Legislation by Reps. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, and Brian Hill, R-Mustang, that will revolutionize the way Oklahomans re-enter the workforce after incarceration has been signed into law.

House Bill 1679 would require the Oklahoma Dept. of Corrections (DOC) to identify inmates leaving custody within nine months of release and begin gathering certain documentation to help them find post-incarceration employment. The documentation would include a four-year state ID, birth certificates, Social Security cards, vocational training records, work records and resumes.

HB1679 is named the “Sarah Stitt Act” after First Lady Sarah Stitt’s work to help people leaving incarceration find employment and enter the workforce after the historic commutations in Nov. 2019. It takes effect Nov. 1, 2021.