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Bill

SB 318

Administrative rules; creating the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025; requiring Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency to conduct certain analyses. Effective date.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Micheal Bergstrom and 1 co-sponsor

Oklahoma REINS Act requires legislative approval for major administrative rules and mandates fiscal impact analysis, shifting regulatory oversight from agencies to legislature.

Placed on General Order
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Bill Summary · SB 318

Legislative bill overview

SB 318 creates Oklahoma's version of the REINS Act, requiring major administrative rules from state agencies to receive legislative approval before taking effect. The bill mandates the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency to analyze the fiscal and economic impact of proposed regulations before they can be implemented.

Why is this important

This bill fundamentally shifts regulatory authority from executive agencies to the legislature, potentially slowing rule-making processes but giving lawmakers more direct control over agency regulations. It could affect everything from environmental standards to occupational licensing, with downstream impacts on both regulatory compliance costs for businesses and the speed at which agencies can respond to public health or safety issues.

Potential points of contention

  • Executive power vs. legislative oversight: Agencies argue this constrains their ability to implement laws efficiently; legislators counter it prevents overreach and protects statutory intent
  • Definition of "major" rules: Disputes will likely arise over which regulations trigger the requirement, creating litigation and implementation uncertainty
  • Fiscal analysis burden: The bill adds workload to the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency; critics worry this could delay necessary regulations or create bottlenecks in the legislative process
  • Economic impact modeling: Disagreement over whose economic projections should be used and how costs/benefits are calculated across different regulatory sectors

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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