OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, this week secured passage of House Bills 2589 and 2608 in the House.

House Bill 2589 would allow county sheriffs or jail trust administrators to request an immediate transfer of inmates from their jails to the Department of Corrections. The Department would be required to schedule transport of the inmate or inmates within three working days after the request is made.

“These are men and women that have already been sentenced for crimes committed, and they are the responsibility of the Department of Corrections,” Humphrey said. “This bill just allows county sheriffs or jail trust administrators to request an immediate transport of these individuals from the jail to prison should the need arise.”

Humphrey said the Department of Corrections worked with him on the legislation. It passed in the House last year but did not advance in the Senate. This year, the bill passed unanimously in the House and now awaits committee assignment in the Senate. It is authored in that chamber by Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant.

House Bill 2608 would modify the definition of “local law enforcement authority” within the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registration Act to include the police or law enforcement officers of any federally recognized Indian nation or tribe in Oklahoma. This will require persons subject to registration to report to such law enforcement if they reside or stay within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Indian nation or tribe.

Humphrey explained that this does not put additional burden on the offender, but instead just allows the state’s federally recognized Native American nations or tribes to access the information in the state’s sex offender registration and for the state to have access to the systems the tribes use as well.

“This is so all people in the state can know who is a registered sex offender and where they reside. This will help us keep all Oklahomans safe,” Humphrey said.

He said the request for the bill came from the Department of Corrections. He also visited with the Choctaw Nation, which is in his House district, and they expressed no problem with the bill. He believes other tribes will want to participate as well.

“I think it is a good thing to try to work with our tribal governments to try to extend law enforcement across boundaries and help each other in this manner,” Humphrey said.

This bill also now moves to the Senate where it is authored by Sen. Bullard.