Senate Business and Insurance Committee advances slate of bills, narrowly passes credit‑card surcharge cap

The Oklahoma Senate Business and Insurance Committee met to consider legislation and gubernatorial nominations, advancing several measures and recommending a slate of nominees to the full Senate.

Senator Green opened the committee by explaining House Bill 30 81, which the author said adjusts an age restriction and application obligations for employment in what the sponsor called the fire extinguisher industry. With no questions or debate, the committee recorded 7 ayes and 0 nays and the chair declared the bill passed.

The committee heard extended discussion of House Bill 3,983, a proposal from Senator Murdoch to convert smokeless‑tobacco taxation from a 60% wholesale percentage to a weight‑based fee of $1.72 per unit. Murdoch said the change would create a single, simpler tax base across many products and described the move as “more fair” because it treats premium and lower‑cost products equally. Senator Brooks said she had received information raising concerns, including from health groups, and asked whether the American Cancer Society endorses the measure; Murdoch said he had discussed the bill with the group and expected they would have concerns but that he would continue that outreach. Brooks and other senators pressed how weight would be reported and whether self‑reporting by manufacturers could encourage manipulation; Murdoch said he would follow up with details. The bill did not receive a second and was made the property of the committee, per the chair’s announcement.

Senator Thompson presented House Bill 3,790, the Homeowners Protection Act, which would give homeowners five calendar days to cancel certain contracts signed after a severe storm; the committee advanced the bill on a 9–0 roll call.

HJR 10 23, a statutorily required, biannual update of the Workers’ Compensation Board medical fee schedule, was explained by Senator Thompson and advanced unanimously.

The committee also amended and passed HB 41 39, the Oklahoma Home Services Act, after the clerk read an amendment to change wording on disclosure placement. The amendment sponsor characterized the change as correcting a drafting error; the committee approved the amendment and the amended bill on a unanimous vote.

A focal point of debate was House Bill 3,041, which would cap merchant surcharge fees and address how credit‑card processing surcharges are calculated. Senator Woods said the bill caps surcharges at 4% and includes carve‑outs; several senators questioned language that appears to change whether the merchant may charge the “lesser” or the “greater” of two amounts for surcharge calculations. Senator Brooks raised concerns that, if drafted incorrectly, the provision could allow higher or uncapped charges; Woods said he would work with members to correct language after committee. After debate, the committee approved the bill on a 5–4 vote.

Other bills the committee passed included HB 32 97 (creating the Oklahoma Towing Recovery Board, 8–1), HB 3,673 (allowing certain license reinstatements for electricians, 8–0), HB 4,105 (clarifying which workers are not security guards, 8–0), HB 3,338 (pool‑installer licensing, 6–2), and HB 3,048 (surplus‑lines technical changes, 7–0). Several of these measures’ proponents framed the changes as clarifications or consumer protections while opponents raised drafting or implementation concerns during questioning.

The committee moved several executive nominations to the full Senate. Michael Stopp of Tahlequah was recommended for the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission after Senator Frick introduced him and Stopp addressed the panel; the committee reported the nomination favorably to the full Senate. Other nominees—Michael Cantrell, Richard Willoughby, Keith Mitchell, Andrew Rebellis, and a number of reappointments and board nominees—were similarly introduced, briefly questioned where present, and recommended to the full Senate with recorded roll‑call results.

What’s next: bills advanced by the committee will proceed per normal legislative scheduling and several nominations will be considered by the Senate. Sponsors on several measures said they would refine statutory language in response to questions raised in committee; in at least one case (the weight‑based tobacco tax) additional outreach to stakeholders was pledged before further action.

Votes at a glance: - HB 30 81 — Passed (7–0) - HB 3,983 (smokeless tobacco weight tax) — No second; became property of committee (no floor recommendation) - HB 3,790 (Homeowners Protection Act) — Passed (9–0) - HJR 10 23 (Workers’ Comp medical fee schedule) — Passed (9–0) - HB 41 39 (Home Services Act, amended) — Amendment passed; bill passed (9–0) - HB 3,041 (surcharge cap) — Passed (5–4) - HB 32 97 (Oklahoma Towing Recovery Board) — Passed (8–1) - HB 3,673 (electrician license reinstatement) — Passed (8–0) - HB 4,105 (security‑guard definition) — Passed (8–0) - HB 3,338 (pool‑installer licensing) — Passed (6–2) - HB 3,048 (surplus lines cleanup) — Passed (7–0)

The committee adjourned after completing the agenda and reporting nominations to the full Senate.