OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — SB 1530, a Senate-passed measure updating Oklahoma’s Research and Development Rebate Fund, advanced out of the House Appropriations and Budget Natural Resources Subcommittee with a do-pass recommendation, moving the bill to the next step in the House budget process.
Authored by Sen. Kristen Thompson with Rep. Anthony Moore as principal House author, the bill passed the Senate 36–4 on March 11 and was sent to the House, where it was referred to Appropriations and Budget and then to the Natural Resources Subcommittee.
What SB 1530 does
SB 1530 sets the rebate at 5% of qualified research expenditures and allows an additional 2% increase when an establishment partners with an Oklahoma institution of higher education. It also caps total approved claims at $20 million per fiscal year.
The bill places the Oklahoma Department of Commerce in the role of determining which expenses and activities qualify and requires Commerce to publish an annual return-on-investment summary on its website identifying recipients, projects, industries, and any higher-ed partnerships.
Bill at a glance — SB 1530
- Base rebate: 5% of qualified research expenditures.
- Higher-ed bump: +2% when partnering with an Oklahoma college/university.
- Annual cap: $20 million in total approved claims per fiscal year.
- Administration: Oklahoma Department of Commerce determines qualification; may issue rules; must publish annual ROI details.
- Effective date: Nov. 1, 2026.
What’s next
With subcommittee approval, SB 1530 heads back to full House Appropriations and Budget for consideration before it can move to the House floor.
