Oklahoma 2024 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB518 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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4		-	An Act
5		-	ENROLLED SENATE
	29	+	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
	30	+
	31	+	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
	32	+
	33	+	2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
	34	+
	35	+	ENGROSSED SENATE
6	36		BILL NO. 518 By: Paxton and Bullard of the
7	37		Senate
8	38
9	39		and
10	40
11		-	Lepak and Cantrell of the
12		-	House
	41	+	Lepak of the House
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16	45		An Act relating to initiative and referendum ;
17	46		amending 34 O.S. 2021, Sections 1, 2 and 8, which
18	47		relate to form, publication, and protest; modifying
19	48		information required for inclusion on certain form s;
20	49		authorizing Secretary of State to charge certain
21	50		filing fee for certain purpose; requiring certain
22	51		publication on website; requiring notice to certain
23	52		officers; increasing time period for certain protest
24	53		or objection; updating statutory langua ge; and
25	54		declaring an emergency .
26	55
27	56
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29		-	SUBJECT: Initiative and referendum
30	58
31	59		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
32		-
33	60		SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 34 O.S. 2021, Section 1, is
34	61		amended to read as follows:
35		-
36	62		Section 1. A. The referendum petition shall be substantially
37	63		as follows:
38		-
39	64		PETITION FOR REFERENDUM
40		-
41	65		To the Honorable ____________, Governor of Oklah oma (or To the
42	66		Honorable ____________, Mayor, Chairman of C ounty Commissioners, or
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	68	+	SB518 HFLR Page 2
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43	94		other chief executive officer, as the case may be, of the city,
44	95		county or other municipal corporation of ____________):
45		-
46		-
47		-	ENR. S. B. NO. 518 Page 2
48	96		We, the undersigned legal voters of the State of Okla homa (or
49	97		district of __________, c ounty of ____________, or city of
50	98		____________, as the cas e may be), respectfully order that Senate
51	99		(or House) Bill No. __________ (or ordinance No. ____________),
52	100		entitled (title of Act, and if the petition is against l ess than the
53	101		whole Act, then set f orth here the part or par ts on which the
54	102		referendum is sought), passed by the ____________ Legislature of the
55	103		State of Oklahoma, at the regular (or special) session of said
56	104		legislature, shall be referred to the people of t he State (district
57	105		of ____________, county of ____________, or city of ____________, as
58	106		the case may be) for their approval or rejection at the regular (or
59	107		special) election to be held on the ________ day of ____________,
60	108		20__, and each for himself says: I have personally signed this
61	109		petition; I am a legal voter of the State of Oklahoma (and dis trict
62	110		of __________, county of ____________, or city of ____________, as
63	111		the case may be); the following five data points shall be included
64	112		on the form: the voter ’s legal first name, legal last name, zip
65	113		code, house number and numerical month and day of my birth.
66		-
67	114		Referendum petitions shall be filed with the Secretary of State
68	115		not more than ninety (90) days after the final adjournment of the
69	116		session of the legislature which passe d the bill on which th e
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	118	+	SB518 HFLR Page 3
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70	144		referendum is demanded. (For county, city or o ther municipality the
71	145		length of time shall be thirty (30) days.)
72		-
73	146		The question we herewith submit to our fellow voters is: Shall
74	147		the following bill of the legislature (or ordinance or r esolution--
75	148		local legislation) be approved? (Ins ert here an exact copy o f the
76	149		text of the measure followed by proponents of record (not to exceed
77	150		three signatures, complete printed name and address associated with
78	151		his or her Oklahoma voter registration reco rd).)
79		-
80	152		B. In order for the signature to be appr oved by the Secretary
81	153		of State, three four or more data points described in subsection A
82	154		of this section must be matched to the voter registration file.
83		-
84	155		SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 34 O.S. 2021, Section 2, is
85	156		amended to read as follows:
86		-
87	157		Section 2. A. The form of initiative petit ion shall be
88	158		substantially as follows:
89		-
90		-
91		-	ENR. S. B. NO. 518 Page 3
92	159		INITIATIVE PETITION
93		-
94	160		To the Honorable ______________, Governor of Oklah oma (or To the
95	161		Honorable ______________, Mayor, Chairman o f County Commissioners,
96	162		or other chief execu tive officers, as the case may be, for the ci ty,
97	163		county or other municipality): We, the undersigned legal voters of
98	164		the State of Oklahoma (and of the dis trict of _______________,
99	165		county of _______________, or ci ty of ________________, as the case
100	166		may be), respectfully order that the following propos ed law (or
101	167		amendment to the constitution, ordinance, or amendment to the city
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102	195		charter, as the case may be) sh all be submitted to the legal voters
103	196		of the State of Oklah oma (or of the district of ______________,
104	197		county of ______________, or city of _________ _____, as the case may
105	198		be) for their approval or rejection at the regular general election
106	199		(or regular or special city election), to be held on the _____ day
107	200		of _________, 20__, and each for himself says: I hav e personally
108	201		signed this petition; I am a leg al voter of the State of Oklahoma
109	202		(and of the district of _________, county of __________________,
110	203		city of ______________, as the case may be); the following five data
111	204		points shall be included on the form: the voter’s legal first name,
112	205		legal last name, zip code, house number, and numerical month and day
113	206		of my birth. The time for filing this petition expires ninety (90)
114	207		days from (Secretary of State to insert assigned date when petition
115	208		is to begin signature circulation). (This for State initiative.
