Unfinished backyard pools and drained bank accounts are nudging Oklahoma lawmakers into action, as a wave of complaints tied to a Tulsa-area builder has turned a niche home-improvement headache into a statewide push for tougher rules.
House members have advanced a proposal that would, for the first time, require licenses for pool and spa installers and put state regulators on the hook for setting standards and policing the industry. Supporters say the move is aimed squarely at protecting homeowners who have watched projects stall while tens of thousands of dollars disappeared.
What the Bill Would Do
House Bill 3338, authored by Rep. Chris Banning, would create the Pool Contractor Licensing Act and task the Construction Industries Board with overseeing swimming‑pool contractors. The House signed off on the measure in a 55–35 vote on March 11, sending it to the Senate for consideration, according to the Oklahoma Legislature.
Under the bill, the licensing framework would give regulators authority to set experience and training requirements, administer exams and pursue enforcement against bad actors. Lawmakers backing the measure say those tools are meant to put basic guardrails around an industry where large checks often change hands long before a single tile is laid.
Why Lawmakers Jumped In
Investigative reporting highlighted homeowners across the Tulsa region who say they paid pool builders but never saw the work completed. Homeowners interviewed told reporters they paid amounts including nearly $50,000, $46,000 and roughly $30,000, and some said subcontractors later contacted them claiming they had not been paid, as reported by FOX23.
The outlet also reported the Oklahoma Attorney General's office is reviewing complaints tied to the company at the center of those stories, piling more official scrutiny onto a situation that had already turned many backyards into costly construction zones.
The Contractor at the Center
Midwest Pools, the Tulsa-area company named in the reporting, and its owner Jeff Johnson are accused by multiple customers of leaving projects incomplete after collecting large payments. Johnson told reporters he had "no comment at this time," while homeowners described partial excavations, idle equipment and subcontractors seeking payment, per FOX23.
State officials say the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Unit is reviewing complaints tied to the company, a process that could take time even as frustrated homeowners push for quicker remedies.
How Licensing Could Help
Under HB 3338, the Construction Industries Board must adopt rules that set experience, training and continuing-education requirements for pool contractors and could administer exams and disciplinary actions, according to a bill summary prepared for the House. The committee summary also notes the board must have rules in place by November 1 and that fees would be charged to offset administrative costs, per the Oklahoma House.
Lawmakers who support the bill say the structure is intended to give homeowners clearer remedies and reduce the chance of contractors vanishing mid-project once a sizable portion of the money has changed hands.
What Homeowners Can Do Now
For homeowners already nervous about their backyard builds, state officials say there are a few immediate steps to take. Residents can check for complaints or file one with the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Unit at 1‑833‑681‑1895, the AG's office advises.
The office also posts tips on avoiding contractor fraud and warns against large upfront cash payments, according to the Oklahoma Attorney General.
As for HB 3338, the bill now awaits action in the Senate Business and Insurance Committee, where hearings or amendments could reshape its final form and timetable before any new rules hit the ground.
