Criminal Justice

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 14, 2025

SB 83: Prisons and reformatories; modifying elements of exemption to certain account. Effective date.

SB 83 amends Oklahoma law governing inmate trust funds for prisoners working in prison industries or the Construction Division. It requires that at least 20% of most inmates' wages be placed in a mandatory savings account (exempt for life-sentence inmates), with funds payable upon release. The bill specifies that interest from these accounts goes to the Crime Victims Compensation Fund, not inmates, and establishes rules for accessing funds (e.g., transfers between accounts limited to once every 90 days). This directly affects incarcerated Oklahomans earning wages through prison work programs.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates inmate savings for post-release support, funds Crime Victims Fund with interest - supports rehabilitation and victim compensation, aligning with reform goals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1042: Sunset; Opioid Overdose Fatality Review Board; extending sunset year.

HB 1042 extends the expiration date of Oklahoma's Opioid Overdose Fatality Review Board from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026, under the state's Sunset Law. The board, created within the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, reviews opioid overdose deaths (for individuals 18+) to analyze causes, coordinate prevention efforts, and make system improvement recommendations to medical and law enforcement agencies. This procedural bill does not alter the board's existing duties - such as data collection, confidential case reviews, or annual reporting - but ensures its continued operation for one additional year.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExtends oversight board analyzing opioid deaths to improve prevention and coordination with law enforcement, supporting systemic reform through data-driven prevention efforts.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends opioid overdose fatality review board, maintaining public health prevention efforts under mental health services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Law Enforcement Mental Health Substance Abuse

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1045: Homeless persons; identification cards; replacement fee; definition; fees for certified copies of records; certified birth certificate copy fee; requirements; effective date.

HB 1045 exempts homeless Oklahoma residents from fees for state-issued identification cards by requiring Service Oklahoma to issue them free of charge upon submission of proof of temporary residence through a social worker or emergency shelter coordinator. It also mandates that the Department of Corrections provide homeless inmates with free non-compliant ID cards upon release, valid for four years (one year for sex offenders). The bill modifies existing ID fee structures, maintaining standard fees for others while specifically waiving costs for homeless individuals and certain other groups like seniors and disabled veterans.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProvides free ID for homeless inmates upon release to aid reintegration, reducing recidivism risk and supporting correctional reentry programs.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingExempts homeless residents from ID fees, removing a key barrier to accessing housing and services, directly addressing homelessness per topic indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Homelessness

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signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 216: Driver licenses; extension of certain driver license; requiring mailing of driver license to certain individual. Effective date.

SB 216 extends Oklahoma driver license expiration dates for individuals released from state prison who held valid licenses before incarceration. It directly affects people convicted of non-mandatory-revocation offenses who had unexpired licenses during their sentence. The bill requires the Department of Corrections to provide release documentation to help obtain a provisional license without upfront fee payments, and sets a $25 monthly payment plan for outstanding fees after a six-month period. Service Oklahoma may suspend provisional licenses for non-payment. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExtends driver licenses for post-prison reentry, removing financial barriers to employment and reducing recidivism risk - core criminal justice reform.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

died · Oklahoma · House Feb 17, 2025

HB 2150: Crimes and punishments; unauthorized camps; making certain acts unlawful; codification; effective date.

HB 2150 makes it a crime to establish unauthorized camps, directly affecting individuals or groups setting up such camps without authorization. The bill changes the penalty for this offense from up to one year in jail to a maximum of thirty days. This amendment, adopted by the committee, clarifies the specific criminal punishment for violating this provision. The bill focuses on defining and penalizing unauthorized camp setups under criminal law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReduces maximum penalty for unauthorized camps from 1 year to 30 days, aligning with criminal justice reform by lowering incarceration severity.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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signed · Oklahoma · House May 8, 2025

HB 1991: Criminal procedure; authorizing defendants to post bond in another jurisdiction under certain circumstances; effective date.

