Oklahoma Bill Seeks Licensing For Pool Contractors After Tulsa Complaints

House Bill 3338 aims to protect homeowners from unfinished pools and unpaid subcontractors.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 2:07pm

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A serene, photorealistic painting of an empty, partially excavated backyard swimming pool surrounded by construction debris and overgrown weeds, bathed in warm, golden sunlight that casts deep shadows across the scene, conveying a sense of melancholy and neglect.The abandoned shell of an unfinished backyard pool serves as a poignant symbol of the frustration and financial loss experienced by homeowners caught up in a wave of pool contractor complaints.Today in Tulsa

Oklahoma lawmakers have advanced a proposal to create a Pool Contractor Licensing Act, which would require licenses for pool and spa installers and task the Construction Industries Board with setting standards and policing the industry. The move comes after a wave of complaints from Tulsa-area homeowners who say they paid pool builders large sums of money but never saw the work completed.

Why it matters

The proposed legislation is a direct response to investigative reporting that highlighted homeowners across the Tulsa region who paid pool builders tens of thousands of dollars but were left with unfinished projects and unpaid subcontractors. The new licensing framework is intended to provide more oversight and consumer protections in an industry where large payments often change hands before any work is done.

The details

House Bill 3338, authored by Rep. Chris Banning, would create the Pool Contractor Licensing Act and task the Construction Industries Board with overseeing swimming pool contractors. The bill would give regulators authority to set experience and training requirements, administer exams, and pursue enforcement against bad actors. Lawmakers say the tools are meant to put basic guardrails around an industry where large checks often change hands long before a single tile is laid.

  • The House signed off on the measure in a 55–35 vote on March 11, sending it to the Senate for consideration.
  • Under HB 3338, the Construction Industries Board must adopt rules that set experience, training and continuing-education requirements for pool contractors by November 1.

The players

Rep. Chris Banning

The author of House Bill 3338, which would create the Pool Contractor Licensing Act.

Construction Industries Board

The state agency that would be tasked with overseeing swimming pool contractors and setting standards under the proposed legislation.

Midwest Pools

A Tulsa-area pool building company that is accused by multiple customers of leaving projects incomplete after collecting large payments.

Jeff Johnson

The owner of Midwest Pools, who told reporters he had "no comment at this time" regarding the complaints against his company.

Oklahoma Attorney General's Office

The state agency that is reviewing complaints tied to Midwest Pools and the homeowner issues highlighted in the reporting.

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What they’re saying

“We must put basic guardrails around an industry where large checks often change hands long before a single tile is laid.”

— Rep. Chris Banning, Author of House Bill 3338

What’s next

The bill now awaits action in the Senate Business and Insurance Committee, where hearings or amendments could reshape its final form and timetable before any new rules hit the ground.

The takeaway

This proposed legislation highlights the need for stronger consumer protections and industry oversight in the pool construction industry, where homeowners have been left with unfinished projects and unpaid subcontractors after paying large sums upfront. The new licensing framework aims to provide more accountability and recourse for homeowners.