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2025-2026 Sponsorship Guide

2026 OneVoice Regional Legislative Agenda

Representing business-driven consensus on northeast Oklahoma's top policy priorities, the 2026 OneVoice Regional Legislative Agenda will guide the Chamber's advocacy efforts throughout the year. The agenda's 15 state and 15 federal priorities are the result of collaboration between more than 300 individuals from hundreds of businesses and more than 75 chambers of commerce, municipalities, counties and economic development organizations. Read more about the November 2025 summit here.

2026 has the potential to be a pivotal year for many of the policy priorities of the northeast Oklahoma business community. As we have seen over the last few years, action and responsiveness from our elected officials – whether at the local, state or federal level – can have enormous implications for individual companies and entire industries.

Thank you to our OneVoice task force members as well as every other member that contributed to the OneVoice process for the role you played in shaping the 2026 OneVoice Agenda. The Chamber and its coalition of organizations endorsing the agenda will continue to pursue legislative solutions essential to Northeast Oklahoma's long-term prosperity.

State Priorities

Ensuring a Prosperous Economy

  • Support Oklahoma's Film & Music Industry
  • Create a Dedicated Funding Stream for Economic Development
  • Strengthen Accessible and Workforce Housing
  • Increase the Oklahoma Department of Tourism's Promotional Fund
  • Continue to Foster Healthy Partnership Between the 38 Federally Recognized Tribes and the State of Oklahoma
  • Expand Supports for Working Families

Building Infrastructure Critical to Business

  • Support Critically Needed Transportation Funding 
  • Continue and Increase Investment in Site Readiness
  • Ensure Adequate Funding for Municipalities
  • Implement Policies to Expedite Deployment of Critical Energy Infrastructure

Creating an Educated & Healthy Workforce

  • Address Mental Health and Homelessness Funding Modifications
  • Expand Health Care Workforce Opportunities
  • Increase Appropriations to the Trauma Care Assistance Revolving Fund
  • Create a Sustainable Future for Workforce Development and Higher Education in Oklahoma
  • Support Strategic Investments in Public Education

Federal Priorities

Ensuring a Prosperous Economy

  • Support Downtown Revitalization Efforts to Help Address Housing Shortage
  • Increase Accessible and Workforce Housing Supply
  • Renew American Indian Lands Tax Credit
  • Expand Available of Quality and Affordable Childcare

Building Infrastructure Critical to Business

  • Support the Tulsa Space Test Center
  • Pursue All Funding to Address Infrastructure Needs and Support Federal Reauthorization of Surface Transportation
  • Preserve and Expand Federal Historic Tax Credits
  • Support Timely Implementation of Improvements to US-412 to Bring the Corridor up to Interstate Standards
  • Accelerate Permitting of Energy and Infrastructure Projects
  • Pursue Congressionally Directed Spending Requests

Creating an Educated & Healthy Workforce

  • Increase Funding for Hospitals and Healthcare Entities
  • Support the Permanent Extension of the ACA's Current Premium Tax Credits
  • Protect and Strengthen Health Care Workforce 
  • Modernize Federal Immigration Policy to Attract and Retain Global Talent
  • Reform Federal Financial Aid

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View PDF booklets of the 2026 OneVoice Regional Legislative Agenda: 

 

STATE PRIORITIES

Ensuring a Prosperous Economy

Support Oklahoma’s Film & Music Industries
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports protecting and expanding Oklahoma’s film and music incentive programs to drive jobs, investment and cultural vibrancy. With the film sector generating more than $200 million in direct impact in 2024, we urge raising the film incentive rebate cap to $80 million and pursuing targeted incentives for local music venues and artists. Defending existing programs while expanding funding will keep Oklahoma competitive with neighboring states, attract productions, grow a skilled workforce and strengthen the state’s creative economy.

