With our legislative session complete, it’s time to review some of the significant legislation that was passed.
One major concern I hear regularly— especially in our district—is the condition of Oklahoma’s roads. This year, we took meaningful action by passing House Bill 2758, which creates the Preserving and Advancing County Transportation (PACT) Fund. This fund dedicates $71 million to improve county roads and bridges across all 77 counties. It raises the base county funding to $4,000 per road mile, helping address long-overdue maintenance and to enhance safety on our rural roads. This won’t fix every issue overnight, but it’s a significant step in the right direction—and at the very least, your coffee might survive the drive.
With the $324 million secured for the Roosevelt Bridge, it was also critical to start advancing other infrastructure priorities in our region. This year, we successfully secured $7 million to develop tournamentready boat ramps at Lake Texoma, a project that will boost tourism and create regional jobs. We also secured $3 million for a new air traffic control tower at Eaker Field, strengthening our aviation economy and supporting local aviation education programs.
Another win was coauthoring and passing House Bill 2728, which creates the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act. Every year, after legislation becomes law, agencies draft administrative rules to implement it. The problem comes when unelected agency directors or boards write rules that go beyond legislative intent— or worse, cost Oklahomans millions of dollars. This law stops those rules from taking effect unless first approved by the Legislature.
This year, I also served on the Administrative Rules Committee. One of the most urgent issues we addressed wasn’t a bill but a critical need for families and business owners across the state. Multiple daycare providers in our district alerted me that DHS had changed its rules in a way that would have significantly reduced funding for local childcare centers. This type of unchecked agency rule is exactly what the REINS Act is designed to catch—ensuring these decisions don’t go into effect without legislative oversight. The change would have forced closures statewide, creating a crisis for working families. I met directly with the DHS director, secured an extension to the accreditation timeline and successfully negotiated grants to help centers cover the cost of compliance. This effort kept childcare providers open, affordable and accessible for working parents across our community and the state.
House Bill 2764 is another measure I’m proud to coauthor. It delivers a quarterpercent income tax cut for all tax brackets beginning in tax year 2026, restructures the brackets from six to four, and ensures the bottom bracket pays zero. It also establishes a clear path to eliminate the state income tax altogether if future revenue targets are met.
We also passed Senate bill 638, eliminating the mandatory 6% markup on many everyday goods like gasoline, groceries, and overthe- counter medicine. This unfair policy hurt consumers. This gives businesses more flexibility to set prices while still preventing large retailers from using predatory pricing to harm small businesses.
Another important measure signed into law is House Bill 1217, which prohibits sexually explicit or obscene performances in public places or anywhere minors may be present. It also blocks local governments from using public property to host such events. This protects children and ensures our public spaces remain safe and family-friendly. Violators can face up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
After months of oversight hearings, the Legislature also took decisive action to address serious concerns at the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. We voted to remove the agency’s director, and the governor has appointed Rear Admiral Gregory Slavonic as interim director. Admiral Slavonic previously served with distinction as director of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In total, more than 500 bills and joint resolutions were advanced to the governor and signed into law. A full summary of key legislation can be found at okhouse. gov then resources, publications, resource publications, then 2025 Highlights. pdf.
Cody Maynard serves District 21 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes parts of Bryan and Marshall counties.
