Adam RollinsOklahoma lawmakers have concluded their 2025 Legislative session, officially adjourning the 60th session on May 30. The session began in early February and prioritized bills on economic development, education, workforce development, public safety, regulatory expansions and climate change.
The legislature passed Senate Bill 269, creating clear guidelines for carbon capture and storage that will take effect later in the year. The bill enables the state to retain regulatory control over carbon sequestration efforts and provides the Oklahoma Corporation Commission with exclusive control over:
- Oil and gas conservation.
- Field operations for oil, gas and brine exploration.
- Clas VI CO2 injection wells.
- Relevant storage units.
- Building and operating pipelines and infrastructure related to transporting fossil fuel products.
- Handling, transporting, storing and disposing of deleterious substances produced from or obtained by drilling and operating oil and gas wells.
SB 269 also established the Class VI Carbon Sequestration Storage Facility Revolving Fund. The fund contains $5 million; however, any amount given more than that will pause expenditures until the balance is brought below $4 million. The law will go into effect Nov. 1.
House Bill 2781 was passed, authorizing $4 billion to develop the first aluminum smelter in the United States in more than 45 years. The bill codifies the “Reindustrialize Oklahoma Act of 2025,” an initiative designed to attract capital investments and high-wage manufacturing jobs. As part of its passage, the state will create a long-term investment rebate program to incentivize impactful, capital-driven manufacturing projects. The initiative is expected to shore up the nation’s critical mineral supply chains.
To bolster municipal enforcement power, HB 2147 provides cities and towns with greater authority over building and safety codes. With its passage, municipalities will be better equipped to respond to code violations, enabling them to reduce fire hazards, dangerous structures and public health risks. The legal process for these proceedings has been clarified to require notice, hearings and strict timelines to streamline litigation. HB 2147 will take effect Nov. 1.
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