[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6624075,"mediaKeyId","2768617-7c262ef09c42405a0ad8cd9aff81b3ec","parentId",2768617,"title","Senate adopts 3,000-foot buffer between homeless shelters and school property; exempts places of worship","audioSeconds",3399,"startMs",1371000,"endMs",4770000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2768617-7c262ef09c42405a0ad8cd9aff81b3ec&start=1371&end=4770","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2768617-7c262ef09c42405a0ad8cd9aff81b3ec/thumbnail_1371000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6624075/Oklahoma/Senate-adopts-3000-foot-buffer-between-homeless-shelters-and-school-property-exempts-places-of-worship","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624075-e94c6b483505dd41224d3da1af34e96f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770955087&Signature=iN-YruLe5mbYp8hyp1vtEnQYyIRY~rlK9t4oyUJ~JvX5IdYHi7A-2vtTveU6o~jPBl6lWKXDNs1FB8~pOG3XnyYVJgD2EK7BHpFHonGJN-xZrFxd12olo3GmoWrIa5NK2YalOcOvPv-6DTzJxdt7TkPxthkv9SDSStgYGQ3GP6AxAxzK0GBNpSCniKqU77r~ptL09UaNqUJCpP-Rxo8s9APeP4tATyS8EtM3SY1xygJKThBpyaUOsqaRSVAK0e2YfuW1a6ktbViIohBTnPJ2JmrzmE4GYzNQrlZBObROdMhbvzCYqH19ki98kRmAQmI816MNHqPn964L9SqRsENbIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","OK State Legislature","date","2025-03-25T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 484, as amended, creates a 3,000-foot buffer between any homeless shelter and any school property and removes several earlier location restrictions while preserving an exemption for shelters operated in places of worship. The Senate adopted the amendment and later passed the bill on third reading; it was also approved as an emergency measure.

The amendment approved on the floor narrowed the bill to apply only to shelters and school property — removing prior setbacks that had covered libraries, preschools and other sites — and struck a municipal zoning provision while inserting a population test that treats municipalities of 300,000 or more differently. Senator Standridge, the bill's author, said the amendment \"basically creates, a buffer zone between any homeless shelter and any school property.\" He also told colleagues he had spoken with parents and some school officials about constituent concerns but said he had not talked directly with homeless shelters or individuals experiencing homelessness.

Supporters said the buffer is aimed at protecting children from disorderly or unsafe incidents near schools. Senator Standridge cited examples he said a superintendent reported, saying shelters can sometimes be associated with disruptive incidents: \"There have been instances where, unfortunately, a homeless person has come into the school and completely stripped down in the lobby\" and other episodes that prompted lockdowns, he told the chamber.

Opponents questioned the bill's policy effects and local impact. Senator Boren argued the bill would not address root causes and could impede cooperative work between cities and faith-based organizations: \"All this does is create the illusion that something has been done, when in reality, the status quo will remain, and this will only impact and inconvenience municipalities moving forward,\" he said. Several senators said they had not seen evidence that shelters generally promoted the drug activity the author described, and Senator Boren and others emphasized that many shelters and churches provide services that reduce harm and help people rehouse.

Key provisions and clarifications

- Buffer distance: The floor amendment specifies a 3,000-foot buffer measured between homeless shelters and school property. The amended language removes earlier references to libraries, preschools, day-care centers and parks that had appeared in prior drafts.
- Exemption for places of worship: The amendment explicitly allows homeless shelters operated in places of worship to be sited within the buffer. Senator Standridge said the change \"allows churches to do that\" because churches \"are the hands and feet of God.\" Colleagues pressed why churches would be treated differently; the author responded that she expects churches not to encourage the conduct the bill targets.
- Population carve-out / municipal preemption: The amendment removes an earlier, broader zoning preemption text and adds language that differentiates municipalities by population. Cities of 300,000 or more (the author said she believed that meant Oklahoma City and Tulsa) are treated differently under the bill's zoning provisions; the floor explanation indicated that larger municipalities had been the primary recipients of a recent federal allocation to the state and therefore are presumed to have greater shelter resources.
- Grandfather clause: Existing homeless shelters properly zoned and operating on the bill's effective date are grandfathered and may continue to operate in their current locations.
- Evidence cited: The author told the Senate that in January the state received roughly $18,300,000 in federal funds to help homeless services and said larger cities received the “lion's share” of that money. The record also includes a floor reference to statewide public-school reporting that about 26,000 students were identified as homeless in 2024.

Floor action and votes

- Amendment No. 1 (narrowing language, removing prior broader zoning subsection and establishing the school-only buffer) was put to a standing division vote and adopted by a standing count of 19 in favor to 18 opposed.
- Final passage on third reading: The roll call later showed 26 ayes and 20 nays; the presiding officer declared Senate Bill 484 passed.
- Emergency: A subsequent roll call on the emergency designation returned 36 ayes and 9 nays, and the Senate declared SB 484 passed as an emergency measure.

