Sen. Brent Howard

Maddy summaryHB 1850 establishes the "Oklahoma Uniform Trust Code," creating a comprehensive set of laws governing how trusts are formed and administered in the state. This legislation directly affects individuals and organizations involved in creating, managing, or benefiting from various types of trusts, including charitable and noncharitable trusts. The bill outlines clear rules for defining trust terms, the duties and powers of trustees, and managing trustee liability. It also provides guidelines for creditor claims against trusts, modifying or terminating trusts, and ensures proper administration of trust property.

Maddy summaryHB 2619 (the Foreign Litigation Funding Prevention Act) requires parties in Oklahoma civil lawsuits to disclose any commercial litigation funding agreements during discovery, including certification about whether foreign governments or entities (like foreign states or their agencies) provided funds. It directly affects businesses, individuals, and legal teams involved in civil cases using such funding. The law mandates this disclosure but prohibits using the funding details as evidence at trial, while exempting consumer litigation funding agreements. This creates a clear process for identifying foreign financial involvement in lawsuits without allowing that information to influence trial outcomes.

Maddy summarySB 607 allows statements made by domestic abuse victims to law enforcement within one week of an incident, on protective order applications within one week, or as testimony at protective order hearings to be automatically admissible as evidence in criminal and juvenile domestic abuse cases. This applies to pre-trial hearings, probation revocation hearings, and other related proceedings. The bill directly affects victims seeking legal protection and prosecutors building cases, streamlining the use of timely victim statements without requiring additional verification. It becomes effective November 1, 2025, and codifies these admissibility rules in Oklahoma's Evidence Code.

Maddy summaryHB 2117 establishes Oklahoma's "Uniform Collaborative Law Act," creating a legal framework for resolving civil disputes (like divorce or business conflicts) without court intervention. It requires parties to sign a written agreement outlining their intention to use collaborative law, with each party represented by a "collaborative lawyer" who follows specific rules. The law defines key terms, mandates confidentiality for communications during the process, and sets clear rules for starting (when the agreement is signed) and ending (through resolution or written notice) the collaborative process. This directly affects individuals and their attorneys involved in such disputes, offering an alternative to traditional litigation.

Maddy summaryHB 2117 enacts the Uniform Collaborative Law Act, establishing a new framework for resolving civil disputes outside of traditional court proceedings. This act allows individuals and organizations in a dispute to work with their specially designated "collaborative lawyers" to reach a resolution. Participation is voluntary, requiring a signed agreement that outlines the matter and the parties' intent to resolve it collaboratively. The bill details how this collaborative process begins, how it concludes with a signed resolution, or how it terminates if a party decides to pursue traditional litigation.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 607 modifies the Oklahoma Evidence Code regarding domestic abuse cases. It allows certain statements made by victims of domestic abuse to be admissible as evidence in criminal and juvenile domestic abuse prosecutions. For a statement to be admissible, it must have been made to a law enforcement officer or on a protective order application within one week of the incident, or given as testimony at a protective order hearing. This change applies to various stages of prosecution, including preliminary hearings and probation revocation hearings.

Maddy summaryHB 2619 amends Oklahoma's discovery laws, primarily affecting parties involved in commercial litigation that utilize third-party funding. The bill requires parties to produce any commercial litigation funding agreements upon request and to certify, via a sworn affidavit, if any funds originate from a foreign state or its agencies. While these agreements must be disclosed, the information contained within them is not admissible as evidence at trial. Consumer litigation funding agreements are specifically exempt from these new disclosure requirements.

Maddy summarySB 536 amends Oklahoma election law to clarify when an assistant secretary can act for a county election board secretary. It requires county boards to notify the State Election Board when appointing an assistant secretary and authorizes the assistant secretary to perform the secretary’s duties during absences (e.g., illness) or vacancies (e.g., death, resignation), with written approval from the State Election Board Secretary. During these periods, the assistant secretary may also vote at board meetings. The bill also sets salary rules, requiring the assistant secretary’s minimum pay to be 90% of the secretary’s salary.

Maddy summaryThis bill, SB 536, clarifies the roles and responsibilities of assistant secretaries for county election boards in Oklahoma. It requires county election board secretaries to notify the State Election Board of their assistant secretary's employment. The bill authorizes the assistant secretary to perform the duties of the secretary during absences due to illness, disqualification, or other approved reasons, as well as during a vacancy in the secretary's office. Additionally, it allows the assistant secretary to serve as a voting member of the county election board in such circumstances, provided they have written authorization from the Secretary of the State Election Board.

Maddy summaryHB 1991 allows defendants held in Oklahoma county, municipal, or regional jails to post bond in another Oklahoma jurisdiction to resolve custody holds from that other county. Specifically, if a defendant has a hold from another county, they can post bond in the requesting county, and once proof of bond posting is provided, the hold is released. This changes existing procedure by enabling defendants to secure release from inter-county holds without waiting for the original county to process bond requests. The bill applies directly to defendants confined in Oklahoma jails facing out-of-county custody requests and takes effect November 1, 2025.