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An Act
ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 3981 By: Caldwell (Trey), Bashore,
and Moore of the House
and
Gollihare of the Senate
An Act relating to district attorneys; creating the
District Attorney Locality Incentive Program Act;
providing short title; defining terms; authorizing
the District Attorneys Council to make certain
incentive payments under certain circumstances;
providing minimum requirements to receive incentive
payments; requiring recipients to satisfy certain
conditions; providing for selection committee for
jurisdiction participation; providing factors for
program participation; construing provisions;
creating the District Attorney Locality Incentive
Program Revolving Fund; specifying source of fund;
providing for expenditures; providing purpose of
fund; providing for codification; and providing an
effective date.
SUBJECT: District attorneys
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43a of Title 19, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "District
Attorney Locality Incentive Program Act".
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43b of Title 19, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
As used in the District Attorney Locality Incentive Program:
ENR. H. B. NO. 3981 Page 2
1. "Eligible employee" means a full-time prosecutor of a
district attorney's office serving in a designed high-need locality.
2. "Service obligation" means the period of continuous service
required to earn an incentive payment under this act.
SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43c of Title 19, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. The District Attorneys Council, subject to availability of
funding, may provide financial incentive payments to an eligible
employee serving in a designated high-need locality.
B. Incentive payments made pursuant to this section shall not
exceed a cumulative total of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) per
eligible employee during the initial five-year incentive period.
C. Incentive payments may be structured and disbursed at
intervals determined by the administering committee, including, but
not limited to, payments made upon completion of specified years of
service.
D. Upon completion of the initial five-year incentive period,
an eligible employee may receive additional incentive payments not
to exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) for each additional two-
year period of continued service in a qualifying locality, subject
to availability of funds and continued eligibility.
E. Incentive payments authorized by this section may be made
only to the extent funds are available and shall be approved in the
manner prescribed by the administering committee. No employee shall
have vested right to receive an incentive payment or to receive the
maximum amount authorized by this act.
SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43d of Title 19, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. An eligible employee who receives an incentive payment
pursuant to this act shall be required to complete the corresponding
service obligation associated with the payment.
ENR. H. B. NO. 3981 Page 3
B. If an eligible employee terminates service in a designated
high-need locality prior to satisfying the required service
obligation, the employee shall be required to reimburse the payor
entity for the incentive amount received.
C. If the employee completes less than the required service
period for the incentive payment received, reimbursement by the
employee shall be made on a pro rata basis, calculated according to
the portion of the service obligation completed.
SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43e of Title 19, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. Eligibility for participation in the District Attorney
Locality Incentive Program shall be determined by a committee
composed of representatives of the district attorneys, in
coordination with the District Attorneys Council.
B. The committee shall designate high-need localities and
determine incentive amounts based on factors including, but not
limited to:
1. Population size;
2. District hub status;
3. Remoteness or rural characteristics;
4. Length of vacancy or turnover rates;
5. Distance to an institution of higher learning; and
6. Other recruitment and retention considerations identified by
the committee.
C. The committee shall establish policies and procedures
governing:
1. Application and approval process;
2. Documentation requirements;
3. Incentive schedules and payment timing; and
ENR. H. B. NO. 3981 Page 4
4. Enforcement of service obligations and reimbursement
requirements.
SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43f of Title 19, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. Eligible employees serving in designated high-need
localities at the time the District Attorney Locality Incentive
Program becomes effective shall be eligible to participate in the
Program.
B. For purpose of incentive eligibility and administration, all
participating employees, regardless of prior length of service,
shall begin the initial five-year incentive period concurrently upon
designation of the Program.
SECTION 7. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43g of Title 19, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
Nothing in this section shall be construed to create a vested
right to an incentive payment. Incentive payments are subject to
availability of funds and continued eligibility as determined by the
administering committee.
SECTION 8. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 215.43h of Title 19, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
for the District Attorneys Council to be designated the "District
Attorney Locality Incentive Program Revolving Fund". The fund shall
be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and
shall consist of all monies directed for deposit to the fund by law.
All monies accruing to the credit of said fund are hereby
appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the District
Attorneys Council for the purpose of funding the District Attorney
Locality Incentive Program. Expenditures from said fund shall be
made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer against claims
filed as prescribed by law with the Director of the Office of
Management and Enterprise Services for approval and payment.
SECTION 9. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
ENR. H. B. NO. 3981 Page 5
Passed the House of Representatives the 6th day of May, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the 27th day of April, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________