What the bill does and does not do

The bill is a spacing law: it does not close existing, properly zoned shelters, nor does it impose criminal penalties. It does not (in its amended form) institute a statewide ban on shelters; rather it changes where new shelters may be located relative to school property, while allowing shelters operated in houses of worship to locate within the distance. The bill no longer prescribes municipal zoning rules directly for cities above or below specific population thresholds; instead, the amendment alters where the state's preemptive language would apply.

Reactions and lingering questions

Lawmakers raised several areas that remained unresolved on the floor: whether the bill would increase burdens on families experiencing homelessness who rely on proximity to local schools and services; how smaller municipalities that already operate shelters would be affected despite the grandfather clause; what data supports a 3,000-foot buffer rather than a smaller or alternative distance; and the inconsistency that the author and some supporters described between treatment of shelters and treatment of other uses near schools (for example, liquor stores or licensed dispensaries, which are already regulated to limited distances in some cases).

Next steps

With final passage and emergency status recorded on the Senate floor, the bill advances to the next stage required under Oklahoma law for enactment. Implementation details, including measuring the buffer and handling municipal zoning interactions, will be addressed as the measure moves forward and as agencies or local governments adjust permitting and shelter siting.

Speakers quoted or referenced in the record include Senator Standridge (bill author), Minority Leader Kurt, Senator Boren, Senator Hicks, Senator Goodwin, Senator Nyece, Senator Mann and Senator Racino. Direct quotes in this article are taken from floor remarks in the transcript.

Ending note: The Senate debates repeatedly contrasted immediate safety concerns near schools with broader questions about whether spacing laws help or hinder the state's ability to reduce homelessness through services, housing and prevention.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Legislative Session in the Senate Chamber Mar 25, 2025 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 484, as amended, creates a 3,000-foot buffer between any homeless shelter and any school property and removes several earlier location restrictions while preserving an exemption for shelters operated in places of worship.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature OK, Oklahoma","taxId",78380,"location","Oklahoma","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6624070,"Votes at a glance: Oklahoma Senate advances and passes multiple bills on third reading",3562,4898000,8460000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2768617-7c262ef09c42405a0ad8cd9aff81b3ec&start=4898&end=8460","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2768617-7c262ef09c42405a0ad8cd9aff81b3ec/thumbnail_4898000.jpg","/articles/6624070/Oklahoma/Votes-at-a-glance-Oklahoma-Senate-advances-and-passes-multiple-bills-on-third-reading","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624070-f6b6eb572fb5147859b57d3388312517/orig.mp4?Expires=1770955087&Signature=gVSqYdqf8uoME2Mntz3QTfSk-vuabQ3jkek~jLtHET9VNLPot7naCB9yGgSBENW0pvGTpPgZfC9wCtZHY0sXt6zdBtbqA3GrcMM8-t7M6wPz~T-6V8sHKLLuBJfpeNjRdXYvTDpW0l-cb1z-WKPWMtFyBoCPIO35wPWQNn7o96wnDn00WET6toh2RRaLDNk3zFoopowU4Vj5N79UjMC5VR0-7kTqQtnk8ln3oV5QfGOinJ2oxWOyxx526OjeCfC8rtINbBwC9lUp~ZiNWYqpD3Zn8NkwYs4MZfX-fbe1y4acWtbqP8YueFUGCv761sitSdBRqgZtGZ9kZGyB8mCYDA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oklahoma Senate advanced and voted on a large package of bills on third reading during the same floor session. Many measures were handled with little floor debate and were recorded by roll call. The list below summarizes each bill that received a final roll-call outcome in the transcript record, with vote tallies and one-line descriptions based on floor explanations.

Votes at a glance

- Senate Bill 132 — Passed, 45-0. Subject: shut-in nonproducing gas wells; directs owners to produce or plug an inactive gas well; author said state has about 14,336 such wells.

- Senate Bill 235 — Passed, 41-6. Subject: state match for \"grow your own\" educator programs and creation of a revolving fund with Treasury.

- Senate Bill 638 — Passed, 43-3. Subject: repeal of the state Price Control Act (author's bill).

- Senate Bill 395 — Passed, 40-7. Subject: extended sunset for State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (to 2028).

- Senate Bill 396 — Passed, 39-8. Subject: extend sunset for Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors (to 2028).

- Senate Bill 397 — Passed, 41-6. Subject: extend sunset for Board of Behavioral Health Licensure (to 2028).

- Senate Bill 369 — Passed, 40-7. Subject: increases penalty for strangling a law enforcement officer (aggravated assault on an officer); floor discussion addressed scope and penalty ranges.

- Senate Bill 650 — Passed, 47-0. Subject: sanitary sewer operations and liability protections for municipalities meeting maintenance standards.

- Senate Bill 652 — Passed, 47-0. Subject: consolidates and reduces election dates to increase turnout and transparency.

