore; Sen. Brian Guthrie, R-Bixby; Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin; and Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, said they were concerned about several walkouts that took place today at schools across the state, including Hale High School, Edison Preparatory Academy, Booker T. Washington High School and the Tulsa School for Arts and Sciences. "Several student walkouts have taken place during regular school hours at public schools across our state," they said. "While we respect the rights of individuals to express their views, we are concerned when these actions occur during instructional time and appear to target law enforcement officers and federal agents who are carrying out lawful duties. That risks undermining respect for the rule of law, disrupting the educational environment and sending a troubling message about civic responsibility. "We are particularly mindful of the safety of students and the protection of parental authority. Parents have a right to know where their children are during the school day. We question whether students who left class had written parental permission and sincerely hope no student was allowed to leave school property without clear consent from a parent or guardian. "Instructional time is funded by taxpayers for the purpose of educating our children. If students are permitted to be outside the classroom or off campus during the school day, it should only occur with parental knowledge and approval. Schools exist to educate students and to work alongside parents, and taxpayer resources should not be used to facilitate political demonstrations. "No adult should be using school time or school property to encourage students to oppose law enforcement or engage in political activism. Law enforcement officers and federal agents protect our communities and maintain public safety. Our public schools should remain focused on providing a safe, orderly and respectful learning environment that prioritizes education, student well-being and strong parental involvement."

OKLAHOMA CITY — Legislation that would allow and later require certain public cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest nickel has passed a House policy committee and now moves to an oversight committee. Authored by Rep. Derrick Hildebrant, R-Catoosa, House Bill 3075 , formally titled the Oklahoma Common Cents Act, would not apply to the private sector and would apply only to public payments made in cash or the portion paid in cash. The measure does not apply to checks, debit cards, credit cards, electronic payments or other digital transactions. "This is a simple, practical bill that modernizes how we handle cash payments without impacting anyone who pays digitally," Hildebrant said. "HB3075 is limited to public cash transactions only. If you’re paying online or with a card, nothing changes." Under HB3075, final cash amounts owed to a political subdivision would be rounded to the nearest nickel. Amounts ending in $0.01 or $0.02 would be rounded down to $0.00, amounts ending in $0.03 or $0.04 would be rounded up to $0.05, amounts ending in $0.06 or $0.07 would be rounded down to $0.05, and amounts ending in $0.08 or $0.09 would be rounded up to $0.10. Hildebrant says the bill was requested by one of his constituents, who is also the Rogers County Treasurer, Jason Carini. "The Rogers County penny analysis showed the rounding approach is essentially neutral overall, and in some years, it resulted in a slight net gain," Hildebrant said. Rogers County analyzed cash transaction data across 2023, 2024 and 2025. The analysis found the rounding outcomes would have been minimal over the three-year period. In 2023, the county recorded 1,517 cash transactions, with rounding resulting in an overall net gain of $0.21. In 2024, there were 1,555 cash transactions, with an overall net gain of $0.75. In 2025, the county recorded 1,542 cash transactions, with rounding resulting in an overall net gain of $0.86. The Oklahoma Common Cents Act mirrors similar legislation currently being considered at the federal level. The federal Common Cents Act would direct the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury to stop minting the penny and would require cash transactions to be rounded up or down to the nearest five cents. Under the measure, from the effective date of the bill through July 1, 2027, political subdivisions could choose to implement the rounding system. Beginning July 1, 2027, rounding would become mandatory for applicable cash transactions unless directed otherwise by Congress. The bill also outlines accounting provisions for ad valorem tax payments and authorizes political subdivisions to determine how overages or shortages are managed within funds under their control. HB3075 passed unanimously out of the House General Government Subcommittee by a 9-0 vote and will next be considered by the Government Oversight Committee.