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An Act
ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 169 By: Hall, Haste, Goodwin, and
Kirt of the Senate
and
Kane, Fugate, Timmons,
Provenzano, Alonso-
Sandoval, Deck, Menz,
Stark, Pogemiller,
Rosecrants, and Wolfley of
the House
An Act relating to state government; amending 74 O.S.
2021, Section 840-2.18, as last amended by Section 1,
Chapter 18, 1st Extraordinary Session, O.S.L. 2023
(74 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 840-2.18), which relates
to longevity pay; increasing longevity amounts for
certain state employees; updating statutory language;
updating statutory references; providing an effective
date; and declaring an emergency.
SUBJECT: State employees
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 74 O.S. 2021, Section 840-2.18, as
last amended by Section 1, Chapter 18, 1st Extraordinary Session,
O.S.L. 2023 (74 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 840-2.18), is amended to
read as follows:
Section 840-2.18. A. A longevity pay plan is hereby adopted.
This plan applies to all state employees, excluding members of
boards and commissions, institutions under the administrative
authority of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education,
employees of public school districts, and elected officials. The
plan shall also apply to those employees of the Oklahoma School for
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the Blind and the Oklahoma School for the Deaf who qualify for
longevity pay in accordance with subsection G of Section 1419 of
Title 10 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
B. The Oklahoma Conservation Commission is hereby authorized to
establish a longevity pay program for employees of the conservation
districts employed under Section 3-3-103 of Title 27A of the
Oklahoma Statutes. Such longevity pay program shall be consistent
with the longevity pay program for state employees authorized under
this title and payments shall be made in a manner consistent with
procedures for reimbursement to conservation districts.
C. To be eligible for longevity pay, employees must have been
continuously employed in the service of the state for a minimum of
two (2) years in full-time status or in part-time status working
more than one thousand (1,000) hours a year.
For purposes of this section, a break in service of thirty (30)
calendar days or less shall not be considered an interruption of
continuous service; a break in service of more than thirty (30)
calendar days shall mark an end to continuous service. The
legislative session employees who have worked for two (2) years or
more in part-time status and are eligible for state retirement
benefits, but do not receive other longevity payments, shall be
eligible and shall be considered to have been continuously employed
for purposes of calculating longevity payments, notwithstanding the
provisions of subsection E of this section.
D. 1. Longevity pay for the first twenty (20) years of service
shall be determined pursuant to the following schedule:
Years of Service Annual Longevity Payment
At least 2 years but
less than 4 years $250.00 $375.00
At least 4 years but
less than 6 years $426.00 $639.00
At least 6 years but
less than 8 years $626.00 $939.99
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At least 8 years but
less than 10 years $850.00 $1,275.00
At least 10 years but
less than 12 years $1,062.00 $1,593.00
At least 12 years but
less than 14 years $1,250.00 $1,875.00
At least 14 years but
less than 16 years $1,500.00 $2,250.00
At least 16 years but
less than 18 years $1,688.00 $2,532.00
At least 18 years but
less than 20 years $1,900.00 $2,850.00
At least 20 years $2,000.00 $3,000.00
2. For each additional two (2) years of service after the first
twenty (20) years an additional Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) Three
Hundred Dollars ($300.00) shall be added to the amount stated above
for twenty (20) years of service.
The total amount of the annual longevity payment made to an
employee by any and all state agencies in any year shall not exceed
the amount shown on the table corresponding to that employee’s years
of service with the state, except as otherwise provided by Section
840-2.28 of this title. Further, no employee shall receive
duplicating longevity payments for the same periods of service with
any and all agencies, except as otherwise provided by Section 840-
2.28 of this title.
E. To determine years of service, cumulative periods of full-
time employment or part-time employment working more than one
hundred fifty (150) hours per month with the state excluding service
as specified in subsection A of this section are applicable. Part-
time employment, working one hundred fifty (150) hours per month or
less for the state, excluding service as specified in subsection A
of this section, shall be counted only if:
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1. The period of employment was continuous for at least five
(5) months; and
2. a. The person worked more than two-fifths (2/5) time.
Other employment shall not be counted as service for purposes of
longevity payments. Further, no period of employment with the
state, whether with one or more than one agency, shall be counted as
more than full-time service.
b. For purposes of the computation required by this
section, any service performed by a person during
which the person received compensation for duties
performed for the state shall be counted if payment
for such service was made using state fiscal
resources. The provisions of this paragraph
subparagraph shall not apply to elected or appointed
justices or judges, including special judges, who
perform services in the trial or appellate courts.
