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1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
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3 SENATE BILL 2048 By: Pugh
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5
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to the State Travel Reimbursement
7 Act; amending 74 O.S. 2021, Section 500.2, as amended
8 by Section 1, Chapter 63, O.S.L. 2022 (74 O.S. Supp.
8 2025, Section 500.2), which relates to reimbursable
9 expenses; requiring electronic submission of certain
9 report; allowing the Statewide Charter School Board
10 to enter into certain contracts and establish certain
10 accounts; providing limit for certain costs; updating
11 statutory language; providing an effective date; and
11 declaring an emergency.
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12
13
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14 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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15 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 74 O.S. 2021, Section 500.2, as
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16 amended by Section 1, Chapter 63, O.S.L. 2022 (74 O.S. Supp. 2025,
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17 Section 500.2), is amended to read as follows:
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18 Section 500.2. A. Officials and employees of the state,
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19 traveling on authorized state business, may be reimbursed for
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20 expenses incurred in such travel in accordance with the provisions
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21 of the State Travel Reimbursement Act and existing statutes relating
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22 to state travel. Persons who are not state employees, but who are
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23 performing substantial and necessary services to the state which
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24 have been directed or approved by the appropriate department
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Req. No. 3419 Page 1
1 official, shall enjoy the protection of the sovereign immunity of
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2 the state to the same extent as a paid employee. Such persons may
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3 be reimbursed for expenses incurred during authorized official
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4 travel under these same statutory provisions; provided, it is
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5 indicated on the claim the person is not a state employee, a
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6 description of services performed is entered, and the agency head by
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7 approval of the claim certifies such services were substantial and
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8 necessary, and germane to the duties and functions of the
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9 reimbursing agency. Travel expenses incurred by a person during the
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10 course of seeking employment with a state agency, unless such travel
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11 is performed at the request of the employing agency, shall not be
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12 considered expenses incurred in performing substantial and necessary
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13 services to the state and shall not be reimbursed under the
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14 provisions of the State Travel Reimbursement Act.
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15 B. The chief administrative officer of the Department of Public
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16 Safety, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma
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17 State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, the Military
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18 Department of the State of Oklahoma, the Department of Corrections,
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19 the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, the Alcoholic
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20 Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission, the Oklahoma Department of
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21 Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, the Oklahoma Department of
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22 Emergency Management, the State Fire Marshal, and the State
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23 Department of Health may arrange for and charge meals and lodging
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24 for a contingent of state personnel moved into an area for the
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Req. No. 3419 Page 2
1 purpose of preserving the public health, safety, or welfare or for
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2 the protection of life or property. The cost for meals or lodging
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3 so charged shall not exceed the amount authorized in the State
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4 Travel Reimbursement Act. The chief administrative officer of each
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5 agency involved in such an operation shall require the vendor
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6 furnishing meals, lodging, or both meals and lodging to submit an
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7 itemized statement for payment. When a claim for lodging is made
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8 for a contingent of state personnel, individual members of the
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9 contingent may not submit a claim for lodging. When a claim for
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10 meals is made for a contingent of state personnel, individual
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11 members of the contingent may not submit a claim for meals.
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12 C. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Oklahoma Center for
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13 the Advancement of Science and Technology, and the Oklahoma
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14 Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry are hereby authorized
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15 to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of food,
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16 lodging, meeting facility, and beverage expenses as may be necessary
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17 for sponsoring seminars and receptions relating to economic
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18 development and science and technology issues. Such expenses may be
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19 paid directly to the contracting agency or business establishment.
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20 The Director Chief Executive Officer of the Oklahoma Department of
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21 Commerce, the President Executive Director of the Oklahoma Center
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22 for the Advancement of Science and Technology, and the Commissioner
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23 of Agriculture shall each electronically provide a quarterly report
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Req. No. 3419 Page 3
1 of such expenditures to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of
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2 Representatives, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
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3 D. The Native American Cultural and Educational Authority is
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4 hereby authorized to enter into contracts and agreements for the
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5 payment of food, lodging, and meeting facility expenses as may be
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6 necessary to pursue the promotion of fundraising, marketing, and
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7 development of Native American educational programs and cultural
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8 projects, or to sponsor luncheons, seminars, and receptions relating
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9 to Native American educational, cultural, museum, and economic
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10 development issues. Such expenses may be paid directly to the
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11 contracting agency or business establishment. The Executive
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12 Director of the Native American Cultural and Educational Authority
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13 shall provide a monthly report of expenditures to the Native
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14 American Cultural and Educational Authority Board.
