Health care, the economy and education dominate the issues lawmakers want to examine before next year’s legislative session.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Health care, the economy and education dominate the interim study requests Oklahoma lawmakers have filed ahead of the 2027 legislative session, offering an early look at the issues likely to shape next year’s policy debates.
House members have submitted 120 interim study proposals, while the Senate has approved 69 interim studies for the 2026 interim. Taken together, they provide an early roadmap of the policy issues lawmakers want to explore before the Legislature convenes in February.
Interim studies do not change state law. Instead, they allow lawmakers to hear testimony from state agencies, industry experts, advocacy organizations and the public before deciding whether to pursue legislation during the next regular session.
The Oklahoma House has published the 120 proposals submitted by members, but Speaker Kyle Hilbert has not yet announced which requests will be approved and scheduled for hearings. The Senate, meanwhile, approved its interim studies July 9, assigning each to a standing committee while leaving the decision on whether to hold a hearing to committee chairs. All Senate interim studies must be completed by Oct. 30.
Oklahoma Politics Today reviewed all 120 House interim study proposals and 69 Senate-approved interim studies, assigning each to a single primary policy category based on its principal subject. While many proposals touch on multiple issues, each was counted once to identify overall legislative trends.
Health care, the economy and education lead the list
Among the policy areas identified in Oklahoma Politics Today’s review, health care and public health and the economy, workforce and tax policy tied for the largest share of studies, with 28 proposals or approved studies each. Education followed closely with 27.
Health care proposals span Medicaid, rural health care, prescription authority, chronic disease, medical marijuana regulation, mental health services and health care costs.
Economic studies examine inflation, workforce shortages, economic competitiveness, business regulation, tax policy and government revenues.
Education proposals focus on school accountability, reading proficiency, workforce preparation, student discipline, civics education, higher education performance and oversight of Oklahoma’s private-school tax credit program.
The next largest categories include criminal justice and public safety (19 studies), government operations and elections (16), and housing, land use and local government (15).
Artificial intelligence gains legislative attention
Artificial intelligence also appears to be gaining traction at the Capitol.
House members proposed studies examining the use of artificial intelligence in state government, consumer ownership of personal data and related technology issues. In the Senate, lawmakers approved a study examining the impact of AI-powered social companion applications on minors, reflecting growing national discussion about the technology’s effect on children, education and mental health.
Other technology-related proposals examine cybersecurity, digital infrastructure and the growth of data centers.
Affordability themes cut across multiple issues
Many of the proposals share a common thread: affordability.
Housing studies explore ways to increase supply and improve affordability. Tax proposals examine property taxes and other revenue issues. Workforce studies focus on labor shortages and economic growth, while health care proposals seek ways to improve access and reduce costs.
Rather than centering on a single policy debate, lawmakers appear to be approaching affordability through multiple areas of state government.
Election policy remains active
Election administration and government accountability continue to draw legislative interest.
Among the proposals are studies involving initiative petitions, state question procedures and broader government operations, suggesting those issues are likely to remain part of the 2027 policy conversation.
Studies don’t guarantee legislation
Not every interim study request will ultimately receive a hearing, and not every hearing results in legislation.
In the Senate, committee chairs decide whether approved studies will be scheduled during the interim. In the House, Speaker Hilbert must first approve study requests before hearings can be scheduled, following the chamber’s customary process.
While not every proposal will receive a hearing or ultimately become legislation, the interim study process has long served as the Legislature’s testing ground for ideas that often reappear as bills during the next session.
For that reason, this year’s House proposals and Senate-approved studies provide one of the earliest indicators of where lawmakers expect Oklahoma’s biggest policy debates to unfold when the Legislature returns for the 2027 session.
