Req. No. 2751 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022) SENATE BILL 1674 By: Rader AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to protective orders; amending 22 O.S. 2021, Section 60.2, which relate s to petition for protective order; modifying eligibility requirements for filing petition for protective order; and providing an effective date . BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 22 O.S. 2021, Section 60.2, is amended to read as follows: Section 60.2. A. A victim of domestic abuse, a victim of stalking, a victim of harassment, a victim of rape, any adult or emancipated minor household member on behalf o f any other family or household member who is a minor or incompetent, or any minor age sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years may seek relief u nder the provisions of the Protection from Domestic Abuse Act. 1. The person seeking relief may file a petition fo r a protective order with the district court in the county in which the victim resides, the county in which the defendant resides, or the county in which the domestic violence occurred. If the person Req. No. 2751 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 seeking relief is a victim of stalking but is not a fam ily or household member or an individual who is or has been in a dating relationship with the defendant, the person seeking relief must file a complaint against the defendant with the proper law enforcement agency before filing a petition for a protective order with the district court. The person seeking relief shall provide a copy of the complaint that was filed with the law enforcement agenc y at the full hearing if the complaint is not available from the law enforcement agency. Failure to provide a copy of the complaint filed with the law enforcement agency shall constitute a frivolous filing and the court may assess attorney fees and court costs against the plaintiff pursuant to paragraph 2 of subsection C of this section. The filing of a petition for a protective order sha ll not require jurisdiction or venue of the crimin al offense if either the plaintiff or defendant resides in the county . If a petition has been filed in an action for divorce or separate maintenance and either party to the action fil es a petition for a pr otective order in the same county where the action for divorce or separate maintenance is filed, the petition for the p rotective order may be heard by the court hearing the divorce or separate maintenance action if: a. there is no established protective or der docket in such court, or Req. No. 2751 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 b. the court finds that, in the interest of judicial economy, both actions may be heard to gether; provided, however, the petition for a protective order , including, but not limited to, a petition in which children are named as petitioners, shall remain a separate action and a separate order shall be entered in the protective order action. Prot ective orders may be dismissed in favor of restraining orders in the divorce or separate maintenance action if the court specifically finds, upon hearing, that such dismissal is in the best interests of the parties and does not compromise the safety of any petitioner. If the defendant is a minor child, the petition shall be filed with the court having jurisdiction over juvenile matters. 2. When the abuse occurs when the court is not open for business, such person may request an emergency temporary order of protection as authorized by Section 40.3 of this title. B. The petition forms shall be provided by the clerk of t he court. The Administrative Office of the Courts shall develop a standard form for the petition. C. 1. Except as otherwise provided by th is section, no filing fee, service of process fee, attorney fees or any other fee or costs shall be charged the pla intiff or victim at an y time for filing a petition for a protective orde r whether a protective order is Req. No. 2751 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 granted or not granted. The court ma y assess court costs, service of process fees, attorney fees, other fees and filing fees against the defendant at the hearing on the peti tion, if a protective order is granted against the defendant; provided, the court shall have authority to waive the cos ts and fees if the court finds that the party does not have the ability to pay the costs and fees. 2. If the court makes specific findin gs that a petition for a protective order has been filed frivolously and no victim exists, the court may assess attorne y fees and court costs against the plaintiff. D. The person seeking relief shall prepare the petition or, at the request of the plaintif f, the court clerk or the victim -witness coordinator, victim support person, and court case manager shall prepare or assist the plaintiff in preparing the petition. E. The person seeking a protective order may further request the exclusive care, possessio n, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either the petitioner, defendant or minor child residing in the residence of the petitioner or defendant. The court may order the defendant to make no contact with the animal and forbi d the defendant from taking, transferring, encumbering, concealing, molesting, attacking, striking, threatening, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal. F. A court may not require the victim to seek legal sanctions against the defendant including, but not limited to, divorce, Req. No. 2751 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 separation, paternity or criminal proceedings prior to hearing a petition for protective o rder. G. A victim of rape, forcible sodomy, a sex offense, kidnapping, assault and battery with a deadly weapon or member of the immediate family of a victim of first -degree murder, as such terms are defined in Section 40 of this title, may petition for a n emergency temporary order or emergency ex parte order regardless of any relationship or scenario pursuant to the provisions of this section. The Administrative Office of the Courts sha ll modify the petition forms as necessary to effectuate the provision s of this subsection. SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2022. 58-2-2751 TEK 1/20/2022 5:08:12 PM