Criminal Justice

HB 1861 amends Oklahoma's prostitution-related offense penalties in Section 1031 of the statutes. It creates a new felony charge for engaging in prostitution while knowingly infected with HIV (Section B), increases penalties for child prostitution (Section C), and escalates violations near schools/churches to felony status with fines up to $7,500 and up to 5 years in prison (Section D). The bill directly affects individuals committing these specific prostitution-related offenses under the defined circumstances. It takes effect November 1, 2025.

HB 1362 makes it a crime for non-U.S. citizens (defined as "aliens") to enter or remain in Oklahoma without legal authorization to be in the United States. First offenses are misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail or a $500 fine; second offenses or offenses committed during other crimes are felonies punishable by up to two years in prison or a $1,000 fine. The law requires convicted individuals to leave Oklahoma within 72 hours and mandates law enforcement to collect biometric data and check federal databases. It also preempts local governments from enacting conflicting immigration policies and creates an alternative to prison: if conditions are met (no prior violent crime, not charged with another felony), courts can order deportation instead of incarceration.

HB 1968 authorizes Oklahoma's Pardon and Parole Board to appoint five alternate members with specific qualifications, including former prosecutors, public defenders, judges, mental health professionals, and corrections officers. The bill requires all board members and alternates to complete annual training on topics like offender rehabilitation and effective intervention methods. It establishes salaries of $85,000 per year for regular members and $42,500 for alternates, with pay tied to meeting attendance requirements. Additionally, the bill prohibits board members from representing inmates in legal matters to prevent conflicts of interest and mandates disclosure of potential conflicts.

HB 1593 prevents prosecutors from disqualifying peace officers as witnesses based on unproven misconduct allegations. It allows officers who are placed on a "Do Not Call" list for alleged misconduct to dispute the claim by filing a petition with the Attorney General. An administrative law judge will hold a hearing to review the allegations, and if the misconduct claim isn't proven by a preponderance of evidence, the officer must be reinstated as credible. Courts must then consider the judge's findings when evaluating the officer's testimony. This bill directly affects peace officers and changes how misconduct allegations impact their ability to testify in criminal cases.