Oklahoma National Guard; creating the Defend the Guard Act; establishing conditions for release of Oklahoma National Guard into active duty combat. Effective date.

SB 188, the "Defend the Guard Act," sets strict conditions for deploying Oklahoma National Guard members into active duty combat. It prohibits sending the Guard into active combat unless the U.S. Congress has formally declared war or specifically authorized such deployment under Article I, Section 8, Clause 15 of the Constitution (for executing federal law, repelling invasion, or suppressing insurrection). The bill directly affects Oklahoma National Guard members and their deployment decisions, requiring congressional action before combat deployment. It explicitly allows the Governor to still deploy Guard members under Title 32 for domestic missions like civil support within the U.S. or its territories. The act takes effect November 1, 2025.