Senate Bill No. 375 enhances the authority of the Commissioner of Public Safety and the Department of Public Safety in Oklahoma regarding state beneficiary public trusts. The bill permits the Commissioner to enter into interlocal agreements with these trusts for policing and speed limit enforcement on their roads, while also granting Department officers the authority to enforce laws and set speed limits on these roads. Key amendments include the clarification of statutory language, particularly the replacement of "which" with "that" in the context of interlocal agreements, and the establishment of speed limits based on engineering and traffic investigations.

Additionally, the bill empowers the Transportation Commission to set speed limits on controlled-access highways, potentially allowing for a maximum of seventy-five miles per hour in rural areas, contingent upon safety studies. It also permits the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to set speed limits on turnpikes, with a maximum of eighty miles per hour. The bill introduces new requirements for public trusts, including a two-thirds vote for indebtedness and gubernatorial approval of bylaws, while allowing trusts to operate outside their geographic boundaries if it benefits the public. It also includes provisions for the temporary posting of reduced speed limits in response to hazards and allows public trusts to close or reopen roadways under specific conditions. The bill is scheduled to take effect on November 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Committee Substitute: 60-176
Floor (Senate): 60-176