Below are several resources for identifying a bill and understanding what it does.
Bills that became law are easier to locate than those that did not. Depending
on where a bill is in the process, it may have several versions. For example, the
first available draft is called the "introduced" version. The final version
of a bill is the "enrolled" version.
Successful Bills from Prior Years
Session in Review
This book is produced by the House Research Staff and contains an explanation of
all legislation enacted during a session. It is divided into subject areas and has
useful indexes. This book is available by clicking
here.
Legislative Appropriations
This book is produced by the House Fiscal Staff and contains an explanation of every
successful bill that affects the state budget. It is divided into subject areas
and has useful indexes. This book is available by clicking
here. Earlier versions
are also available.
Session Overview
This document is produced by the House Research Staff at the close of the legislative
session. It summarizes some of the most significant legislation passed during the
session. This document is available by clicking
here.
Appropriations Process
This booklet contains an explanation of how the budget process works and briefly
describes the amount of money appropriated to state agencies. It can be found by clicking
here.
All Bills - Successful and Unsuccessful, Current Year and Prior Years
Subject Search
The Oklahoma Legislative Service Bureau maintains a bill tracking database known
at BTOnline. This database is accessible to the public by clicking
here. A variety of searches
are available including: subject, keyword, committee, author, bill number, and many others.
The search results provide the status of the bill, versions of the bill, bill summaries
and more.
Text of Measures
A key word search is available for identifying bills on a specific topic. This search
is available by clicking
here.
Bill Summary
Once a bill number has been identified the summary may be the best place to start
to understand what the bill does. If the bill is lengthy or complex the summary
may discuss each section of the bill in turn. The bill summary also contains a fiscal
impact statement. Summaries can be found by going to the House website and clicking on
the Legislation tab on the top menu. Click on the measure you are interested
in and you will be able to access information for the bill, including summaries.
Status of Measures
Knowing where a bill is in the legislative process is important. The status of a
bill is available in Oklahoma Legislature Bill Search website by clicking here.