Child custody; authorizing district courts to place a child in temporary emergency custody in certain circumstance. Effective date.

SB 1774 authorizes Oklahoma district courts to place a child in temporary emergency custody for up to 72 hours when a parent refuses to cooperate with a Department of Human Services investigation into alleged child abuse or neglect. This provision directly affects children in potential abuse cases, parents who block investigations, and district courts making custody decisions. The bill amends existing law to allow courts to issue these emergency custody orders upon a district attorney’s application, following a parent’s refusal to cooperate during an investigation. It does not change the core process for investigating abuse or neglect but adds a specific tool for situations where parental non-cooperation endangers a child’s immediate safety. The measure focuses on enabling swift court intervention to protect children during active investigations.