Journalist: Shelby Tannehill (OSU)
Before a bill can advance to the governor’s desk, it must pass both chambers. In the case
of Senate Bill OU-002, it passed the Senate unanimously on Friday. This evening, it was
presented in the house chambers by both authors, Senator Keila Diaz (OU) and Representative
Abigail Fraire (OU). In the house, it also passed 38-20.
The “Lid it or Leave it” Act of 2025 would require all Oklahoma businesses with alcohol
licenses to sell cup covers, defined as any lid, sleeve, or wrapper that could cover the cup to keep
the liquid from being spiked. It was amended in the senate to remove a section which would have
kept businesses from marking up the covers over 50%. After being amended, the bill passed
44-0.
The house would not prove so easy. Debate was called, with four representatives
speaking in opposition and three speaking for it. The main issues the House had with this bill
was the belief that it was vague, unnecessary, or lacked proper consumer guardrails.
One representative who debated in opponency, Rep. Joshua Wilson (OSU) said the bill lost his
support because it, in his view, too closely mirrors the beginnings of a controlled market.
“I think it’s absurd to require a business to sell something. Never in Oklahoma’s history
have we required a business to sell something,” Rep. Wilson said. “We’ve restricted them from
selling items, but never have we told a business, ‘You have to sell this item’.” For these reasons,
he was one of the 20 representatives that voted against the bill this evening. However, his
support is not completely lost, but a few changes must be made.
“To require any business to sell an item is not a good bill. Maybe if the bill made a
recommendation for the state to provide funding for a place outside the bar where they could
place an item, that wouldn’t be a problem” Rep. Wilson said. “By requiring it, though, it’s just an
overreach of the government, to somebody’s right to privacy.”