Criminal Justice

signed · Oklahoma · House May 12, 2025

HB 1731: Crimes and punishment; child endangerment; effective date.

HB 1731 clarifies Oklahoma's child endangerment law, directly affecting parents, guardians, or caregivers who knowingly allow children to be in dangerous situations. It specifies four key scenarios: permitting physical/sexual abuse, allowing children at drug manufacturing sites, letting children ride with impaired drivers, or driving impaired while transporting children. The bill includes a defense if stopping abuse would cause serious harm and explicitly excludes cases where caregivers rely on spiritual healing for a child's medical needs. Convictions carry penalties of up to four years in prison or a $5,000 fine, with the law effective November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeClarifies child endangerment law with specific scenarios, strengthening enforcement without expanding criminalization or weakening rights.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Oklahoma · House May 12, 2025

HB 2364: Corrections; requiring inmates be assisted in receiving certain driver license before release; effective date.

HB 2364 requires Oklahoma's Department of Corrections to assist inmates without a current state-issued driver license or identification card in obtaining a REAL ID Noncompliant Driver License before release, or a REAL ID Noncompliant Identification Card if the license is unattainable. The department must begin this process at least nine months prior to release and provide employment-related documentation, including vocational records, birth certificates, and Social Security cards. Inmates over 65, those on medical parole, or in mental health units are exempt from preparing resumes or practicing job interviews. The bill becomes effective November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFacilitates inmate reentry by requiring ID/license assistance and employment docs, reducing barriers to stability and lowering recidivism - key criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Oklahoma · House May 12, 2025

HB 1693: Criminal procedure; clarifying evidentiary hearing requirements; effective date.

HB 1693 clarifies Oklahoma's process for determining if a death row inmate is mentally competent to be executed. It requires inmates to file a motion challenging competency within seven days of the state's execution date request, with the court ordering a hearing to assess if the inmate can rationally understand the execution. The law establishes a presumption of competency, meaning inmates must prove incompetence by showing a "substantial doubt" through evidence like medical records. If found incompetent, the court mandates mental health treatment to restore competency within 30 days, with the state providing care until the inmate regains competency or the execution date is rescheduled.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeImposes high burden on inmates to prove incompetence, restricting defendant rights in capital sentencing procedures90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Oklahoma · House May 12, 2025

HB 1413: Domestic violence; making certain pleas or finding of guilt to stalking violations constitute a conviction for purposes of sentencing; effective date.

HB 1413 amends Oklahoma law to treat certain pleas or findings of guilt for stalking violations as formal convictions for sentencing in domestic violence cases. This change directly affects individuals who commit stalking offenses and later face domestic violence charges, as prior stalking pleas or findings will now count as prior convictions. The bill modifies sentencing provisions under Oklahoma Statutes Title 21, Section 1173, ensuring that stalking-related convictions impact sentencing severity for subsequent domestic violence offenses. This policy change standardizes how stalking history is considered in domestic violence sentencing without altering the underlying stalking penalties.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeTreats stalking pleas as convictions for sentencing, increasing penalties in domestic violence cases, aligning with stricter sentencing policies.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Oklahoma · House May 12, 2025

HB 1595: Crimes and punishments; assault and battery offenses; increasing penalties; effective date.

HB 1595 increases penalties for assault and battery offenses in Oklahoma, with specific enhancements for domestic violence cases. It raises jail terms for basic assault (to 90 days) and assault/battery (to 6 months), while creating felony charges for domestic abuse involving weapons (up to life imprisonment for deadly weapons) or against pregnant women (up to 20 years for injury to the fetus). The bill mandates 52-week certified batterers' intervention programs for domestic violence offenders convicted under these provisions, with strict attendance requirements, and requires courts to order counseling as a condition of probation. This directly affects individuals convicted of domestic violence against intimate partners or family members, as defined by Oklahoma law, and expands sentencing options for prosecutors. The law became effective May 12, 2025, after being signed without the Governor's signature.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for assault/battery (90 days to 6 months), creates new felonies for domestic violence with weapons/pregnant women, and mandates batterers' programs. This expands criminalization and increases mandatory sentences, opposing ...90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 541: Crimes and punishments; modifying provisions related to assault and battery. Effective date.

SB 541 requires offenders convicted of 22 specific serious crimes - including murder, rape, child abuse, human trafficking, and domestic violence with weapons - to serve at least 85% of their prison sentence before becoming eligible for parole. The bill also strengthens penalties for domestic violence, increasing sentences for assaults involving deadly weapons (up to life imprisonment) and adding harsher penalties for domestic abuse causing miscarriage or injury to a pregnant victim (minimum 10-20 years). It directly affects individuals convicted of these offenses in Oklahoma, removing parole eligibility for the first 85% of their sentence. The law, effective May 12, 2025, modifies existing statutes to mandate these sentencing requirements without allowing earned credits to reduce the required service period.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRequires 85% prison term before parole for serious crimes and increases penalties, restricting parole eligibility and opposing sentencing reform efforts.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 981: 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.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands bail denial for violent/repeat offenses, restricting defendant rights without reform focus95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 861: Crimes and punishments; gang-related offenses; modifying reference to certain offense. Effective date.

SB 861 amends Oklahoma law to clarify that individuals committing gang-related offenses - such as those listed in Section 856 of Title 21 - as a condition of gang membership or while associated with a gang face a mandatory 5-year prison term added to any other penalties. It updates statutory references to align with existing definitions of "criminal street gang" and "gang-related offense" from Section 856. The bill, effective November 1, 2025, directly affects criminal street gang members who commit specified offenses, reinforcing penalties for gang-associated criminal activity. It makes no new policy changes but corrects outdated references in current law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds mandatory 5-year prison term for gang-related offenses as condition of gang membership, increasing sentencing severity.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 813: Victim protective orders; modifying requirements for filing of certain petitions; requiring certain notice. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 813 updates Oklahoma's emergency protective order process for victims of domestic violence, stalking, harassment, rape, or related crimes. It requires peace officers to immediately provide victims with a petition form, assist in completing it, and contact a judge for emergency approval - then give victims a copy of the petition and a written statement confirming approval. The bill also mandates officers attempt to serve the order on the abuser, and if unable, file the petition with the court the next business day, with court clerks prioritizing service and assigning hearing dates. Additionally, it repeals a previous "Stalking Warning Letter" requirement and clarifies notice procedures to ensure victims receive timely information.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill streamlines victim protective orders for domestic violence/crimes, requiring officer assistance and immediate judicial approval - enhancing victim safety within criminal justice system.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Oklahoma · House May 8, 2025

HB 2376: Criminal procedure; directing the District Attorneys Council to annually provide list of early termination applications; effective date.

HB 2376 requires Oklahoma's District Attorneys Council to annually provide a report to the Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker by November 30 each year. The report must include all applications for early termination of suspended sentences (under specific eligibility rules) and copies of any objections or responses from district attorneys. This applies to individuals with suspended sentences exceeding five years who meet probation and rehabilitation requirements, or who qualify for an earlier review through education, certification, or consistent employment. The bill creates a transparent reporting mechanism to track these requests and objections, without altering the existing early hearing eligibility criteria.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates annual reporting on early termination of suspended sentences for rehab-qualified individuals, promoting sentencing reform and reducing recidivism through streamlined rehabilitation pathways.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice