HB 2191: Elections; notary public restrictions; log requirements; exceptions; penalties; effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to change the chamber designation from House to Senate, update the effective date to April 22, 2025, and add a committee report by the Judiciary Committee. The substantive policy content regarding notary public restrictions and absentee ballot procedures remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Changed document header from 'HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' to 'SENATE FLOOR VERSION' to reflect the bill's current chamber status.

Added a committee report by the Committee on Judiciary dated April 22, 2025, recommending the bill pass.

Removed the original Committee Substitute report from the Government Oversight Committee dated 03/03/2025.

TIMELINE

Updated the date on the document from the 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025) to April 22, 2025.

House Committee Substitute → Floor (House) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was converted from a committee substitute version to the House floor version, adding co-authors from the Senate and updating formatting. The substantive legislative text regarding notary public restrictions and absentee ballot affidavit requirements remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Added co-author 'Roberts of the House' and 'Bergstrom of the Senate' to the bill header

Updated page headers from 'Committee Substitute' to 'House of Representatives - Floor Version'

Reformatted line numbers and spacing throughout the document for floor printing

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → House Committee Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to clarify notary public restrictions on absentee ballot handling, update log requirements, and adjust notification thresholds. The changes strengthen oversight by requiring logs to be maintained for two years instead of three, modify the number of ballots requiring special authorization, and add exemptions for certain facility addresses.

Scope change

The bill's scope was refined to clarify when notary public restrictions apply and added specific exemptions for certain types of addresses where multiple absentee ballots may be mailed.

REQUIREMENT

Changed log retention requirement from three years to two years for notary public absentee ballot affidavits

Adjusted the threshold for requiring written approval from county election board secretary from more than twenty to more than twenty absentee ballot affidavits at a single election

ELIGIBILITY

Added exemptions for absentee ballot requests sent to nursing homes, veterans centers, medical facilities, multiunit housing, and military installations

ENFORCEMENT

Updated notification requirements for when more than ten absentee ballots are requested to be mailed to a single address

TECHNICAL

Reformatted bill header and page numbering from Proposed Policy Committee Substitute to House Committee Substitute

Engrossed → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended from its Engrossed version to a Proposed Policy Committee Substitute version, which completely replaced the original text. The substantive policy content regarding notary public restrictions on absentee ballots appears to remain largely the same, though some formatting and organizational changes were made. The amendment was submitted by Representative Max Wolfley on February 13, 2025.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on regulating notary public activities related to absentee ballots, with no significant changes to applicability or jurisdiction.

TECHNICAL

The entire bill text was replaced with a new version, though the substantive policy content regarding notary restrictions appears unchanged.

Added committee amendment header and formatting indicating this is a Proposed Policy Committee Substitute version.

Changed the bill title from 'ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL NO. 2191' to 'PROPOSED POLICY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 2191'.

Updated page numbering and reference numbers throughout the document to reflect the new version.

Introduced → Engrossed · 9 edits · Mar 26, 2025

MAJOR

This bill updates Oklahoma's notary public regulations regarding absentee ballot notarization, clarifying restrictions on who can request or receive ballots and establishing stricter log-keeping requirements for notaries handling high volumes of ballots. The changes aim to prevent fraud while accommodating legitimate voting needs at notary offices.

Scope change

The bill expands restrictions on notaries and their agents, clarifying that neither can request absentee ballots for others except themselves or household members, and adds requirements for maintaining logs of notarized ballots.

REQUIREMENT

Notaries and their agents are now explicitly prohibited from requesting absentee ballots for voters other than themselves or their household members.

Notaries must maintain logs of all notarized absentee ballot affidavits for at least two years, including voter name, date, time, method of ID, and location of notarization.

Notaries authorized to notarize more than 20 absentee ballots at a single election must submit logs to the county election board secretary within five business days after the election.

If more than 10 absentee ballots are mailed to a single address, the county election board must notify the district attorney and Secretary of State Election Board, except for nursing homes, veterans centers, medical facilities, multiunit housing, and military addresses.

ENFORCEMENT

Notaries who fail to submit required logs or notarize more than 20 ballots without authorization face revocation of their appointment for eight years.

Willful and intentional violations now carry misdemeanor charges with fines up to $500.

ELIGIBILITY

Notaries may be authorized to notarize more than 20 ballots with written approval from the county election board secretary.

EXEMPTIONS

The 20-ballot limit does not apply to notarizations conducted at a notary's public business office during normal business hours.

TIMELINE

The act becomes effective November 1, 2025.

Elections; notary public restrictions; log requirements; exceptions; penalties; effective date.

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