SB 743: Criminal disturbance; specifying range of punishment for certain offenses; modifying elements of certain offense. Emergency. - Oklahoma

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

MODERATE

This bill was amended to change from a House version to a Senate version, which significantly altered the penalties and provisions related to religious disturbance and prostitution offenses. The Senate version increased fines for religious disturbance violations, added new felony provisions for prostitution-related offenses, and introduced plea agreement options for first-time commercial sex buyers.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include new felony provisions for prostitution and child sex trafficking, and modified penalty structures for religious disturbance offenses.

ENFORCEMENT

Penalties for religious disturbance violations were increased from a $500 fine to fines ranging from $2,500 to $7,500 depending on conviction history, plus potential community service.

SCOPE

New felony provisions were added for engaging in prostitution while HIV-positive (up to 5 years imprisonment) and child sex trafficking (up to 10 years imprisonment with fines up to $15,000).

REQUIREMENT

New requirement that courts notify the county superintendent of public health when convictions occur for prostitution-related offenses.

ELIGIBILITY

New plea agreement option allowing first-time commercial sex buyers to enter diversion programming instead of imprisonment, though subsequent convictions require imprisonment.

TIMELINE

Effective date changed from unspecified to November 1, 2025.

House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill → SB743 (3-25-25) (GOLLIHARE) FS FA1.PDF · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill changed from a committee substitute version to a floor substitute version of SB 743, which criminalizes disturbance of religious meetings in Oklahoma. The substantive policy content regarding religious assembly protections and penalties remains largely the same, though the document structure changed from 'Committee Substitute for Engrossed' to 'Floor Substitute' format.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding religious disturbance offenses remains unchanged; only the legislative document type changed from committee substitute to floor substitute.

TECHNICAL

Changed the legislative document type from 'Committee Substitute for Engrossed Senate Bill' to 'Floor Substitute' indicating the bill moved from committee review to floor consideration stage.

Updated requirement number from 13573 to 1873 and changed the tracking code from GRS to TEK, reflecting different legislative tracking systems.

Changed the date stamp from 04/17/25 to 3/25/2025, indicating a different version or revision date of the document.

Minor formatting changes in the bill text layout, including line breaks and spacing adjustments, but no substantive policy changes to the criminal provisions.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill · 3 edits

MINOR

The House Committee Substitute removed the 'Proposed Policy Committee' designation and renumbered the bill, while keeping the core text about protecting religious worship gatherings from disturbance. The substantive policy content regarding criminal disturbance at religious sites remains unchanged, with only minor formatting and tracking number updates.

TECHNICAL

Removed 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute' title designation and changed to 'Committee Substitute'

Updated tracking number from 13443 to 13573 and date from 04/07/25 to 04/17/25

Reformatted spacing and line breaks in the header section

Engrossed → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from its Engrossed version to a Proposed Policy Committee Substitute, which significantly reorganized the document structure and added new legislative findings about the importance of religious assembly rights. The substantive policy content regarding criminal disturbance of religious meetings remained largely the same, though some specific provisions about protest activities were modified to clarify entry/exit rights and add restrictions on approaching individuals within eight feet for leafleting or counseling.

Scope change

The bill's substantive scope regarding criminal penalties for disturbing religious meetings remained unchanged, but the document now includes new legislative findings declaring that protecting access to religious worship is a compelling public interest.

REQUIREMENT

Added new legislative findings in Section 1 stating that protecting access to places of religious worship is a compelling public interest and statewide concern

Modified Section 916 to clarify that knowingly obstructing or detaining entry/exit from religious meeting places is prohibited

Added new provision prohibiting knowingly approaching another person within eight feet for leafleting, displaying signs, or oral protest/counseling within 100 feet of a religious meeting entrance

TECHNICAL

Removed the original bill's formatting and committee amendment markings, replacing with clean Proposed Policy Committee Substitute format

Changed the bill title to include 'declaring legislative findings' and 'providing for noncodification' in the summary description

Amended And Engrossed → Engrossed · 4 edits · Mar 27, 2025

MODERATE

This bill amendment adds a new legislative finding about the right to protest at religious worship sites and establishes a felony offense for repeat offenders who willfully disturb religious meetings. The changes clarify that second or subsequent offenses are now felonies rather than misdemeanors, and add specific prohibited acts like engaging in protests or demonstrations near religious gatherings.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly includes protest activities as a prohibited act near religious worship sites and elevates repeat offenses from misdemeanors to felonies with harsher penalties.

SCOPE

Added legislative finding that balancing protest rights against religious worship rights is a matter of statewide concern.

ENFORCEMENT

Second or subsequent offenses for disturbing religious meetings are now felonies punishable by up to $1,000 fine and 2 years imprisonment instead of misdemeanors.

REQUIREMENT

Added new prohibited acts including engaging in protests, demonstrations, shows, or plays within one mile of religious worship locations.

TECHNICAL

Changed bill title to include 'providing for noncodification' and updated authorship information to reflect House and Senate coauthors.

Introduced → Amended And Engrossed · 5 edits · Mar 27, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten to change its subject matter from prostitution to criminal disturbance of religious meetings. The original text focused on penalties for prostitution offenses, while the new text establishes protections for religious assembly and defines specific acts that constitute criminal disturbance of religious worship.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from addressing prostitution-related offenses to addressing criminal disturbance of religious meetings and protests near places of worship.

SCOPE

All provisions related to prostitution penalties, fines, and plea agreements were removed from the bill.

New provisions establishing protections for religious assembly and defining criminal disturbance of religious meetings.

DEFINITION

New definitions for acts that constitute disturbance of religious meetings, including obstructing entry/exit, displaying signs, and approaching people within 8 feet.

ENFORCEMENT

New penalty structure for disturbing religious meetings, with misdemeanor penalties for first offenses and felony penalties for second or subsequent offenses.

TIMELINE

The bill was amended from 'Introduced' to 'Amended and Engrossed' status, indicating it has been revised and is in its final form before passage.

Criminal disturbance; specifying range of punishment for certain offenses; modifying elements of certain offense. Emergency.

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