House Passes REINS Act: Second House priority bill passes House title-on in first three weeks of session
The Oklahoma House of Representatives today passed House Bill 2728, a measure designed to enhance transparency and legislative oversight in the state’s administrative rulemaking process. House Bill 2728 , authored by Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, R-Altus, creates the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025, modeled after similar federal legislation. The bill ensures that state agency regulations receive greater legislative review before taking effect. "This is a major step toward ensuring the people’s elected representatives—not unelected agencies—have the final say on costly regulations," said Kendrix. "State agencies hold significant power in implementing laws, and this bill makes sure the Legislature plays a more active role in the process." If enacted, HB2728 would require all proposed agency rules to be submitted with an economic impact statement. Additionally, any rule projected to cost at least $1 million over five years would require separate legislative approval before it could take effect. "The rise of decentralized movements like DOGE shows that people value transparency, accountability, and freedom from unchecked control," said John Tidwell, state director with Americans for Prosperity Oklahoma. "The REINS Act embodies these same principles by ensuring that unelected bureaucrats can't impose costly regulations without legislative approval. State and federal governments must remain accountable to the people they serve. By passing the REINS Act, Oklahoma is reinforcing the fundamental idea that power should rest with the representatives elected by the people—not with runaway regulatory agencies." The bill establishes the Legislative Economic Analysis Unit (LEAU) within the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) to provide independent reviews of agencies' economic impact statements. This ensures accuracy and prevents unnecessary regulatory burdens. Similar models in other states have successfully cut excess red tape and saved taxpayers millions. "This legislation strengthens accountability by making sure agency rules receive independent review before becoming law," said House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. "This is the second House priority bill we have passed in the first three weeks of the legislative session and I appreciate the speed at which the House has passed these important bills." House Bill 2728 passed 86-3 and now advances to the Oklahoma Senate for further consideration. The House also passed House Bill 1276 , banning cell phones in schools, and sent it to the Senate with the title on, meaning it is ready to become law if approved by the Senate.