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State Powers Committee reports out bill narrowing abstractors board's license-denial authority
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Summary
The State Powers Committee voted 4-0 to report Senate Bill 1287 out of committee. Sponsored by Representative Cross White Hater, the measure aims to close a loophole related to the abstractors board's power to deny licenses to applicants not authorized to work in the U.S.; committee members queried how the change affects employees of out-of-state or foreign-organized companies.
The State Powers Committee voted 4-0 to report Senate Bill 1287 out of committee after a brief presentation and a short round of questions.
"Senate bill 1287 is to close a loophole in the authority of the abstractors board to deny a license for someone that's not legally allowed to be employed in the United States," Representative Cross White Hater said when introducing the measure and moved its adoption for committee consideration.
The bill's sponsor said the measure focuses on individual license applicants rather than employer organization. Representative Gann asked whether the bill would affect employees of a company organized outside the state — for example, a corporation formed in another state that acquires property in Oklahoma. "How would this operate under a company that may be a foreign company that organizes as a corporation, like in Delaware and then buys land in Oklahoma?" Gann asked.
Representative Cross White Hater replied, "Not sure how that would be addressed in this bill because these are individual license holders. So it would be an employee of any company, whether it's here or somewhere else, but they would have to prove that they're legally allowed to be licensed here for anything." The sponsor characterized the bill as targeting the qualifications that individual applicants must show to be licensed.
A committee member seconded the motion. During the voice vote the clerk recorded "Miss Deagal, aye; Representative West, aye; Representative Shaw, aye." The clerk later announced the tally as four ayes and zero nays; the chair stated the bill would be reported out as do pass.
The committee's action advances the bill to the next step in the legislative process; committee members did not request amendments or additional staff reports during this session. The meeting concluded with brief closing remarks and an adjournment.
Next steps: Senate Bill 1287 will be carried forward from committee for further consideration according to the legislature's scheduling procedures.
