Bail; authorizing denial of bail under certain circumstance. Effective date.
SB 981, now law in Oklahoma, expands circumstances where a judge may deny bail to defendants charged with specific offenses. It allows bail denial for violent offenses, crimes carrying life sentences, repeat felony offenders (two or more separate felonies), certain drug offenses (with 10+ year potential sentences), and DUI with two prior felony DUI convictions. The bill requires that for most cases, the state must prove guilt is "evident" or the presumption "great" and that no release conditions would ensure community safety. The law took effect on November 1, 2025.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 3, 2025
Signed May 12, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons
What changed between versions
Floor (House)
→
Floor (Senate)
·
2 edits
MINOR
The bill was converted from the House version to the Senate version, with minor formatting changes and a committee report date update. The substantive policy content regarding bail denial criteria remains unchanged.
TECHNICAL
Header changed from 'HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' to 'SENATE FLOOR VERSION' with updated date to February 25, 2025
Committee report date updated from 04/17/2025 to February 25, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Mar 12, 2025 · House May 1, 2025
How they voted
45–0
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 49
Mar 12, 2025
D
Democratic9
100% Yea
R
Republican40
90% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
23
Key actions
6
Committee
6
May 1, 2025
Committee
Referred for enrollment
upper
May 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third Reading, Measure passed: Ayes: 82 Nays: 0
lower
Apr 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
CR; Do Pass Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee
lower
Apr 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Policy recommendation to the Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight committee; Do Pass Criminal Judiciary
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Committee
Referred to Criminal Judiciary
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Introduced
First Reading
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
Engrossed to House
upper
Mar 12, 2025
Committee
Referred for engrossment
upper
Mar 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Measure passed: Ayes: 43 Nays: 0
upper
Feb 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported Do Pass Judiciary committee; CR filed
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Introduced
First Reading
upper
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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