TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Legislation that would allow and later require certain public cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest nickel is moving forward at the Oklahoma Capitol.

House Bill 3075, the Oklahoma Common Cents Act, passed out of the House General Government Policy Committee and now heads to the Government Oversight Committee.

The bill authored by Representative Derrick Hildebrant would apply only to public-sector cash payments, or the cash portion of a payment, made to political subdivisions such as counties and municipalities. It would not affect private businesses and would not apply to checks, debit cards, credit cards, or other digital transactions.

“What this bill does is it addresses this problem in the public sector by providing clear statutory authority to all political subdivisions by rounding cash transactions using a standard mathematical rounding to the nearest nickel,” District 23 Representative Derrick Hildebrant said.

Under the bill, totals ending in one or two cents would be rounded down to zero. Totals ending in three or four cents would be rounded up to five cents. Amounts ending in six or seven cents would be rounded down to five cents, while totals ending in eight or nine cents would be rounded up to 10 cents.

Hildebrant said the bill was requested by one of his constituents, Rogers County Treasurer Jason Carini, who raised concerns about a growing shortage of pennies and the difficulty of providing exact change at public payment counters.

Rogers County analyzed the potential impact of rounding, reviewing cash transaction data from 2023, 2024, and 2025. The analysis showed that rounding would have a minimal financial impact overall.

In 2023, the county recorded 1,517 cash transactions, resulting in a net gain of $0.21 if rounding had been applied. In 2024, the county recorded 1,555 cash transactions with a net gain of $0.75. In 2025, 1,542 cash transactions would have resulted in a net gain of $0.86.

“5 percent of those transactions were cash and so in 2023 I think around 15-hundred cash transactions and the overage and underage ended up being a 22 cent overage, so less than a dollar,” Representative Hildebrant said.

Hildebrant emphasized that the bill includes statutory language outlining how political subdivisions may account for overages or shortages resulting from rounding.

“We’ve put in statute that any political subdivision of the state may account for over/underage payments from the funds under its control to determine the governing body of the political subdivision,” he said.

The Oklahoma Common Cents Act mirrors similar legislation being considered at the federal level. The federal Common Cents Act would direct the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury to stop minting pennies and require cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest five cents nationwide.

Hildebrant said House Bill 3075 does not eliminate the penny in Oklahoma but provides guidance for public entities if pennies move out of circulation.

“What it does is give statutory language to counties, and counties cannot operate without statutory language,” Hildebrant said. “If it’s signed into law by the governor, it would be effective in July.”

Under the bill, political subdivisions could choose to implement rounding from the effective date through July 1, 2027. Beginning July 1, 2027, rounding would become mandatory for applicable public cash transactions unless Congress directs otherwise.

Carini said Rogers County plans to notify residents of any changes through signage at the courthouse and at mobile payment sites in the community. Hildebrant said broader public communication would include press releases, signage at cash registers and coordination with media outlets to ensure consistency statewide.

The Oklahoma Municipal League has endorsed the bill, and Hildebrant said he has worked closely with the organization.

If HB3075 clears the Government Oversight Committee, it will move to the full House for consideration before heading to the Senate. If approved by both chambers, the bill would then be sent to the governor for final approval.

Since the passage of State Question 788 legalized medical marijuana, Oklahoma has seen dramatic increases in marijuana use. In its first two years, the state issued more than 178,000 medical marijuana patient licenses. Today, nearly one in eight Oklahomans, or 320,000, holds an active medical marijuana license.

NORMAN, OKLA. (KOKH) — The Oklahoma Supreme Court upheld a judge’s rule that a Referendum Petition for the Rock Creek Entertainment District Project Plan in Norman is legally insufficient.

On Sept. 20, 2024, the Referendum Petition was submitted seeking an election for Norman voters to approve or reject the two TIF Districts for the Rock Creek Plan.

The Supreme Court says in its ruling that the gist in the petition misstates the maximum amount of public assistance made to the plan and omits that the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts will remain active until either $230 million in principal plus interest is repaid to the lender, $600 million in public assistance is provided, or 25 years passes, whichever occurs first.

Those against the petition claim, “The gist in this case suggests that the incremental taxes would last for a period of up to twenty-five years, rather than ending at the first of three occurrences.” They also say the gist misidentifies the categories of incremental sales/uses taxes allocated to the Rock Creek Plan.

Protestants also claim “The phrasing of the authorized costs in the gist inaccurately conveys that the Ordinance and the Rock Creek Plan authorize $600,000,000 in project costs in addition to $230,000,000 in financing instead of $600,000,000 and $230,000,000 as two of three separate triggers.”

The Oklahoma Supreme Court agreed that the gist misstates the maximum amount of public assistance and omits that the TIF districts will remain active until the first of the three triggering events, ultimately ruling that the referendum petition is legally insufficient.

Cleveland County Commissioner Rod Cleveland issued a statement after the Supreme Court’s decision, saying he is thrilled with the Supreme Court’s decision against the petition.

Today marks a pivotal milestone for Cleveland County, the City of Norman, the University of Oklahoma, and our broader community following the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling on the Rock Creek Entertainment District TIF appeal. As County Commissioner, I am thrilled to see this project advance after more than 12 years of dedicated work on my part to bring it to fruition.

This development represents smart, responsible growth that does not raise property taxes while delivering significant benefits to our community’s quality of life. OU Athletics stands as the largest economic driver for Cleveland County, and this project will further amplify its impact, drawing even more visitors, investment, and vitality to Norman.

Sports and entertainment districts like this one have proven successful across the country, creating vibrant hubs where people eagerly visit, spend their time and money, and build lasting connections. In collaboration with the University and the County Trust, we’ve advanced key steps, including a design-build RFP, to ensure this initiative is poised for success.

This district, set to host several OU Athletics programs and other great entertainment for the community, embodies a shared vision of progress, partnership, and purpose. This is for our community. Together, we’re forging a brighter future where families, students, and professionals can live, work, play, and thrive in a community that’s stronger than ever.

The University of Oklahoma also issued a statement after the ruling, saying the entertainment district will become home to several OU Athletics programs and community events. The development would expand the University North Park to add additional hotel, office, residential, and retail spaces with a multipurpose arena and a public plaza.

For more local news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter by clicking here.