Housing (Landlords)

SB 149 (Oklahoma) protects tenants from landlord retaliation for reporting rental issues. It prohibits landlords from evicting tenants, raising rent, or reducing services for 180 days after a tenant files a complaint about unsafe conditions, reports bed bugs, requests repairs, or participates in a code enforcement inspection. Landlords who violate this face fines of $100-$2,000 per violation plus legal costs. The bill also requires large Oklahoma municipalities to publish online lists of rental property code violations, including owner names and penalties. It takes effect November 1, 2025.

SB 274 requires landlords receiving certain affordable housing tax credits (under federal or Oklahoma law) to implement a criminal history screening policy for tenant applications. It prohibits blanket denials based on criminal records and mandates an individualized review considering factors like the offense's seriousness, time since conviction, rehabilitation efforts, and relevance to tenant behavior. Landlords must provide applicants with the right to submit supporting documentation during this review process. The policy applies to tax credit awards starting January 1, 2026, and the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency will ensure compliance with these requirements.

HB 1083 preempts local housing regulations in Oklahoma, meaning state law (not city or county rules) governs residential tenancy matters like security deposits, lease terms, screening processes, and tenant rights. It prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenants who exercise legal rights - such as reporting housing code violations, requesting repairs, or complaining to housing inspectors - within 60 days of such actions. Tenants who face retaliation can recover one month's rent, actual damages, court costs, and attorney fees. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025, directly affecting all landlords and tenants in Oklahoma's residential rental market.

SB 128 extends the required notice period for eviction cases (forcible entry and detainer) in Oklahoma from 3 days to 7 days before the court hearing for most cases, while maintaining a 3-day requirement for emergency evictions under specific subsections of Oklahoma law. It also updates summons language to be plain and understandable, requires public access to the summons form via the court website, and makes certain legal terms gender-neutral. The bill would have affected tenants and landlords in eviction proceedings by giving defendants more time to prepare. However, this bill was vetoed by the Governor on May 5, 2025, and is not currently law.

SB 1296 limits annual rent increases for Oklahoma landlords in month-to-month tenancies to 7% plus the Consumer Price Index, affecting residential tenants and landlords statewide. Landlords must provide tenants with 90 days' written notice before any increase and disclose the new rent amount and effective date. An exception applies if the landlord offers reduced rent through federal, state, or local housing programs. Violating these rules subjects landlords to paying tenants three months' rent plus actual damages, effective November 1, 2026.