- Senate Bill 669 — Passed, 47-0. Subject: dentistry board updates including military licensee language and volunteer permit clarifications.

- Senate Bill 675 — Passed, 39-6. Subject: Turnpike Authority toll collection and limited Department of Public Safety data sharing to invoice out-of-system toll users; sponsors said tribal compacts are in progress.

- Senate Bill 773 — Passed, 45-0. Subject: pharmacy choice / PBM enforcement and payment obligations (AG request bill).

- Senate Bill 920 — Passed, 45-0. Subject: defines heliport/VTOL/vertiport terms and updates airport zoning requirements (with floor amendment clarifying definitions).

- Senate Bill 993 — Passed, 45-0. Subject: pharmacy audit integrity act updates and timelines; adds natural-disaster audit suspension.

- Senate Bill 37 — Passed, 46-0. Subject: authorizes Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation mass-casualty unit participation to support local law enforcement.

- Senate Bill 59 — Passed, 46-0. Subject: sales-tax exemption for a small Tulsa nonprofit that provides school supplies.

- Senate Bill 224 — Passed, 33-13. Subject: Oklahoma Education Workforce Data System; sponsors said it does not collect new personally identifiable data and aims to allow program-level data sharing among education agencies.

- Senate Bill 258 — Passed, 45-0. Subject: program addressing structurally deficient bridges and related non-state assets (title-off bill related to budget work).

- Senate Bill 263 — Passed, 43-0. Subject: Terry Peach Water Restoration Act expansion (additional species/areas added).

- Senate Bill 289 — Passed, 45-0. Subject: sales-tax exemption sunset extension for small museums.

- Senate Bill 291 — Passed, 37-8. Subject: a revenue-rebate-style measure (a TABOR-like mechanism) establishing thresholds for returning revenue growth to taxpayers; floor sponsors described a multi-step threshold (10% growth breakpoint, rebate of amounts above 5%).

- Senate Bill 299 — Passed, 39-6. Subject: corporate tax rule change (repeal of the throwback rule for certain corporate sales; floor discussion noted this affects C corporations).

- Senate Bill 304 — Passed, 44-1. Subject: individual income tax reform vehicle (eliminates multiple marginal brackets and sets a flat rate path; sponsors said the measure sets a path for broader reform and budget negotiation).

- Senate Bill 48 — Failed, 21-25. Subject: package of tax-incentive eliminations/title-off vehicle presented as a potential tool in broader tax reform; the motion failed on the floor.

- Senate Bill 324 — Advanced (explanation and floor substitute); floor record shows explanation and advancement without a final roll-call in the provided excerpt.

- Senate Bill 324 and others (floor items discussed) — Several additional bills were advanced for future consideration or had title struck for budget negotiations; details were handled as part of the floor's continuing business.

Other matters and process notes

- Multiple bills that passed on the floor were later considered for emergency designation and, where recorded, passed as emergency measures, allowing earlier effective dates. Where emergency votes were recorded in the transcript, the item is noted in the body record for that bill.
- Many bills were advanced with \"title off\" or floor substitutes as part of an ongoing budget and policy negotiation process; the floor often handled these items by unanimous consent or short recorded roll calls.

How to read this list

This summary lists the bills for which the transcript contains explicit roll-call tallies or floor outcomes. For bills that were advanced without detailed floor debate in the transcript, this roundup records the floor outcome as stated. For a deeper read of any single measure's text, amendment history or local impact analysis, reporters and officials should review the enrolled bill text and committee reports.

Speakers and authors cited in the floor record for these measures include (selection): Senator Burns (SB 132), Senator Pugh (SB 235, SB 289, SB 291), Senator Daniels (SB 638), Senator Bergstrom (SB 395, 396, 397), Senator Hines (SB 369), Pro Tem Paxton (SB 650, SB 652), Senator Gillespie (SB 669), Senator Yek (SB 675), Senator Gollihar (SB 773), Senator Rosino (SB 920), Senator Galahari (SB 993), Senator Weaver (SB 37), Senator Rader (tax-reform vehicles), Senator Seifert (SB 224), Senator Thompson (SB 324), Senator Coleman (SB 515, SB 585, SB 623), Senator Fricks (SB 515), Senator Stanley (SB 410), and multiple others whose floor explanations and unanimous-consent actions appear in the transcript.

Ending

The chamber recorded many unanimous-consent advances and recorded votes in this session; the list above is a concise reference to the final outcomes as they appear on the transcript. For reporters: consult the enrolled bills and committee reports for statutory text and fiscal notes prior to publication.","The Oklahoma Senate completed third-reading votes on a broad slate of bills, approving measures ranging from utility and administrative changes to tax and criminal statutes. Several bills were advanced as emergency measures. Below is a compact list of bills recorded on the floor with outcomes and key details.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate adopts 3,000-foot buffer between homeless shelters and school property; exempts places of worship

Votes at a glance: Oklahoma Senate advances and passes multiple bills on third reading