116	209		For county, city, or other municipality the length of time shall be
117	210		ninety (90) days.) The question we herewith submit to our fellow
118	211		voters is: Shall the following bill (or proposed amend ment to the
119	212		Constitution or resolution) be approved? (Insert here an exact cop y
120	213		of the text of the measure followed by proponents of record (not to
121	214		exceed three signatures, complete printed na me and address
122	215		associated with his or her Oklahoma voter regist ration record).)
123		-
124	216		B. In order for the signature to be approved by the Secretary
125	217		of State, three four or more data points described in subsection A
126	218		of this section must be matched to the voter r egistration file.
127	219
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128	246		SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 34 O.S. 2021, Section 8, is
129	247		amended to read as follows:
130		-
131	248		Section 8. A. When a citizen or citizens desire to circulate a
132	249		petition initiating a proposition of any nature, whether to become a
133	250		statute law or an amendment to the Constitution, or for the purpo se
134		-
135		-	ENR. S. B. NO. 518 Page 4
136	251		of invoking a referend um upon legislative enactm ents, such citizen
137	252		or citizens shall, when such petition is prepared, and before the
138	253		same is circulated or signed by electors, file a true and exact c opy
139	254		of same in the office of the Secretary of State and shall at the
140	255		same time file a separate ballot titl e, which shall not be part of
141	256		or printed on the petition. The Secretary may charge a filing fee
142	257		not to exceed Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00) to cover the
143	258		cost of publication of notice as required b y subsection B of this
144	259		section.
145		-
146	260		B. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to cause to
147	261		be published, on the website of the Office of the Secretary o f State
148	262		and in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the state, a
149	263		notice of such filing a nd the apparent sufficien cy or insufficiency
150	264		of the petition, and shall include notice that any citizen or
151	265		citizens of the state may file a protest as to the constitutionality
152	266		of the petition, by a written notice to the Supreme Court and to the
153	267		proponent or proponents filing the p etition. Notice of such filing
154	268		shall be provided to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the
155	269		Speaker of the House of Rep resentatives. Any such protest must be
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156	297		filed within ten (10) twenty (20) business days after publicati on.
157	298		A copy of the protest shall be filed with the Secr etary of State.
158		-
159	299		C. Upon the filing of a protest to the petition, the Supreme
160	300		Court shall then fix a da y, not less than ten (10) business days
161	301		thereafter, at which time it will hear testimony and argum ents for
162	302		and against the sufficiency of such petition.
163		-
164	303		D. A protest filed by anyone hereunder may, if abandoned by the
165	304		party filing same, be revived within f ive (5) business days by a ny
166	305		other citizen. After such h earing the Supreme Court shall decide
167	306		whether such petition is in t he form required by the statu tes. If
168	307		the Court is at the time adjourned, the Chief Justice shall
169	308		immediately convene the same for s uch hearing. No objection to the
170	309		sufficiency shall be co nsidered unless it has been made and file d as
171	310		herein provided.
172		-
173	311		E. Signature-gathering Deadline for Initiative Petitions. When
174	312		an initiative petition has been filed in the office of the Secretary
175	313		of State and all appeals, pr otests and rehearings have been resolved
176	314		or the period for such has expi red, the Secretary of Stat e shall set
177	315		the date for circulation of signatures for the petition to begin but
178		-
179		-	ENR. S. B. NO. 518 Page 5
180	316		in no event shall the date be less than fifteen (15 ) days nor more
181	317		than thirty (30) days from the date when all appeals, protests and
182	318		rehearings have been resolved or have exp ired. Notification shall
183	319		be sent to the proponents specifying the date on which circulation
184	320		of the petition shall begin and that th e signatures are due withi n
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185	348		ninety (90) days of the date set. Each elector shall sign his or
186	349		her name and legibly print his or her name, birth date and address
187	350		associated with his or her Oklahoma voter registration record. Any
188	351		petition not filed in accor dance with this provision shall not be
189	352		considered. The proponents of an initiative petition, any time
190	353		before the final subm ission of signatures, may wit hdraw the
191	354		initiative petition upon written notification to the Secretary of
192	355		State.
