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Legislation designed to better align higher education programs with workforce demand and improve transparency for students has passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives. House Bill 2398 , authored by Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, establishes a statewide framework allowing the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education to designate certain degrees, certificates, licenses and industry-recognized credentials as “credentials of value.” Under the measure, programs seeking the designation must demonstrate strong outcomes for students, including a positive return on investment and alignment with state and regional workforce needs. The bill requires annual reporting on completion rates, employment outcomes, earnings and program costs to help students make informed decisions about their education and career paths. "As our economy continues to evolve, Oklahoma must be intentional about connecting education with real workforce opportunities," Hill said. "House Bill 2398 helps ensure students have clear, reliable information about which programs are most likely to lead to good-paying jobs and long-term success. It will give students better guidance, strengthen our workforce pipeline and help ensure taxpayer-supported education programs deliver real value." The legislation also includes safeguards Hill said would support high-need workforce areas such as education and public safety, helping Oklahoma continue to prepare workers for critical roles that serve communities across the state. "We thank Rep. Brian Hill for his thoughtful leadership in advancing legislation focused on Credentials of Value," said Chancellor Sean Burrage. "Defining and measuring programs that lead Oklahomans to expanded career opportunities benefits individuals and families, serves our business community, and provides data to help institutions successfully align academic offerings with emerging workforce needs." HB2398 passed the House 70-20 and now moves to the Senate for consideration, where it's authored by Sen. Aaron Reinhardt, R-Jenks.

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.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Reps. Tom Gann, R-Inola, and Kevin West, R-Moore, on Wednesday filed a brief asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to overturn $98 million in rate increases for Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) well as $1.77 billion of the utility’s ratepayer-backed bonds. All were approved by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) with votes by embattled OCC Commissioner Todd Hiett who was accused of groping an employee of the utility at a conference in Minnesota in June 2024.  Charges were never filed, and the Ethics Commission dismissed a complaint against Hiett in May 2025. Wednesday’s brief asks the Supreme Court to review the Ethics Commission’s legal determinations in that case. Payments for the bonds, issued to cover costs incurred by ONG during February 2021’s Winter Storm “Uri,” have been collected as “Winter Event Cost Recovery” charges on customers’ bills since 2022. The OCC has also approved an additional rate increase for ONG of between $20 million and $41 million every year since the bonds were issued. If not overturned, the rate increases will continue in perpetuity; the monthly bond charges are scheduled to continue for another 22 years.  Gann and West’s brief tells the Court that the OCC failed to perform lawful audits of ONG’s bonds in every rate case since the bonds were issued. They also argue ONG’s original 2021 “Uri” costs that were securitized into the ratepayer-backed bonds were never audited either. The representatives assert the audit failures are fatal in all four cases, making the OCC’s orders void.   Wednesday’s brief was the third such request to the Court. Gann filed a similar brief asking the Court to overturn $250 million in rate increases and some $700 million in ratepayer-backed bonds that the OCC had approved for Public Service Company of Oklahoma ( PSO ). In December, with Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener, Gann and Kevin West also asked the court to overturn a $127 million rate increase and $760 million in winter storm bonds for customers of Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company ( OG&E ). Those cases are already in the Court’s hands. To date, this brings the totals officially challenged to $475 million in rate increases and more than $3.2 billion in bonds. The appeals ask the court to order everything wrongly collected to be refunded to the utilities’ customers. Wednesday’s brief says “$140 million in illegitimate rate increases and $300 million in illegitimate bond charges” have already been collected from ONG’s customers.  Oklahoma utilities PSO, OG&E, ONG and CenterPoint/Summit paid some of the highest natural gas prices in U.S. history during two weeks in February 2021, incurring some $2.8 billion in debt. Interest and other expenses added another $2 billion, bringing the total cost of the bonds being paid by Oklahoma utility customers close to $5 billion. Gann, a former internal auditor for the Tulsa International Airport, said he believes that "When Oklahoma law requires an audit, the Accountancy Act says it has to be done by independent, licensed CPAs following nationally recognized standards, and that did not happen."  “Although all three of us voted against the securitization legislation in April 2021, we do not believe the intent was for the utilities to audit themselves, or for the Corporation Commission to make up its own definition of the word ‘audit.’” Kevin West said. “The apparently fraudulent audits are inexcusable. The law requires real audits, and the Accountancy Act defines auditing standards for a reason.”  In addition to the individual appeals of each utility’s rate case, the representatives filed a similar Supreme Court appeal against the OCC’s approval of $1.5 billion of ONG, OG&E and PSO’s 2023 fuel costs. That brief , filed on December 18, 2025, alleged the OCC had allowed an employee, believed to have dropped out of college as a sophomore, to perform required audits of utility companies collectively worth more than a billion dollars, including in the challenged OG&E and PSO rate cases. [ 12/9/2025 press release .] At the start of this year, the OCC terminated its top two administrators – the director of administration and the chief operating officer who was also the chief of communications – without explanation, but with “confidential” severance packages now revealed to exceed $200,000 and $100,000, respectively. The person believed to have dropped out of college also continues to testify about audits in OCC utility cases.  “Fundamentally, these appeals are about upholding the Constitution and the rule of law,” Rick West said. “We are saying audits must be done by CPAs, and State Ethics Rules say if a reasonable person would question Hiett’s impartiality in these cases, he must not participate. But Hiett continues to cast votes approving billions of dollars of increases for these utility companies without performing the required audits. We expect the Court to overturn these votes and to order Hiett and the OCC to follow the law.” The full Brief in Chief for the ONG rate case appeal can be read online here: https://oscn.net/dockets/GetDocument.aspx?ct=appellate&bc=1064718136&cn=CU-123348&fmt=pdf ONG, the OCC and the Attorney General’s Office have 40 days to respond. The progress of all the appeals can be followed on the Oklahoma Supreme Court website. PSO rate case ($250m rate increases; $700m bonds; all briefs filed):    https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=122861 ONG, PSO & OG&E CY2023 fuel cases ($1.5 billion; first brief filed; last due mid-March):    https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=122991 OG&E rate case ($127m rate increase; $760m bonds; all briefs filed):    https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123021 ONG rate case ($98m rate increases; $1.3 billion bonds; first brief filed; last due mid-June):    https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123348 ONG 2024 fuel case ($390 million + $888m for 2021/2022; briefs this summer):    https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123588 OG&E 2024 fuel case ($925 million + $1.9 billion for 2021/2022; briefs this summer):    https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123608

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Ross Ford, R-Broken Arrow, on Tuesday unanimously passed three bills in that House that would enhance punishments for those convicted of domestic or sexual abuse crimes as well as those who tamper with outdoor warning systems. The measures now move to the Senate. House Bill 1322 would create a Domestic Violence Offenders Registry to be available online for public view. Anyone convicted in Oklahoma of a domestic violence offense after Jan. 1, 2028, would be registered through district court clerks on the registry created and maintained by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The registry would include the offender's name, the county or counties of conviction, their most recent booking photo and additional information. "Oklahoma persistently ranks as one of the worst states for domestic abuse," Ford said. "We must continue to work toward prevention and better support for victims of these crimes. Requiring domestic abusers to register will improve public awareness and give victims and law enforcement additional tools to keep themselves and the public safe."  Ford said the idea for the law came from Tennessee, which became the first state in the nation to launch a domestic violence offenders registry after the murder of Deputy Sheriff Savanna Puckett. It's reported she was killed by a former partner who had a documented history of domestic violence. If enacted in Oklahoma, the offender would be required to pay a $150 registration fee. They can be removed from the registry five years after completion of their last sentence. The registry shall not include the names of any victim. House Bill 4104 would add three crimes to the list of those that require registry as a sex offender: second and subsequent offense of watching, gazing or looking upon a person in a clandestine manner; using photographic, electronic or video equipment in clandestine manner; and second or subsequent offense of using such means to capture images of a private area without consent.   