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28	28	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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30	30	1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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32	32	HOUSE BILL 2034 By: Archer
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40	40	AS INTRODUCED
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42	42	An Act relating to transportation; creating the
43	43	Regional Rural Transportation Task Force;
44	44	establishing membership; requiring majority f or
45	45	quorum; providing for election of chair; providing
46	46	for meeting times; authorizing chair to designate
47	47	meeting venue; prohibiting compensation for duties;
48	48	detailing duties of the Task Force; setting time
49	49	frames for the meeting of certain goals of Task
50	50	Force; requiring delivery of certain reports;
51	51	designating staffing; providing for codification;
52	52	providing an effective date; and declaring an
53	53	emergency.
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62	62	BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
63	63	SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
64	64	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 4050 of Title 69, unless there
65	65	is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
66	66	A. The Regional Rural Transportation Task Force is hereby
67	67	created, until December 31, 20 26, unless further legislative action
68	68	extends its mandate; to address critical transportation needs and
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95	95	challenges across western Oklahoma, encompassing areas of
96	96	responsibility for the Northern Oklahoma Regional Transportation
97	97	Planning Organization (NORTPO) and the Southwest Oklahoma Regional
98	98	Transportation Planning Organization (SORTPO). Task Force members
99	99	shall appoint alternative members to ensure quorum and continuity of
100	100	the project. The Task Force shall consist of, but may not be
101	101	limited to, represent ation from the following:
102	102	1. One member designated by the Speaker of the Okla homa House
103	103	of Representatives, who shall be a current member of the Oklahoma
104	104	House of Representatives who represents the region of western
105	105	Oklahoma;
106	106	2. One member designated by the President Pro Tempore of the
107	107	Oklahoma State Senate, who shall be a current member of the Oklahoma
108	108	State Senate who represents the region of western Oklahoma;
109	109	3. The NORTPO Transportation Director;
110	110	4. The SORTPO Transportation Director ;
111	111	5. The Deputy Administrator of the Oklahoma Health Care
112	112	Authority;
113	113	6. A representative from the State Department of Health;
114	114	7. A representative from South Western Oklahoma Development
115	115	Authority;
116	116	8. A representative from the Oklahoma Department of Human
117	117	Services;
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144	144	9. A representative from the Oklahoma Department of
145	145	Transportation Office of Mobility and P ublic Transit;
146	146	10. A representative from Oklahoma Rural H ealth Association or
147	147	Duncan Regional Hospital; and
148	148	11. Regional development specialist from the Oklahoma
149	149	Department of Commerce.
150	150	B. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum f or the
151	151	purpose of conducting the business of the Task Force. The Task
152	152	Force shall select a chair from its membership. The Task Force
153	153	shall meet at least bimonthly and at such other times as may be
154	154	called by the chair. The chair shall designate a venue within the
155	155	state for meetings.
156	156	C. Members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation for
157	157	serving on the Task Force but shall receive travel reimbursement for
158	158	necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of their
159	159	duties by their respective age ncies in accordance with the State
160	160	Travel Reimbursement Act.
