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HB 3980

District Attorneys Council; Rural District Attorney Loan Repayment Assistance Program; Rural District Attorney Loan Repayment Assistance Program Revolving Fund; codification; effective date.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Trey Caldwell and 1 co-sponsor

Oklahoma creates a loan repayment assistance program for rural district attorneys funded through a revolving account to address prosecutor recruitment and retention.

Enrolled measure signed, returned to House
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Bill Summary · HB 3980

Legislative bill overview

HB 3980 establishes a loan repayment assistance program for district attorneys working in rural Oklahoma counties, administered through the District Attorneys Council. The bill creates a dedicated revolving fund to support this program and codifies it into Oklahoma law.

Why is this important

Rural areas face chronic recruitment and retention challenges for prosecutors, which can impact criminal justice capacity and public safety. Financial incentives like loan repayment assistance are intended to attract qualified attorneys to underserved communities where positions are harder to fill.

Potential points of contention

  • Program funding and sustainability: The mechanics of how the revolving fund generates revenue and whether it will be adequately capitalized to serve meaningful numbers of rural prosecutors
  • Eligibility criteria: Questions about which rural counties qualify, employment duration requirements, maximum repayment amounts, and whether public defenders or private prosecutors are included
  • Cost-benefit analysis: Whether loan repayment assistance is the most effective use of state resources compared to direct salary increases or other recruitment strategies for rural DAs

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

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