Oklahoma 2024 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB1628 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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28	28	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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30	30	1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
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32	32	HOUSE BILL 1628 By: Goodwin
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38	38	AS INTRODUCED
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40	40	An Act relating to landlord and tenant; prohibiting
41	41	landlord from retaliating ag ainst a tenant for
42	42	certain actions; providing remedies and damages to
43	43	tenants for retaliation by a landlord; providing this
44	44	act does not apply when a landlord increases rent in
45	45	certain circumstances ; providing for codification;
46	46	and providing an effective date .
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52	52	BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STAT E OF OKLAHOMA:
53	53	SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
54	54	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 137 of Title 41, unless there is
55	55	created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
56	56	A. A landlord may not retaliate agains t a tenant by increasing
57	57	the tenant's rent, decreasing services that are due to the tenant,
58	58	or bringing or threatening to bring an action for possession of the
59	59	tenant's premises because:
60	60	1. The tenant has complained to an appropriate governmental
61	61	agency of a violation of a building, housing, health, or safet y code
62	62	that is applicable to the premises, and the violation materially
63	63	affects health and safety;
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90	90	2. The tenant has complained to the landlord of any violation
91	91	of Section 118 of Title 41 of the Oklahoma Statutes; or
92	92	3. The tenant joined with other tenan ts for the purpose of
93	93	negotiating or dealing collectively with the landlord on any of the
94	94	terms and conditions of a rental agreement.
95	95	B. If a landlord acts in violation of Subsection A of this
96	96	section the tenant may:
97	97	1. Use the retaliatory action of the landlord as a defense to
98	98	an action by the landlord to recover possession of the premises;
99	99	2. Recover possession of the premises; or
100	100	3. Terminate the rental agreement.
101	101	In addition, the tenant may recov er from the landlord any actual
102	102	damages together with reasonable attorneys' fees. Furthermore, the
103	103	court may award the tenant punitive damages.
104	104	C. Nothing in Subsection A of this section shall prohibit a
105	105	landlord from increasing the rent to reflect the c ost of
106	106	improvements installed by the landlord in or ab out the premises or
107	107	to reflect an increase in other costs of operation of the premises.
108	108	SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
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110	110	59-1-6823 JL 01/11/23