HB 1991 allows defendants held in Oklahoma county, municipal, or regional jails to post bond in another Oklahoma jurisdiction to resolve custody holds from that other county. Specifically, if a defendant has a hold from another county, they can post bond in the requesting county, and once proof of bond posting is provided, the hold is released. This changes existing procedure by enabling defendants to secure release from inter-county holds without waiting for the original county to process bond requests. The bill applies directly to defendants confined in Oklahoma jails facing out-of-county custody requests and takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables faster defendant release by allowing bond posting across jurisdictions, reducing unnecessary pretrial detention and aligning with criminal justice reform goals of minimizing jail populations.85% confidence

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 144: Department of Corrections; creating the Reentry and Housing Pilot Program and Revolving Fund. Effective date.

SB 144 creates a five-year pilot program for Oklahoma's Department of Corrections to help formerly incarcerated people find stable housing and access reentry services. It requires the DOC to develop affordable housing in rural and urban areas, identify high-risk inmates for homelessness, and modify existing programs to provide parenting, job skills, and substance abuse treatment support. The program will be funded through a new revolving fund in the state treasury, using state appropriations, grants, and donations, with up to 5% of funds allowed for administrative costs. The DOC must contract an independent evaluator to assess the program's effectiveness in reducing recidivism and submit annual reports to lawmakers. This bill directly affects inmates released from Oklahoma prisons who face housing instability upon release.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates a new revolving fund in state treasury using state appropriations to fund DOC reentry housing program, advancing public service funding through budget allocation.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeSB 144 creates a reentry program with housing, job skills, and treatment to reduce recidivism, directly advancing criminal justice reform through funding and service expansion.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill includes substance abuse treatment support as part of reentry services, aligning with healthcare access indicators for mental health/substance abuse care.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingCreates affordable housing program for formerly incarcerated individuals via new revolving fund, directly advancing housing access for vulnerable population.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Probation & Parole Substance Abuse Affordable Housing Homelessness

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passed · Oklahoma · House Feb 2, 2026

HB 1990: Firearms; defining term; effective date.

HB 1990 amends Oklahoma's firearm law (21 O.S. 21, Section 1283) to clarify restrictions on firearm possession. It specifically allows individuals with a full pardon for nonviolent felonies to regain firearm rights, while maintaining prohibitions for: convicted felons (without pardon), people on felony probation, delinquent children/youthful offenders (for 10 years after adjudication), and illegal aliens. The bill also defines key terms like "altered toy pistol" and "sawed-off shotgun" to clarify enforcement. This amendment takes effect November 1, 2025, and directly affects restricted groups by defining their firearm access under state law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestores firearm rights for pardoned nonviolent felons, reducing post-conviction barriers and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms Probation & Parole

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signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 14, 2025

SB 391: Opioid overdose fatalities; dissolving Overdose Fatality Review Board; providing for Attorney General oversight. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 391 extends the Opioid Overdose Fatality Review Board's existence until July 1, 2026 (correcting the bill title's "dissolving" error), requiring it to review opioid overdose cases involving adults. The Board gathers confidential records from medical examiners, hospitals, law enforcement, and other agencies to identify systemic issues in medical or law enforcement responses, then makes recommendations for improvement. All case discussions and recommendations remain confidential and privileged, not admissible in court, while the Board must publish an annual public report by February 1 detailing its findings and system coordination. This directly affects state agencies (like mental health services, law enforcement, and medical examiners) and ensures public transparency through annual reports.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill extends Opioid Overdose Review Board to identify systemic issues in law enforcement responses, making recommendations for improvement. Aligns with criminal justice reform by enhancing oversight and accountability.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes board to review opioid overdose cases and improve medical/law enforcement responses, strengthening public health system oversight in healthcare.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Drug Policy Law Enforcement Mental Health Substance Abuse

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 218: Offenders; providing extension of certain driver licenses under certain circumstances. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 218 extends the expiration date of Oklahoma driver licenses for individuals released from prison who held a valid license before incarceration, automatically adding six months to their license term after release. It requires the Department of Corrections to provide documentation to help these individuals obtain a temporary provisional license through Service Oklahoma, with a $25 monthly payment plan toward outstanding fees. The bill also mandates that the Department of Corrections assist released inmates in securing post-release employment documentation, such as birth certificates and vocational records, as part of related provisions. This applies to non-mandatory-revocation offenses and does not grant driving privileges outside Oklahoma.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExtends driver licenses for prison releases to aid reintegration, reducing barriers to employment and stability, aligning with criminal justice reform goals to lower recidivism.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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