SB 623: Protection from Domestic Abuse Act; requiring service in certain location; requiring initial attempt of service of protective orders upon defendant within specified time frame. Emergency. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill transitions from a House version to a Senate version of SB 623, which amends Oklahoma's Protection from Domestic Abuse Act. The Senate version streamlines the formatting and consolidates service requirements for protective orders, emphasizing faster service timelines and broader enforcement capabilities. Key changes include clarifying service procedures, setting specific timeframes for hearings, and ensuring protective orders remain valid until defendants are served.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on protecting victims of domestic abuse through improved protective order service and enforcement, with no change in the fundamental applicability of the law.

REQUIREMENT

Service of protective orders must now be attempted within 24 hours of issuance, with priority given to emergency orders.

Final protective orders must be granted or denied within 6 months of service unless parties agree to extend a temporary order.

ENFORCEMENT

Sheriffs may transmit documents electronically and charge fees consistent with their standard service fees plus mileage.

Protective orders now have statewide validity and can be transferred to any law enforcement jurisdiction for service.

TIMELINE

Full hearings must be scheduled within 14 days of filing, or within 72 hours if a minor child has been removed from the victim's residence.

Enrolled (final version) → Floor (House) · 2 edits

MINOR

This bill reformatted the legislative document from Senate to House floor version while maintaining the same substantive content regarding protective order service procedures. The core legal provisions remain unchanged, with no new policies, funding, or eligibility criteria added.

TECHNICAL

Changed document header from Senate enrolled version to House floor version with updated page numbering and session information

Reformatted text layout and spacing while preserving all original legal provisions about protective order service requirements

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 5 edits · May 5, 2025

MODERATE

This bill finalizes changes to Oklahoma's Protection from Domestic Abuse Act that streamline how protective orders are served and enforced. The enrolled version removes formatting errors and consolidates the text while maintaining the core policy changes that require faster service of protective orders, allow electronic transmission of documents, and establish clearer timelines for hearings.

Scope change

No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability; the enrolled version is the final, clean version of the engrossed bill with identical policy provisions.

TECHNICAL

Removed page header formatting and line number markers from the engrossed version to create the final enrolled text.

Consolidated the bill text layout while preserving all substantive policy provisions regarding protective order service and hearings.

REQUIREMENT

Requires protective order documents to be served within 24 hours of issuance, with priority service available 24/7 when defendant location is known.

ENFORCEMENT

Allows court clerks to transmit protective order documents electronically to sheriffs for service in other counties.

TIMELINE

Establishes that petitions for protective orders must be renewed every 14 days until the defendant is served, and final orders must be decided within 6 months of service.

Introduced → Engrossed · 5 edits · Mar 25, 2025

MODERATE

This bill amends Oklahoma's Protection from Domestic Abuse Act to clarify service procedures for protective orders, establish tighter timelines for hearings when minors are involved, and expand the types of counseling the court can require defendants to attend. The changes aim to improve victim safety by ensuring faster responses to abuse situations and preventing courts from ordering mediation or couples counseling in domestic abuse cases.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of required services and hearing timelines, particularly for cases involving minor children removed from the victim's residence.

TIMELINE

Added a requirement that hearings must be scheduled within 72 hours when a minor child has been removed from the victim's residence, regardless of whether an emergency order was previously issued.

REQUIREMENT

Added specific counseling requirements that courts can order defendants to attend, including domestic abuse counseling, parenting classes, and joint victim-offender counseling sessions.

Removed language that allowed courts to order mediation, couples counseling, and family counseling, which could compromise victim safety in domestic abuse cases.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified that service of protective orders can be made by sheriffs, other law enforcement officers, private investigators, or private process servers when the sheriff cannot make service.

DEFINITION

Added a requirement that final protective orders be granted or denied within six months of service unless parties agree to keep temporary orders in effect.

Protection from Domestic Abuse Act; requiring service in certain location; requiring initial attempt of service of protective orders upon defendant within specified time frame. Emergency.

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