At the request of OML, Speaker McCall eliminated the moratorium on local sales tax increases that would have been in place until June 30, 2025. Many of you expressed concern about the moratorium language and we are thankful that the House listened to our concerns. SB 1283 by Sen. Pro Tempore Greg Treat (R-OKC) and Speaker Charles McCall (R-Atoka) adds definitions for "bottled water" and "food sold with eating utensils" provided by the seller, as it relates to the state sales tax exemption on groceries and food items. The bill amends the definition of "prepared food" to clarify that food sold with eating utensils provided by the seller is taxable if it does not include a container or packaging used to transport the food. The definition of prepared food is further modified to exclude food sold by a food manufacturer, food sold in an unheated state by weight or volume as a single item and food sold that ordinarily requires additional cooking by the consumer prior to consumption.  

The bill passed the House Rules Committee on Thursday by a vote of 8 to 0.  The bill moves to the House floor.  If passed, it will have to go back to the Senate to accept or reject the House amendments. 

Budget Stalemate Continues

On Wednesday, Senate Appropriations Chairman Roger Thompson canceled the Senate Appropriations Committee that was scheduled to hear House appropriations bills. Despite the House and Senate Appropriations chairs meeting earlier in the week, the Senate still did not have the House budget numbers. 

Yesterday marked the deadline for hearing House bills and joint resolutions in Senate committees and vice versa for the Senate bills and joint resolutions to be heard in the House.  However, the House A&B Committee has until next Wednesday to hear Senate appropriations bills.   It is unknown if the Senate will extend their deadline or just move these bills to Joint Conference on Appropriations and Budget (JCAB).