The 2026 Oklahoma legislative session set records in numerous ways, and Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s public policy team had their work cut out for them as they worked through a record-setting 2,600 newly filed bills in addition to nearly as many carryover bills from the 2025 session.
OKFB policy staff and members monitored a wide array of bills and resolutions that impacted agriculture and rural Oklahoma across a slew of topics including renewable energy, taxes, water regulations and more.
A $12.82 billion state budget deal was struck in early April, which put the remainder of legislative session on the fast-track as legislators worked to move bills toward the finish line ahead of the technical sine die adjournment date of Friday, May 29.
Both legislative chambers gaveled out of session in mid-May as bills that the bodies passed headed to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk.
Since the 2026 legislative session was the second half of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature, any bills that did not become law at session’s end were dead and will not carry over to the 2027 legislative session in their existing form.
Water bills distilled into one
Before the start of the 2026 legislative session, Oklahoma Farm Bureau worked with its member-led Water Working Group to gather information about Oklahoma water laws and policy while assessing opportunities to refine the organization’s policy and positions on water issues.
OKFB tracked three main water-related bills throughout most of the 2026 legislative session. Each of the three bills had a similar focus: refining groundwater permits by moving toward a rolling, multi-year usage average to provide flexibility for groundwater users.
The final water bill to emerge from the legislative process was SB 259 by Sen. Brent Howard and Rep. Carl Newton. OKFB worked with the bill authors throughout session and worked eve more closely with Rep. Newton right up to the end of session to arrive at a bill that OKFB could support while setting the stage for future water policy discussions and bills.
The final language of SB 259, which was signed by Gov. Stitt in late May, defines penalties and fines for failure to report groundwater usage and specifies that groundwater users who use less than their permitted amount shall not see a reduction in their allowed groundwater usage. The bill also requires data centers to use closed-loop cooling systems to qualify for a groundwater usage permit for such purposes while creating a process for individuals to report concerns about improper groundwater usage to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.
While the multi-year rolling average allocation concept did not make it into a bill in 2026, OKFB is keeping lines of communication open with legislators for further water bills in 2027. OKFB’s Water Working Group will also assess the organization’s water policy and identify potential grassroots policy changes Farm Bureau members could consider to strengthen and modernize the organization’s water policy for future legislative sessions.
Tax-related legislation results in state question
A joint resolution from the 2026 legislative session authored by Speaker of the House Kyle Hilbert and Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton will send to a vote of the people a constitutional amendment to lower the annual valuation cap on property tax increases.
SJR 39 created SQ 847, which is scheduled to appear on the November 3, 2026, general election ballot. The state question would reduce the annual property tax valuation limit from 5% to 4% on most real estate and from 3% to 1.75% on agricultural land and homesteads. SQ 847 also includes refinements to Oklahoma’s homestead exemption requirements. If approved, the change will take effect in the 2027 tax year.
OKFB also worked on SB 2143, which would have allowed county assessors to use aerial imagery captured by drones or aircraft to issue an assessed a value on real property. OKFB was originally told that the intention of SB 2143 was to allow for assessors to use aerial imagery to survey property to determine if new buildings had been constructed with the final tax valuation being based off an in-person assessment. When that turned out to be incorrect, OKFB opposed the bill after working closely with bill authors, Farm Bureau members and county assessors. OKFB members were concerned about final tax valuations being based on a remote inspection, and OKFB voiced those concerns to the bill authors and other legislators. SB 2143 failed to pass out of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Renewable energy, scenic rivers bills impact property rights
As a longtime advocate for the rights of private property owners, OKFB tracked numerous bills dealing with renewable energy facilities to help ensure a balance between private property rights and the ability for local communities to have a voice.
HB 3464 by Sen. Paxton and Rep. Brad Boles created the Oklahoma Energy Storage Resource Safety Act, which defined safety codes, facility requirements and permitting for certain energy storage facilities. The act addresses concerns around battery storage facilities, solar installations and other renewable energy projects to help ensure safety codes are followed to protect the rights and well-being of residents and other property owners near the facilities. SB 3464 was signed by the governor in early May.
OKFB also tracked two bills that sought to designate scenic rivers in the state. SB 133 and SB 2157 sought to name several rivers in southeastern Oklahoma as scenic rivers, which would have offered certain protections and a new commission to oversee the scenic waterways. OKFB policy opposes legislation to create new scenic rivers in Oklahoma due to the threat such designations pose to landowners who have property not only along the waterways, but also within the watersheds of those waterways.
Neither scenic-river-related bill made it out of the legislature.
Numerous bills affect production agriculture
A key bill of interest to Oklahoma’s agriculture community and OKFB members was HB 4054 by Rep. Trey Caldwell and Sen. Chuck Hall, which provided funding in the form of a $40 million loan to Oklahoma State University to create a new Agronomy Discovery Center to facilitate the university’s cutting-edge research, extension and education efforts. The funds came from the Legacy Capital Financing Fund and were designated separately from the $12.82 billion general state budget bill. HB 4054 became law with the governor’s signature.
SB 2112 by Sen. Casey Murdock and Reps. Newton and Rande Worthen re-opened the opportunity for agricultural producers to designate open-pasture roads on their property. Open-pasture roads are defined as public roadways that pass through private property and do not have fencing to separate the road from grazing lands. SB 2112 allowed counties to designate new open-pasture roads after the closing of a previous enrollment period on Nov. 1, 2025. The bill outlines specific requirements for such roads, including the installation of cattle guards and signage.
HB 3977 by Rep. Trey Caldwell and Sen. Tom Woods added a requirement that Oklahoma’s state veterinarian has experience in a food-animal veterinary practice. While past state veterinarians have had experience with livestock and agricultural animals, the bill helps ensure future veterinarians continue to have food animal experience as the state’s head animal health expert. Gov. Stitt signed HB 3977 in mid-May.
SB 2134 by Sen. Murdock and Rep. Worthen directed the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to create rules directing the handling of livestock after a motor vehicle accident involving a vehicle transporting livestock. The bill directs county emergency management agencies to follow ODAFF’s directives and advise wrecker and towing companies working the scene on livestock handling best-practices to ensure safety for both humans and livestock. SB 2134 was signed by the governor in April.
Finally, a bill inspired by an OKFB Capitol Camp participant from the Burlington FFA chapter designated wheat as the official crop of Oklahoma. SB 2159 by Sen. Roland Pederson added a new state of Oklahoma symbol, recognizing wheat as the state’s official crop. Gov. Stitt signed the measure on May 6.
OKFB’s policy development starts anew
With the 2026 legislative session in the rear-view mirror, OKFB members will begin the process of refining, updating and creating new policy for the 2027 legislative session. The 2027 legislative session will feature a handful of new state legislators, a new governor and other new state officials who will take office after the 2026 general election in November.
The organization’s annual August Area Meetings will serve as the kickoff of OKFB’s grassroots policy development season, encouraging members to draft resolutions to present at the county Farm Bureau level. Policies that are approved at the county level will be considered by the OKFB state resolutions committee before final consideration by the OKFB delegate body at the 2026 OKFB annual meeting.
For questions about OKFB’s legislative action or policy development process, contact OKFB’s public policy department at (405) 523-2300.
