Modernizing county record copying

The Senate unanimously approved SB 569, authored by Sen. Joe Newhouse, R-Tulsa, which would allow certified copies of county land records to be signed, notarized and recorded electronically.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the benefits of being able to provide timely services in a virtual manner,” Newhouse said.

Under the bill, the fee for an electronically certified copy would be the same as a paper copy.

“It’s important to note that the measure doesn’t require certified electronic copies to be used, rather it simply allows it,” Newhouse said.

Ending transplant discrimination

The Senate approved legislation prohibiting discrimination against a potential organ transplant recipient based solely on the person’s physical or mental disability.

Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, said Senate Bill 378, creating Everett’s Law, was requested by Edmond parents Rhys and Neely Gay.  Their middle child, Everett, age 3, was diagnosed with Down Syndrome shortly after he was born and has a congenital heart defect. 

Everett is healthy after undergoing five surgeries, but along the way, his parents learned that individuals with mental or physical challenges could be denied a life-saving transplant simply on the basis of a disability, so they began advocating for change. 

“I was stunned to find out that simply having a diagnosis of Down Syndrome could cause a beautiful child like Everett to be turned down for a transplant,” Rosino said. “Everett’s Law would prevent this kind of discrimination.”

Under SB 378, health care providers could not refuse to refer a person to a transplant waiting list or place them in a lower position on a list. They couldn’t decline insurance coverage and restricts insurance carriers.

“Everett is healthy now, but we don’t know what the future may bring. Our goal with this legislation is to make sure Oklahomans with disabilities, like our son, have a fair chance,” said Everett’s father, Rhys.  “

Reforming the Open Meeting Act

The Senate unanimously advanced legislation to modernize the state’s Open Meeting Act.

SB1032 requires all public meetings at a physical location include a livestream for citizens to be able to view meetings virtually, unless the governmental entity faces technical or logistical difficulties. It automatically allows for completely virtual public meetings immediately upon a declaration of emergency by the governor.

Tougher penalties for crimes during riots

The Senate approved to a bill strengthening penalties for people who commit crimes during riots. 

SB 806 strengthens penalties for crimes including assault of a law enforcement officer, details penalties for those who refuse orders to disperse and for those who block or obstruct traffic on public highways or streets, as well as those who deface or destroy property during riots. The bill would also make community service and restitution mandatory, instead of optional.

Wiretaps for child sexual exploitation

Senate Bill 980 would amend state law for obtaining a court order for a wiretap to include crimes related to child sexual exploitation. It  got a unanimous vote in the Senate. According to the OSBI, 3,681 of these tips involved child pornography, 194 were reports of online enticement of children for sexual acts and 39 reported child sex trafficking or child sex tourism.. 

Mandating seatbelts for children

The Senate passed SB 339, which would require any child 17 years old and younger riding in the back seat of a passenger vehicle to properly wear a seatbelt.  The bill was approved by the Senate last year, but stalled in the House due to the shortened session caused by the pandemic.

“Oklahoma is the only state in the entire country that doesn’t require seat belts for kids over the age of eight, and it’s no coincidence that vehicle fatalities are the number one cause of death for children over this age here in our state,” Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington, said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury death for children ages five to 19. Oklahoma requires the driver, front seat passenger and child passengers under the age of 8 to wear a seat belt, but has not for children ages 8-17. Rep. Ross Ford, R-Broken Arrow, is the House principal author.

Child identity theft penalties

The Senate approved Senate Bill 312 which would create harsher penalties for those who steal the identity of a person under the age of 18.

“Victims of identity theft can deal with the fallout of the crime for years, but it’s often more challenging for children because the theft isn’t typically caught until adulthood,” Sen. George Burns, R-Pollard, said.

According to a 2018 study, more than a million children across America were victims of identity theft in 2017, resulting in $2.67 billion in losses and $540 million in out-of-pocket expenses for families. Under the bill, the penalty would be a felony punishable by either two to 10 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $100,000, or both a fine and prison time.

Now, the penalty for identity theft is a felony punishable by one to five years in prison, or a fine not to exceed $100,000.