House Bill No. 1270, introduced by Hays, amends Section 2-142 of the Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Control Act to enhance the application process for alcoholic beverage licenses. The bill mandates that the Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Law Enforcement Commission (ABLE) must notify applicants in writing of any deficiencies in their applications within ten days of receipt, detailing the necessary actions to rectify these issues. Applicants will then have a reasonable period to provide the required information. Additionally, ABLE is required to approve or deny the application within twenty days of receiving the completed application, and any denial must be communicated in writing with specific reasons provided.

The bill also includes provisions for the presumptive issuance of a license if ABLE fails to adhere to the specified timelines. It modifies the refund process for denied applications, allowing ABLE to retain a ten percent processing fee from the refunded amount. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that the requirements for public event license applicants will differ slightly, exempting them from certain certificate requirements due to the temporary nature of their events. The act is set to take effect on November 1, 2025.