Ford said the bill deals with three subsections of Oklahoma's Peeping Tom statute. One addresses watching people changing clothes through a window, which is currently a misdemeanor. Another deals with attempting to take photos of peoples' private areas while they are in the public – also a misdemeanor. A third addresses an individual who hides a camera in a private area such as a locker or dressing room or a space where people would assume privacy. This bill would turn second or subsequent misdemeanor offenses under this area of statute into felonies and require any felony offender to register as a sex offender.  House Bill 4107 would make it unlawful to tamper with, activate, attempt to activate or cause to be activated an outdoor warning siren without proper authorization. Punishment would be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to one year in the county jail or both. If an unauthorized activation caused a false emergency response or public panic, the offense would become a felony punishable by up to $5,000, up to one year in the county jail or both fine and imprisonment.  Ford said such tampering is happening now, and it causes havoc, especially during this time of year when all Oklahomans are on heightened alert for severe weather. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Freshman lawmaker Kevin Norwood, R-Owasso, has passed his first piece of legislation off the House floor, a measure that updates the governance structure of the Oklahoma 211 Collaborative. House Bill 4095 passed the House floor with an 84-4 vote and would provide that the Oklahoma 211 Collaborative oversees call centers that connect Oklahomans with services such as food, housing, clothing, transportation and medical assistance. The measure also would reduce the collaborative’s governing board from 15 members to nine members and establish staggered initial terms to help maintain continuity. "I am proud to champion this bill and see it pass the House," Norwood said. "I appreciate my colleagues for their support and for recognizing the importance of 211 services. It is my goal to keep connecting Oklahomans with critical resources by ensuring that 211 can continue to serve our community." The measure now moves to the Senate for further consideration, where Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, is the Senate author.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Two measures authored by Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, to expand reporting access for victims of abuse and increase physical education time for students in schools passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives and now move to the Senate for further consideration. "I’m grateful to my colleagues in the House for recognizing the importance of these bills and supporting their passage," Roe said. "Encouraging more physical activity in our schools can help students stay healthier and focused and in some cases may even reduce the need for certain medications. At the same time, expanding opportunities for victims to report abuse in hospitals is critical if we are serious about helping victims of human trafficking and working to end it." House Bill 3287 would require hospitals and health care facilities across Oklahoma to post signage related to domestic violence and human trafficking in both inconspicuous areas and private spaces used for patient-provider interactions. The signs would inform victims they can notify facility staff if they are experiencing abuse, coercion or trafficking. The measure was previously passed in the House Health and Human Services Oversight Committee and later passed the full House unanimously. Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, is the Senate author. The bill also would require facilities to establish clear protocols for responding when a victim comes forward. These procedures would include contacting law enforcement at a victim’s request and ensuring the victim can be safely discharged or released without alerting or interference from an alleged perpetrator. A second measure by Roe, House Bill 3288 , would expand physical education requirements for students in full-day prekindergarten through 12th grade. The bill passed the House with a vote of 81-11 and now heads to the Senate, where Sen. Bryan Logan, R-Paden, is the Senate author. HB3288 would expand current physical education requirements to include students in full-day prekindergarten and increase activity time for elementary students from a weekly average of 60 minutes to at least 150 minutes per week, or about 30 minutes per school day. Recess would not count toward the required minutes. For students in grades six through 12, the bill would replace the current law that strongly encourages physical education with a requirement that school districts provide at least 225 minutes of physical activity per week, or about 45 minutes per school day. Both measures now move to the Oklahoma Senate for further consideration.