Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
3 HOUSE BILL 3128 By: West (Kevin)
4
5
6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to labor, enacting the Actionable
Response for Industry Skills and Excellence in
8 Oklahoma Task Force (ARISE-OK); describing
legislative intent and purpose; defining terms;
9 creating guidelines for Task Force members; creating
guidelines for appointed members; describing duties;
10 requiring reports; describing report deadlines;
providing guidelines for compensation and
11 reimbursement; requiring staffing and support;
providing for codification; and providing an
12 effective date.
13
14
15 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
16 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
17 codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
18 A. The Legislature finds that Oklahoma's long-term economic
19 growth, business competitiveness, and workforce capacity depend upon
20 strategic coordination between employers, education providers,
21 workforce systems, and state agencies.
22 B. It is the intent of the Legislature to:
23 1. Identify barriers to workforce entry and participation;
24 2. Strengthen workforce pipelines in key industries;
Req. No. 14421 Page 1
1 3. Align education and training systems with employer needs;
2 4. Support apprenticeships, technical training, and career
3 development;
4 5. Enhance Oklahoma's economic competitiveness through a
5 modernized, responsive workforce system; and
6 6. Ensure recommendations are industry-driven, data-informed,
7 and actionable.
8 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
9 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 651 of Title 40, unless there is
10 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
11 A. There is hereby created the Actionable Response for Industry
12 Skills and Excellence in Oklahoma Task Force (ARISE-OK).
13 B. The purpose of ARISE-OK is to evaluate statewide workforce
14 readiness, identify barriers to employment, strengthen workforce
15 pipelines, and advance strategies that support business growth and
16 economic competitiveness.
17 SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
18 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 652 of Title 40, unless there is
19 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
20 For purposes of this act:
21 1. "Industry representative" means an individual employed by or
22 affiliated wih a private-sector business operating within the State
23 of Oklahoma.
24
Req. No. 14421 Page 2
1 2. "Registered apprenticeship" means a program registered with
2 the United States Department of Labor or the Oklahoma Office of
3 Workforce Development.
4 3. "Task Force" or "ARISE-OK" means the Actionable Response for
5 Industry Skills and Excellence Task Force created by this act.
6 4. "Workforce barriers" includes transportation, childcare,
7 credentialing, reentry, housing, and other obstacles preventing
8 workforce entry or retention.
9 SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
10 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 653 of Title 40, unless there is
11 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
12 A. The Task Force shall consist of the following voting
13 members:
14 1. The Commissioner of Labor, who shall serve as Chair, or
15 designee;
16 2. The Executive Director of the Oklahoma Employment Security
17 Commission, or designee;
18 3. The Executive Director of the Department of Commerce, or
19 designee;
20 4. The State Director of Career and Technology Education, or
21 designee;
22 5. The Chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher
23 Education, or designee; and
24 6. The Secretary of Agriculture, or designee.
Req. No. 14421 Page 3
1 B. The following shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting members:
2 1. The Executive Director of the Oklahoma Workforce Commission
3 (OWC), or designee;
4 2. The Executive Director of the Oklahoma Space Industry
5 Development Authority (OSIDA), or designee;
6 3. The Executive Director of the Oklahoma Center for the
7 Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), or designee;
8 4. One (1) representative of the Oklahoma Tribal Finance
9 Consortium (OTFC); and
10 5. The Lieutenant Governor, or designee.
11 C. In addition, the Task Force shall include eleven (11)
12 appointed voting members as follows:
13 1. To be appointed by the Commissioner of Labor:
14 a. an apprenticeship or workforce training specialist,
15 b. a workforce training provider representative, and
16 c. a workforce barrier-reduction specialist;
17 2. To be appointed by the Governor:
18 a. an energy sector representative, and
19 b. a technology sector representative;
20 3. To be appointed by the Speaker of the House:
21 a. a constructive sector representative,
22 b. a manufacturing sector representative, and
23 c. a veteran or military-transition representative;
24 4. To be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate:
Req. No. 14421 Page 4
1 a. an agriculture sector representative,
2 b. a healthcare sector representative, and
3 c. a statewide business or industry representative.
4 D. Members shall serve until the Task Force submits its final
5 report, unless replaced by the appointing authority. The appointing
6 authority has discretion to replace a member they appointed.
7 E. If any appointed member has not been selected by the
8 designated appointing authority within sixty (60) days of the
9 effective date of this act, the Chair of the Task Force shall make
10 the appointment to fill the vacancy. Such appointment shall serve
11 until the appointing authority selects a member or until the Task
12 Force submits its final report, whichever occurs first.
13 SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
14 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 654 of Title 40, unless there is
15 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
16 The Task Force shall:
17 1. Evaluate Oklahoma's workforce readiness and talent shortages
18 across all industry sectors;
19 2. Identify regulatory, statutory, and practical barriers to
20 employment;
21 3. Recommend strategies to strengthen workforce training,
22 apprenticeships, Career and Technical Education, education
23 alignment, and employer participation;
24
Req. No. 14421 Page 5
1 4. Study workforce challenges within agriculture,
2 manufacturing, energy, construction, healthcare, technology, and
3 veteran transition sectors;
4 5. Engage rural, urban, and veteran communities to ensure
5 statewide workforce responsiveness;
6 6. Coordinate studies and data requests within the Oklahoma
7 Workforce Commission to avoid duplication and ensure complementary
8 efforts;
9 7. Provide statutory and administrative recommendations to
10 improve workforce effectiveness and business competitiveness;
11 8. Address workforce challenges not explicitly within OWC's
12 statutory mission, including cross-sector coordination, long-term
13 strategic workforce policy, and structural barriers; and
14 9. Leverage expertise from ex officio members for emerging
15 industries and workforce insights.
16 SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
17 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 655 of Title 40, unless there is
18 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
19 A. The Task Force shall submit the following written reports of
20 findings and legislative recommendations annually, as follows:
21 1. Interim Report by December 1, 2027;
22 2. Second Report by December 1, 2028; and
23 3. Final Report by December 1, 2029.
24 B. Each report shall be submitted to:
Req. No. 14421 Page 6
1 1. The Governor;
2 2. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate;
3 3. The Speaker of the House of Representatives;
4 4. The Oklahoma Workforce Commission; and
5 5. The public via an online posting by the Department of Labor.
6 SECTION 7. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
7 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 656 of Title 40, unless there is
8 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
9 A. Members who are state employees shall receive no additional
10 compensation for duties performed under this act.
11 B. Legislative or appointed members who are not state employees
12 may be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses in accordance with
13 the State Travel Reimbursement Act, subject to available funds.
14 C. No member shall receive a stipend or per diem for service on
15 the Task Force.
16 SECTION 8. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
17 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 657 of Title 40, unless there is
18 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
19 The Department of Labor shall provide staff support, meeting
20 coordination, report posting, and administrative assistance to the
21 Task Force.
22 SECTION 9. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
23 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 658 of Title 40, unless there is
24 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
Req. No. 14421 Page 7
1 A. The Task Force shall terminate on December 31, 2029, unless
2 continued by an act of the Legislature enacted no later than the
3 2029 Regular Session.
4 B. Prior to termination, the Task Force shall submit its final
5 report, and the Legislature may extend, modify, or continue the Task
6 Force through subsequent legislation.
7 SECTION 10. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
8
9 60-2-14421 TKR 01/08/26
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Req. No. 14421 Page 8Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.