Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
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3 SENATE BILL 1761 By: Jett
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to the Oklahoma Uniform Building
7 Code; amending 74 O.S. 2021, Section 317.2, which
8 relates to authority of churches to accommodate
8 certain overnight visitors; establishing certain
9 purpose; removing limitation on duration of certain
9 authorized overnight stays; prohibiting certain
10 entity from enforcing certain codes; modifying
10 definitions; updating statutory reference; and
11 providing an effective date.
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14 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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15 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 74 O.S. 2021, Section 317.2, is
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16 amended to read as follows:
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17 Section 317.2. A. The To protect the free exercise of religion
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18 as guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States
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19 Constitution and Section 2 of Article I of the Oklahoma
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20 Constitution, the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code or any building
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21 code adopted by any political subdivision of this state, or any
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22 rules or regulations promulgated thereto, may shall permit the
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23 authority having jurisdiction to allow a church that is occupancy-
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24 rated an A3 building pursuant to any codes adopted by the Oklahoma
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Req. No. 3127 Page 1
1 Uniform Building Code Commission to utilize its building space for
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2 temporary overnight visitors for the purpose of religious retreats,
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3 ministry programs, overnight or lock-in events, emergency or
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4 catastrophic occurrences, to shelter transient persons, or to
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5 accommodate displaced persons due to hardship or inclement weather.
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6 Such use shall constitute a protected exercise of religion and
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7 ministry activity and no municipality, political subdivision, or
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8 other government entity shall infringe upon, prohibit, or impose
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9 additional restrictions that unduly burden a church's prerogative to
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10 engage in these activities as part of its constitutionally
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11 guaranteed religious freedom. Such building use shall not
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12 constitute a change in code occupancy rating, purposes, or
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13 activities. Provided, any temporary overnight visitor space
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14 utilized by a church within its existing buildings as authorized by
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15 this section shall be authorized only for a limited duration, unless
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16 the Governor has declared a state of emergency or exigent
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17 circumstances exist. The church acting pursuant to the provisions
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18 of this section shall not charge for its accommodations nor be
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19 deemed not be construed to authorize any church to operate as a bed
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20 and breakfast, hotel, or motel for any code occupancy rating
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21 purposes or to charge fees for accommodations in a manner that
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22 converts the use to a non-ministry commercial purpose.
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23 B. Churches which temporarily accommodate overnight visitors as
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24 provided in this section shall have one of the following:
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Req. No. 3127 Page 2
1 1. An automatic sprinkler system in the area of overnight
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2 accommodations that is monitored by a third party; or
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3 2. A hard-wired stand-alone fire and smoke alarm in the area of
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4 overnight accommodations in addition to an exit door or window
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5 opening directly to a public way, exit court, or yard area.
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6 C. Nothing in the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code or any code
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7 adopted by any political subdivision of this state, or any rules or
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8 regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, shall be construed to
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9 cause a church to be in violation of the Oklahoma Uniform Building
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10 Code or any building code adopted by a political subdivision of this
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11 state for the sole reason the church offers temporary overnight
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12 visitor services within the authority of this section. No
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13 government entity shall interpret or enforce any code, rule, or
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14 regulation in a manner that infringes on a church's religious
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15 exercise or ministry activity protected under this section.
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16 D. As used in this section:
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17 1. "Church" means a facility that is owned by a religious
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18 organization and that is used primarily for religious services; and
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19 2. "Religious organization" means any church, seminary,
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20 synagogue, temple, mosque, religious order, religious corporation,
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21 association or society, whose identity is distinctive in terms of
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22 common religious creed, beliefs, doctrines, practices or rituals, of
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23 any faith or denomination, including any or organization qualifying
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24 as a church or religious organization under Section 501(c)(3) or
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Req. No. 3127 Page 3
1 501(d) of the United States Internal Revenue Code; and of 1986, as
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2 amended.
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3 3. "Temporary" means no more than seventy-five (75) days in a
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4 calendar year.
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5 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
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7 60-2-3127 CAD 1/14/2026 3:12:59 PM
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Req. No. 3127 Page 4Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.