The Oklahoma House Committee on General Legislation advanced a package of bills Tuesday that included removing a sunset provision for the Route 66 Commission, expanding workforce-development funding from the Construction Industries Board fines and fees to high-school programs, and adding an Oklahoma licensure exam option for funeral directors and embalmers.

Representative Lawson, sponsor of House Bill 1571, told committee members the bill removes the commission’s sunset and adjusts language about administrative rules so the commission’s process aligns with other state entities and possible REINS Act changes. “We have travelers from all over the world…we want people to stop in our towns along the route, spending money, staying the night,” Lawson said, noting Route 66 runs about 400 miles in Oklahoma and that the statute created a fund expected to hold roughly $6,600,000 from initial collections.

The committee also advanced House Bill 1256, sponsored by Representative Strom, which would allow funds accrued from fines and fees collected by the Construction Industries Board—historically used for career-technical workforce development—to be used by all accredited secondary or postsecondary trade programs that offer electrical, mechanical, plumbing or roofing instruction, including high schools. Strom said the change would expand outreach, training and workforce development to additional accredited programs.

Representative Culver presented House Bill 1365, which would add the Oklahoma Funeral Directors and Embalmers examination to the list of accepted licenses for practice in the state. Culver said the measure does not remove the national board exam option but would allow Oklahoma’s own exam to be used for licensure. “We are not removing the national certification,” Culver said, adding the state-administered exam should provide more actionable feedback to local mortuary education programs.

Separately, Representative Nick Archer told the committee House Bill 2026 would amend last year’s engine test statute to include rocket engines and static ground tests; Archer said the bill does not include funding but would allow the program to cover rocket-engine testing if funds are provided later. He said the measure intends to position Oklahoma for growth in aeronautics and engine testing.

Other bills cleared the committee with little debate. Representative Stinson explained House Bill 2053 would clarify the definition of “playground” for billboard-setback rules after a dispute involving ODOT and the billboard industry. Representative Kendrick described House Bill 2736 as removing an Oklahoma residency requirement for applicants to sit for the CPA exam and implementing national background checks. Representative Marty presented House Bill 2802 to allow the State Board of Pharmacy to consider criminal pleas and convictions in licensing determinations, aligning pharmacy licensing with other professional boards. Representative Bennett offered House Bill 1516, a proposal requiring parental or guardian permission for 16-year-olds to purchase vehicle insurance; Bennett said the bill would be refined with stakeholders as it moves forward. Vice Chairman Tedford presented House Bill 1160 to align Oklahoma’s Property and Casualty Insurance Association Guarantee Act with national model language, adding cyber-liability carriers and permitting certain confidential insolvency exchanges to speed claims processing.

Votes at a glance
- HB 1571 (Route 66 Commission) — Do pass; recorded committee vote: 14 aye, 1 nay. Motion: do pass. Outcome: forwarded to the floor.
- HB 1256 (Construction Industries Board funds to accredited trade programs, including high schools) — Do pass; recorded committee vote: 14 aye, 1 nay. Outcome: forwarded to the floor.
- HB 1365 (Oklahoma Funeral Directors and Embalmers exam recognized) — Do pass; recorded committee vote: 14 aye, 1 nay. Outcome: forwarded to the floor.
- HB 2026 (Engine Test Act: include rocket engines; no funding specified) — Motion to adopt made; committee discussion occurred. No final recorded tally in the transcript excerpt.
- HB 2053 (Billboard setback definition for “playground”) — Do pass; recorded committee vote: 15 aye, 0 nay. Outcome: forwarded to the floor.
- HB 2736 (Remove residency requirement for CPA exam; national background checks) — Do pass; recorded committee vote: 15 aye, 0 nay. Outcome: forwarded to the floor.
- HB 2802 (State Board of Pharmacy: consider criminal history for licensure) — Do pass; recorded committee vote: 15 aye, 0 nay. Outcome: forwarded to the floor.
- HB 1516 (Require parental/guardian permission for 16-year-olds to buy vehicle insurance) — Do pass; recorded committee vote: 13 aye, 1 nay. Outcome: forwarded to the floor; sponsor and stakeholders agreed to continue working on language.
- HB 1160 (Amend Oklahoma Property & Casualty Insurance Association Guarantee Act) — Do pass; recorded committee vote: 15 aye, 0 nay. Outcome: forwarded to the floor.

Discussion and next steps
Committee members asked sponsors for implementation detail and measurement plans on revenue and tourism impacts for Route 66; Representative Lawson pointed to the Oklahoma Tax Commission’s public portal and tourism metrics used by the Oklahoma Department of Tourism as ways to track sales-tax collections and web engagement. On the funeral-directors measure, Representative Blansett questioned whether the bill would undermine reciprocity with other states; Culver said Oklahoma would retain the national exam option for those seeking out-of-state reciprocity.

Several sponsors said they would continue to work with stakeholders — including insurance agents on HB 1516 and mortuary-education providers on HB 1365 — as the bills move to the full House. The committee announced there will not be an afternoon meeting but will reconvene Thursday to take up additional business.