Criminal Justice

signed · Oklahoma · House May 12, 2026

HB 3980: District Attorneys Council; Rural District Attorney Loan Repayment Assistance Program; Rural District Attorney Loan Repayment Assistance Program Revolving Fund; codification; effective date.

HB 3980 creates a program to help assistant district attorneys in rural Oklahoma pay back education loans. It provides state-funded repayment assistance of up to $5,000 per year (capped at $50,000 total) for eligible employees who work full-time in designated high-need rural districts. Participants must complete 2,000 hours of service for every $5,000 covered, and must repay the state pro-rata if they leave before meeting this requirement. The program is funded through a new state revolving fund managed by the District Attorneys Council.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds rural district attorneys' loan repayment to retain staff in high-need areas, strengthening prosecutorial capacity within criminal justice system.95% confidence

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 2164: Game wardens; requiring consent of property owner to enter property without probable cause; establishing gunshots do not constitute probable cause. Effective date,

SB 2164 requires Oklahoma game wardens to obtain a property owner's consent before entering private land without a valid legal reason, and specifically states that hearing gunshots alone does not constitute sufficient cause for entry. This bill directly affects landowners and game wardens by changing entry procedures on private property. The key provision clarifies that game wardens must secure permission from the owner to investigate potential violations on private land, rather than relying on the sound of gunshots as justification. The bill amends existing law to explicitly define these requirements without altering other game warden duties.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires property owner consent for entry, protecting civil rights against warrantless searches by game wardens; clarifies gunshots don't constitute probable cause.85% confidence

Track

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 633: Children; Children's Code; enacting Leo's Law; fentanyl testing; child endangerment; appropriating funds. Effective date.

SB 633 requires Oklahoma's Office of Juvenile Affairs to implement a centralized management system for juvenile records, integrating with existing child welfare and juvenile justice systems. It authorizes specific schools (including the Oklahoma School for the Blind and Deaf), public school districts, and other personnel already permitted under state law to access certain confidential records and reports. The system must secure data while enabling case-specific tracking and program monitoring. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables juvenile justice program monitoring for data-driven improvements, supporting rehabilitation-focused reforms within criminal justice system integration.70% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 3907: Vulnerable juveniles and adults; terms; Office of Juvenile Affairs; county juvenile detention centers; Department of Human Services; temporary staff members; effective date.

HB 3907 bans the use of temporary staffing agencies and contracting organizations for facilities serving vulnerable individuals in Oklahoma. The bill prohibits juvenile detention centers, post-adjudication treatment facilities, Intermediate Care Facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF-IID), and adult companion homes certified by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services from hiring temporary staff or using external staffing agencies. Instead, these facilities must directly hire full-time staff for all positions. The law applies to facilities operated by the Oklahoma Juvenile Authority, Department of Human Services, or Oklahoma Health Care Authority and takes effect November 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates direct hiring for juvenile detention centers and treatment facilities serving vulnerable individuals, improving oversight and care quality. Aligns with criminal justice reform goals of enhancing facility management and safety.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1309: Capital punishment; staying the execution of judgments in all death penalty cases; emergency.

HB 1309 halts all executions in Oklahoma for death penalty cases by suspending all execution procedures. It requires courts and the governor to vacate all current execution dates and prohibits setting new ones. The bill directly affects all inmates currently sentenced to death in Oklahoma, stopping their executions until the legislature acts. Execution statutes remain suspended until repealed, though death sentences themselves remain in effect.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill suspends all death penalty executions, aligning with criminal justice reform to reduce capital punishment use and protect defendant rights.90% confidence

Track

signed · Oklahoma · House May 15, 2025

HB 2103: Judicial Nominating Commission; recusal of member; removal of board member; campaign contributions disclosure; eligibility of members; effective date.

HB 2103 updates procedures for Oklahoma's Judicial Nominating Commission. It requires Commission members to recuse themselves if related by blood or marriage to a judicial applicant within the third degree, and mandates immediate removal for violations. The bill also requires members to disclose campaign contributions to judicial candidates within 10 days of receiving applications, with this information posted publicly online. These changes take effect November 1, 2025, and the bill was approved by the Governor on May 14, 2025. The law focuses on transparency and conflict avoidance in judicial appointments.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires judicial recusal and campaign disclosure to enhance court integrity and transparency, supporting judicial accountability within criminal justice system.85% confidence

in committee · Oklahoma · House Mar 5, 2025

HB 1108: Oklahoma Open Meeting Act; adding the Judicial Nominating Commission to the definition of a public body; effective date.

HB 1108 amends Oklahoma's Open Meeting Act to include the Judicial Nominating Commission within the definition of a "public body." This means meetings of the Judicial Nominating Commission, which recommends candidates for judicial appointments, will now be subject to the same open meeting requirements as other public bodies. Specifically, the commission must provide public notice, allow public attendance, and maintain accessible meeting records. The change takes effect November 1, 2025, directly affecting how judicial selection processes are conducted and observed.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeIncreases transparency in judicial appointments, enhancing oversight of court processes within criminal justice system.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Judges Tags Government Transparency

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 1295: Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board; creating Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board Revolving fund. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1295 creates a special fund within Oklahoma's State Treasury, managed by the Attorney General's Office, to develop a state and local database tracking domestic violence deaths. The bill appropriates $250,000 from the General Revenue Fund for fiscal year 2027 to support this database, which must be created within 24 months of the law's effective date (July 1, 2026). The database will be developed to meet requirements under existing law (Section 1601 of Title 22) for reviewing domestic violence fatalities. This funding directly supports the Attorney General's Office and local agencies involved in collecting and analyzing data on domestic violence-related deaths.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $250,000 from General Revenue Fund for domestic violence fatality database, funding a public safety program per budget allocation requirements.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates database for domestic violence fatality reviews, funds with $250k to improve understanding of patterns and prevent future deaths - direct criminal justice reform95% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue Domestic Violence

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 26, 2025

SB 513: Oklahoma Riot Control and Prevention Act; prohibiting certain entities from taking certain actions and authorizing certain activity during state of emergency. Effective date.

SB 513 amends Oklahoma's riot control law to grant the Governor emergency authority during declared states of emergency. The Governor may prohibit public assembly, certain weapons (like Molotov cocktails), hazardous materials, alcohol sales, or other activities deemed necessary to protect public safety, but **cannot** ban legal firearm possession or religious activities in places of worship. The bill also establishes legal remedies for individuals whose rights under these exceptions are violated, including the right to seek return of seized firearms. It takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill explicitly prohibits banning legal firearm possession and religious activities during emergencies, protecting civil rights while granting limited emergency powers. Aligns with 'protects civil rights' indicator.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms

Track

signed · Oklahoma · House May 12, 2026

HB 3981: District Attorneys Council; District Attorney Locality Incentive Program; District Attorney Locality Incentive Program Revolving Fund; codification; effective date.

HB 3981 creates a program to provide financial incentives to full-time prosecutors working in Oklahoma's designated high-need localities. Eligible prosecutors can receive up to $50,000 over five years, with potential additional $10,000 for each two-year service extension beyond that period, subject to available funding. To qualify, prosecutors must agree to a service obligation; leaving early requires repaying funds proportionally. The program is funded through a new revolving fund in the state treasury, managed by the District Attorneys Council, which determines high-need areas based on factors like population size, remoteness, and recruitment challenges.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates new revolving fund to provide $50k incentives for prosecutors in high-need areas, increasing state funding for public safety services.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds prosecutors in high-need areas to strengthen local justice systems through financial incentives and service obligations.95% confidence