Tenants, landlords urge reform on Oklahoma’s eviction laws

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma lawmakers have come under pressure to reform the state’s eviction laws.

The Tulsa World reports that Oklahoma courts last year handled 44,612 eviction cases, with more than 1,200 tenants a month receiving eviction notices in Tulsa County alone. Tulsa has the 11th highest eviction rate in the country.

Advocates for tenants and landlords testified before a House committee hearing on Thursday. They suggested standardizing eviction rules statewide; allowing eviction records to be expunged after a certain amount of time; extending how long tenants have to respond to an eviction notice; and giving tenants a right to legal counsel during an eviction hearing.