Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt has won unanimous committee approval for legislation updating the eviction timeline. Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, said Oklahoma has one of the fastest eviction processes in the country. Senate Bill 1209, which was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, would exclude Sundays and federal holidays from the filing schedule.
“In 2025, more than 40,000 eviction cases were filed in Oklahoma. This process is difficult for the landlords and tenants, plus the courts get swamped around certain parts of the month and year,” Kirt said. “SB 1209 will give folks a bit more time to repay rent or seek help before the final court hearing. This can make a big difference to keep people in their homes and make sure landlords get paid.”
Kirt noted nearly all civil cases filed in Oklahoma courts do not count weekends and holidays in scheduling, including other small claims cases.
“I filed this bill after discussing challenges the judges were seeing, and to make sure we treat eviction more like other civil cases,” Kirt said. “This would not extend a hearing more than a few days, and landlords are still able to make it faster if there’s property damage or illegal activity.”
SB 1209 is now eligible to be heard by the full Senate.