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Our legislative session has just begun, with dozens of committee meetings every week.

Several of my bills have passed committees in recent weeks.

House Bill 2087 passed the House Appropriations & Budget Committee and is now eligible for a House floor vote. It raises the annual cap for the biomedical research institute donation tax credit from $1 million to $1.5 million and reduces the cancer research institute donation tax credit from $1 million to $500,000 starting in tax year 2026. The maximum credits will be $1,000 for single filers, $2,000 for joint filers, and $25,000 for corporate filers for biomedical research, while cancer research credits max out at $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for joint filers.

Two more bills have passed their first committees but still need oversight approval.

House Bill 2184 requires state colleges and universities to disclose contracts or gifts received from sources in designated hostile countries. The State Regents must publish this information online and may audit such transactions. HB2184 passed the House Postsecondary Committee and now awaits consideration by the House Education Oversight Committee.

House Bill 1458 modifies how funeral homes can be designated as beneficiaries for Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) death benefits. After a retiree's death, a beneficiary may reject the benefits, directing them to a funeral provider. For tax purposes, HB1458 classifies this as a qualified disclaimer rather than an assignment of benefits.

Last week, the House Appropriations & Budget Committee approved a consent decree from a 2023 lawsuit against a state agency.

A few years ago, the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services was sued for violating due process rights. Some defendants found incompetent to stand trial were left in legal limbo due to a lack of resources for competency restoration treatment.

House Concurrent Resolution 1004 must still be approved by both chambers. House fiscal staff estimates implementation costs at $26 million to $45 million over three to five years. If the case goes to trial, costs could be even higher.

On Friday, the Board of Equalization (BOE) met for one of the year's most important meetings.

The BOE certifies revenue collections and sets the Legislature's expenditure limit. This year, it certified $12.3 billion for the Fiscal Year 2026 budget—$11 billion in recurring revenue and $1.3 billion in available cash and one-time funds.

This is about 1.4% less than last year’s budget, though nearly $1.4 billion in prior-year cash is available for short-term use. The state also has over $3 billion in savings for potential downturns.

Given the limited growth in recurring revenue, major ongoing spending increases in the 2026 session may be unlikely. The Legislature has until May to negotiate and pass the budget, and I’ll keep you updated as discussions progress.

As always, please reach out to my office with questions or concerns regarding legislation. You can contact me at (405) 557-7358 or john.kane@okhouse.gov.

John Kane, a Republican, serves House District 11 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which covers Tulsa and Washington counties.