House panel advances bill to bar NDAs for public officials; title stricken for amendment

A House committee on Thursday voted to report House Bill 29 99 out of committee after the sponsor said the bill would prohibit requiring public officials to sign nondisclosure agreements.

Representative Dobrinsky, the bill’s sponsor, told members the measure is intended to be "very simple and not overly burdensome" and urged adoption of the committee substitute as a working draft. "This is not a request, but is born from multiple inquiries and concerns," she said, framing the bill as a response to development projects that she said operate "under the cover of darkness" when allowed to do so.

Representative Fugate pressed the sponsor to expand the bill’s scope to prevent NDAs from being used to hide litigation outcomes that leave taxpayers footing judgments. "Effectively, the taxpayers now are on the hook for judgments that they don't have any insight into," Fugate said, urging broader language.

Dobrinsky answered that she was willing to consider input but wanted to keep the bill focused on the core goal: making project information public. "I do fear tacking on too many other options would keep us from accomplishing what we need to do," she said.

Rusty Clark, assistant secretary of the Oklahoma State Election Board, did not speak on this bill but later advised on a separate matter during the hearing.

Members agreed to strike the bill title to allow further work on language before the measure reaches the House floor. The committee recorded an 8‑0 vote to report the bill as "do pass." The bill was sent forward with the title stricken for later amendment.

The committee’s action is procedural: striking the title leaves the substantive language available for amendment before final floor consideration. No statutory citations or funding provisions were referenced during the discussion.