Create a Dedicated Funding Stream for Economic Development
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition recommends the establishment of a permanent, dedicated funding source for economic development in Oklahoma. Currently, the state lacks a consistent funding mechanism for incentives, while nearly all of our competitor states maintain dedicated resources to recruit and retain jobs and capital investment. At the same time, the planned reduction of Oklahoma’s state income tax threatens to eliminate our most effective incentive tool, the Quality Jobs program, over the coming years. To remain competitive, Oklahoma must secure a stable funding stream for economic development that does not rely on project-by-project approvals or annual legislative intervention. Potential revenue sources include sports betting, settlement funds such as PFAS or other emerging opportunities, as well as other innovative streams. By creating a reliable and forward-looking mechanism, Oklahoma can strengthen its ability to attract investment, grow jobs and ensure long-term economic vitality.

Strengthen Accessible and Workforce Housing
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports efforts to expand accessible and workforce housing as a critical economic and workforce development strategy. Rising housing costs have outpaced wages at a ratio of 5 to 1, leaving many essential workers (teachers, health care providers, first responders and service industry professionals) unable to comfortably afford available housing. This weakens labor markets, increases turnover and disrupts student learning, with unstable housing contributing to chronic absenteeism and lower graduation rates. To address these challenges, we urge lawmakers to revisit the rulemaking of the $215 million Oklahoma Housing Stability Fund to ensure the program can be used alongside Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, streamline applications, eliminate unnecessary costs and restructure the urban/rural split to make the program more equitable. Targeted investment in financially accessible housing will strengthen Oklahoma’s workforce, attract new employers and improve educational outcomes, while ensuring all Oklahomans have access to safe, stable, attainable housing.

Increase the Oklahoma Department of Tourism’s Promotional Fund
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition urges lawmakers to increase the Oklahoma Department of Tourism’s Promotional Fund. Tourism is Oklahoma’s third-largest industry, generating $12.3 billion in economic
impact, supporting 108,000 jobs and contributing $875 million in tax revenue in 2023. To build on this success – especially as we approach the 2026 centennial of Route 66 – the OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports increased funding for the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. Surrounding states invest more aggressively to attract visitors and Oklahoma must compete. With our unmatched stretch of Route 66, stunning state parks, world-class museums and cultural institutions, rich Native American heritage and thriving communities, greater investment will ensure we can promote, maintain and expand the assets that make Oklahoma a premier destination for national and international travelers.

Continue to Foster Healthy Partnership Between the 38 Federally Recognized Tribes and the State of Oklahoma
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports continued efforts to foster and strengthen healthy partnerships between the 38 federally recognized tribes and the State of Oklahoma. These government-to-government relationships are essential to advancing shared goals of economic growth, public health, education and cultural preservation. By encouraging collaboration and mutual respect, Oklahoma can capitalize on its largest competitive advantage, ensuring more effective policy outcomes that benefit tribal citizens, the broader population and the state as a whole.

Expand Supports for Working Families
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition recognizes that too often parents and caregivers leave or remain out of the workforce because essential family supports are not available or accessible. To address this challenge, the coalition supports state policies and funding that remove barriers, expand accessibility and invest in the future workforce, our children. This includes expanding access to affordable, quality dependent care, including before and after school and summer programs, so parents can maintain financial stability, well-being and employment. Further, we support expanding access to no-cost or low-cost meals and transportation assistance to eliminate financial disincentives for families earning below the poverty line or just above benefit thresholds. In addition, providing access to health and mental health supports will improve attendance, productivity and family stability. Advancing these policies will increase labor force participation, reduce turnover and strengthen both local and state economies.

 

Building Infrastructure Critical to Business

Support Critically Needed Transportation Funding
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports full funding of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s Eight-Year Plan to return our streets and highways to a state of good repair. We further support investment in studies, planning and highway improvements necessary to upgrade the US-412 corridor between I-35, Tulsa and northwest Arkansas to Federal Interstate standards. We support increased state appropriations to ODOT to ensure the effective and efficient construction, maintenance and improvement of all transportation facilities under its responsibility. We oppose the diversion of resources from the State Transportation Fund to other uses and support equitable distribution of state funding to ODOT Districts to keep Oklahoma’s transportation network strong for citizens, businesses and industry.

