SB 656 Oklahoma Senate · 2025 Regular Session

State Election Board; modifying board composition. Effective date.

SB 656 changes how Oklahoma's State Election Board members are appointed. It requires the Governor to appoint three members (one from the largest party, one from the second-largest party, and one independent voter) based on party registration data, using nominee lists submitted by political parties. The bill sets specific deadlines for parties to submit nominees (by January 31 annually) and for the Governor to make appointments (by March 1). Members serve four-year terms, with vacancies filled by the same party. This directly affects the Governor, political parties, and the State Election Board members.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Last action Mar 3, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Committee Substitute → Floor (Senate) · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Oklahoma's State Election Board structure, increasing members from three to five starting July 1, 2027, and changes how members are appointed to include Senate and House leadership roles alongside the Governor. The changes affect board composition, appointment procedures, and vacancy filling timelines.

Scope change

The bill expands the State Election Board membership from three to five members and modifies appointment authority to include legislative leaders, affecting the board's composition and governance structure.

REQUIREMENT

State Election Board membership increased from three to five members effective July 1, 2027

Changed appointment process to require Senate confirmation for Governor-appointed members

Removed provisions for chair and vice chair positions from the State Election Board

TIMELINE

Extended appointment and list submission deadlines from 2015 to 2027 dates

ELIGIBILITY

Added appointment authority for Senate President Pro Tempore and House Speaker to appoint board members

Introduced → Committee Substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended from its original introduced version to a committee substitute version, making significant changes to the State Election Board's composition, appointment authority, and effective dates. The committee version adds a transitional period where the board remains unchanged until July 1, 2027, then expands from 3 to 5 members with modified appointment authorities. It also adds quorum and voting requirements, clarifies vacancy procedures, and updates several statutory references and dates.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include a transitional period for board composition changes and added new requirements for quorum and voting procedures that were not in the original version.

TIMELINE

Added a transitional period until July 1, 2027, during which the State Election Board maintains its original 3-member composition with Governor-appointed members, before transitioning to a 5-member board with split appointment authority.

REQUIREMENT

Added quorum requirements stating that a majority of the Board constitutes a quorum, and actions require a majority vote at meetings where a quorum is present.

Added provisions for the Secretary of the State Election Board to establish salary guidelines and clarified procedures for filling vacancies, including authority for an assistant secretary to assume duties during certain vacancies.

Added language clarifying that members whose terms expire shall continue serving until a successor is lawfully appointed and confirmed, if applicable.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified member composition requirements to specify that beginning July 1, 2027, the Board will have 5 members: 2 appointed by legislative leaders (Senate President Pro Tempore and House Speaker) and 3 appointed by the Governor with Senate confirmation.

TECHNICAL

Updated several statutory references and dates throughout the bill, including changing the initial appointment deadline from March 1, 2015 to March 1, 2027, and adding language for gender-neutral terminology.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Judiciary committee; CR filed

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Introduced

First Reading

upper

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors