Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Turnpike Tolls topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances bill to allow turnpike authority access to registration data for unpaid tolls; author cites ongoing tribal negotiations
Summary
Senate Bill 675 would permit the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to obtain registration information to invoice non-PikePass users, including some tribal license plates not already covered by compacts; sponsor said 70–80% of tribal plates are covered by existing agreements and the bill would address the remainder.
Senator Cynder Yek told the Public Safety Committee that Senate Bill 675, a request from the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority in cooperation with the Department of Public Safety, would allow toll collection by enabling the authority to obtain registration information for vehicles not on PikePass or otherwise invoicable — a category that includes some tribal registrations not subject to existing compacts.
"It's estimated that approximately 70 to 80% already are already covered through either these compacts or agreements," Yek said, adding that the bill targets the remaining 20 to 30 percent and that the authority estimates about $8,000,000 per year in uncollected tolls could be affected. She said productive negotiations with tribal governments had taken place and the amendment adopted in committee was intended to narrow the bill’s scope. Several committee members voiced concern that legislative action might influence ongoing negotiations; the author said the intent was to facilitate fairness and continue talks.
After adopting the amendment and brief debate, the committee advanced SB 675 with an announced tally of 5 ayes and 1 nay.