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15 E. For the purposes of this section:
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16 1. "State agency" means any constitutionally or statutorily
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17 created state board, commission, or department, including the
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18 Legislature and the Courts courts;
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19 2. State agencies are authorized to enter into contracts and
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20 agreements for the payment of food and lodging expenses as may be
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21 necessary for employees or other persons who are performing
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22 substantial and necessary services to the state by attending
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23 official conferences, meetings, seminars, workshops, or training
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24 sessions or in the performance of their duties. Such expenses may
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Req. No. 3419 Page 4
1 be paid directly to the contracting agency or business
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2 establishment;, provided the meeting qualifies for overnight travel
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3 for the employees and the cost for food and lodging for each
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4 employee shall not exceed the total daily rate as provided in the
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5 State Travel Reimbursement Act;
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6 3. State agencies are authorized to enter into contracts and
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7 agreements for the payment of conference registration expenses as
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8 may be necessary for employees or other persons who are performing
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9 substantial and necessary services to the state by attending
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10 official conferences, meetings, seminars, workshops, or training
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11 sessions. Such expenses may be paid directly to the contracting
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12 agency or business establishment; and
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13 4. State agencies are authorized to enter into contracts and
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14 agreements for the payment of food and lodging expenses as may be
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15 necessary for employees attending an official course of instruction
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16 or training conducted or sponsored by any state agency. Expenses
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17 may be paid directly to the contracting agency or business
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18 establishment. The cost for food and lodging for each employee
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19 shall not exceed the total daily rate as provided in the State
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20 Travel Reimbursement Act.
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21 F. State agencies are authorized to make direct purchases of
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22 commercial airline tickets for use by employees in approved out-of-
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23 state travel. Each claim or invoice submitted to the Director of
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24 the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for the payment of
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Req. No. 3419 Page 5
1 the purchase shall bear the airline identifying ticket number, the
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2 name of the airline, total cost of each ticket purchased, class of
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3 accommodation, and name of the employee for whom the ticket was
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4 purchased and shall be filed on claim forms as prescribed by the
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5 Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. The
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6 employee shall sign an affidavit stating that the employee used a
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7 direct purchase commercial airline ticket received for his or her
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8 approved out-of-state travel, or in lieu of the affidavit, the
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9 employee may file a travel claim in connection with said such
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10 airline flight.
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11 G. 1. The Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise
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12 Services is hereby authorized to enter into contracts and agreements
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13 for the payment of food, lodging, and other authorized expenses as
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14 may be necessary to host, conduct, sponsor, or participate in
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15 conferences, meetings, or training sessions. The Director may
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16 establish accounts as necessary for the collection and distribution
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17 of funds, including funds of sponsors and registration fees, related
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18 to such conferences, meetings, and training sessions. Expenses
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19 incurred may be paid directly to the contracting agency or business
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20 establishment.
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21 2. The cost of food for persons attending any conferences,
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22 meetings, and training sessions that do not require overnight travel
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23 shall not exceed the total daily rate as provided in the State
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24 Travel Reimbursement Act.
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Req. No. 3419 Page 6
1 H. 1. The Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and
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2 Substance Abuse Services is hereby authorized to enter into
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3 contracts and agreements for the payment of food, lodging, and other
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4 authorized expenses as may be necessary to host, conduct, sponsor,
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5 or participate in conferences, meetings, or training sessions. The
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6 Commissioner may establish accounts as necessary for the collection
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7 and distribution of funds, including funds of sponsors and
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8 registration fees, related to such conferences, meetings, and
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9 training sessions. Any expenses incurred may be paid directly to
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10 the contracting agency or business establishment.
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11 2. The cost of food for persons attending any conferences,
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12 meetings, and training sessions that do not require overnight travel
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13 shall not exceed the total daily rate as provided in the State
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14 Travel Reimbursement Act.
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15 I. The Oklahoma Indigent Defense System is hereby authorized to
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16 enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of lodging as
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17 necessary for employees to carry out their duties in representing
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18 any client whom the System has been properly appointed to represent.
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19 Such expenses may be paid directly to the contracting agency or
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20 business establishment. The cost for lodging for each employee
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21 shall not exceed the daily rate as provided in the State Travel
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22 Reimbursement Act.
