Legal and Labor Reform

Purpose

Ensure Oklahoma employers are competing on a level playing field with other states when it comes to the laws and regulations they have to comply with, particularly in the area of employment law.

2024 Policy Positions

1. The Chamber opposes state legislative efforts to undermine the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) due to the negative impact on member businesses. 
2. Oppose efforts to interfere with employer’s ability to negotiate benefits plans for employees. 
3. Oppose benefit mandates that raise the cost of health insurance for employers and employees in OK (including white bagging). 
4. Oppose new state and federal mandated private health insurance benefits that would raise costs to businesses attempting to provide quality health insurance benefits until such a time as an independent cost/benefit analysis accompanies and justifies any proposed health insurance benefit mandate. 
5. Oppose efforts that would interfere with an employer’s and employee’s freedom to contract. 
6. Oppose actions to limit employers’ ability to set their own workplace vaccination policy. 
7. Oppose expansion of state and federal mandates on employers, including but not limited to paid family and medical leave benefits and/or programs. 
8. Support business protections and property owners’ rights regarding possession of weapons. 
9. Support prompt determination for occupational licenses and permitting from the corresponding body and/or reduced fees based on the period of non-determination. 
10. Protect and defend Oklahoma’s Administrative Workers’ Compensation System. 
11. Support reforms to Oklahoma’s unemployment benefits system, including work search, job matching, program integrity. 
12. Preserve the business community’s interest in workplace safety as it relates to use of marijuana. 

2024 Legal Policy Positions

1. Support transparency in third-party litigation financing legislation. 
2. Support legislation prohibiting use of jury anchoring. 
3. Support legislation limiting the use of nuclear verdicts.  
4. Support protection of businesses from liability when cybersecurity attacks and data beaches occur by providing an affirmative defense to businesses with security controls in place. 
5. Support an employer liability shield for an employer, general contractor, premises owner, or other third party solely for hiring an employee or independent contractor with a criminal conviction. 
6. Support pro-business lawsuit reforms and oppose legislation that would expand liability. 
7. Support the adoption of the Federal Pleading Standard of plausibility for civil lawsuits.  
8. Support reasonable guardrails on litigation advertising. 
9. Support limiting requests of production in the discovery phase of litigation. 

Staff & Committee Contacts