Crimes and punishments; modifying scope of crime to include strangulation; effective date.

HB 1625 amends Oklahoma's law defining aggravated assault on law enforcement officers to explicitly include strangulation as a criminal act. The bill expands the felony assault definition to cover any act causing asphyxia through neck pressure or closing air passages (e.g., choking), directly affecting police officers, sheriffs, deputies, highway patrol officers, corrections personnel, and state peace officers. This change makes strangulation during an assault on these officers a separate felony offense with penalties of 5 years to life in prison or fines up to $5,000. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025, and does not alter existing penalties for other assault types.