SB 1027: Initiative and referendum; establishing requirements for gist of proposition; establishing requirements for collection of signatures; requiring certain disclosures. Emergency. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill version transitioned from the House floor version to the Senate floor version, primarily adding a date stamp and changing the bill's classification from a House Committee Substitute to a Senate Committee Substitute. The substantive policy content of the initiative and referendum amendments remains unchanged, though the bill's authorship attribution was updated to reflect Senate leadership.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; this is a procedural version update reflecting Senate floor consideration rather than substantive policy modification.

TECHNICAL

Added Senate Floor Version date stamp (March 4, 2025) and changed document classification from House Committee Substitute to Senate Committee Substitute

Updated bill authorship attribution to reflect Senate sponsors (Bullard, Paxton, Jett) and House sponsors (Hilbert, West, Adams, Steagall) rather than House-only attribution

Added page header identifying this as Senate Floor Version with page numbers and bold face notation for committee amendments

SB1027 (3-13-25) (KIRT) FA2.PDF → Floor (House) · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill was converted from a Senate version to a House Floor version, adding House sponsors and updating the document header. The substantive content shows significant additions to Oklahoma's initiative and referendum laws, including new requirements for petition forms, warning statements about felony penalties, detailed gist requirements, and stricter circulator verification procedures. The changes aim to increase transparency and accountability in the petition process while maintaining the core legislative framework.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include more detailed requirements for petition forms, circulator verification, and public disclosure of signatures. It also added specific provisions about fiscal impact statements and warning notices about felony penalties for false signatures.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for petition forms to include a warning statement about felony penalties for signing with false names or multiple signatures

Added detailed requirements for the 'gist' of propositions to explain effects in basic words without special terminology or code words

Added requirement for fiscal impact statements showing potential funding sources including taxes or service eliminations

Added requirement that petition copies and signature sheets be attached together as a single unit

ELIGIBILITY

Modified circulator requirements to mandate that petition circulators be registered voters who verify signatures via affidavit

ENFORCEMENT

Added provisions for Secretary of State to affirm gist compliance and remove non-compliant statements

DEFINITION

Added definition of 'pamphlet' as the petition and signature sheets combined

SB1027 (3-10-25) (BULLARD) FS FA1.PDF → SB1027 (3-13-25) (KIRT) FA2.PDF · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to remove several new provisions that were added in a previous version, primarily related to petition circulation requirements, affidavit language, and filing deadlines. The amendments also adjust specific timeframes for petition filing and signature collection, and remove a section entirely.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on initiative and referendum procedures, but the specific requirements for petition circulation, affidavit language, and filing deadlines have been modified to remove certain provisions and adjust timeframes.

REQUIREMENT

Removed new language regarding petition circulator qualifications and affidavit requirements that were added in the previous version.

Deleted a section that contained additional requirements for petition circulation and signature verification.

Removed language related to notice publication requirements for petition filing.

TIMELINE

Changed petition filing deadline from 90 days to 10 days in one instance, and from 90 days to 180 days in another instance.

Adjusted the timeframe for certain petition-related actions from 90 days to 10 days in one location.

Committee Substitute → SB1027 (3-10-25) (BULLARD) FS FA1.PDF · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Oklahoma's initiative and referendum process by updating requirements for petition signatures, ballot titles, and oversight procedures. Key changes include gender-neutral language, updated affidavit requirements for petition circulators, new procedures for the Secretary of State to remove invalid signatures, and expanded public record notices.

Scope change

The bill maintains the same scope of initiative and referendum provisions but updates procedural requirements and language to be more inclusive and enforceable.

REQUIREMENT

Changed document type from 'Committee Substitute' to 'Floor Substitute' indicating legislative process stage

Updated petition signature warning language to specify 'legal voter of this state' instead of 'legal voter'

Added requirement for petition circulator affidavits to include voter registration record verification

Added notice that petition copies and signatures are public records under Oklahoma Open Records Act

ENFORCEMENT

Added authority for Secretary of State to establish procedures for removing invalid signatures

ELIGIBILITY

Updated petition circulator affidavit language to be gender neutral and include county of residence verification

TECHNICAL

Updated request number from 1615 to 1838 reflecting new legislative filing

House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill → Committee Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Oklahoma's initiative and referendum laws to modernize petition requirements, strengthen verification processes, and improve transparency. Key changes include updating the affidavit form for petition circulators to require verification of legal voter status rather than just registered voter status, adding requirements for ballot titles to indicate fiscal impacts, and establishing a formal protest process with Supreme Court oversight for petition challenges.

