All Roll Calls
Yes: 171 • No: 7
OklahomaSB 1168Oklahoma 2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
The Governmental Tort Claims Act; definitions and extent of liability; increasing limits on liability for certain claims. Effective date.
Sponsored By: Chuck Hall (Republican)
Signed by Governor
Senate Committee
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Higher payout caps for government claims
The law raises how much people can recover from Oklahoma governments. Property loss is capped at $75,000 per claimant for one act, accident, or event (up from $25,000). For other losses, the cap is $250,000 per claimant, or $375,000 when the defendant is the state or a city/county with at least 150,000 people (by the latest Federal Decennial Census) or certain listed subdivisions. For nuisance claims, a claimant can get up to $225,000 in counties under 150,000 people and up to $275,000 in counties with 150,000 or more people. For nuisance, total payments for one occurrence are capped at $275,000, and municipal sewer overflow claims are capped at $275,000 per occurrence.
Higher caps in medical negligence cases
If you sue University Hospitals or state mental health hospitals for medical negligence, the cap is $300,000 per claim. For resident physicians and interns in graduate medical education, total liability is $150,000 when the act happens during training. For physicians providing services on-site at a public trust hospital in a county under 75,000 people, total liability for the hospital and physician is capped at $1,000,000; if the physician is employed by another group, the higher coverage from that employer applies.
One event's claims share one cap
Losses from the same accident or event, or from continuous or repeated exposure to the same harm, count as one occurrence. All related losses are treated as one occurrence when applying the statutory caps. For indemnification claims under Section 162 from a single occurrence, payment is capped at $1,000,000, and total payments for all claims from that event cannot exceed $2,000,000.
Start date and inflation bump rules
The law takes effect November 1, 2025. Beginning January 1, 2031, and every five years after, all liability limits under the Act rise by the smaller of the five‑year Consumer Price Index change or 4%. The new limit equals the prior limit times one plus that percent.
More workers covered as state employees
Certain licensed medical and mental‑health professionals under contract with government are treated as state employees while working under their contracts. This includes care for inmates or detainees, initial emergency detention exams or treatment under a DMHSAS contract, and limited administrative duties for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. Members of the state military forces on state active duty orders or Title 32 orders are also treated as state employees, no matter where they serve. Public libraries are now political subdivisions under the Act, so the same liability limits and procedures apply to them.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Chuck Hall
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
John Haste
Republican • Senate
John Kane
Republican • House
Trey Caldwell
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 5/22/2025
THIRD READING
Yes: 85 • No: 1
Senate vote • 5/20/2025
THIRD READING
Yes: 42 • No: 0
House vote • 5/19/2025
DO PASS
Yes: 23 • No: 6
Senate vote • 5/19/2025
Committee vote: Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget
Yes: 21 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Approved by Governor 05/27/2025
5/28/2025SenateSent to Governor
5/22/2025SenateSigned, returned to Senate
5/22/2025HouseEnrolled, to House
5/22/2025SenateReferred for enrollment
5/22/2025SenateSigned, returned to Senate
5/22/2025HouseThird Reading, Measure passed: Ayes: 85 Nays: 1
5/22/2025HouseJCR adopted
5/22/2025HouseGeneral Order
5/22/2025HouseSecond Reading, direct to Joint Calendar
5/21/2025HouseFirst Reading
5/20/2025HouseEngrossed to House
5/20/2025SenateReferred for engrossment
5/20/2025SenateMeasure passed: Ayes: 42 Nays: 0
5/20/2025SenateJCR adopted
5/20/2025SenateEmergency removed
5/19/2025SenateReported Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget committee; JCR filed
5/19/2025SenateSecond Reading referred to Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget
4/2/2025SenateCoauthored by Representative Kane
3/31/2025SenateCoauthored by Representative Caldwell (Trey) (principal House author)
3/31/2025SenateCoauthored by Senator Haste
3/31/2025SenateAuthored by Senator Hall
3/31/2025SenateFirst Reading
3/31/2025Senate
Bill Text
Enrolled (final version)
5/22/2025
Floor (House)
5/22/2025
Engrossed
5/20/2025
Senate Joint Committee Report
5/20/2025
Introduced
3/31/2025
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