Oklahoma's House of Representatives has unanimously passed significant legislation aimed to eliminate a compulsory 6% markup on consumer goods. This step brings the proposal to end the decades-old Price Control Act—mandating a markup on items including groceries, gas, and other necessities—one stride closer to being enacted. Senate Bill 638, the brainchild of Senate Majority Floor Leader Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, and House Majority Deputy Floor Leader Steve Bashore, R-Miami, hopes to relieve Oklahomans of this financial burden from a law that's been in place for 76 years.
Julie Daniels praised the legislation's progress, saying, "Repealing this outdated law reinforces the Legislature’s commitment to providing inflation relief for hardworking Oklahomans by putting more money back in their pockets," as per an interview obtained by the Oklahoma House website. With a focus on lifting a pricing mandate that has been long-standing, Daniels connects the bill to prior measures that have sought to ease the fiscal load on state residents, such as the "largest tax cut in Oklahoma history" that axed the state grocery tax.
The intended impact of the bill is not only financial relief but also to keep consumer spending within state borders. Bashore highlighted the proximity of his hometown to surrounding states, which have no such markup, creating an incentive for Oklahomans to take their shopping elsewhere. In a statement, he shared his belief that the current law forces residents to pay undeserved additional costs for their day-to-day purchases. "Forcing Oklahomans to pay 6% more for everyday items is simply unacceptable," Bashore told the Oklahoma House website. Aiming to counter this trend, the bill encourages local shopping.
Having sailed through the House with bipartisan support, the bill is considered a victory for both Daniels and Bashore. Both legislators have voiced their satisfaction with the progress, with Bashore expressing honor at the opportunity to enact positive change across Oklahoma, while remembering to address the need for a free market to operate without unnecessary government mandates. The bill, now amended, will return to the Senate for its final reading. Following that, it will reach the Governor's desk, where it will await the decision to become law or not.
