Initiative and referendum; physical count of signatures; validation; effective date.

HB 1478 modifies Oklahoma's signature verification process for citizen-initiated petitions. It requires the Secretary of State to exclude specific invalid signatures from counts, including unverified sheets, nonresident signatures, multiple signatures on printed lines, and signatures lacking proper notary documentation. The bill also permits the Secretary to begin verifying signatures while they are still being collected and allows purchasing necessary software without following standard procurement rules. This directly affects petition circulators and the Secretary of State's office by clarifying validation standards, effective November 1, 2025.