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23 J. The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department is hereby
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24 authorized to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of
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Req. No. 3419 Page 7
1 food, lodging, and meeting facility, and beverage expenses as may be
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2 necessary for seminars and receptions relating to familiarization
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3 tours and tourism development. The expenses may be paid directly to
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4 the contracting agency or business establishment. The Executive
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5 Director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department shall
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6 provide a monthly report of any such expenditures to the Oklahoma
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7 Tourism and Recreation Commission.
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8 K. The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department is hereby
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9 authorized to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of
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10 exhibitor fees and display space charges at expositions to promote
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11 the Department's recreational facilities and the tourism and
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12 recreation industry. The expenses may be paid directly to the
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13 contracting agency or business establishment; provided, that no
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14 payment shall be made prior to the event unless it conveys a
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15 property right to the state for future availability and use.
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16 L. 1. The Oklahoma Highway Safety Office of the Department of
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17 Public Safety is hereby authorized to enter into contracts and
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18 agreements for the payment of food, lodging, and other authorized
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19 expenses as may be necessary to host, conduct, sponsor, or
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20 participate in highway-safety-related conferences, workshops,
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21 seminars, meetings, or training sessions. The payments shall be for
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22 all persons in attendance, including, but not limited to, employees
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23 of political subdivisions or employees of the state or federal
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24 government. For purposes specified in this paragraph, only federal
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Req. No. 3419 Page 8
1 highway safety funds may be used in accordance with federal
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2 guidelines and regulations, and no appropriated state funds shall be
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3 used.
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4 2. The cost of food for persons attending any highway safety
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5 conferences, workshops, seminars, meetings, and training sessions
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6 that do not require overnight travel shall not exceed the total
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7 daily rate as provided in the State Travel Reimbursement Act.
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8 M. 1. The Director of the Oklahoma State Bureau of
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9 Investigation is hereby authorized to enter into contracts and
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10 agreements for the payment of food, lodging, and other authorized
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11 expenses as may be necessary to host, conduct, sponsor, or
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12 participate in any conference, meeting, training session, or
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13 initiative to promote the mission and purposes of the Bureau. The
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14 payments may be for all persons in attendance, including, but not
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15 limited to, employees of political subdivisions or employees of the
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16 state or federal government.
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17 2. The cost of food for persons that do not require overnight
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18 travel shall not exceed the total daily rate as provided in the
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19 State Travel Reimbursement Act.
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20 N. The Oklahoma Homeland Security Director is hereby authorized
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21 to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of food,
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22 lodging, and other authorized expenses as may be necessary to host,
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23 conduct, sponsor, or participate in homeland-security-related
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24 conferences, meetings, workshops, seminars, exercises, or training
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Req. No. 3419 Page 9
1 sessions. The expenses may be paid directly to the contracting
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2 agency or business establishment.
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3 O. The State Department of Education is hereby authorized to
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4 enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of food,
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5 lodging, and other authorized expenses as may be necessary to host,
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6 conduct, sponsor, or participate in conferences, meetings, or
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7 training sessions. The State Department of Education may establish
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8 accounts as necessary for the collection and distribution of funds,
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9 including funds of sponsors and registration fees, related to such
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10 conferences, meetings, and training sessions. Any expenses incurred
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11 may be paid directly to the contracting agency or business
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12 establishment.
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13 P. 1. The Insurance Commissioner of the Insurance Department
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14 of the State of Oklahoma is hereby authorized to enter into
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15 contracts and agreements for the payment of food, lodging, and other
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16 authorized expenses as may be necessary to host, conduct, sponsor,
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17 or participate in conferences, meetings, or training sessions. The
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18 Commissioner may establish accounts as necessary for the collection
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19 and distribution of funds, including funds of sponsors and
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20 registration fees, related to such conferences, meetings, and
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21 training sessions. Any expenses incurred may be paid directly to
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22 the contracting agency or business establishment.
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23 2. The cost of food for persons attending any conferences,
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24 meetings, and training sessions that do not require overnight travel
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Req. No. 3419 Page 10
1 shall not exceed the total daily rate as provided in the State
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2 Travel Reimbursement Act.
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3 Q. 1. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education is are
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4 hereby authorized to enter into contracts and agreements for the
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5 payment of food, lodging, and other authorized expenses as may be
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6 necessary to host, conduct, sponsor, or participate in conferences,
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7 meetings, or training sessions. The State Regents for Higher
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8 Education may establish accounts as necessary for the collection and
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9 distribution of funds, including funds of sponsors and registration
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10 fees, related to such conferences, meetings, and training sessions.
