State fire marshal says electronic filing cut turnaround to about 45 days; senators press on marijuana backlog

Oklahoma State Fire Marshal Keith Bridal told the Senate Business and Commerce Committee that his office has reduced routine permitting turnaround to about 45 days after launching an electronic submission system, but lawmakers pressed him over a months-long backlog caused by a surge of medical marijuana facility applications.

Senator Hall opened the committee’s questioning by saying Oklahomans “feel like this is taking a ridiculous amount of time,” and asked what the Legislature could do to speed reviews for developers and other businesses awaiting permits.

Bridal said his office normally receives about 2,000 plan-review applications a year but saw “well over 5,000” and “up closest to 10” after a Bureau of Narcotics deadline for medical marijuana licensees. In response, the fire marshal’s office reassigned staff to process those applications and on March 1, 2024 began an electronic submission system that Bridal called “very, very helpful.” He said non-marijuana applications are averaging a 45-day turnaround, “and some are obviously doing quicker than 45 days, some take longer than that.”

Bridal told the committee the office kept medical marijuana applications separate from other reviews because many marijuana licensees were already operating and needed certificates of occupancy for Bureau of Narcotics and OMMA (Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority) compliance. He said the office prioritized those active businesses while moving non-marijuana applicants into the new electronic queue.

Agent Daryl Beebe, who manages the electronic system, told the committee applicants who receive a deficiency notice generally do not “lose their place in line” as long as they remain in contact and upload corrections. He said a submission is removed from the queue only if the office disapproves it for failure to respond or if the plans are so incomplete they cannot be used at all.

Committee members asked for clearer public communication about timelines and the perception that minor electronic resubmissions force applicants “back in the queue.” Senator Hall suggested the office publish historical response times so constituents can compare perception with reality.

Bridal and staff described additional steps taken to relieve the workload: assigning agents to answer application calls, offering in-person and online tutorials, meeting with grower associations and the Oklahoma Municipal League, and approving two national third-party plan-review vendors to perform reviews directly for applicants. Anthony Reed said the third-party pathway began in May 2024, and Bridal said his office processed 3,72 third-party reviews during 2024. Bridal also said the office had tried hiring contract plan reviewers but that past contractors produced work requiring so much correction that contracting proved inefficient and costly.

The marshal noted Senate Bill 1635 provided protections for licensees who submitted complete applications by Feb. 1, 2024, and said state agency actions and OBN processes further reduced the total number of pending medical-marijuana-related submissions. Bridal said the office has completed submissions that arrived after the Oct. 30, 2023 deadline and is currently processing applications submitted in April–May 2024.

Committee members asked whether permits must be rechecked at license renewal; Bridal said permits remain in place and license renewals generally do not require new inspections through the fire marshal’s office. Lawmakers also asked whether the office needs more staff; Bridal said current administrative staff is adequate but that contracting outside reviewers has been expensive and, in prior efforts, created extra work due to quality-control problems.

The committee did not take formal action; members thanked the fire marshal’s office and encouraged ongoing public information to address constituent concerns about timelines.