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53	53	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
54	54
55	55	1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
56	56
57	57	SENATE BILL 41 By: Dahm
58	58
59	59
60	60
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63	63	AS INTRODUCED
64	64
65	65	An Act relating to eminent domain; amending 27 O.S.
66	66	2021, Sections 5 and 17, which relate to local
67	67	governments and resale of surp lus property;
68	68	conforming language; modifying requirements for
69	69	disposition of surplus property; defining terms;
70	70	prohibiting taking of p rivate property unless for
71	71	certain uses and with compensation; placing burden of
72	72	proof on condemning authority; granting certain
73	73	rights to private property owners; requiring court to
74	74	strictly construe certain provisions; prohibiting
75	75	expansion of eminent domain powers absent statutory
76	76	authority; providing exception; prov iding for
77	77	codification; and providing an effective date.
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83	83	BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
84	84	SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 27 O.S. 2021, Section 5, is
85	85	amended to read as follows:
86	86	Section 5. Any county, city, town, township , school district,
87	87	or board of education, or any boa rd or official having charge of
88	88	cemeteries created and existing under the laws of this state, shall
89	89	have power to condemn lands in like manner as railroad companies,
90	90	for highways, rights-of-way, building sites, cemeteries, public
91	91	parks and other public purposes uses.
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143	143	SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 27 O.S. 2021, Section 17 , is
144	144	amended to read as follows:
145	145	Section 17. A. In the event that a portion of the total amount
146	146	of real property taken by eminent domain under the procedures set
147	147	forth in Title 27 of the Oklahoma Statut es this title for a public
148	148	purpose as described in Secti on 9 of Title 27 of the Oklahoma
149	149	Statutes this title is not used for the purposes uses for which it
150	150	was condemned or for another public use by the agency or other
151	151	entity which acquired the real proper ty, the portion of the real
152	152	property that is not used shall be declared surplus and shall be
153	153	first offered for resale returned at no cost to the person from whom
154	154	the property was taken or the heirs of the person at the appraised
155	155	value or the original price at which the acquiring agency or entity
156	156	purchased that portion of the property, whichever is less.
157	157	B. For purposes of complyin g with subsection A of this section,
158	158	the agency or entity which acquired the real property by
159	159	condemnation shall notify the form er landowner of the right of first
160	160	refusal return of the surplus property by sending notice by
161	161	certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last -known address
162	162	of the person as provided by the person. If the mail is retu rned as
163	163	not subject to delivery or the former landowner is deceased, notice
164	164	of the right of first refusal return of the surplus property shall
165	165	be provided by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in
166	166	the community where the real property is loca ted. The notice shall
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218	218	contain the name of the former landowner and a legal description of
219	219	the surplus property. If the offer to repurchase return the surplus
220	220	property is not accepted within ninety (90 ) days from the date of
221	221	notice or if the offer to repurchase is not accepted from the date
222	222	the resale price on the property is determined , the property may
223	223	then be sold at public sale.
224	224	C. This section shall not apply to conveyances for
225	225	redevelopment under Sections 38-101 through 38-123 of Title 11 of
226	226	the Oklahoma Statutes.
227	227	SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codifie d
228	228	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 41 of Title 27, unless there is
229	229	created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
230	230	For the purposes of this act:
231	231	1. “Abandoned property” means property:
232	232	a. that has been substantially unoccupied or unused for
233	233	any commercial or residential purpose for at least one
234	234	(1) year by a person with a legal or equitable right
235	235	to occupy the property,
236	236	b. that has been cited for housing, maintenance,
237	237	building, or property code violations that have not
238	238	been remedied within a reason able time after two
239	239	notices to cure the noncompliance, or
240	240	c. for which property taxes have not been paid for at
241	241	least two (2) years;
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293	293	2. “Blighted property” means a structure that meets any two (2)
294	294	of the following factors :
295	295	a. was inspected by the appropri ate local government and
296	296	cited for one or more enforceable housing,
297	297	maintenance, building, or property code violations
298	298	that affect the safety of the occupants or the public
299	299	involving one or more of the following:
300	300	(1) a roof and roof framing element ,
301	301	(2) support walls, beams, and headers,
302	302	(3) foundation, footings, and subgrade conditions,
303	303	(4) light and ventilation,
304	304	(5) fire protection including egress,
305	305	(6) internal utilities including electricity, gas,
306	306	and water,
307	307	(7) flooring and flooring elements, or
308	308	(8) walls, insulation, and exterior envelope,
309	309	b. the satisfaction of the enforceable, cited, and
310	310	uncured housing, maintenance, building, or property
311	311	code violations listed in subparagraph a of this
312	312	paragraph cost more than fifty percent (50%) of the
313	313	assessor’s taxable market value for the building,
314	314	excluding land value, for property taxes payable in
315	315	the year in which the condemnation is commenced,
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367	367	c. the housing, maintenance, or building code violations
368	368	have not been remedied within a reasonable time after
369	369	two notices to cure the noncompliance, or
370	370	d. was inspected and cited by the appropriate local
371	371	government for any violation of health and safety
372	372	codes; and
373	373	3. “Public use” means:
374	374	a. the possession, occupation, ownership, and enjoyment
375	375	of the land by the general public, or by public
376	376	agencies,
377	377	b. the possession, occupation, and ownership of land
378	378	necessary for operations of a public utility that
379	379	serves the general public,
380	380	c. the remediation of a blighted property, or
381	381	d. the possession of an abandoned property.
382	382	SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
383	383	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 42 of Title 27, unless there is
384	384	created a duplication in numbering, reads as foll ows:
385	385	A. Private property may not be take n or damaged by a condemning
386	386	authority unless the taking or damage is necessary for a public use
387	387	and with just compensation. The public purpose or public benefit of
388	388	economic development including an increase in ta x base, tax
389	389	revenues, employment , or general economic health, does not
390	390	constitute a public use.
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442	442	B. In cases where addressing blight is the public use provided
443	443	by the condemning authority, the condemning authority bears the
444	444	burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that:
445	445	1. The land, real estate, premises, or other property the
446	446	authority seeks to acquire is required for the public use stated in
447	447	the petition for condemnation; and
448	448	2. The public use stated in the petition for condemnation
449	449	cannot be accomplished by using or acquiring property that offers
450	450	similar access with the consent of the ow ner of the similar property
451	451	without undue financial burden.
452	452	C. The owner of private property being condemned for blight has
453	453	a right to have a court determine whether private property is being
454	454	taken for a public or private use, to remediate an abandoned
455	455	property, to remediate blighted property, or if such taking is
456	456	required to fulfill the public use as stated in the petition for
457	457	condemnation. The court shall strictly construe eminent domain
458	458	statutes in favor of t he property owner and against the condemning
459	459	authority.
460	460	D. A governmental body subordinate to the state may not
461	461	exercise, create, extend, or expand a power of eminent domain in the
462	462	absence of statutory authority. Additional procedures, remedies , or
463	463	limitations that do not deny or diminish the substantive and
464	464	procedural rights and protections of property owners under this
465	465	section may be provided by other law, ordinance, or charter.
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517	517	SECTION 5. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
518	518
519	519	59-1-441 TEK 12/15/2022 3:16:33 PM

Oklahoma 2024 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB41 Compare Versions