All Roll Calls
Yes: 235 • No: 53
OklahomaSB 259Oklahoma 2026 Regular SessionSenate
Water and water rights; establishing procedures for permitting, monitoring, and reporting of groundwater use. Effective date.
Sponsored By: Brent Howard (Republican)
Signed by Governor
Senate Committee
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.
Stronger groundwater protections and penalties for users
Beginning November 1, 2026, Oklahoma strengthens groundwater oversight and enforcement to protect water supplies and stop waste. Domestic use remains exempt from permit requirements; other users cannot drill, take, or use groundwater without a permit. Waste includes exceeding permit limits, making water unavailable for useful purposes, excessive transport losses, and inefficient use. It also includes losing water into water-permeable layers, polluting freshwater, violating well-spacing rules, and leaving abandoned wells unplugged. Air conditioning and cooling require facilities to aerate and reuse groundwater. Waste complaints can go to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and local groundwater irrigation districts where established. The Board must investigate with other agencies, audit and promptly review reports, and modernize electronic report collection and indexing. Enforcement can include stop orders, fines increasing with severity and frequency, more frequent reports, permit suspension, court orders, and prosecution by county district attorneys. Pollution cases go to the Department of Environmental Quality or another appropriate state environmental agency.
Groundwater users keep unused permit shares
Beginning November 1, 2026, using less groundwater than a permit allows does not reduce the holder’s future equal proportional share. This protection covers nonuse, conservation, and practices that keep use below the permit maximum. Permit holders do not have to use their full allowance to preserve that future share.
Data centers face groundwater cooling limits
Beginning November 1, 2026, data centers and data processing facilities face limits on groundwater use for cooling. Cooling permits require systems that substantially recirculate groundwater and minimize water loss, as determined by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Qualifying systems include closed-loop cooling, cooling equipment in nonconductive liquid, or comparable low-water technology. Open-air evaporative cooling without recirculation is prohibited unless the system uses a qualifying low-water technology.
Annual groundwater reports and revised penalties
Beginning November 1, 2026, Oklahoma groundwater permit holders must report annual water use for the period following that use. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board sets reporting rules; the law gives no fixed filing date or reporting fee. Willfully failing to report can bring fines, penalties, or permit suspension after proper notice and a hearing. This reporting provision no longer lists permit cancellation as a consequence. Reports must identify groundwater use by swine operations that use liquid waste systems and house animals mainly under roofs. These users must disclose whether they hold a license under Oklahoma’s Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Act. The Board must send the names and addresses of unlicensed reporting operators to the state agriculture department.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Brent Howard
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Brad Boles
Republican • House
George Burns
Republican • Senate
Carl Newton
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 5/14/2026
FOURTH READING
Yes: 38 • No: 10
House vote • 5/6/2026
THIRD READING
Yes: 88 • No: 1
House vote • 4/13/2026
DO PASS
Yes: 8 • No: 6
House vote • 4/13/2026
DO PASS
Yes: 8 • No: 6
House vote • 4/8/2026
DO PASS
Yes: 8 • No: 0
House vote • 4/8/2026
DO PASS
Yes: 8 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/25/2026
SENATE
Yes: 34 • No: 8
Senate vote • 3/25/2026
THIRD READING
Yes: 0 • No: 10
Senate vote • 3/25/2026
THIRD READING
Yes: 36 • No: 10
Senate vote • 3/5/2026
Committee vote: Energy
Yes: 7 • No: 1
Senate vote • 3/5/2026
Top_of_Page
Yes: 0 • No: 1
Actions Timeline
Approved by Governor 05/20/2026
5/29/2026SenateSent to Governor
5/14/2026SenateSigned, returned to Senate
5/14/2026HouseEnrolled, to House
5/14/2026SenateReferred for enrollment
5/14/2026SenateMeasure passed: Ayes: 38 Nays: 10
5/14/2026SenateHAs adopted
5/14/2026SenateCoauthored by Representative Boles
5/14/2026SenateHAs read
5/14/2026SenateEngrossed, signed, to Senate
5/7/2026HouseReferred for engrossment
5/6/2026HouseThird Reading, Measure passed: Ayes: 88 Nays: 1
5/6/2026HouseAmended
5/6/2026HouseGeneral Order
5/6/2026HouseCR; Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Energy and Natural Resources Oversight Committee
4/14/2026HouseCoauthored by Senator(s) Burns
4/8/2026HousePolicy recommendation to the Energy and Natural Resources Oversight committee; Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Energy
4/8/2026HouseReferred to Energy
4/6/2026HouseWithdrawn from Agriculture Committee
4/6/2026HouseReferred to Agriculture
3/30/2026HouseSecond Reading referred to Energy and Natural Resources Oversight
3/30/2026HouseFirst Reading
3/26/2026HouseEngrossed to House
3/26/2026SenateReferred for engrossment
3/25/2026SenateMeasure passed: Ayes: 36 Nays: 11
3/25/2026Senate
Bill Text
Enrolled (final version)
5/14/2026
Amended And Engrossed
5/7/2026
Floor (House)
4/15/2026
House Committee Report
4/14/2026
House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill
4/14/2026
House Policy Committee Report
4/8/2026
Engrossed
3/26/2026
Floor (Senate)
3/9/2026
Committee Substitute
3/5/2026
Senate Committee Report
3/5/2026
Introduced
12/30/2024
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