Continue and Increase Investment in Site Readiness
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition urges the Oklahoma Legislature to continue and expand funding for site readiness. Companies looking to expand or relocate often move quickly and without shovel-ready sites, Oklahoma risks losing investment to better-prepared states. Site readiness funding helps communities ensure land is equipped with infrastructure, utilities and certifications, making Oklahoma more competitive in the national marketplace. These investments pay off through new capital investment, quality job creation and long-term tax revenue. By strengthening site readiness programs, the Legislature can position Oklahoma for sustained growth and secure opportunities for the next generation of workers.

Ensure Adequate Funding for Municipalities
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition urges the Legislature to protect existing sources of municipal funding, as Oklahoma is one of the few states that relies primarily on sales tax collections to fund municipal operations. To ensure that essential services such as public safety, public works and other municipal functions are supported at sustainable levels, we encourage the Legislature to explore more stable and diversified revenue streams. In addition, we support the continued appropriation of one-time funds to assist with critical economic development projects, such as recent investments in levee improvements and the Tulsa Airman Center.

Implement Policies to Expedite Deployment of Critical Energy Infrastructure
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports strengthening and promoting Oklahoma’s energy network. We urge the state to implement policies that accelerate the deployment of critical infrastructure- particularly transmission lines and pipelines. This includes streamlining permitting, supporting timely construction of approved projects and investing in long-term maintenance and modernization. To ensure reliability while new projects are underway, we recommend interim solutions such as grid-enhancing technologies that increase electricity flow and reduce congestion costs. Additionally, we support enhanced protections for critical infrastructure against unauthorized low-altitude aerial activity. These measures will help safeguard infrastructure, maintain operational integrity and ensure public safety. By prioritizing these actions, Oklahoma can reinforce its energy leadership, meet rising demand and drive sustained economic growth across the state.

 

 

Creating an Educated & Healthy Workforce

 

Address Mental Health and Homelessness Funding Modifications
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports investing in mental health, addiction treatment and homelessness wrap-around services by increasing Medicaid reimbursements for both outpatient and inpatient care. Improved reimbursements will sustain providers, expand access and help Oklahoma remain on par with surrounding states. Because Oklahomans are facing mental health crises at record rates and families are experiencing rising housing instability, the future of our workforce and communities is at risk. Solutions should include expanding inpatient and adolescent detox capacity, strengthening the behavioral health workforce, ensuring school-based support, enforcing mental health parity, fostering public-private partnerships and requiring managed care organizations to address social determinants of health, including housing security. By addressing mental health, addiction and homelessness together, Oklahoma can reduce strain on emergency services, provide stability for families and build healthier communities within Oklahoma.

Expand Health Care Workforce Opportunities
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports a well-trained and accessible health care workforce, which is crucial to the success of Tulsa area businesses and the local economy. A healthy and well-supported workforce boosts productivity, reduces costs associated with absenteeism and burnout, fosters innovation and ensures our community’s overall health and well-being. Strengthening the pipeline of the state’s health care workforce requires utilizing state and federal resources to address health care workforce shortages to meet the needs of an aging and diverse population. The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports the expansion of health care residency opportunities and positions statewide through: prioritizing expanded funding for the Health Care Workforce Training Commission; providing opportunities across the continuum for health care loan repayment as an incentive for workers; and supporting full funding and implementation of the behavioral health workforce development fund to increase psychiatric residencies, master’s-level licensure cohorts and training pipeline development.

