Ownership of land; prohibiting any foreign ownership of land. Effective date.
SB 1672 would significantly tighten Oklahoma’s restrictions on who may own land in the state. The bill amends existing alien land ownership law to prohibit land ownership by any non-U.S. citizen and by foreign government adversaries or foreign government entities, whether directly or indirectly through a business entity, trust, or foreign government enterprise. It also updates statutory definitions, including new definitions for foreign government adversary, foreign government enterprise, and foreign government entity, and clarifies that “land” does not include oil, gas, or other minerals or interests in them.
The bill would also require, for deeds recorded on or after November 1, 2023, an affidavit attesting that the transfer complies with the law and that no prohibited funding source is involved. County clerks would be barred from recording deeds without the required notarized affidavit, subject to several listed exemptions such as corrective deeds, probate and quiet title orders, security instruments, public dedications, and transfers to government entities or tribes. The bill removes the Attorney General’s current authority to create additional exemptions and instead leaves only the statutory exemptions in place. The act would take effect November 1, 2026.
SB 1672 would amend 60 O.S. Section 121, the state’s alien ownership of land statute, by broadening and hardening the prohibition on foreign land ownership and by changing the deed-recording process statewide. It would affect noncitizens, foreign governments, foreign government-backed entities, trusts, and business entities that acquire Oklahoma land, while preserving certain exceptions for regulated interstate commerce and entities with a CFIUS national security agreement. County clerks would have a new mandatory screening role through affidavit review, and the Attorney General would lose authority to add exemptions administratively.
No committee transcripts or vote details are provided, so there is no recorded debate to gauge support or opposition. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a national-security and land-ownership restriction bill, which typically draws support from lawmakers concerned about foreign influence and strategic asset control. The fact that it was later coauthored by Senator Prieto suggests at least some legislative support or willingness to align with the proposal.
The main points of contention are likely to be the breadth of the prohibition and the practical effects on property transactions. Opponents could argue that banning ownership by all non-U.S. citizens is overly broad, may affect lawful immigrants and legitimate business activity, and could create administrative burdens for county clerks and title professionals. Supporters are likely to emphasize preventing foreign adversaries from acquiring Oklahoma land and limiting indirect ownership through entities, trusts, and investment vehicles. The removal of the Attorney General’s ability to create additional exemptions may also be controversial because it reduces flexibility to address edge cases.