The provisions of this section shall apply to persons
who perform services as an administrative law judge
within the executive department and employees of the
judicial branch.
F. Years of service under the administrative authority of the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education or the administrative
authority of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology
Education of any employee who is now employed in a job
classification which is eligible for longevity pay shall be included
in years of service for purposes of determining longevity pay.
G. Years of service shall be certified through the current
employing agency by the appointing authority on a form approved by
the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. The form shall be
completed and posted as directed by the Director of the Office of
Management and Enterprise Services by the current employing agency
when the employee initially enters on duty with the agency and
thereafter whenever the employee’s anniversary date is changed.
H. Eligible employees, in full-time status or in part-time
status working more than one hundred fifty (150) hours per month,
shall receive one (1) lump-sum annual payment, in the amount
ENR. S. B. NO. 169 Page 5
provided on the preceding schedule, during the month following the
anniversary date of the employee’s most recent enter-on-duty day
with the state. Upon implementation of the statewide information
systems project, the lump-sum annual payment may be paid concurrent
with the final payroll of the month of the employee’s anniversary
date. Eligible part-time employees who work one hundred fifty (150)
hours per month or less shall receive one (1) lump-sum annual
payment, based on the formula in subsection L of this section,
during the month following the anniversary date of the employee’s
most recent enter-on-duty day with the state. To receive longevity
pay an employee must be in pay status on or after his or her
anniversary date.
Eligible employees who would not otherwise receive annual
longevity payments because their employment includes regular periods
of leave without pay in excess of thirty (30) calendar days shall
receive one (1) lump-sum annual payment, based on the formula in
subsection L of this section, during:
1. The month of August if the employee is in pay status on July
1; or
2. During the month following the employee’s first return to
duty that fiscal year if the employee is not in pay status on July
1.
Except as otherwise provided by Section 840-2.28 of this title,
employees Employees terminated as a result of a reduction-in-force
or retiring from state employment shall receive upon said such
termination or retirement the proportionate share of any longevity
payment which may have accrued as of the date of termination or
retirement. Provided further, that, the proportionate share of any
longevity payment which may have accrued as of the date of death of
an employee shall be made to the surviving spouse of the employee or
if there is no surviving spouse to the estate of the employee.
I. Periods of leave without pay taken in accordance with
Section 840-2.21 of this title shall be counted as service. Other
periods of nonpaid leave status in excess of thirty (30) calendar
days shall not mark a break in service; however, they shall:
ENR. S. B. NO. 169 Page 6
1. Not be used in calculating total months of service for
longevity pay purposes; and
2. Extend the anniversary date for longevity pay by the total
period of time on nonpaid leave status except as provided in
subsection H of this section for employees whose conditions of
employment include regular periods of leave without pay.
J. Employees currently receiving longevity pay who work for the
Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education shall not be
eligible for the longevity pay plan provided for in this section.
K. A break in service with the state in excess of thirty (30)
days but which does not exceed two (2) years which was caused by a
reduction-in-force shall be treated as if it were a period of
nonpaid leave status as provided for in subsection I of this section
for the purpose of calculating total months of service for longevity
pay. This subsection shall only apply to state employees laid off
after June 30, 1982.
L. Eligible part-time employees working less than one hundred
fifty (150) hours per month and other eligible employees with
regular annual periods of leave without pay of more than thirty (30)
calendar days will receive a prorated share of the “Annual Longevity
Payment” authorized in subsection D of this section. The prorated
amount of payment will be based on actual hours worked in the
immediately preceding twelve (12) months.
M. An employee shall not be entitled to retroactive longevity
payments as a result of amendments to this section unless
specifically authorized by law.
N. The Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise
Services is authorized to promulgate such Longevity Pay Plan Rules
longevity pay plan rules as he or she finds necessary to carry out
the provisions of this section.
O. As of July 1, 1998, years of service with a city-county
health department for employees who left a city-county health
department for employment with the Department of Environmental
Quality or the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and
Forestry, between July 1, 1993, and July 1, 1998, and who are now
ENR. S. B. NO. 169 Page 7
employed in a job classification that is eligible for longevity pay
pursuant to this section, shall be included in years of service for
purposes of determining longevity pay subsequent to July 1, 1998.
P. As of July 1, 2003, years of service with a local
conservation district shall be included in years of service for
purposes of determining longevity pay for local conservation
district employees transferred to the Oklahoma Conservation
Commission pursuant to the provisions of this section.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
ENR. S. B. NO. 169 Page 8
Passed the Senate the 22nd day of April, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the 13th day of April, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
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: _________________________________