Republican Senator Dusty Deevers has introduced a bill aimed at integrating Bitcoin into Oklahoma’s economy.
The Bitcoin Freedom Act (SB325) seeks to provide employees and vendors in the state with the option to conduct transactions in Bitcoin, offering an alternative to the weakening U.S. dollar, according to the Senator.
“In a time when inflation is eroding the purchasing power of hard-working Oklahomans, Bitcoin provides a unique opportunity to protect earnings and investments,” Deevers said in a statement on Wednesday.
If approved, the bill would allow Bitcoin transactions across state agencies, private businesses, and individual exchanges, while ensuring compliance with existing regulations. Deevers sees the bill as a step toward fostering innovation, improving fiscal transparency, and boosting economic growth in the state.
The Senator also highlighted Bitcoin’s decentralized nature and its fixed supply as safeguards against what he referred to as Washington D.C.’s “reckless spending and money printing.”
“This small but possibly revolutionary change has the potential to offset the harms suffered due to inflation and make Oklahoma a national leader who embraces the future of financial technology,” Deevers tweeted on Wednesday. He also described Bitcoin as “a promising alternative for preserving wealth,” aligning it with the current political landscape.
“There is a reason President Trump campaigned heavily as a pro-Bitcoin candidate and spoke at prominent Bitcoin events,” he remarked. “Bitcoin has entered the mainstream of our economy and is unquestionably a significant part of the financial future.”
Trump’s support for Bitcoin and his appointment of pro-crypto officials like Paul Atkins to lead the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have made the President-elect a prominent advocate for integrating Bitcoin into the U.S. economy, according to crypto supporters.
This isn’t Oklahoma’s first venture into cryptocurrency. Last May, the state passed the Bitcoin Rights Bill (HB3594), safeguarding residents’ rights to self-custody Bitcoin and use it for legal purchases.
The Bitcoin Freedom Act is set to be discussed during the 60th legislative session, starting February 3.