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11 Any expenses incurred may be paid directly to the contracting agency
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12 or business establishment.
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13 2. The cost of food for persons attending any conferences,
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14 meetings, and training sessions that do not require overnight travel
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15 shall not exceed the total daily rate as provided in the State
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16 Travel Reimbursement Act.
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17 R. 1. The Office of Educational Quality and Accountability is
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18 hereby authorized to enter into contracts and agreements for the
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19 payment of food, lodging, and other authorized expenses as may be
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20 necessary to host, conduct, sponsor, or participate in conferences,
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21 meetings, or training sessions. The Office of Educational Quality
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22 and Accountability may establish accounts as necessary for the
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23 collection and distribution of funds, including funds of sponsors
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24 and registration fees, related to such conferences, meetings, and
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Req. No. 3419 Page 11
1 training sessions. Any expenses incurred may be paid directly to
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2 the contracting agency or business establishment.
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3 2. The cost of food for persons attending any conferences,
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4 meetings, and training sessions that do not require overnight travel
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5 shall not exceed the total daily rate as provided in the State
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6 Travel Reimbursement Act.
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7 S. 1. The Statewide Charter School Board is hereby authorized
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8 to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of food,
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9 lodging, and other authorized expenses as may be necessary to host,
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10 conduct, sponsor, or participate in conferences, meetings, or
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11 training sessions. The Statewide Charter School Board may establish
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12 accounts as necessary for the collection and distribution of funds
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13 including funds of sponsors and registration fees related to such
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14 conferences, meetings, and training sessions. Any expenses incurred
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15 may be paid directly to the contracting agency or business
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16 establishment.
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17 2. The cost of food for persons attending any conferences,
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18 meetings, and training sessions that do not require overnight travel
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19 shall not exceed the total daily rate as provided in the State
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20 Travel Reimbursement Act.
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21 T. 1. The Oklahoma Department of Securities is hereby
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22 authorized to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of
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23 food, lodging, meeting facility, facilitator fees and travel
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24 expenses, exhibitor fees, and other authorized expenses as may be
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Req. No. 3419 Page 12
1 necessary to host, conduct, sponsor, or participate in conferences,
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2 meetings, training sessions, or initiatives promoting or otherwise
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3 relating to investor education. The Oklahoma Department of
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4 Securities may establish accounts as necessary for the collection
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5 and distribution of funds, including funds of sponsors and
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6 registration fees, related to such conferences, meetings, training
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7 sessions, or initiatives. The payments may be for all persons in
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8 attendance, including, but not limited to, employees of the state or
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9 federal government or employees of political subdivisions of the
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10 state, including employees of boards of public education. Expenses
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11 incurred may be paid directly to the contracting agency or business
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12 establishment.
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13 2. The cost of food for persons attending any conferences,
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14 meetings, and training sessions that do not require overnight travel
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15 shall not exceed the total daily rate as provided in the State
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16 Travel Reimbursement Act.
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17 3. The Oklahoma Department of Securities is hereby authorized
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18 to pay stipends to teachers participating in the investor education
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19 program and monetary achievement awards to select participating
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20 students. No appropriated state funds shall be used.
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21 T. U. 1. The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs is hereby
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22 authorized to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of
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23 food, lodging, meeting facility, beverage, and other authorized
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24 expenses as may be necessary to host, conduct, sponsor, or
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Req. No. 3419 Page 13
1 participate in seminars, receptions, conferences, meetings, or
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2 training sessions related to the support of veterans and the
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3 development of veterans' services. Expenses incurred may be paid
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4 directly to the contracting agency or business establishment. The
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5 Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs
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6 shall provide a monthly report of any such expenditures to the
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7 Oklahoma Veterans Commission.
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8 2. The cost of food for persons attending any conferences,
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9 meetings, and training sessions that do not require overnight travel
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10 shall not exceed the total daily rate as provided in the State
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11 Travel Reimbursement Act.
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12 U. V. Whenever possible it shall be the policy of each state
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13 agency to prepay airline fares and lodging expenses using a purchase
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14 card issued to the agency. This policy shall apply to instances
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15 where employees of the agency are traveling on behalf of state
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16 government.
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17 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
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18 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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19 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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20 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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21 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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23 60-2-3419 EB 1/15/2026 11:10:30 AM
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Req. No. 3419 Page 14Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.