House Media

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, secured House passage of legislation aimed at strengthening Oklahoma’s long-term transportation funding and improving transparency for major infrastructure projects. House Bill 4280 would increase the funding ceiling for the Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety (ROADS) Fund by $10 million beginning in fiscal year 2027, raising the annual cap to $670 million. The ROADS Fund provides dedicated state funding for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s eight-year Construction Work Plan, which schedules highway and bridge projects across the state. "Oklahoma has made meaningful investments in transportation over the past several years, but inflation and rising construction costs mean we have to adjust if we want to stay on track," Miller said. "This measure helps ensure the ROADS Fund remains reliable and sustainable so ODOT can continue planning and delivering the highway and bridge projects our communities depend on." Oklahoma’s state highway system is valued at approximately $126 billion, with an estimated $33 billion in identified deficiencies. While the Legislature has made several one-time investments in transportation in recent years, the ROADS Fund remains the state’s primary long-term funding mechanism supporting the eight-year Construction Work Plan. HB4280 also includes a transparency provision requiring the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to notify state leaders and local legislators if a project in the eight-year Construction Work Plan is significantly delayed or removed. The notice must outline the project affected, the reason for the delay or removal, the amount of funding needed to keep the original timeline and the impact on ODOT’s Asset Preservation Plan. The bill passed the House with the title off, a standard procedural step for legislation with a fiscal impact, and will return to the House for final consideration if approved by the Senate before being sent to the governor.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The House of Representatives this week passed legislation increasing the minimum number of instructional days for schools operating under a school-hours calendar and ties the change to an additional $175 million in state funding to the State Department of Education over FY27 and FY28. House Bill 3151 by Rep. Rob Hall, R-Tulsa, would require schools using the hours-based model to provide at least 173 days of instruction beginning in the 2027-28 school year while maintaining the current minimum of 1,086 instructional hours. Hall said increasing the number of instructional days will help ensure students spend more meaningful time engaged in the classroom.  "Time spent with students in the classroom is the highest and best use of the resources we invest in our schools," Hall said. "Increasing the minimum number of instructional days is a much-needed step toward improving educational outcomes in our state. Spreading instructional time over more days will help keep students engaged throughout the school day and make the time our educators spend with them more effective."  HB3151 also requires school districts that hold parent-teacher conferences during the school day to provide an in-person option for parents and legal guardians. "There are few actions we can take that lead to better outcomes than ensuring our kids have more time in front of high quality classroom teachers," said Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. "I appreciate Oklahoma State School Board Association (OSSBA), Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA), Oklahoma Education Association (OEA), Professional Oklahoma Educators (POE), Organization of Rural Oklahoma Schools (OROS), United Suburban Schools Association (USSA), ExcelinEd, Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), Oklahoma Parents for Student Achievement (OPSA) and the Oklahoma STATE Chamber for their support of this measure."  "Over the past decade, Oklahoma has experienced a decline in the number of in-person instructional days offered to students," said Secretary of Education Dan Hamlin. "In recent years, the state has made considerable progress in restoring instructional time to levels that align more closely with national norms. This bill builds on that progress and places Oklahoma on a path toward having a nationally competitive education system."  The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation to aid in the state’s response to sexual assault by ensuring the continuation of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Statewide Coordinator within the District Attorneys Council. House Bill 4141 by Rep. Robert Manger, R-Oklahoma City, would remove a sunset date in state law to allow the coordinator position to continue once funding is secured. The role coordinates with SANE nurses across Oklahoma who provide compassionate care to victims of sexual assault and collect critical forensic evidence that may later be used in court. "Victims deserve compassionate care and a system that works together to seek justice," Manger said. "To date, the state legislature has not appropriated funds for this position, but we will continue advocating for dedicated funding in the state budget." The SANE coordinator position was previously funded through a federal grant administered by the Tulsa Police Department, but those funds have expired and the role no longer exists. Under HB4141, the coordinator would oversee forensic medical examination training across Oklahoma, recruit and develop additional SANE professionals and help create and expand local Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and Sexual Assault Response Team programs. Currently, Oklahoma has no centralized oversight or coordination among SANE programs. Manger says this could limit a victim’s ability to access an examination and may affect the quality and consistency of evidence collected in investigations. According to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation , 2,330 rapes were reported in Oklahoma in 2020. Of those cases, 160 alleged perpetrators were arrested, representing about 7% of reported incidents. "A statewide coordinator is essential to strengthening coordination between medical providers, law enforcement and prosecutors so evidence is collected properly and cases can move forward effectively," Manger said. "It will also help address gaps in training, staffing and program development across Oklahoma so communities have the resources needed to properly respond to these cases." HB4141 now moves to the Senate for further consideration.