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 3981 By: Caldwell (Trey)
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6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to District Attorneys Council;
creating the District Attorney Locality Incentive
8 Program; defining terms; providing for incentive
payments for certain employees; determining certain
9 conditions for certain payments; requiring certain
years of service; requiring certain repayments under
10 certain conditions; allowing for the creation of a
committee; setting minimum requirements for specific
11 areas; requiring certain procedures; providing means
for current employees to qualify; prohibiting a
12 vested right in certain payments; creating the
District Attorney Locality Incentive Program
13 Revolving Fund; establishing revolving fund
characteristics; establishing and limiting budgeting
14 expenditures from funds; providing for codification;
and providing an effective date.
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17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
18 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
19 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43a of Title 19, unless
20 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
21 This act shall be known and may be cited as the "District
22 Attorney Locality Incentive Program Act".
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1 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
2 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43b of Title 19, unless
3 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
4 As used in the District Attorney Locality Incentive Program:
5 1. "Eligible employee" means a full-time prosecutor of a
6 district attorney's office serving in a designed high-need locality.
7 2. "Service obligation" means the period of continuous service
8 required to earn an incentive payment under this act.
9 SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
10 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43c of Title 19, unless
11 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
12 A. The District Attorneys Council, subject to availability of
13 funding, may provide financial incentive payments to an eligible
14 employee serving in a designated high-need locality.
15 B. Incentive payments made pursuant to this section shall not
16 exceed a cumulative total of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) per
17 eligible employee during the initial five-year incentive period.
18 C. Incentive payments may be structured and disbursed at
19 intervals determined by the administering committee, including, but
20 not limited to, payments made upon completion of specified years of
21 service.
22 D. Upon completion of the initial five-year incentive period,
23 an eligible employee may receive additional incentive payments not
24 to exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) for each additional two-
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1 year period of continued service in a qualifying locality, subject
2 to availability of funds and continued eligibility.
3 E. Incentive payments authorized by this section may be made
4 only to the extend funds are available and shall be approved in the
5 manner prescribed by the administering committee. No employee shall
6 have vested right to receive an incentive payment or to receive the
7 maximum amount authorized by this act.
8 SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
9 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43d of Title 19, unless
10 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
11 A. An eligible employee who receives an incentive payment
12 pursuant to this act shall be required to complete the corresponding
13 service obligation associated with the payment.
14 B. If an eligible employee terminates service in a designated
15 high-need locality prior to satisfying the required service
16 obligation, the employee shall be required to reimburse the payor
17 entity for the incentive amount received.
18 C. If the employee completes less than the required service
19 period for the incentive payment received, reimbursement by the
20 employee shall be made on a pro rata basis, calculated according to
21 the portion of the service obligation completed.
22 SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
23 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43e of Title 19, unless
24 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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1 A. Eligibility for participation in the District Attorney
2 Locality Incentive Program shall be determined by a committee
3 composed of representatives of the district attorneys, in
4 coordination with the District Attorneys Council.
5 B. The committee shall designate high-need localities and
6 determine incentive amounts based on factors including, but not
7 limited to:
8 1. Population size;
9 2. District hub status;
10 3. Remoteness or rural characteristics;
11 4. Length of vacancy or turnover rates;
12 5. Distance to an institution of higher learning; and
13 6. Other recruitment and retention considerations identified by
14 the committee.
15 C. The committee shall establish policies and procedures
16 governing:
17 1. Application and approval process;
18 2. Documentation requirements;
19 3. Incentive schedules and payment timing; and
20 4. Enforcement of service obligations and reimbursement
21 requirements.
22 SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
23 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43f of Title 19, unless
24 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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1 A. Eligible employees serving in designated high-need
2 localities at the time the District Attorney Locality Incentive
3 Program becomes effective shall be eligible to participate in the
4 Program.
5 B. For purpose of incentive eligibility and administration, all
6 participating employees � regardless of prior length of service �
7 shall begin the initial five-year incentive period concurrently upon
8 designation of the Program.
9 SECTION 7. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
10 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43g of Title 19, unless
11 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
12 Nothing in this section shall be construed to create a vested
13 right to an incentive payment. Incentive payments are subject to
14 availability of funds and continued eligibility as determined by the
15 administering committee.
16 SECTION 8. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
17 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43h of Title 19, unless
18 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
19 There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
20 for the District Attorneys Council to be designated the "District
21 Attorney Locality Incentive Program Revolving Fund". The fund shall
22 be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and
23 shall consist of all monies directed for deposit to the fund by law.
24 All monies accruing to the credit of said fund are hereby
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1 appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the District
2 Attorneys Council for the purpose of funding the District Attorney
3 Locality Incentive Program. Expenditures from said fund shall be
4 made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer against claims
5 filed as prescribed by law with the Director of the Office of
6 Management and Enterprise Services for approval and payment.
7 SECTION 9. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
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9 60-2-14384 JM 01/11/26
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Req. No. 14384 Page 6Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.