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 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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3 SENATE BILL 237 By: Murdock
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to the Commissioners of the Land
7 Office; amending 64 O.S. 2021, Section 1023, which
8 relates to properties owned by the Commissioners of
8 the Land Office; updating statutory reference;
9 requiring payment in lieu of ad valorem tax;
9 providing method for computation of payment; imposing
10 requirement with respect to leases of real property;
10 requiring county assessor to provide information to
11 the Commissioners of the Land Office by specified
11 date; and 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 64 O.S. 2021, Section 1023, is
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16 amended to read as follows:
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17 Section 1023. A. The Commissioners of the Land Office are
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18 authorized to grant commercial leases and agricultural leases in
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19 trust property. subject to the following conditions:
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20 1. Commercial leases shall not exceed fifty-five (55) years.
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21 The granting of any commercial lease in excess of three (3) years
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22 shall be by public bidding at not less than fair market value. All
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23 commercial leases shall provide for fair market value throughout the
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24 term of the lease.;
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Req. No. 779 Page 1
1 2. Agricultural leases of trust property shall be limited to a
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2 maximum of five (5) years and shall be by public bidding at not less
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3 than fair market value.;
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4 3. The granting of any interest in trust property at less than
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5 fair market value or not in compliance with this section is void.;
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6 and
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7 4. Any permanent improvement made on commercial trust property
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8 from and on or after the passage of this act July 1, 1989, shall
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9 revert to the trust at the end of the lease.
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10 B. In connection with any commercial and agricultural leases,
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11 the Commissioners of the Land Office shall, unless otherwise
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12 exempted by the Oklahoma Constitution or laws of Oklahoma:
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13 1. Require payment of ad valorem property taxes on any
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14 improvements and structures on state school land, which would
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15 otherwise be subject to ad valorem property taxation if constructed
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16 on privately owned land; and
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17 2. Indemnify and hold harmless the Commissioners of the Land
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18 Office from any financial obligation related to land, financing or
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19 operation.
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20 C. Upon the effective date of this act, the Commissioners of
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21 the Land Office shall be required to make a payment in lieu of ad
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22 valorem taxes with respect to real property located in any county of
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23 this state if title to more than ten percent (10%) of all real
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24 property in the county, as measured by acreage, is held by the
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Req. No. 779 Page 2
1 Commissioners of the Land Office. The payment shall be made only if
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2 a lease for real property located in the county is being initiated
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3 or renewed. The payment shall be equal to the rate of ad valorem
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4 tax applicable to agricultural lands located in the county. The
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5 county assessor of each county to which payment is owed pursuant to
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6 the provisions of this subsection shall make a determination of the
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7 average tax rate per acre for agricultural land in the county for
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8 the preceding assessment year and shall communicate that information
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9 to the Commissioners of the Land Office not later than September 1
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10 each year. The Commissioners of the Land Office shall make the
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11 required payment to the county treasurer of the county not later
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12 than December 31 of each year.
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13 D. The Commissioners of the Land Office shall include the
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14 payment required by subsection C of this section as part of the
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15 minimum bidding requirement for the lease of real property located
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16 in that county and for which a lease is being initiated or renewed.
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17 The payment amount shall be included in the computation of the
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18 applicable lease payment for the full duration of the lease term and
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19 shall be included in the computation each time a lease is initiated
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20 or renewed.
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21 E. The Commissioners of the Land Office may refuse to accept
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22 any bid or lease on a commercial, agricultural or mineral lease
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23 where the party is in default of any installment due or in violation
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24 of any provisions contained in a prior or current lease contract.
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1 D. F. The Commissioners of the Land Office may refuse to accept
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2 any bid or lease contract where the interested party cannot show
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3 adequate creditworthiness as determined by the Land Office.
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4 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective January 1, 2026.
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6 60-1-779 QD 12/30/2024 5:19:00 PM
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Req. No. 779 Page 4Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.