Bills regarding gambling, guns and alcohol were signed into law in April as part of the 2021 Oklahoma Legislative Session.

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed HB1684, which gives law enforcement more discretion when determining if arrests are warranted for gambling violations.

Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, was the Senate author of the legislation.

“With passage of HB 1684, a statute that was put in place in 1939 is amended to give law enforcement discretion on whether or not to arrest citizens involved in illegal gambling or report it to the District Attorney,” he said.

Oklahoma continued the liberalization of state liquor laws with the signing of HB 2277, which codifies that  mixed beverage licensees permitted to offer drink specials are not required to offer them at all venues operating under the same license.

HB 2277 was authored by Sen. James Leewright, R-Bristow.

“I’m proud of the strides our state has made on behalf of business owners and consumers in modernizing our state laws on alcohol sales – HB 2277 is part of that process,” Leewright said.

Heartbeat bill

Stitt signed HB 2441 that will stop abortions from being performed once an unborn child is determined to have a detectable heartbeat.

Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, the Senate author of the legislation, said, “I believe life begins at conception, but with the detection of a fetal heartbeat no one can doubt that the baby in the womb is alive and must be protected.  HB 2441 will do just that.”

Democrats called HB 2441 “a waste of time and money” because they anticipate it will be overturned by Oklahoma’s liberal Supreme Court.

Unlawful assembly

Stitt today signed a bill that adds unlawful assembly to Oklahoma’s Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. 

“This is one of many bills passed this session that is aimed at curbing the increase in rioting we have seen over the past year,” said Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore. “Many otherwise peaceful protests are being co-opted by individuals whose goal is to create and escalate uncontrollable confrontation and mayhem, which is certainly not free speech. What is different about this bill is that it is targeted at those who organize, promote, and otherwise incite the riots, violence, looting, and property damage we’ve seen, even if they are not physically present..”

The Oklahoma anti-racketeering law is based on the federal government’s RICO statute. RICO, passed federally in 1970, is designed to combat organized crime.

Stitt also signed into law a bill that will protect motorists fleeing a riot from criminal and civil liability.

House Bill 1674 by Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, creates a new section of law that protects motor vehicle operators fleeing a riot under a reasonable belief their actions are necessary to protect them from serious injury or death.

“I certainly support the right to peacefully protest and assemble,” West said. “I will not, however, endorse rioters that spill onto city or state streets, blocking traffic and even harming property of vehicle operators who are simply trying to move freely.”

A bill aimed at promoting civility during local government meetings has been signed into law. 

SB 403 expands existing law which makes it illegal for anyone to willfully disturb, interfere or disrupt state business to include local government meetings held by school boards, county and municipal governments.

“While people have a right and even a responsibility to participate in their government, that doesn’t include disrupting those meetings so that the business of the people cannot be conducted,” said Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City. 

Under SB 403, those convicted of violating this statute would be guilty of a misdemeanor and would face up to a year in the county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

Racist indoctrination

The Senate passed HB 1775, which prevents public school teachers or administrators or other employee of a state agency, school district, charter school or virtual charter school would be required to engage in training, orientation or therapy that presents any form of race or sex stereotyping or blame on the basis of race or sex.

“I would like to thank my Senate friends for the passage of House Bill 1775,” said Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman. “I am honored to be a coauthor on this desperately needed legislation in the face of the highly inappropriate and racist training going on in Oklahoma schools today.  It’s happening in the schools in my hometown of Norman, where teacher training, using terms like ‘whiteness,’ ‘institutionalized racism,’ and ‘white supremacy,’ are leading children to judge each other more by the color of their skin than the content of their character—the exact opposite of Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream.

“I encourage every parent to make certain their schools are not making some students feel that, solely based on the color of their skin, they are naturally racist, they are inferior or superior, or in any way anything but equal to any other student.”

2nd Amendment Sanctuary State

Oklahoma is officially a Second Amendment Sanctuary State after the governor signed Senate Bill 631.

The measure pre-empts the entire field of legislation by any agency or political subdivision of the state to infringe upon the Second Amendment rights of Oklahoma citizens.

The measure also states any federal, state, county or municipal act, law, executive order, administrative order, court order, rule, policy or regulation ordering the buy-back, confiscation or surrender of firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition from law-abiding citizens of this state will also be unlawful as an infringement on the right to keep and bear arms.

The House principal author of the measure was Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy.

“Continued federal overreach on the part of the current administration shows just how vital this piece of legislation is,” Roberts said.

Religious Freedom Act

Stitt signed the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act to protect the constitutional right to worship.

House Bill 2648 dictates that anything closing places of worship would be considered a substantial burden on people’s freedom of religion. The bill’s author, Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, filed the legislation after learning that many states’ governments had forced places of worship to close throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is of the upmost importance that we ensure our God-given right to worship is protected no matter the circumstances,” Hill said

HB2648 was authored in the Senate by Sen. ICE cooperation

Stitt signed HB 2774 to help federal ICE officials locate illegal aliens who are in county or municipal jails.

Rep. John Pfeiffer, R-Orlando, said, “We’ve seen multiple cases in our state where illegal immigrants were detained for criminal activity but released because law enforcement did not have clearly defined guidance in statute. This has caused great concern for public safety.”

Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy, said, “We have millions of illegal immigrants currently in our country, and thanks to current federal policies those numbers are increasing daily.”

HB 2774 requires all sheriffs, jailers, prison keepers, and their deputies to allow reasonable access to their facilities to ICE officials to identify inmates.  According to the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), there are an estimated 11 million illegal or unauthorized immigrants in the U.S.

State employee protections

Two bills protecting the leave of state employees during governor-declared state emergencies are now law.

Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, authored the bills after learning of the hundreds of hours of annual and compensatory leave accrued during the pandemic, and state employees not being able or allowed to take it by the end of the year.        

SB 282 allows, during an emergency declaration, a temporary increase in accumulation limits for state employee annual leave, which may carry over to the end of the fiscal year in which the emergency declaration ends.  Under current law, state employees can accrue a set amount of annual leave based on their years of service. Once the cap is surpassed, the employee has until December 31 to use any excess annual leave or it is lost. For state employees with less than five years of service, the limit is 240 hours. Those with five or more years of service can accrue up to 480 hours.

SB 333 allows for the same increase and carry over for state employee compensatory time. Rules for comp time are set by each state agency in line with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Both bills will go into effect November 1, 2021.

State Pet

State Rep. Mark McBride’s dog Cali is ready for her moment as the spokesdog for the state after the governor signed a bill designating rescue animals the state pet.

Cali, an 80-pound Catahoula mix McBride adopted from the Moore Animal Shelter, served as the inspiration for Cali’s Law, House Bill 1816.

“I’d never let a dog in my house before I got Cali,” McBride said. “Now, my wife and I have a second rescue dog, and we just love them both. We’re hoping others will join us in adopting other rescue animals, which in turn will help our municipalities reduce the cost of running their shelters or building bigger ones for lost or abandoned pets.”

The bill doesn’t designate any one animal species as the state pet, so it can be a cat, dog, turtle or any number of animals. McBride said he’s even been asked if an elephant could be considered a rescue animal. He said, sure, as long as someone is willing to adopt it and care for it and is allowed to have it according to municipal ordinance.

Medical marijuana investors

The Senate approved legislation to ensure disclosure of foreign investments in medical marijuana businesses. 

“The issue of foreign investors purchasing land and facilities in Oklahoma in order to get into the medical marijuana business is something folks in my district are increasingly concerned about, and one that is a concern throughout the entire state,” Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt said. 

HB 2272 would require current medical marijuana business licensees and applicants seeking licensure as a medical marijuana business to submit an attestation confirming or denying the existence of any foreign financial interests in their operation, and to disclose such ownership within 60 days to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.

HB 2272 now returns to the House for consideration of Senate amendments.

Grieving families

Legislation was signed to better protect the rights of grieving families after the loss of a pregnancy. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, said the legislation was requested by a mother, who after losing two children to miscarriage, discovered through her work for a pregnancy and infant loss ministry that many families are not aware of their right to request their children’s remains.

“Under current law, healthcare providers only have to let those families who suffer a loss after 12 weeks of their right to request their child’s remains. Losing a child at any stage of pregnancy is heartbreaking for families, but can be even worse when medical facilities dispose of the infant’s remains without first checking with the parents,” Pugh said.

Electric cars

Stitt approved legislation that will ensure all vehicles – fuel-powered and electric – that use Oklahoma’s state highways are equally contributing to the cost of maintaining the infrastructure.

Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, said that other states are addressing this topic as well, with some already passing laws relating to the electric vehicle industry. He said Oklahoma’s is among the most equitable. HB 2234 enacts a three-cent tax per kilowatt hour to charge an electric vehicle (EV) at a public for-profit charging station – capturing funding from out-of-state drivers.

There would be no tax for EVs that charge at home. The measure would charge registration fees for EVs based on the vehicle’s weight and type and would provide an income tax credit to Oklahomans for charging taxes paid at a charging station, not to exceed the EV registration fee. The bill combined with SB600 will exempt low-voltage and free charging stations from charging the tax.

Early voting

The Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation to allow voters more time to cast early ballots.

Under HB 2663, a registered voter may apply for an in-person absentee ballot from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the Thursday and Friday immediately preceding any county election, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Saturday immediately preceding a general, primary, runoff primary or presidential preferential primary election. The bill would also allow such ballots to be cast from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding a general election.

According to the U.S. Elections Project, just over 55% of the state’s 2.85 million voting-eligible citizens participated in the November election, while more than 66% of eligible voters nationwide participated.

House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, said, “We want qualified voters to have every opportunity to vote in an election no matter what emergency might be taking place. We also, however, want certified election results on election day. Extending early voting helps us accomplish both.”

The Oklahoma Election Board reported that just over 1.56 million Oklahomans voted in the November general election, an increase of nearly 7.5% from 2016. Close to 69%, or more than two-thirds, of registered Oklahoma voters cast their ballots.

According to the nonpartisan National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), early voting periods in the U.S. range in length from four days to 45 days, with the average length being 19 days. 

Tuition assistance

Stiff signed House Bill 1821, which would modify the Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG) program to ensure more Oklahoma students can afford higher learning options.

The program is offered to low-income students on a first-come, first-serve basis. This measure would grant priority based on other factors including full-time or part-time enrollment status, unmet financial need, continuous enrollment, nearness to completion of a degree or certificate, state employment needs and eligibility for other state and institutional student financial aid, including other scholarships.

Natural gas bills

House Bill 1815 was signed by the governor. The measure requires the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, by Dec. 1, to issue a report and recommendations to the Legislature regarding the ability and appropriateness of natural gas utilities to buy, transport and deliver renewable natural gas to customers.

The report also is to address a recommendation for the state’s renewable fuel standard or goal to more proactively promote biogas, renewable natural gas and hydrogen as solutions for reducing methane emissions and other environmental problems.

State question costs

A bill to ensure Oklahomans are informed about the costs associated with a state question and where that funding could come from is now law. 

Under SB 947, ballot titles would have to include information about whether a state question would have a fiscal impact, including the amount and where the funding could come from, such as federal funding, or a legislative appropriation, which may require a new tax, an increase of an existing tax, or elimination of existing services.

The requirement would apply to state questions created by the initiative petition process as well as those submitted by the Legislature.