A Republican state senator in Oklahoma, Dusty Deevers, filed legislation allowing employees and residents in the state to opt to receive salaries in Bitcoin and enable vendors to accept BTC payments.
“In a time when inflation is eroding the purchasing power of hard-working Oklahomans, Bitcoin BTC$93,001 provides a unique opportunity to protect earnings and investments,” Deevers said after introducing the Bitcoin Freedom Act on Jan. 8.
“As Bitcoin continues to rise and the value of the dollar continues to be printed away in Washington D.C., Oklahoma must act to protect our people,” he added.
The bill, called SB325 , ensures that participation is entirely voluntary, “respecting free-market principles” and empowering employees, employers, and businesses to choose their own payment options , he said.
According to the filing, one of the purposes of the act is to “establish a framework for the secure use of Bitcoin by the State of Oklahoma, private businesses, and individual residents,” and another is to “authorize Bitcoin as an acceptable medium for transactions, salaries, and investments.”
Senator Deevers praised President-elect Donald Trump’s pro-Bitcoin campaigning, adding, “Bitcoin has arrived into the mainstream of our economy and is unquestionably a significant part of the financial future.”
The legislation puts Oklahoma in a “leadership role nationally” while ensuring the state “embraces the future of financial technology while providing our citizens with more financial options,” he said.
The Bitcoin Freedom Act will be eligible for consideration in the 60th legislative session beginning on Feb. 3.
Deevers is among those criticizing high inflation in the US. “If Washington D.C. can ruin something, it likely will. And it is certainly ruining the US dollar,” he said on X on Jan. 8 before adding:
“One of my biggest campaign promises was to fight for the financial well-being of those I represent and do what I could to offset the damage caused by inflation.”
Deevers, who is also a pastor, also criticized central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), stating on X on Jan. 9 that they enable government overreach and surveillance. “They give central authorities the power to track, control, and restrict individual transactions, undermining financial privacy and freedom,” he said before extolling the virtues of Bitcoin:
“Bitcoin promotes financial sovereignty. Its decentralized, censorship-resistant design allows individuals to retain full control over their money, free from government interference or inflationary manipulation.”
Related: Ohio lawmaker introduces Bitcoin reserve bill allowing state to buy BTC
Inflation in the US has been climbing again since September 2024 and is currently 2.7%, according to Trading Economics. During the pandemic and lockdown, it surged to a four-decade high of over 9% in mid-202n.
In May 2024, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt enacted a law creating a legal framework for blockchain firms and safeguarding crypto mining activities. The bill, which came into effect in November, makes it easier for Bitcoin miners to operate in the state.
Magazine: How crypto laws are changing across the world in 2025