161	161	D. The Regional Rural Transportation Task Force shall:
162	162	1. Gather and analyze transportation -related data to identif y
163	163	gaps, needs, duplications, inefficiencies, and provide
164	164	recommendations and strategies for improving transit services ;
165	165	2. Facilitate coordination among regional stakeholders to align
166	166	goals and leverage collective expertise ;
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193	193	3. Identify and pursue state, federal, and other funding
194	194	opportunities to support infrastructure and capital improvements;
195	195	4. Expand the Oklahoma Department of Transportation's statewide
196	196	mobility management program to include two mobility navigators in
197	197	both the NORTPO and SORTPO regi ons; this number excludes mobility
198	198	navigators in the region working within a metropolitan planning
199	199	organization, transit operator, or similar entity; funding to one
200	200	hundred percent (100%) of eligible program costs;
201	201	5. Benchmark western Oklahoma's transportation initiatives
202	202	against similar projects in other state s and regions to adopt best
203	203	practices and innovative strategies ;
204	204	6. Collaborate with NORTPO, SORTPO , and other regional agencies
205	205	and groups;
206	206	7. Engage stakeholders, including, but not limited to, health
207	207	care professionals, aging services professionals, veterans' groups,
208	208	and transit operators , and define a framework to engage these groups
209	209	through in-person interviews, summits , and coordination with other
210	210	activities or event opportunities;
211	211	8. Develop and begin implementation of at least three separate
212	212	pilot programs by December 31, 2026, that are focused on volunteer
213	213	drivers, mileage reimbursement, real-time tracking and dispatch
214	214	software tailored for rural use, centralized transit hubs and
215	215	integrated scheduling systems;
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242	242	9. Initiate reports, studies , and analysis among agencies or
243	243	organizations that provide public transportation , identifying
244	244	service gaps, evaluating the feasibility of extension of service and
245	245	coordinating to reduce duplication of ser vice coverage;
246	246	10. Identify funding sources and develop opportunities for
247	247	rural transit innovation grants;
248	248	11. Evaluate and identify potential tax incentives for private
249	249	entities partnering in transit solutions;
250	250	12. Identify opportunities with state age ncies to streamline
251	251	grant funding applications for smaller transportation providers; and
252	252	13. In coordination with the Oklahoma Broadband Office,
253	253	internet providers or state agencies overseeing technology
254	254	infrastructure prioritize areas for improved broadb and and cellular
255	255	service to allow for innovative technology and dispatch.
256	256	E. The Task Force shall meet the duties listed in subsection D
257	257	of this section in the following time frames:
258	258	1. In years one and two, immediate duties to be accomplished :
259	259	a. establish the Task Force with diverse stakeholder
260	260	representation and agencies with expertise in rural
261	261	communities, services , and needs to ensure a broad
262	262	spectrum of perspective,
263	263	b. commission feasibility studies for pilot programs
264	264	focusing on service gaps identi fied by the Oklahoma
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291	291	Public Transit Policy Plan and legislative interim
292	292	studies,
293	293	c. establish dedicated funding streams and secure
294	294	commitments from state and federal sources, and
295	295	d. expand the Oklahoma Department of Transportation's
296	296	statewide mobility mana gement program to include a
297	297	minimum of two mobility navigators in the NORTPO and
298	298	two mobility navigators in the SORTPO regions this
299	299	number excludes mobility navigators in the region
300	300	working within a metropolitan planning organization,
301	301	transit operator, or similar entity; funding to one
302	302	hundred percent (100%) of eligible program cost s;
303	303	2. In years three through five , mid-term duties to be
304	304	accomplished:
305	305	a. launch pilot programs in counties and municipalities
306	306	not served by public transit or microtransit serv ices,
307	307	and
308	308	b. in coordination with the Oklahoma Department of
309	309	Transportation, and other state agencies that include
310	310	transportation funding in budget, NORTPO, and SORTPO,
311	311	identify areas for development of inter-county transit
312	312	hubs using data collected and identify funding
313	313	sources; and
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340	340	3. In years six through ten , long-term duties to be
341	341	accomplished:
342	342	a. identify funding sources to support expansion of pilot
343	343	programs into sustainable regional transit systems,
344	344	b. institutionalize technology solutions and improv e
345	345	broadband infrastructure to support operations,
346	346	c. increase driver recruitment and retention through
347	347	competitive pay and benefits programs, and
348	348	d. integrate transit with autonomous vehicles.
349	349	F. On or before October 1, the Task Force shall prepare a
350	350	report of its findings, recommendations , and progress to be
351	351	submitted to the Gover nor, the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma
352	352	State Senate, the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives ,
353	353	and Chairs of the Transportation Committees in both the Oklahoma
354	354	State Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the
355	355	minority leaders of both the Oklahoma State Senate and Oklahoma
356	356	House of Representatives. The first report shall be due October 1,
357	357	2025.
358	358	G. Staffing for the Task Force shall be provided by the
359	359	Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
360	360	SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
361	361	SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
362	362	of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is here by
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389	389	declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
390	390	be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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392	392	60-1-10303 JBH 01/08/25

Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB2034 Compare Versions