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The Oklahoma Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (OK-AI-Workforce)

Oklahoma state companion to the AI Workforce Act. Extends the Oklahoma Secretary of State business-formation system, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, and the Okla. Stat. Title 68 Sec. 54006 research-expense credit.

THE OKLAHOMA PRO-ENTREPRENEURSHIP & AI WORKFORCE ACT (OK-AI-WORKFORCE)

Vehicle: State passage. Oklahoma Legislature, regular session. Primary referral to House Business and Commerce / Appropriations and Budget and Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism / Appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Oklahoma Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (OK-AI-Workforce).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that Oklahoma operates business-formation services through the Secretary of State under Okla. Stat. Title 18 (Corporations) and Title 54 (Partnerships, LLCs); that the Oklahoma Department of Commerce administers economic-development programs; that Okla. Stat. Title 68 Ch. 23 provides income-tax credits including the Quality Jobs Program and research-and-development credits; that CareerTech and the Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development administer training accounts; and that the Oklahoma Consumer Data Privacy Act (where applicable) and general commercial law under Okla. Stat. Title 15 govern data handling. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH OKLAHOMA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Qualified AI startup” means an Oklahoma-formed business entity under Okla. Stat. Title 18 or Title 54 whose principal business is AI-related software or services, with fewer than 50 FTE employees at claim.
  2. (b) “AI-displaced worker” means an Oklahoma-domiciled worker with AI-driven separation.
  3. (c) “WFD provider” means a provider on the Oklahoma ETPL under 29 U.S.C. Sec. 3152.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Oklahoma Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Okla. Stat. Title 18 (business corporations) and Title 54 (partnerships and LLCs).
  • Okla. Stat. Title 68 Ch. 23 (income tax) and Sec. 2357 (credits); Okla. Stat. Title 68 Sec. 3601 et seq. (Quality Jobs Program).
  • Okla. Stat. Title 74 Ch. 50A (Oklahoma Department of Commerce).
  • Okla. Stat. Title 40 Ch. 15 (workforce development).
  • Okla. Stat. Title 70 Ch. 11 and Ch. 14 (K-12 and CareerTech).

TITLE II — STATE BUSINESS-FORMATION REFORM

Sec. 201. Secretary of State Business-Formation Streamlining

  1. (a) Same-business-day formation pathway for domestic LLCs under Title 54 and business corporations under Title 18.
  2. (b) Machine-readable API within 12 months.

Sec. 202. One-Stop Oklahoma Business Portal

  1. (a) The Oklahoma Department of Commerce, in coordination with the Secretary of State, Tax Commission, and Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, shall operate a One-Stop Oklahoma Business Portal integrating entity formation; tax registration; unemployment registration; and workforce-development Employer of Record registration.

TITLE III — OKLAHOMA AI WORKFORCE TRANSITION

Sec. 301. AI Workforce Transition Accounts

  1. (a) An AI-displaced worker may establish an Account at a Local Workforce Development Board under Okla. Stat. Title 40 Ch. 15 to pay tuition to a WFD provider for reskilling to an OKRMC under OK-ACSA Sec. 201 or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Funding through state appropriations and Oklahoma’s allocation of Federal workforce funds under 29 U.S.C. Sec. 3161 et seq.

Sec. 302. Workforce Board Integration

  1. (a) Administered through existing Local Workforce Development Boards.
  2. (b) Administrative overhead not to exceed 10 percent.

TITLE IV — OKLAHOMA AI ENTREPRENEURSHIP INCENTIVES

Sec. 401. Oklahoma AI-Startup Income-Tax Incentive

  1. (a) A qualified AI startup may claim an enhanced research-and-development credit under Okla. Stat. Title 68 Sec. 2357 equal to a percentage of qualified in-State R&D expenditures, subject to annual cap.
  2. (b) Oklahoma Tax Commission administers consistent with existing mechanics.

Sec. 402. Capital Access via ODOC

  1. (a) Oklahoma Department of Commerce is authorized to prioritize qualified AI startups under existing Quality Jobs Program under Okla. Stat. Title 68 Sec. 3601 et seq.
  2. (b) No expansion beyond appropriated amounts.

TITLE V — K-12 & POSTSECONDARY AI FLUENCY

Sec. 501. K-12 AI-Fluency Curriculum Option

  1. (a) The State Board of Education, consistent with Okla. Stat. Title 70 Ch. 11, shall approve optional AI-fluency curriculum packages for use by districts, charter schools, and Parental Choice Credit-eligible schools.
  2. (b) Optional.

Sec. 502. CareerTech & Higher-Education AI-Fluency Programs

  1. (a) The CareerTech system under Okla. Stat. Title 70 Ch. 14 and institutions under the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may offer AI-fluency certificate programs aligning with the OKRMC Registry.

TITLE VI — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 601. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 602. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect November 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: AI Workforce. Other Oklahoma bills: OK-ACSA, OK-MEWRA, OK-GT&P.