Increase Appropriations to the Trauma Care Assistance Revolving Fund
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports increased state appropriations to the Trauma Care Assistance Revolving Fund to offset uncompensated care losses for hospitals, ambulance services and physicians in Oklahoma’s trauma care system. Oklahoma has historically lagged the nation in per capita Level I Trauma Centers. With Ascension St. John and Saint Francis Health System both achieving this designation, the demand on the trauma fund has grown. Oklahoma’s overall injury mortality rate is 29% higher than the national average, underscoring the urgent need to expand trauma care capacity and ensure sufficient funding for these lifesaving services.

Create a Sustainable Future for Workforce Development and Higher Education in Oklahoma
The OneVoice Regional Legislation Coalition asks state leaders to prioritize collaboration across pre-k-12 and post-secondary entities including, but not restricted to CareerTech, higher education and industry-recognized training programs in order to maximize our resources in securing quality and sustainable career pathways. Empower higher education to create a comprehensive vision for developing Oklahoma’s 21st century workforce. The coalition further encourages the Oklahoma Legislature to work with OSRHE to define “credential of value”; review the State Regents systemwide strategic plan, Blueprint 2030; incentivize engagement of employers through work-based learning, experiential and/or applied learning; support research, development and innovation at higher education institutions; and provide adequate resources for our higher education institutions, career tech and the Oklahoma Workforce Commission that meet the demands of Oklahoma’s evolving workforce to ensure success for all students and adult learners.

Support Strategic Investments in Public Education
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition recognizes the vital role public education plays in building a strong workforce and driving economic growth. While recent investments to support teachers and students are appreciated, Oklahoma must do more to address teacher shortages, close achievement gaps and maintain high-quality facilities for student learning. We support sustained increases in per pupil funding and competitive teacher pay to strengthen the educator pipeline, along with expanded access to early childhood education, afterschool enrichment and innovative career pathways. We also support aligning curriculum and assessments with high-demand industries and fostering stronger partnerships among schools, employers and higher education to prepare students for success. These strategic investments will improve outcomes, close opportunity gaps and ensure a skilled workforce that strengthens Oklahoma’s ability to compete regionally and nationally.

 
 

 

  

FEDERAL PRIORITIES

Ensuring a Prosperous Economy

Support Downtown Revitalization Efforts to Help Address Housing Shortage
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports legislative efforts such as the bipartisan Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act, which would help communities convert unused office space into affordable housing and mixed-use projects. Modeled after the successful Historic Tax Credit, the proposal creates a Qualified Office Conversion Tax Credit equal to 20 percent of qualified expenses for repurposing obsolete commercial buildings. To qualify, at least 20 percent of a project’s units must be reserved for households earning no more than 80 percent of Area Median Income or meet local affordability requirements. This tool would help address Oklahoma’s housing shortages by bringing new units online quickly, while also preventing further decay and spurring reinvestment in downtowns and main streets. It could immediately advance more than ten projects in downtown Tulsa, with significant impact across the region and state.

Increase Accessible and Workforce Housing Supply
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports federal action to expand accessible and workforce housing as a critical economic and workforce development strategy. Rising housing costs have outpaced wages at a ratio of five to one, leaving many essential workers such as teachers, health care providers, first responders and service industry professionals unable to comfortably afford available housing. This weakens labor markets, increases turnover and disrupts student learning, with unstable housing contributing to chronic absenteeism and lower graduation rates. To address these challenges, we support expanded HUD and EDA funding, more flexible housing tax credits, incentives for adaptive reuse and zoning reform and financing programs that lower costs for workforce housing development.

Renew the American Indian Lands Tax Credit
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition encourages the renewal of the Federal American Indian Lands Tax Credit that applies retroactively and is renewed for a multi-year period into the future. The American Indian Lands Tax Credit is a key economic development tool for Oklahoma, allowing employment tax credits when employing tribal members or their spouses and the accelerated depreciation of investments made on former reservation land. Oklahoma has the largest percentage of American Indian population in the country and more than two-thirds of the state qualifies for this incentive. Extending the credit and ensuring its benefits are retroactive to its expiration is critical in fostering continued business expansion of employment and investment in Oklahoma.