Scope change

The bill expands oversight mechanisms by adding a formal protest procedure with Supreme Court involvement and clarifies fiscal impact disclosure requirements for ballot titles.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for ballot titles to indicate fiscal impact on the state, including potential funding sources and tax implications

Added requirement for Secretary of State to affirm that petition gists conform to statutory requirements

ELIGIBILITY

Changed petition circulator affidavit requirement from 'registered voter' to 'qualified elector' status

ENFORCEMENT

Established formal protest process with 90-day filing deadline and Supreme Court hearing schedule for petition challenges

TECHNICAL

Updated bill metadata including session information and removed references to prior committee substitute status

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was substantially revised from a Proposed Policy Committee Substitute to a House Committee Substitute, replacing the entire text with updated language that adds a new requirement for filing a separate ballot title before petition circulation and updates several statutory references and formatting elements.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to require proponents to file a separate ballot title with the Secretary of State before circulating petitions, in addition to the existing requirement to file a copy of the petition.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement in Section 8 that citizens must file a separate ballot title with the Secretary of State before circulating a petition, which must not be printed on the petition itself.

Modified the oath language in signature sheets to change 'eighteen (18) years old' to 'at least eighteen (18) years old' for consistency.

Added new provisions specifying that the Secretary of State must publish a notice of petition filing in a newspaper of general circulation, including information about the apparent sufficiency of the petition.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill title from 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute' to 'Committee Substitute for Engrossed Senate Bill No. 1027' and changed the request number from 13420 to 13523.

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from a proposed Oversight Committee Substitute to a proposed Policy Committee Substitute, indicating a shift in legislative focus from oversight to policy development. The substantive content of the bill remains largely unchanged, with the primary modifications being formatting updates, date adjustments, and minor text reorganization rather than new policy provisions.

TECHNICAL

Document header changed from 'OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE' to 'POLICY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE', reflecting the bill's progression through different legislative stages.

Date updated from April 14, 2025 to April 7, 2025, indicating the document was revised earlier in the legislative process.

Reference number changed from Req. No. 13496 to Req. No. 13420, likely an administrative tracking update.

Minor formatting adjustments to spacing and line breaks throughout the document for consistency.

Enrolled (final version) → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The committee substitute completely replaces the original enrolled bill, maintaining the same substantive provisions regarding initiative and referendum petition requirements. The changes are primarily formatting and structural updates rather than substantive policy modifications.

TECHNICAL

The bill was reformatted from an enrolled Senate bill to a proposed oversight committee substitute, changing the document structure and header information while keeping the legislative content identical.

Added committee amendment metadata including sponsor information (Kyle Hilbert), adoption date, and reading clerk details.

Removed original enrolled bill formatting including the full list of Senate and House sponsors from the original bill header.

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 4 edits · May 27, 2025

MODERATE

This bill transitions from an 'Engrossed' draft to an 'Enrolled' final version, adding several new sponsors and making minor formatting updates. The substantive policy content remains largely unchanged, with the main differences being the addition of new sponsors to the bill and technical formatting adjustments to the affidavit section.

TECHNICAL

Added five new Senate sponsors (Stewart, Pederson, Bergstrom, Burns) and four new House sponsors (West, Adams, Steagall, Moore, Townley, Duel, Turner, Burns, Maynard) to the bill authorship list.

Changed the circulator eligibility requirement from 'qualified elector' to 'registered voter' in Section 6.

Updated the affidavit language to reference 'registered voter' status instead of 'qualified elector' status for petition circulators.

Added additional sponsors to the House section of the bill that were not present in the Engrossed version.

Amended And Engrossed → Engrossed · 5 edits · May 21, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates Oklahoma's initiative and referendum process by changing requirements for petition circulators from registered voters to qualified electors, adding a requirement for a separate ballot title to be filed, and establishing a protest mechanism for constitutional challenges to petitions. The changes aim to make the process more accessible while adding oversight mechanisms.

Scope change

The bill expands the definition of who can circulate petitions (from registered voters to qualified electors) and adds new procedural requirements for ballot titles and protests.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed petition circulator qualification from 'registered voter' to 'qualified elector' to broaden who can participate in the initiative process.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for proponents to file a separate ballot title before circulating the petition.

Updated affidavit language for circulators to verify signatures and signer eligibility.

ENFORCEMENT

Established a 90-day window for citizens to file protests regarding the constitutionality of petitions with the Supreme Court.

TECHNICAL

Minor formatting and page number adjustments between House and Senate versions.

Introduced → Amended And Engrossed · 5 edits · May 21, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand its scope from just amending one section of Oklahoma law to amending multiple sections (3, 6, 8, and 9) related to initiative and referendum processes. The amendment adds new requirements for petition circulators, modifies how ballot titles and proposition gists must be presented, and introduces provisions for removing non-compliant signatures and requiring financial disclosures.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from amending only Section 3 of 34 O.S. 2021 to amending Sections 3, 6, 8, and 9, adding new requirements for petition circulation, signature verification, and financial reporting.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirements for petition circulators to be registered voters and execute affidavits verifying signatures.

Modified the requirements for proposition gist statements to include five specific criteria including fiscal impact disclosure.

Added requirements for financial disclosures and expenditure reporting related to initiative and referendum campaigns.

ENFORCEMENT

Added authority for Secretary of State to remove non-compliant gists and establish procedures for removing certain signatures.

TECHNICAL

Changed 'severability' to 'providing for noncodification; providing for codification' in the bill description, indicating changes to how the law is organized.

Initiative and referendum; establishing requirements for gist of proposition; establishing requirements for collection of signatures; requiring certain disclosures. Emergency.

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