Read the full stored bill text
Req. No. 14786 Page 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
HOUSE BILL 3750 By: Harris
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to initiative and referendum;
providing definitions; requiring ballot measure
committees to certify no preliminary activity was
funded by foreign nationals; prohibiting ballot
measure committees from accepting any contributions
from foreign nationals; requiring the treasurer of a
ballot measure committee to obtain written
affirmation; requiring campaign finance reports
required by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission to affirm
the ballot measure committee did not receive
contributions from foreign nationals; requiring
periodic campaign finance reports to affirm certain
donors are not foreign nationals; clarifying existing
donor disclosure rights and duties remain the same;
prohibiting foreign nationals from participating in
decision-making process of any person regarding
activities related to ballot measure; prohibiting
foreign nationals from making certain solicitations;
permitting civil action by the Attorney General;
requiring refunding of prohibited contributions;
requiring the surrendering of certain prohibited
independent expenditure funds; establishing
punishments for violations by lobbyists; establishing
awards; permitting court to assess penalties;
clarifying privacy rights; prohibiting public
officials from disclosing certain information;
providing for codification; and providing an
effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
Req. No. 14786 Page 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 40 of Title 34, unless there is
created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
As used in this act:
1. “Ballot initiative or referendum” means a question, other
than the nomination or election of a candidate to a public office,
which has been:
a. approved by a the Oklahoma State Legislature to be
placed before the voters by the Oklahoma Secretary of
State, or
b. initiated or referred by a citizen petition as
authorized by Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution
and placed before the voters by the Oklahoma Secretary
of State;
2. “Contribution” means a gift, subscription, loan, advance or
deposit of money or anything of value given to influence an
election, the payment by any person of compensation for the personal
services of another person if those services are rendered without
charge to a political committee or organization for any purpose, and
includes an agreement to make a contribution;
3. “Directly or indirectly” means acting either alone or
jointly with, through, or on behalf of any other ballot initiative
or referendum committee, political committee, organization, person,
or other entity;
Req. No. 14786 Page 3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
4. “Expenditure” means a purchase, payment, distribution, loan,
advance, deposit, gift of money or anything of value, made by any
person for the purpose of influencing an election, and includes an
agreement to make an expenditure;
5. “Foreign national” means:
a. an individual who is not a citizen or lawful permanent
resident of the United States,
b. a government, or subdivision, of a foreign country or
municipality thereof,
c. a foreign political party,
d. any entity, such as a partnership, association,
corporation, organization, or other combination of
persons, that is organized under the laws of, or has
its principal place of business in, a foreign country,
or
e. any U.S. entity, such as a partnership, association,
corporation, or organization, which is wholly, or
majority owned by any foreign national, unless:
(1) any contribution or expenditure it makes derives
entirely from funds generated by the U.S.
entity’s U.S. operations, and
(2) all decisions concerning the contribution or
expenditure are made by individuals who are U.S.
Req. No. 14786 Page 4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
citizens or permanent residents, except for
setting overall budget amounts;
6. “Preliminary activity” includes but is not limited to,
conducting a poll, drafting ballot measure language, focus group,
telephone calls, and travel; and
7. “Tax-exempt organization” means an organization which is
described in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and
is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code. Nothing
in this subsection may be construed to treat a political
organization under section 527 of such code as a tax-exempt
organization for purposes of this act.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 41 of Title 34, unless there is
created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. In its statement of organization, the treasurer of a ballot
measure committee shall certify that no preliminary activity was
funded by one or more foreign nationals, whether directly or
indirectly.
B. A ballot measure committee shall not knowingly or willfully
receive, solicit, or accept contributions from one or more foreign
nationals, whether directly or indirectly.
SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 42 of Title 34, unless there is
created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
Req. No. 14786 Page 5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
A. Upon receipt of a contribution, the treasurer of a ballot
measure committee shall obtain from the donor a written affirmation
that the donor is not a foreign national. These affirmations shall
be retained with the ballot measure committee's records for a period
of five (5) years.
B. The campaign finance reports required by the Oklahoma Ethics
Commission shall require the treasurer to affirm that the ballot
measure committee has not knowingly or willfully received,
solicited, or accepted contributions from a foreign national.
