Counties and county officers; county clerks; credit card; forms; notary; effective date.
HB1767 requires county offices and county courts in Oklahoma to offer credit card payment options for all transactions, except cash-only real estate sales governed by existing law. Counties and courts may pass the credit card processing fee on to the person making the payment. The bill also requires county offices and courts to provide the forms needed for county business or legal proceedings, prohibits charging for those forms, and requires that forms be made available on county websites.
The bill further mandates that every county office, including the county clerk, treasurer, assessor, and courthouse, have a notary available during business hours, and it bars notaries from charging a fee for those services. In addition, the Attorney General must standardize all forms used for county business and legal proceedings, and counties must begin using those standardized forms by January 1, 2027. The act becomes effective November 1, 2025.
HB1767 would add new requirements to Title 19 governing county offices and courts, creating statewide standards for payment methods, form availability, notary access, and form uniformity. It would shift some administrative costs to counties by requiring them to provide and post forms, maintain notary availability, and adopt standardized forms, while also allowing counties to recoup credit card processing fees from users. The bill affects county clerks, treasurers, assessors, courthouses, court users, and residents conducting county business or legal proceedings.
The bill appears to have generally favorable support in the House, where it passed committee and third reading with strong margins, including unanimous support in one committee and an 85-6 House floor vote. The Senate committee vote was closer and failed on a 4-5 vote, suggesting more mixed sentiment or concern in that chamber. Overall, the discussion history indicates broad support for improving access and consistency in county services, but not unanimous agreement on the mandate's details or costs.
The main points of contention appear to be the operational and fiscal burdens placed on counties, including the requirement to provide free forms, maintain a notary during business hours, and implement standardized forms by a fixed date. Another likely issue is the credit card payment mandate, especially the ability to pass service fees to users, which may raise concerns about convenience fees and access for residents. The narrow Senate committee vote suggests some members may have objected to the cost, administrative complexity, or the scope of state mandates on county offices.