Pocket Veto

If a bill passes the Oklahoma Legislature during the final five days of session, the Governor has 15 days following the final day of session to sign or veto it. If the Governor does not sign or veto the bill by the end of that 15-day period, it does not become law. This is known as a “pocket veto.” No reasons for the pocket veto are required, and no override by the Legislature is possible.

Gov. Stitt used the pocket veto five times in the 2023 legislative session and twice in 2021. Prior to that, the pocket veto had been used only once since 2012, by Governor Fallin on a firearms bill (HB 1608) in 2018.