HB 2294: Group homes; group home procedure and affected real property owners; mandate; effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill version transitioned from the House to the Senate floor, where the Senate made amendments to clarify and potentially expand regulations around group homes in Oklahoma. The Senate version adds a sponsor from the Senate (Haste), indicating the bill has moved through the legislative process. Key substantive changes include clarifying that group homes are permitted uses in all residential zones without needing special permits, while also establishing new rules about spacing requirements and notification procedures for nearby property owners.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on group homes in residential areas, but the Senate amendments add specific spacing requirements (1,200 feet between homes) and clarify that group homes cannot be excluded from single-family zones due to certain fees or taxes if those same requirements don't apply to other similar structures in the area.

REQUIREMENT

Added spacing requirements of 1,200 feet between group homes to prevent over-concentration in residential areas.

Added requirement for political subdivisions to provide notice to affected real property owners within 300 feet of a proposed group home location.

ELIGIBILITY

Clarified that group homes are permitted uses in all residential zones without needing conditional use permits, special exceptions, or variances.

DEFINITION

Defined 'affected real property owners' as those whose property is located within 300 feet of the exterior boundary of a group home property.

ENFORCEMENT

Added provisions that group homes cannot be excluded from single-family zones due to fees, taxes, or requirements that don't apply to other structures housing similar numbers of people.

House Committee Substitute → Floor (House) · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill was converted from a House Committee Substitute version to the Floor version, with the primary substantive change being the addition of a Senate sponsor (Haste of the Senate) alongside the original House sponsor (Hilbert). The legislative text of the bill itself, which amends Oklahoma law regarding group home zoning and licensing, remains substantively unchanged between the two versions.

TECHNICAL

Added Senate sponsor information (Haste of the Senate) to the bill header, which is a procedural change indicating the bill has been reported from committee to the floor for consideration.

Engrossed → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill text was replaced with a committee substitute version that includes formatting and procedural changes, but the substantive legislative language regarding group home regulations appears to remain largely the same. The primary change is the addition of committee amendment headers and formatting information rather than policy modifications.

TECHNICAL

Added committee amendment headers, speaker/chair names, and procedural information (dates, page numbers, reading clerk signatures) that were not present in the original engrossed version.

Changed the bill title header from 'ENGROSSED HOUSE' to 'PROPOSED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE' indicating the bill has been amended by the committee.

Added amendment instructions stating the entire measure is being replaced with new language, though the actual legislative text appears identical to the original version.

Introduced → Engrossed · 4 edits · Mar 11, 2025

MODERATE

This bill was amended to update the department name from 'Commission for Human Services' to 'Department of Human Services' and to clarify that group homes can be established in all residential zones without requiring special permits. The changes also adjust how notice is given to nearby property owners and modify spacing requirements for group homes.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly allows group homes in all residential zones, including single-family areas, without requiring special permits or variances that would normally be needed for similar uses.

REQUIREMENT

Group homes can now be established in all residential zones, including single-family districts, without needing special permits, conditional use permits, or variances that differ from other similar dwellings.

Added requirement that owners must file an application with the political subdivision before establishing a group home, and the subdivision must notify all affected property owners within 300 feet.

DEFINITION

Changed the department name from 'Commission for Human Services' to 'Department of Human Services' throughout the bill.

ENFORCEMENT

Political subdivisions may deny group home applications if the owner fails to obtain a license from the Department of Human Services or fails to meet spacing requirements.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → House Committee Substitute · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill revision reorganizes the legislative text and clarifies the requirements for group homes in Oklahoma. The changes primarily involve formatting adjustments and renumbering of sections, while maintaining the core policy that group homes are permitted uses in residential zones without requiring special permits. The substantive policy content regarding group home regulations, spacing requirements, and licensing procedures remains consistent between versions.

Scope change

No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability. The bill continues to apply to group homes across all residential zones in Oklahoma political subdivisions.

TECHNICAL

The document structure was reorganized from a Proposed Policy Committee Substitute to a House Committee Substitute, with page numbers and section numbering adjusted accordingly.

Header information was updated to reflect the House Committee Substitute format instead of the Proposed Policy Committee Substitute format.

Line numbers and formatting were standardized throughout the document while preserving all substantive legislative language.

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill title and committee designation changed from 'Proposed Oversight Committee Substitute' to 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute', indicating a shift in how the legislation is being processed. The request number was updated from 12419 to 12390, reflecting administrative tracking changes. The date of the document was updated from February 27, 2025 to February 5, 2025, showing the policy committee's review occurred before the full committee.

Scope change

No substantive changes to the bill's scope, applicability, or policy content. The changes are primarily administrative and procedural, related to committee designation and document tracking.

TECHNICAL

Bill title changed from 'Proposed Oversight Committee Substitute' to 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute' to reflect the committee that processed the amendment

Request number updated from 12419 to 12390 for administrative tracking purposes

Document date updated from February 27, 2025 to February 5, 2025 to reflect the policy committee's review date

Group homes; group home procedure and affected real property owners; mandate; effective date.

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