Rep. Mike Dobrinski, R-Okeene, commented Monday on the governor’s pocket veto of legislation that would have prohibited solar generation facilities and battery energy storage systems (BESS) from qualifying for the Five‑Year Ad Valorem Exemption for Manufacturers, beginning in January 2028.
Dobrinski is chairman of the House Utilities Committee and House author of Senate Bill 237. The governor had until midnight May 29 to take action on the bill. Because he did not sign it into law, and because the 2026 legislative session is adjourned sine die, the bill became pocket vetoed.
“I’m extremely disappointed the governor chose not to enact this legislation that had widespread support from constituents and legislators alike,” Dobrinski said. “He overruled the decision of more than 100 representatives and senators to protect taxpayer money from going to out-of-state developers taking advantage of a forty-year-old tax incentive originally designed to add quality jobs investment to our state. I represent thousands of constituents involved with the energy industry, both petroleum and renewables. Landowners choose whether they participate in various energy projects based on their own operations and unique family situation. What most agree on, however, is they support President Trump’s decision to put an end to federal subsidization of the renewable industry, and Oklahoma should do the same!”
Dobrinski explained the five-year exemption was eliminated for wind in 2015 with Senate Bill 498. In 2021, the Legislature recognized data centers were costing the state $46 million annually through the exemption, so that eligibility was removed with Senate Bill 609.
“Eliminating this tax exemption for wind and data centers has obviously not deterred those types of new development projects in Oklahoma,” Dobrinski emphasized. “We are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars over the next several years that could go toward much-needed projects and services for hard-working Oklahomans. I look forward to working soon with our next governor to end this corporate welfare as quickly as possible.”
We reached out to the Governor’s office for an explanation and received this answer from press secretary Tevis Hillis.
“It was a pocket veto so no statement. As a rule, the Governor is opposed to legislation that changes the goal posts on a company mid-game. Companies had started doing business in Oklahoma under a certain set of rules and expectations. Changing those with no notice and treating one industry differently than other industries isn’t fair to those trying to do business in our state.”