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. John George, R-Newalla, this week unanimously passed a bill in the House that would add domestic violence by strangulation to the list of crimes requiring a person to serve 85% of a prison sentence before being eligible for consideration for parole. If enacted, House Bill 3264 would prohibit those convicted from being eligible to receive earned credits toward reducing the length of their sentence to less than 85%. "Strangling an intimate partner is among the most horrific acts of violence and can all too often be deadly," George said. "Yet people convicted of this crime, in many cases, currently only have to serve about a third of any sentence imposed. This legislation would strengthen Oklahoma laws so that anyone committing this type of aggravated assault would be subject to greater punishment." The bill matches a recommendation of the Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board.  Research shows that strangulation is one of the most common forms of domestic assault and battery and also one of the most fatal. Victims can lose consciousness in less than 10 seconds and can die within minutes. Strangulation victims are more likely to die than victims of other types of domestic assault and battery. Victims who have been strangled are 750 percent more likely to be killed by the same person in the future. Even if a person survives being strangled, there are short- and long-term physical effects, including memory loss, headaches, seizures, strokes, blood clots, even delayed death. In addition, George said Oklahoma has consistently ranked among the top 10 states of women murdered by men in single-victim, single-offender homicides. Despite the seriousness of the crime, domestic violence by strangulation is not yet considered a violent crime that requires an offender to serve at least 85% of their sentence before being considered for release. "We're talking about taking someone's very breath away – the essence of their life," George said. "All I'm asking is for the punishment to fit the crime." HB3264 passed the House on a vote of 89-0. It has been engrossed to the Senate where it is authored by Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond. 

Rep. Mike Osburn, R-Edmond, passed two measures aimed at modifying governance and oversight of the Oklahoma State Board of Education through committee. House Joint Resolution 1055  would create a state question asking voters whether to make the state superintendent of public instruction an appointed position beginning in 2034.  House Bill 3327  would increase the board’s membership and give two appointments each to the Speaker of the House and Senate President Pro Tempore.  "Oklahoma has witnessed extreme volatility at the State Department of Education and its board in recent years, and our constituents are demanding improved stability and oversight," Osburn said. "By involving the Legislature and the governor in appointments of the superintendent and board members, we can align the department and board with the constitutional responsibility of the people’s elected representatives. Most importantly, these measures will reinforce public trust in one of Oklahoma's most critical agencies. Best of all, we will let the people themselves decide whether the state superintendent remains an elected position or an appointed one." HJR1055 proposes a state question that, if approved by voters, would change the process by which the state superintendent of public instruction is selected. Under the proposal, the State Board of Education would gather applications, conduct interviews and produce a list of three to five candidates. The governor would appoint the superintendent from that list, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The resolution also outlines removal procedures for the superintendent. The superintendent could be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate, or by order of the governor combined with a two-thirds vote of either legislative chamber. "Over the past three years, Oklahomans have witnessed the efficiencies, or lack thereof, of both elected and appointed state superintendents," Osburn said. "I believe now is the perfect time to ask the people whether they're satisfied with the current election process or if they want the position to be appointed." Under HB3327, legislative leadership would each appoint two members to the board. The state superintendent would continue to chair the board, and the governor would also appoint four additional members. The bill also specifies that members may only be removed for cause by the official who appointed them. If both measures take effect, the governor would appoint a total of five of the nine seats on the Board, including the State Superintendent. Both measures now can be considered on the House floor.

Rep. Chris Banning, R-Bixby, released the following statement after tornadoes hit northeast Oklahoma Friday night: "The severe weather that moved through Oklahoma this weekend resulted terrible loss to the Beggs community, where two lives were tragically taken. My heart is with those who are grieving and with everyone in the area who is dealing with the aftermath of this devastation. I’m grateful for the first responders, emergency crews and volunteers who immediately stepped up to support their neighbors in this moment of crisis, including the Beggs First United Methodist Church, who have stepped up to provide meals. I also want to thank Governor Stitt and other state and local leaders for moving quickly to coordinate resources and support response efforts. I ask Oklahomans to keep the families who have lost loved ones, as well as everyone affected by these storms, in their prayers."