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SB 563

County planning commission; personnel; chair of the board; composition of board. Effective date. Emergency.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by John Haste and 1 co-sponsor

SB 563 restructures county planning commissions and boards of adjustment, standardizing composition, terms, and enhanced public-notice requirements for hearings.

Approved by Governor 05/20/2026
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 563

Summary of Senate Bill 563 (SB 563) – Oklahoma, 2026 Session

Note: This summary reflects the floor substitute version as introduced and amended in committee process. It focuses on the substantive provisions, affected parties, and key timelines.

1) Purpose and Intent

  • SB 563 is a local-government measure aimed at county administration and planning/adjustment boards, with an auxiliary provision related to county employee leave for service as election officials.
  • The bill as amended proposes changes to the structure and procedures of county planning commissions and county boards of adjustment, plus a mandate for post-hearing notice practices and related administrative requirements.
  • An emergency clause is included, making the act take effect immediately upon passage.

2) Key Provisions and Changes

The bill revises or adds several sections related to county boards and commissions. The major substantive elements include:

A. County Planning Commission (Section 868.2, as amended)

  • Composition: The planning commission shall have seven (7) members.
    • One member must be the chair of the Board of County Commissioners (or their designee).
    • The remaining six members must be residents of the county’s unincorporated areas, nominated by the county commissioners, with each commissioner nominating two members from their district.
  • Terms:
    • The chair’s term is coextensive with their official term as chair.
    • Other members serve six (6) two-year terms, with overlapping terms and initial term lengths possibly shorter than six years.
  • Compensation: All members serve without compensation.
  • Removal/Vacancies: Members may be removed for cause after a public hearing; vacancies filled by appointment.

B. County Board of Adjustment (Section 868.3, as amended)

  • Composition: The board shall consist of 3, 5, or 7 resident property owners, with at least:
    • One member from the county seat.
    • At least one attorney licensed in Oklahoma.
  • Appointment and Terms:
    • Members nominated by county commissioners, with overlapping term structure for new appointments.
    • Terms: 3, 2, or 1-year increments for initial appointments to achieve overlap; thereafter, terms of 2 or 3 years as aligned with the selected structure.
  • Vacancy and Substitutes: Board can appoint substitutes, and vacancies filled by appointment.
  • Legal Counsel: County may retain private legal counsel to represent/advice the Board of Adjustment.
  • Operations: The Board elects its own chairman, adopts procedural rules, can administer oaths, and keep minutes as public records.
  • Hearings: Appeals heard within 60 days of filing; hearings must be open to the public with minutes maintained.
  • Notice: Hearings require notice by newspaper publication and mailed notices to record owners of lands contiguous to the affected area at least 15 days prior to hearing.

C. County Planning Commission Procedures (Section 868.5, as amended)

  • Meetings: At least one regular monthly meeting.
  • Chair and Rules: The commission elects a chair for a one-year term (with reelection eligibility) and adopts procedural rules.
  • Fees and Timeframes: The commission sets building permit fees and petition/amendment filing timeframes, subject to approval by the Board of County Commissioners.
  • Public Records: The commission maintains a public record of resolutions, transactions, findings, and recommendations.
  • Notice for Hearings: Notice requirements include:
    • Weekly notices for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation prior to hearings.
    • Notices posted on the county’s primary official social media platform weekly for three weeks prior to the hearing.
    • Publication in a newspaper at least 15 days before the hearing.

D. New Law – Codification Provision (Section 868.23)

  • Validates and continues in full force any comprehensive plans, master plans, zoning regulations, floodplain regulations, subdivision regulations, resolutions, ordinances, codes, and amendments enacted under preexisting provisions, until amended or replaced under the new framework.

3) Who/What is Affected

  • County Planning Commissions: Composition, terms, appointment process, and notice requirements clarified or updated.
  • County Boards of Adjustment: Composition, qualifications (including requirement for an attorney), appointment process, authority to hire private counsel, hearing procedures, and notice requirements.
  • County Commissioners and County Staff: Roles in nominating members, oversight of planning and adjustment activities, and adoption of procedural rules and fees.
  • General Public and Property Owners: Notice and transparency requirements for hearings (newspaper and social media publication, mail notices for adjacent landowners).
  • Election Officials (Related Leave Provision): The title suggests authorizing county employee leave policies and allowing county employees to use leave to serve as election officials, indicating an intended policy framework for leave usage for election-related duties (specific language on leave policy development is reflected in the title and supporting documents, though the detailed text related to leave policy is not exhaustively enumerated in the amendment excerpt provided).

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Effective Date: The bill includes language declaring an emergency; it takes effect immediately upon passage and approval.
  • Hearings and Public Notice: Enhanced notice requirements for planning commission hearings (weekly newspaper notices for three weeks, social media postings, and adjacent landowner notices by mail at least 15 days prior).
  • Term Overlaps: New and revised term structures establish overlapping terms to ensure continuity in commissions and boards.
  • Codification: New statutory section (868.23) would validate and continue certain existing land-use documents until updated under the new provisions.

5) Additional Context

  • The bill has a history of committee action in both chambers in 2025, with multiple readings and amendments; it was reported DO PASS by Local and County Government and Government Oversight committees, and DO PASS by the Senate Local and County Government Committee.
  • Significant collateral impact includes the potential for changes in local zoning and land-use governance, impacting developers, property owners, and county staff, along with an embedded emergency clause intended to address immediate governance needs.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with current law (19 O.S. 2021 sections 868.2, 868.3, 868.5) or create a one-page briefing for county officials.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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