1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
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3 HOUSE BILL 3959 By: Echols
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to public finance; enacting the
7 Professional Sports Arena Act; requiring Oklahoma
8 Department of Commerce to establish program;
8 providing for collection of certain revenues from
9 out-of-state residents; creating Professional Sports
9 Arena Fund; providing for authorized expenditures;
10 prescribing duties upon Oklahoma Tax Commission;
10 requiring system for collection of revenues;
11 providing for application process; restricting use of
11 revenues; providing for noncodification; providing
12 for codification; and declaring an emergency.
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15 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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16 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
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17 codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
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18 This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Professional
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19 Sports Arena Act".
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20 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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21 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 897 of Title 62, unless there is
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22 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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23 A. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce shall establish a
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24 professional sports arena program to be administered in accordance
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 1 with this section for the purpose of collection of tax dollars from
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2 out-of-state residents during the performance of professional
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3 basketball for which wages are earned while in Oklahoma, to be
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4 identified, collected, and allocated to a special revolving fund to
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5 be used only for the construction of a new arena, where those
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6 performances take place ensuring the collection of those taxes in
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7 future years.
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8 B. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a fund for the
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9 Oklahoma Tax Commission to be designated the "Professional Sports
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10 Arena Fund", to be administered by the Oklahoma Department of
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11 Commerce. The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to
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12 fiscal year limitations, shall accrue interest, and shall consist of
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13 all monies designated for deposit to the fund.
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14 C. The fund shall not consist of any taxes collected from wages
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15 other than from out-of-state residents during the performance of
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16 professional basketball for which wages are earned while in
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17 Oklahoma. The Commission shall not identify taxes to be allocated
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18 to the fund from wages from out-of-state residents paid to the state
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19 from other events, such as concerts, performances, or other
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20 professional sports.
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21 D. The Oklahoma Tax Commission shall identify all taxes
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22 collected from the wages of out-of-state professional basketball
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23 players, coaches, staff, and teams. The Commission shall deposit in
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 1 the fund all taxes collected from the wages of out-of-state
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2 professional basketball players, coaches, staff, and teams.
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3 E. The Department of Commerce shall develop policies and an
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4 application. The Department shall accept an application, after
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5 January 1, 2030, from the city in which a new arena is to be
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6 constructed, and upon review of the application, the Department
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7 shall certify to the Commission that the application has been
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8 approved and that the Commission shall grant the money in the fund
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9 for the approved application.
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10 F. No monies from the fund shall be used for anything other
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11 than the construction of a new arena. The fund shall not be
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12 utilized for any other reason except for an approved application by
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13 the Department submitted by the city for the construction of a new
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14 arena. Monies from the fund shall not be used for the maintenance
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15 or renovation of an existing arena.
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16 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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17 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
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18 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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19 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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21 59-2-9494 MAH 01/07/24
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