ENGR. H. B. NO. 2171 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL NO. 2171 By: Pfeiffer and Waldron of the House and Thompson of the Senate An Act relating to unlawful land restriction; creating the Oklahoma Uniform Unlawful Restrictions in Land Records Act; defining terms; providing t hat a property owner may record an amendment to remove an unlawful restriction; providing requirements for an owner to file an amendment; providing for an owners association to record an amendment to remove an unlawful restriction; providing requirements f or an owners association to file an amendment; providing requirements and limitations of an amendment to remove an unlawful restriction; providing form for an amendment to remove an unlawful restriction; providing duties and liability of county clerk for recording an amendment to remove an unlawful restriction; providing relation to the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act; providing for codification; and providing an effective date. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAH OMA: SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 401 of Title 16, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: This act shall be known and may be cited as the " Oklahoma Uniform Unlawful Restrictions in Land Records Act". ENGR. H. B. NO. 2171 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 402 of Title 16, unless th ere is created a duplication in numbering, reads as fo llows: As used in this act: 1. "Amendment" means a document that removes an unlawful restriction; 2. "Document" means a record recorded or eligible to be recorded in land records; 3. "Governing instrument" means a document recorded in land records that: a. establishes a governing body responsible for management of common areas or facilities used by more than one owner of a property interest affected by the document, and b. requires contribution, enfor ceable by a lien on a separate property interest, of a share of taxes, insurance premiums, maintenance, or improvement of, or services or other expenses for the common benefit of, the real property described in the document; 4. "Index" means a system that enables a search for a document in land records; 5. "Land records" means documents and indexes maintained by a recorder; ENGR. H. B. NO. 2171 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 6. "Owner" means a person that has a fee interest in real property; 7. "Person" means an individual, estate, business or nonprofit entity, government or governmental subdivision, agency , or instrumentality, or other legal entity; 8. "Record", used as a noun, means information: a. inscribed on a tangible medium, or b. stored in an electronic or other medium and retrievable in perceivable form; 9. "Recorder" means an officer authorized u nder other laws of this state to accept a document for recordation in land records; 10. "Remove" means eliminate any apparent or purportedly continuing effect on title to real property; and 11. "Unlawful restriction" means a prohibition, restriction, covenant, or condition in a document that purports to interfere with or restrict the transfer, use, or occupancy of real property: a. on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, disability, or other personal characteristics, and b. in violation of other laws of this state or federal law. SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 403 of Title 16, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: ENGR. H. B. NO. 2171 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Except with respect to property to which Section 4 of this act applies, an owner of real property subject to an unlawful restriction may submit to the recorder for recordation in the land records an amendment to remove the unlawful restriction, b ut only as to the owner's property. SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 404 of Title 16, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. The governing body of an owners association identified in a governing instrument may, without a vote of the members of the association, amend the governing instrument to remove an unlawful restriction. B. A member of an owners association may request, in a record that sufficiently identifies an unlawful restriction in the governing instrument, that the governing body exercise its authority under subsection A of this section. Not later than ninety (90) days after the governing body receives the request, the governing bo dy shall determine reasonably and in good faith whether the governing instrument includes the unlawful restriction. If the governing body determines the governing instrument includes the unlawful restriction, the governing body, not later than ninety (90) days after the determination, shall amend the governing instrument to remove the unlawful restriction. ENGR. H. B. NO. 2171 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 C. Notwithstanding any provision of the governing instrument or other laws of this state, the gov erning body may execute an amendment under this sectio n. D. An amendment under this section is effective notwithstanding any provision of the governing instrument or other law of this state that requires a vote of the members of the owners association to amend the governing instrument. SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 405 of Title 16, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. An amendment under this act must identify the owner, the real property affected, and the document containing the unlawful restriction. The amendment must include a conspicuous statement in substantially the following form: "This amendment removes from this deed or other document affecting title to real property an unlawful re striction as defined under the Oklahoma Uniform Unlawful Restrictions in Land Records Act. This amendment does not affect the validity or enforceability of a restriction that is not an unlawful restric tion." B. The amendment must be executed and acknowle dged in the manner required for recordation of a document in the land records. The amendment must be recorded with the county clerk in the county in which the document containing the unlawful restriction is recorded. ENGR. H. B. NO. 2171 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 C. The amendment does not affect the validity or enforceability of any restriction that is not an unlawful restriction. D. The amendment or a future conveyance of the affected real property is not a republication of a restriction that oth erwise would expire by passage of time under other law of this state. SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 406 of Title 16, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: The following form may be used by an o wner to make an amendment under Section 3 of this act: Amendment by Owner to Remove an Unlawful Restriction This Amendment is recorded under the Oklahoma Uniform Unlawful Restrictions in Land Records Ac t (the Act), by an Owner of an interest in real proper ty subject to an unlawful restriction as defined under the Act. (1) Name of Owner: (2) Owner's property that is subject to the unlawful restriction is described as follows: Address: Legal Description: (3) This Amendment a mends the following document: Title of document being amended: Recording date of document being amended: Recording information (book/page or instrument number): ENGR. H. B. NO. 2171 Page 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 This Amendment removes from the document described in paragraph (3) all unlawful restrictions as defined under the Act. Removal of an unlawful restriction through this Amendment does not affect the validity and enforceability of any other restriction that is not an unlawful restriction as defined under the Act, at the time of filing this Amendment. This Amendment is not effective if the property is subject to a governing instrument as defined under the Act. Owner's Signature Date Notary Acknowledgment: SECTION 7. NEW LAW A new se ction of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 407 of Title 16, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. A county clerk shall record an amendment submitted under this act, add the amendment to the index, an d cross-reference the amendment to the document containing the unlawful restriction. B. A county clerk is not liable for recording an amendment under this act. SECTION 8. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 408 of Title 16, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: This act modifies, limits, or supersedes the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C., Section 7001 et seq., as amended, but does not modify, limit, or supersede ENGR. H. B. NO. 2171 Page 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 15 U.S.C., Section 7001(c), or authorize electronic delivery of any of the notices described in 15 U.S.C., Section 7003(b). SECTION 9. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025. Passed the House of Representatives the 13th day of March, 2025. Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives Passed the Senate the _____ day of __________, 2025. Presiding Officer of the Senate