Criminal Justice (Policing)

HB 2186, the "Pretrial Data Collection Act," requires Oklahoma police departments, sheriff offices, and county jails to collect and report specific data about individuals in pretrial detention starting January 1, 2026. It mandates monthly collection of demographic details (like race, age, ZIP code, and unhoused status), offense information, mental health/substance use disorder status, jail costs, and facility metrics (such as operational capacity and average stay length). This data must be submitted to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and published publicly in machine-readable format by July 2026. The bill directly affects law enforcement agencies, county jails, and the public, aiming to standardize pretrial data for transparency and analysis.

SB 1056 creates direct liability for Oklahoma peace officers (including police and deputies) who, under color of law, cause others to suffer injuries from the deprivation of rights protected by the Bill of Rights or Oklahoma Constitution’s Article II. The bill removes qualified immunity as a defense in such cases and prohibits statutory immunities or limitations on liability from applying to these claims. It requires employers to indemnify officers for judgments or settlements arising under this law, except when an officer acted recklessly or was convicted of a related crime. The law also mandates courts to award reasonable attorney fees to winning plaintiffs and takes effect November 1, 2025.