Oklahoma Bill to Make State 'Pro-Business' Advances

Legislation aims to modernize corporate laws and attract new investment

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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A bill introduced by Oklahoma state Rep. Collin Duel, R-Guthrie, that seeks to make the state more pro-business and competitive by modernizing the Oklahoma General Corporation Act and state LLC statutes has won approval from the House Business Committee. Duel says the bill would help Oklahoma better compete with other states like Delaware that have more business-friendly laws.

Why it matters

The bill's passage comes after recent announcements of two major Oklahoma employers moving operations to Houston, raising concerns about the state's ability to retain and attract businesses. Updating Oklahoma's corporate laws could help improve the state's competitiveness and chances of keeping companies from leaving.

The details

House Bill 3498 is aimed at modernizing numerous outdated provisions in Oklahoma's corporate and business laws to better reflect how corporations operate in today's economy. Duel says the bill would provide more financial certainty and encourage new investment in the state. The bill passed the House Business Committee in a 7-1 vote and now moves to the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development Oversight.

  • On February 15, 2026, the House Business Committee approved the bill.

The players

Rep. Collin Duel

A Republican state representative from Guthrie, Oklahoma who introduced the bill to modernize the state's corporate laws.

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What they’re saying

“This is a pro-business bill that would invite new investment in Oklahoma and ensure the businesses that are here remain.”

— Rep. Collin Duel, State Representative (okenergytoday.com)

“A number of our corporation and business laws have not been updated in years. This would help us modernize our corporate structure so Oklahoma can compete with other states.”

— Rep. Collin Duel, State Representative (okenergytoday.com)

What’s next

The bill now moves to the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development Oversight for further consideration.

The takeaway

Oklahoma's efforts to update its corporate laws and make the state more business-friendly come amid concerns about retaining major employers. Modernizing these statutes could help improve the state's competitiveness and ability to attract new investment.