Oklahoma 2023 2023 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB212 Introduced / Bill

Filed 01/09/2023

                     
 
 
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STATE OF OKLAHOMA 
 
1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) 
 
SENATE BILL 212 	By: Bullard 
 
 
 
 
 
AS INTRODUCED 
 
An Act relating to property; amending 60 O.S. 2021, 
Sections 121, 122, and 125, which relate to alien 
ownership of land; prohibiting certain ownership of 
land through business entity or trust; providing 
exception for certain business entities; requiring 
inclusion of certain affidavit with recording of 
deed; directing Attorney General to promulgate 
certain affidavit forms; modifying exception to 
certain ownership requirements; establishing Citizen 
Land Ownership Unit of the Office of the Attorney 
General; making language gender-neutral; updating 
statutory language; and providing an effective date. 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     60 O.S. 2021, Section 121, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 121. A. No alien or any person who is not a citizen of 
the United States shall acquire title to or own land in the State of 
Oklahoma this state either directly or i ndirectly through a business 
entity or trust, except as hereinafter provided, but he or she shall 
have and enjoy in the State of Oklahoma this state such rights as to 
personal property as are, or shall be accor ded a citizen of the 
United States under the l aws of the nation to which such alien   
 
 
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belongs, or by the treaties of such nation with the United States, 
except as the same may be affected by the provisions o f this act 
Section 121 et seq. of this title or the Constitution of this state.  
Provided, however, the requirements of th is subsection shall not 
apply to a business entity that has legally operated in the United 
States for a minimum of twenty (20) years. 
B. On or after the effective date of this act , any deed 
recorded with a county clerk shall include as an exhibit to the deed 
an affidavit executed by the person or entity coming into title 
attesting that the person, business entity, or trust is obtaining 
the land in compliance with the requirements of thi s section and 
that no funding source is being used in the sale or transfer in 
violation of this section or any other state or federal law.  The 
Attorney General shall promulgate a separate affidavit form for 
individuals and for business entities or trusts to comply with the 
requirements of this section. 
SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY     60 O.S. 2021, Section 122, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 122. This article shall not ap ply to lands now owned in 
this state by aliens so long as they are held by the present owners, 
nor to any alien who is or shall take up bona fide residence in this 
state: and; provided, that any alien who is or shall becom e a bona 
fide resident of the State of Oklahoma, or any lawfully recognized 
business entity, the majority of the voting stock or equivalent   
 
 
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controlling equity in terest of which is owned by one or more 
resident aliens, shall have the right to acquire and ho ld lands in 
this state upon the sa me terms as citizens of the State of Oklahoma 
during the continuance of such bona fide residence of such a lien in 
this state:  Provided, that if any such resident alien shall cease 
to be a bona fide inhabitant resident of this state, such alien 
shall have five (5) years from the time he or she ceased to be such 
bona fide resident in which to alienate such lands. 
SECTION 3.    AMENDATORY     60 O.S. 2021, Section 125, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 125. A.  It shall be the duty of t he Attorney General 
or the district attorney of the county w here the land is situate, 
when he or she shall be informed or have reason to believe that any 
lands in the state are being held contrary to the provisions of this 
act, or the provisions of the Constitution of this state, to 
institute suit in behalf of the State of Oklahoma in the district 
court of the county in which said the lands are situate, pr aying for 
the escheat of the same in behalf of t he state, and proceed therein 
as in cases provided by law for es cheats of lands or property where 
such property has no known owner: Provided, that before .  Before any 
such suit is instituted, the Attorney General , or district attorney 
aforesaid, as the case may be, shall give thirty (30) days’ notice 
by registered letter of his or her intention to sue, directed to the 
owner of the lands, at his the last-known post office address , or to   
 
 
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the persons who last rendered the same for ta xes, or to any known 
agents of the owner; proof of having mailed such registered letter 
shall be deemed and held prima facie evidence of the g iving of such 
notice. 
B.  There is hereby created with in the Office of the Attorney 
General a Citizen Land Ownersh ip Unit to enforce the provisions of 
this act. 
SECTION 4.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2023. 
 
59-1-64 TEK 1/9/2023 4:10:00 PM