08-05-2025
Gov. Stitt vetoes bill that would extend Oklahoma eviction timeline
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — On Monday, Governor Kevin Stitt vetoed an Oklahoma Senate bill that would've extended the timeline for Oklahomans facing eviction.
Senate Bill 128, a bipartisan bill authored by Senator Democratic Leader Julia Kirt (D-Oklahoma City) and Representative Daniel Pae (R-Lawton), would have extended the period between the eviction trial notice and court date from 5-10 days to 10-15 days.
Kirt said the purpose of the bill was to give Oklahomans facing eviction more time to seek legal representation or catch up on their unpaid rent and keep their housing.
SB 128 passed both the House and the Senate in April, but Stitt decided to veto the bill.
'This bill seeks to expand minimum wait times in eviction proceedings, making the already burdensome and difficult process of obtaining an eviction that much more burdensome,' reads Stitt's veto message. 'The existing procedures already provide adequate due process and notice. This bill would also do the opposite as intended. Instead of assisting renters in arrears, it would incentivize landlords to specifically not rent housing units to low-income households, for risk of greater eviction costs. We cannot overcome economic realities with good intentions.'
Oklahoma lawmakers work across the aisle to address high eviction rates, Gov. vetoes bill
News 4 reached out to Oklahoma Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt (D-Oklahoma City) for her reaction following the veto.
'I am disappointed by the Governor's veto,' Kirt said. 'This bipartisan bill would have improved our eviction process and increased housing stability across the state. This was the only bill still active addressing housing, which is one of the biggest challenges Oklahoma families face.'
Kirt also said she has started conversations with leadership about a potential veto override, but a veto override would be very challenging, considering how close the original vote was to send the bill to the governor's desk.
SB 128 passed the Senate with a vote of 26 to 19 and the House with a vote of 51-35. Two-thirds of the House and the Senate would need to approve a veto override to pass the bill into law.
The Oklahoma Policy Institute released a statement on Tuesday, also expressing disappointment in the veto.
Gov. Stitt's veto of Senate Bill 128 is more than a missed opportunity — it's a step backward for housing stability in Oklahoma.
This bipartisan bill would have added just five days to the eviction trial timeline and increased the notice period from three to seven days. Five days could mean the difference between a family staying housed or landing in a shelter.
The governor's veto demonstrates that he cares more for corporate landlords' interests than the needs of everyday Oklahomans who struggle to keep their families safely housed.
Right now, large corporate landlords and bad actors can exploit Oklahoma's eviction laws to extract extra revenue from their tenants. Under the current system, landlords are able to bounce tenants on the street in under two weeks. This is almost no time to pay back rent, no time to ask off work and find child care, and no time to find a lawyer or prepare for court. And, as housing costs rise faster than wages, more families are falling behind.
SB 128 wouldn't have stopped evictions—it just would have slowed the clock. That's not radical. That's meeting the needs of everyday Oklahomans.
Sabine Brown, Housing Senior Policy Analyst for the Oklahoma Policy Institute
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