At the Capitol: What will, and will not move through the 2025 legislative session

Oklahoma lawmakers advanced several Senate bills through committee Wednesday, addressing issues ranging from firearm regulations and law enforcement penalties to pension contributions and emergency weather tracking. However, a few high-profile measures failed to move forward, including proposals related to religious monuments, covenant marriage, and abortion laws. Here's a breakdown of the latest legislative actions.

Senate Bills passing through committee Wednesday:

Senate Bill 39

1. SB 39 prohibits carrying a firearm while under the influence of medical marijuana.
2. The measure specifies that an applicant for a handgun license shall not be considered ineligible solely on the basis of being a lawful holder of a medical marijuana patient license.
3. The bill now heads to the full Senate.

Senate Bill 871

1. SB 871 imposes a minimum sentence of 6 months imprisonment for any person convicted of eluding a peace officer. 
2. The measure increases the minimum sentence for such a violation that endangers any other person from 1 year to 30 months.
3. Anyone convicted of eluding an officer and causing an accident resulting in great bodily injury to any other person shall receive an increased minimum sentence from 5 to 7 years. 
4. The measure now moves to the full Senate floor.

Senate Bill 1106

1. SB 1006 prohibits any state agency from supporting any diversity, equity, and inclusion positions, departments, activities, procedures, or programs when they grant preferential treatment based on the particular race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin of one person over another. 
2. The measure directs the Attorney General to enforce the provisions of this measure and to submit any violations to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House, and chairs of the Senate and House of Representatives appropriations committees.
3. The measure now moves to the full Senate floor.
4. Anybody that violates the measure will have their agency budget reduced by 1%.

Senate Bill 158

1. SB 158 creates the “Oklahoma Emergency Weather Response and Tracking Regulatory Act of 2025.”
2. The measure authorizes Service Oklahoma to create a professional severe weather tracker license.
3. The measure establishes a $500.00 fee for the initial license and a $250.00 annual fee.
4. The measure now moves to the appropriations committee. 

Senate Bill 715

1. SB 715 increases employer contributions to the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System from 14% to 16% of the total actual paid gross salaries of the members of the fire department.
2. The measure now moves to the appropriations committee. 

Senate Bill 716

1. SB 716 increases the minimum contribution to the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System for members from 9% to 11%. 
2. The measure now moves to the appropriations committee. 

Senate Bill 79

1. SB 79 creates the Uniform “Child Abduction Prevention Act.” 
2. The measure authorizes a court to order abduction prevention measures in a child custody proceeding if the court finds that the evidence establishes a credible risk of abduction of the child.
3. The measure now moves to the full Senate.

Senate Bills failing during committee Wednesday:

Senate Bill 380

1. SB 380 would direct the state to display a monument of the Ten Commandments within the State Capitol.
2. This measure failed. It will not move forward during the 2025 legislative session. 

Senate Bill 228

1. SB 228 would create the “Covenant Marriage Act of Oklahoma.” 
2. The measure would require 2 people intending to enter into a covenant marriage to make a declaration of intent as outlined in the measure and to sign the document.
3. This measure failed. It will not move forward during the 2025 legislative session. 

Senate Bill 456

1. SB 456 creates the “Abolition of Abortion Act”
2. The measure would have provided that the act of abortion shall be considered and prosecuted in the same and usual manner as a homicide unless the procedure was necessary to save the life of the mother or was the result of a spontaneous miscarriage. 
3. This measure failed. It will not move forward during the 2025 legislative session.