BUILD Act becomes law, creating “master development districts” for growth infrastructure
SB 2060 renames Oklahoma’s Improvement District Act and sets rules for districts that can finance roads and utilities through special assessments within defined development areas.
OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — The Building Utilities and Infrastructure for Long-term Development (BUILD) Act has been signed into law, establishing a new statutory framework for “master development districts” intended to help finance infrastructure associated with large developments.
The measure is Senate Bill 2060 and updates Title 11’s Improvement District Act provisions.
In a statement released with the signing, the governor described the state’s recent growth and the need for additional housing and infrastructure.
“Something special is happening in Oklahoma,” said Governor Stitt. “More families and businesses are moving here than ever before, and they all tell me the same thing: this is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. But with that growth comes a new challenge. We need more homes and stronger infrastructure to keep up.”
SB 2060 renames the Improvement District Act as the BUILD Act and creates a pathway for cities and counties to approve master development districts under specified conditions, including 100% written consent from surface property owners within the proposed district boundaries and approval of a governing document and improvement plan. The law also establishes a 10-business-day protest window following official approval.
The act provides that master development districts are governed by an independent board of supervisors with authority to levy and collect special assessments, and it specifies that those assessments constitute a lien on the assessed real property, with priority equal to state, county and municipal tax liens and senior to other liens, including mortgages. The measure also requires a master development agreement between the approving city/county and the district, and directs the State Treasurer to publish a standard template for those agreements.
The enrolled measure shows SB 2060 passed the House on April 14, 2026, and passed the Senate on April 15, 2026, with an effective date of Nov. 1, 2026. The law also states that district bonds do not constitute public debt of a municipality or county and includes provisions limiting districts from providing or owning electric or natural gas utility services without required consent.
