Oklahoma 2025 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB975 Introduced / Bill

Filed 01/16/2025

                     
 
 
Req. No. 797 	Page 1  1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
   1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
  
STATE OF OKLAHOMA 
 
1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025) 
 
SENATE BILL 975 	By: Wingard 
 
 
 
 
 
AS INTRODUCED 
 
An Act relating to turnpikes; amending 69 O.S. 2021, 
Section 1711, which relates to tolls; removing 
authority to revise toll rates; updating statutory 
language; requiring legislative approval for toll 
increases; prohibiting Legislature from approving 
certain toll increases; providing for codification; 
and providing an effective date . 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF O KLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     69 O.S. 2021, Section 1711, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 1711.  The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, subject to the 
provisions hereof, is hereby authorized to fix, revise, charge and 
collect tolls for the use of each turnpike project and the different 
parts or sections thereof, except for use by law enforcement 
officers responsible for enforcing the traffic laws and the general 
laws of the state and federal governments on turnpikes, who shall be 
entitled to free use of every such project in the performance of 
official duties connected with such turnpike project, and to 
contract with any person, partnership, association , or corporation 
desiring the use of any part thereof, including the right -of-way   
 
 
Req. No. 797 	Page 2  1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
   1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
  
adjoining the paved portion, for placing thereon telephone, 
telegraph, electric light or power lines, gas stations, garages, 
stores, hotels, restaurants , and advertising signs, or for any other 
purpose except for tracks for railroad or railway use, and to fix 
the terms, conditions, rents , and rates of charges for such use.  
Such tolls, subject to the other restrictions hereof, shall be so 
fixed and adjusted in respect of the aggregate of tolls from the 
turnpike project or projects in connection with whic h the bonds of 
any issue shall have been issued pursuant to Section 2 of this act 
as to provide a fund sufficient with other revenues, if any, to pay 
(a) the cost of maintaining, repairing, and operating such turnpike 
project or projects, and (b) the principal of and the interest of 
such bonds as the same shall become due and payabl e, and to create 
reserves for such purposes.  The tolls and all other revenues 
derived from the turnpike project or projects in connection with 
which the bonds of any issue shall have been issued, except such 
part thereof as may be necessary to pay such cost of maintenance, 
repair, and operation and to provide such reserves therefor as may 
be provided for in the resolution authorizing the issuance of such 
bonds or in the trust agr eement securing the same shall be set aside 
at such regular intervals as may b e provided in such resolution or 
such trust agreement in a sinking fund which is hereby pledged to, 
and charged with, the payment of (a) the interest upon such bonds as 
such interest shall fall due, (b) the principal of such bonds as the   
 
 
Req. No. 797 	Page 3  1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
   1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
  
same shall fall due, (c) the necessary charges of paying agents for 
paying principal and interest, and (d) the redemption price or the 
purchase price of bonds retired by call or purchase as therei n 
provided, which are a charge against such fund.  The use and 
disposition of monies to the credit of such sinking fund shall be 
subject to the provisions of the resolution authorizing the issuance 
of such bonds or of such trust agreement.  Except as may otherwise 
be provided in such resolution or such trust agreement, such sinking 
fund shall be a fund for all such bonds without distinction or 
priority of one over another.  The monies in the sinking fund, less 
such reserve as may be provided in such resolut ion or trust 
agreement, if not used within a reasonable time for the purchase of 
bonds for cancellation as above provided, shall be applied to the 
redemption of bonds at the redemption price then applicable.  Any 
person who leases, rents, or acquires contr ol of any gas station, 
garage, store, hotel, or restaurant must have been a resident of, or 
been doing business in, Oklahoma for the past five (5) years.  
Notwithstanding anything else herein contained to the contrary, the 
Corporation Commission of the State of Oklahoma shall exercise the 
jurisdiction now or hereafter vested in it t o regulate and control 
the operation of motor carriers of passengers and freight, using or 
desiring to use any turnpike project, in the manner and to the 
extent that it regulates or controls such carriers using the 
highways of the state.  The Authority shall not discriminate against   
 
 
Req. No. 797 	Page 4  1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
   1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
  
any group or class or individual member thereof in fixing the amount 
of toll tolls, rents, or charge charges for the use of the turnpike 
project. 
SECTION 2.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified 
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1711.1 of Title 69, unless there 
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: 
A.  The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority shall have legislat ive 
approval before increasing toll rates on any turnpikes in this 
state.  The Legislature shall give approval by joint resolution for 
any increase in rates. 
B.  The Legislature shall not give approval to any toll rate 
increase that gives more than a ten p ercent (10%) discount to 
members of a specific class. 
SECTION 3.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2025. 
 
60-1-797 MSBB 1/16/2025 1:31:44 PM