193		-
194	356		F. Signature-gathering Deadline for Referendu m Petitions. All
195	357		signed signatures supporting a referendum petition sha ll be filed
196	358		with the Secretary of State not later than ninety (90) days after
197	359		the adjournment of the legislative session in which the measure,
198	360		which is the subject of the referendum pe tition, was enacted.
199		-
200	361		G. The proponents of a referendum or an initiative petition may
201	362		terminate the circulation period any time during the ninety-day
202	363		circulation period by certifying to the Secretary of State that:
203		-
204	364		1. All signed petitions have already bee n filed with the
205	365		Secretary of State;
206		-
207	366		2. No more petitions are in circul ation; and
208		-
209	367		3. The proponents will not circulate any mo re petitions.
210		-
211	368		If the Secretary of State receives such a certification from the
212	369		proponents, the Secretar y of State shall begin the counting and
213	370		review process.
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215	398		H. When the signed copies of a petition p amphlet are timely
216	399		filed, the Secretary of State shall file a copy of the proponent’s
217	400		ballot title with the Attorney General and , after conducting a count
218	401		and review of the filed, sign ed petition pamphlets, the Secr etary of
219	402		State shall certify to the Supre me Court of the state:
220		-
221		-
222		-	ENR. S. B. NO. 518 Page 6
223	403		1. The total number of signatur es counted pursuant to
224	404		procedures set forth in this title; and
225		-
226	405		2. The total number of votes cast for t he state office
227	406		receiving the highest number of votes cas t at the last general
228	407		election.
229		-
230	408		The Supreme Court shall make the de termination of the numerical
231	409		sufficiency or insufficiency of the signatures counted and reviewed
232	410		by the Secretary of State.
233		-
234	411		I. Upon order of the Supreme Cour t it shall be the duty of the
235	412		Secretary of State to forthwith cause to b e published, in at least
236	413		one newspaper of general circu lation in the state, a notice of the
237	414		filing of the signed petitions and the apparent sufficiency or
238	415		insufficiency thereof, and sh all also publish the text of th e ballot
239	416		title as reviewed and approved o r, if applicable, as rewri tten by
240	417		the Attorney General pursuant to the provisions of subsection D of
241	418		Section 9 of this title and notice that any citizen or ci tizens of
242	419		the state may file an objection to the count ma de by the Secretary
243	420		of State, by a writte n notice to the Supreme Co urt and to the
244	421		proponent or proponents filing the petition. Any such objection
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245	449		must be filed within ten (10) twenty (20) business days after
246	450		publication and must relate only to the validit y or number of the
247	451		signatures or a challe nge to the ballot title. A copy of the
248	452		objection to the count or ballot titl e shall be filed with the
249	453		Supreme Court, the Attorney General and the Secretary o f State.
250		-
251	454		J. Upon appeal and if ordered or directed by th e Supreme Court,
252	455		the Secretary of State s hall deliver the bound vol umes of signatures
253	456		to the Supreme Court.
254		-
255	457		K. Upon the filing of an objection to the signature count or
256	458		ballot title, the Supreme Cou rt shall resolve the objec tion with
257	459		dispatch. The Suprem e Court shall adopt rules to govern proce edings
258	460		to apply to the challenge of a measure on the gr ounds that the
259	461		proponents failed to gather sufficient signatures.
260		-
261	462		L. If in the opinion of the Supreme Court, any objection to th e
262	463		count or protest to the petit ion is frivolous, the Court may impose
263	464		appropriate sanctions, including an award of costs and attorneys
264	465		attorney fees to either party as the Court deems equitable.
265		-
266		-	ENR. S. B. NO. 518 Page 7
267		-
268	466		M. Whenever reference is made in t his act to the Supreme Cou rt,
269	467		such reference shall includ e the members of the Supreme Court or any
270	468		officer constitutionally designated to perform the dut ies herein
271	469		prescribed.
272		-
273	470		SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
274	471		of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
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275	499		declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effec t and
276	500		be in full force from and after its passage a nd approval.
277	501
278		-
279		-	ENR. S. B. NO. 518 Page 8
280		-	Passed the Senate the 8th day of March, 2023.
281		-
282		-
283		-
284		-	Presiding Officer of the Senate
285		-
286		-
287		-	Passed the House of Representatives the 17th day of April, 2024.
288		-
289		-
290		-
291		-	Presiding Officer of the House
292		-	of Representatives
293		-
294		-	OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
295		-	Received by the Office of the Governor this _______ _____________
296		-	day of _________________ __, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
297		-	By: _________________________________
298		-	Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _______ __
299		-	day of _________________ __, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
300		-
301		-	_________________________________
302		-	Governor of the State of Oklahoma
303		-
304		-
305		-	OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
306		-	Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this ___ _______
307		-	day of _________________ _, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
308		-	By: _________________________________
	502	+	COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON RULES, dated 04/02/2024 - DO PASS,
	503	+	As Coauthored.