Expand Availability of Quality and Affordable Childcare
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports the expansion of high quality and affordable childcare resources. The rising cost and scarce availability of quality childcare represents a significant constraint on Oklahoma’s workforce and is a direct barrier to workforce participation. The childcare crisis costs the Oklahoma economy an estimated $1.2 billion annually in lost earnings, productivity and turnover. The Coalition urges the federal government to support state programs that invest in families, such as Scholars for Excellence in Child Care, to aid in the state’s expansion of childcare. The Coalition also supports increased subsidies through Federal programs such as the Child Care Development Fund to ensure workforce families can access affordable, reliable care.

 
 
 

Building Infrastructure Critical to Business

Support the Tulsa Space Test Center
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports full federal engagement in the Tulsa Space Test Center, a critical facility advancing American leadership in space and strengthening our economy. Space is now both an operational warfighting domain and a fast-growing commercial sphere. To remain competitive and leverage new markets, spacecraft must move effectively in orbit, requiring next-generation propulsion systems. Developing these systems demands testing capacity the United States currently lacks. Oklahoma, Tulsa and private industry are investing in the Tulsa Space Test Center to help close this gap, providing infrastructure for commercial firms, research institutions and government agencies to bring new propulsion technologies to market. We ask the Oklahoma Congressional Delegation to support federal funding that enhances the Center’s capabilities. Strengthening this facility will position Tulsa as a premier destination for propulsion testing, drive economic growth, create high-quality jobs and secure American preeminence in space.

Pursue All Funding to Address Infrastructure Needs and Support Federal Reauthorization of Surface Transportation
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports pursuing all available federal funding opportunities, including competitive grants such as INFRA, MEGA, BUILD, the Bridge Investment Program and congressional directed funding, to implement critical regional transportation projects in partnership with ODOT and local and tribal governments. Priority projects include expressway-to-expressway interchanges with I-44, US-169 and SH-51; grade-separated interchanges and bridges on US-412 to meet interstate standards and secure I-42 designation; a new arterial bridge across the Navigation Channel at 71st Street to improve access to the Port of Inola Industrial Park; and a new south Tulsa bridge over the Arkansas River, along with other high-priority regional projects. We further support timely reauthorization of federal surface transportation programs with increased reliance on predictable formula grants for flexibility and streamlined competitive grants that reduce cost and administrative burden.

Preserve and Expand Federal Historic Tax Credits
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports expanding Federal Historic Tax Credits through initiatives like the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act. For over 30 years, these credits have encouraged private investment to preserve historic buildings and revitalize city cores. We support increasing the rehabilitation tax credit and modifying eligibility rules by lowering the rehabilitation threshold from 100% to 50% of project expenses, eliminating the basis adjustment requirement while increasing the credit to 30% for certain small projects and extending the credit to include historic school buildings still in use through the School Infrastructure Modernization Act. These measures will strengthen preservation efforts, stimulate investment and maintain the historic character of communities nationwide.

Support Timely Implementation of Improvements to US-412 to Bring the Corridor up to Interstate Standards
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports upgrading the US-412 corridor to interstate standards and implementing its federal designation as future Interstate 42 from I-35 in Oklahoma to I-49 in northwest Arkansas. We call on ODOT and our congressional delegation to actively pursue funding initiatives and opportunities to complete this project quickly, as it will improve safety, enhance travel time reliability, strengthen connections between the Tulsa Metropolitan Area and northwest Arkansas and elevate the region’s visibility and economic development potential at the national level.

Accelerate Permitting of Energy and Infrastructure Projects
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition strongly supports efforts to accelerate federal permitting for projects necessary to achieve domestic energy independence and complete infrastructure projects. Legislative and Administrative efforts should focus on ensuring concurrent and timely permitting for all federally required approvals and encourage coordination and communication with state permitting. These projects would create a boom in the U.S. domestic economy, support job creation, strengthen our trade balance and increase product security and price stability on a global scale.