C. The periodic campaign finance report form for ballot measure
committee shall require the treasurer to affirm that, to the best of
their knowledge, the donor associated with each contribution is not
a foreign national.
D. Nothing in this act shall be deemed to create or eliminate
any existing donor disclosure rights or duties beyond those
specifically enumerated in this section.
SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 43 of Title 34, unless there is
created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. A foreign national may not direct, dictate, control, or
directly or indirectly participate in the decision-making process of
any person regarding that person’s activities to influence a ballot
measure, such as decisions concerning the making of contributions or
expenditures to influence a ballot measure.
Req. No. 14786 Page 6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
B. A foreign national may not solicit, directly or indirectly,
the making of a donation, contribution, or expenditure by another
person to influence a ballot measure.
SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 44 of Title 34, unless there is
created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. The Attorney General may bring a civil action to enforce
this act.
1. A committee or person alleged to have violated this act
shall be provided a full opportunity of notice, discovery, and an
opportunity to be heard before being found liable for a violation of
this act; and
2. In all actions brought pursuant to this act, the burden of
proof shall be on the Attorney General:
a. prior to discovery, the court shall set a hearing to
determine if there is probable cause to believe that a
committee or person has violated the act,
b. if, after the hearing, the court determines that no
probable cause exists to believe that a violation of
the act has occurred, the court shall enter an order
of dismissal with prejudice, and
c. if, after the hearing, the court determines that
probable cause does exist to believe that a violation
of the act has occurred, the court shall enter an
Req. No. 14786 Page 7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
order to that effect and the case should proceed to
trial on an expedited basis:
(1) subject to the provisions in Section 6 of this
act, the entity alleged to have violated this
provision may, at a time to be determined by the
court prior to the scheduling of trial, present
evidence sufficient to rebut the probable cause
finding by making an ex parte presentation of
records to the court for in camera review, and
(2) a losing party under this paragraph of this act
has the right to:
(a) an interlocutory expedited appeal, and
(b) a stay of proceedings in the trial court.
B. Within thirty (30) days of a finding that a committee has
violated the act, the committee shall refund the contribution to the
original contributor. In the event of an appeal, the contribution
shall be placed in escrow, after which the funds shall be disbursed
in accordance with the final order. If the committee is unable to
return the funds, the directors, officers or executive members of
the committee shall be liable in their personal capacity, jointly
and severally, for the refund of said funds.
C. Within thirty (30) days of a finding that an independent
expenditure filer has violated the act, the person or committee
making the independent expenditure shall surrender to the state
Req. No. 14786 Page 8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
general fund funds in an amount equal to the reported cost of the
independent expenditure. In the event of an appeal, the funds
subject to disgorgement shall be placed in escrow, after which they
shall be disbursed in accordance with the final order.
D. If any lobbyist violates any of the provisions of this act,
the lobbyist’s registration may be revoked or suspended and the
lobbyist may be enjoined from receiving compensation or making
expenditures for lobbying.
E. If the Attorney General prevails in an action brought under
subsection A of section 5 of this act, the court shall award:
1. Injunctive relief sufficient to prevent the defendant from
violating this act or engaging in acts that aid or abet violations
of this act; and
2. Statutory damages up to twice the amount of the prohibited
contribution or expenditure.
F. In addition to any awarded penalties and any other remedies
provided by law, if the court finds a knowingly or willful violation
of this act, the court may assess a penalty of up to three times the
statutory damages.
SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 45 of Title 34, unless there is
created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. Lawful donors to a tax-exempt organization possess a right
of privacy in their donations. Any investigation of an alleged
Req. No. 14786 Page 9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
violation of this act or a lawful court order in an action brought
under Subsection A of Section 5 of this act must occur in a manner
that shields the identity of lawful donors as much as possible. No
public official may collect or require the submission of information
on the identity of any donor to a tax-exempt organization other than
those directly related to an alleged violation of this act.
B. No public official may disclose to the public, or another
government official not directly involved in the investigation,
information revealing the identity of any donor to a tax-exempt
organization, unless the information is regarding the identity of a
donor that engaged in conduct prohibited by the act after a final
determination has been made that the donor violated the act.
SECTION 7. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
60-2-14786 MJ 01/14/26