Pursue Congressionally Directed Spending Requests
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition urges Congress and our congressional delegation to prioritize securing appropriations and federal grants for northeast Oklahoma. To ensure that funding opportunities remain in our region, we must proactively and aggressively pursue all avenues of federal funding. These investments are critical to advancing economic development, strengthening infrastructure and enhancing the overall quality of life for the communities we serve.

Creating an Educated & Healthy Workforce

Increase Funding for Hospitals and Healthcare Entities
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition encourages federal lawmakers to engage local hospital leadership in solutions that address modifications to Medicaid made by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Tulsa region hospitals will see a loss of $36 million in state fiscal year (SFY) 2029 with a cumulative impact of $1.64 billion over the next ten years. Due to additional modifications made by the OBBBA, the Tulsa community is expected to see an increase in the uninsured population, further straining hospital resources to provide comprehensive care.

Support the Permanent Extension of the ACA’s Current Premium Tax Credits
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports the permanent extension of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) current premium tax credits. Today, more than 300,000 Oklahomans receive critical tax credits to make quality, comprehensive health insurance coverage more affordable. These are hard-working Americans, such as small business owners, farmers, hourly workers, early retirees, entrepreneurs, etc., who purchase health insurance coverage on their own because they do not have access to large employer sponsored coverage. By some estimates, more than 100,000 Oklahomans, both individuals and small business owners, will see their insurance premiums rise by almost 40% if credits lapse, driving up Oklahoma’s already high uninsured rate. The impact is far-reaching and will negatively affect Oklahoma’s workforce. Nationally, more than 5 million people could become uninsured if Congress does not extend these tax credits. As the uninsured rate rises, hospitals and providers are faced with growing uncompensated care, impacting their ability to serve their communities and maintain the existing healthcare workforce.

Protect and Strengthen Healthcare Workforce
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition encourages a strong and healthy pipeline for the healthcare workforce. Healthcare across the country is facing historic workforce shortages. As Oklahoma expands our own education and training programs, enhances violence prevention efforts and addresses other clinician concerns, we urge Congress to support policies that replenish and strengthen the healthcare workforce, including increasing the number of Graduate Medical Education slots, expanding and improving loan repayment programs for nursing students and helping nursing schools recruit and retain qualified faculty and preceptors. Congress should also pass the SAVE Act, which aims to protect healthcare workers from violence by enhancing penalties for people who assault them and providing hospitals with additional security and training resources.

Modernize Federal Immigration Policy to Attract and Retain Global Talent
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports comprehensive federal immigration reform to strengthen America’s competitiveness and meet workforce needs. Employers across all industries depend on access to international talent to fill critical skill gaps and drive innovation. Congress should modernize visa programs like H-1B, H-2B and F-1, streamline processing and ensure fair, efficient and affordable access for employers of all sizes. The Coalition also supports legislation such as the DREAM Act to provide a pathway to legal status for undocumented youth educated in U.S. schools, helping grow a skilled, future-ready workforce.

Reform Federal Financial Aid
The OneVoice Regional Legislative Coalition supports reforming federal financial aid to align with today’s workforce needs. Recent legislation will reduce access to federal aid dollars for students pursuing higher education, including for students pursuing graduate and professional degrees like healthcare. Restoring this access is essential to addressing workforce shortages and maintaining Oklahoma’s talent pipeline. We support simplifying student loans by eliminating interest and replacing it with a one-time, non-compounding origination fee, paired with income-based repayment plans. Federal aid eligibility should also expand to include short-term, industry-driven training programs and loan forgiveness should prioritize graduates in high-demand fields. These reforms will improve affordability, strengthen career readiness and ensure all students have opportunities to access the education and training needed to meet Oklahoma’s workforce demands.

 
 
 

 

 

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