Oklahoma 2024 2024 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB1976 Engrossed / Bill

Filed 04/27/2023

                     
 
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ENGROSSED SENATE AMENDMENT 
TO 
ENGROSSED HOUSE 
BILL NO. 1976 	By: Humphrey, Newton, and 
McDugle of the House 
 
  and 
 
  Burns of the Senate 
 
 
 
An Act relating to the Department of Public Sa fety; 
authorizing the Commissioner of Public Safety to make 
certain assignments to Department of Public Safety 
personnel; *** of information in certain criminal 
proceedings; providing for codification; and 
declaring an emergency. 
 
 
 
 
AUTHOR: Remove as principal Senate author Burns and substitute as 
principal Senate author Hamilton.  Retain Burns as Senate 
coauthor 
 
AMENDMENT NO. 1. Page 1, strike the title, enacting clause and 
entire bill and insert 
 
 
“An Act relating to the Department of Public Sa fety; 
authorizing the Commissioner of Public Safety to make 
certain assignments to Department of Public Safety 
personnel; authorizing certain Department employees 
to carry a firearm; prohibiting the release of 
certain information; making certain exception; 
authorizing Commissioner to release certain 
information; setting penalty for unauthorized release 
of information; defining t erm; stating that certain 
information is privileged, not discoverable, nor 
subject to subpoena or court order for production; 
allowing for production of information in certain 
criminal proceedings; providing for codification; and 
declaring an emergency. 
 
 
   
 
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.     NEW LAW    A new section of law to b e codified 
in the Oklahoma Stat utes as Section 2-105.9 of Title 47, unless 
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: 
A.  The Commissioner of Public Safety m ay assign personnel 
within the Department of Public Safety to: 
1.  Collect information concerning the activity and identity of 
individuals reasonably believed to be engaged in terrorism , threats 
to public safety, organized crime , criminal conspiracies , or any 
other threats of violent crime ; 
2.  Analyze collected information and disseminate such 
information to other law enforcement agencies ; 
3.  Coordinate the effort of this state with local, state, and 
federal agencies to protect citizens from terrorism, th reats to 
public safety, organized crime, criminal conspiracies, or any other 
threats of violent crime by creating a clearinghous e of crime-
related information for use by local, state, and federal law 
enforcement agencies; and 
4.  Provide training to peace officers of this state concerning 
the legal collection, preservation, and dissemination of crime -
related information. 
B.  The Commissioner may assign attorneys of the Department of 
Public Safety to support s uch criminal analysis and investigative 
functions, including providing assistance to the d istrict attorney   
 
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in pursuing search warrants, arrest warrants, and other forms of 
court orders and process in connection with criminal investigations 
of the Department of Public Safety.  With written authorization f rom 
the Commissioner, Department attorneys assigned to these duties, who 
have been certified by the Council on Law Enforcement E ducation and 
Training to carry a weapon or have been issued a handgun license 
pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Self -Defense Act, shall 
be authorized to carry a firearm on his or her person, whether on 
duty or off duty, anywhere in the state pursuant to paragraph 3 of 
subsection A of Section 1272 and paragraph 1 of subsectio n H of 
Section 1277 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma S tatutes. 
C.  Release of information compiled pursuant to this section 
shall be prohibited except for release of information to l aw 
enforcement agencies and prosecutorial authorities for the purpose 
of crime prevention, criminal investigation, or criminal 
prosecution.  If the Commissioner determines it necessary to do so 
in the interest of public safety or crime prevention, the 
Commissioner may authorize the release of information compiled 
pursuant to this sec tion to leadership of the state or any political 
subdivision, critical infrastructure personnel, the target of any 
threat, or any segment of the public. Unauthorized release or 
unauthorized use of this information shall be a misdemeanor and 
shall be punishable by incarceration in the county jail not 
exceeding one (1) year or a fine not exceeding Fifty Thousand   
 
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Dollars ($50,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment. As 
used in this section, “unauthorized release” or “unauthorized use” 
shall include, but not be limited to, giving the information to a ny 
person who is not a law enforcement officer or prosecutorial 
authority unless necessitated by an ongoing criminal investigati on, 
or release of information to a law enforcement officer who is not 
engaged in a criminal investigation requiring the informat ion or who 
is not authorized by his or her agency to receive such information, 
or release of information without the express aut hority of the 
Commissioner or in violation of any rules promulgated by the 
Department of Public Safety.  Information collected a nd compiled 
under the authority of this section shall be privileged and not 
discoverable nor subject to subpoena or order for pr oduction issued 
by any court, other than production in a district court crimina l 
proceeding for the prosecution of crimes which are the subject of 
the information sought. 
SECTION 2.  It being immediately necessary for the preservation 
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby 
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and 
be in full force from and after its passage an d approval.” 
 
   
 
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Passed the Senate the 26th day of April, 2023. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the Senate 
 
 
Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________, 
2023. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the House 
 	of Representatives   
 
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ENGROSSED HOUSE 
BILL NO. 1976 	By: Humphrey, Newton, and 
McDugle of the House 
 
   and 
 
  Burns of the Senate 
 
 
 
 
 
An Act relating to the Department of Public Safety; 
authorizing the Commissioner of Public Safety to make 
certain assignments to Department of Public Safety 
personnel; authorizing certain Department employees 
to carry a firearm; prohibiting the release of 
certain information; making certain exception; 
authorizing Commissioner to release certain 
information; setting penalty for unauthori zed release 
of information; defining t erm; stating that certain 
information is privileged, not discoverable, nor 
subject to subpoena or court order for production; 
allowing for production of information in certain 
criminal proceedings; providing for codification; and 
declaring an emergency. 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLA HOMA: 
SECTION 3.     NEW LAW    A new section of law t o be codified 
in the Oklahoma Stat utes as Section 2-105.9 of Title 47, unless 
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: 
A.  The Commissioner of Public Safety may assign personnel 
within the Department of Public Safety to: 
1.  Perform assessments or investigations into te rrorism, 
threats to public safety, organized crime, cr iminal conspiracies, or 
any other threats of violent crime;   
 
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2.  Collect information concerning the activity and identity of 
individuals reasonably believed to be enga ged in terrorism, threats 
to public safety, organized crime, criminal conspiracies, or any 
other threats of violent crime; 
3.  Analyze collected information and disseminate such 
information to other law enforcement agencies; 
4.  Coordinate the effort of th is state with local, state, and 
federal agencies to protect citizens from terrorism, threa ts to 
public safety, organized crime, criminal conspiracies, or any other 
threats of violent crime by creating a clearinghous e of crime-
related information for use by local, state, and federal law 
enforcement agencies; and 
5.  Provide training to peace off icers of this state concerning 
the legal collection, preservation, and dissemination of crime -
related information. 
B.  The Commissioner may assign attorneys of the De partment of 
Public Safety to support s uch criminal analysis and investigative 
functions, including providing assistance to the d istrict attorney 
in pursuing search warrants, arrest warrants, and other forms of 
court orders and process in connection with cr iminal investigations 
of the Department of Public Safety.  With written authorization from 
the Commissioner, Department attorneys assigned to these duties, who 
have been certified by the Council on Law Enforcement E ducation and 
Training to carry a weapon o r have been issued a handgun license   
 
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pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Self -Defense Act, shall 
be authorized to carry a firearm on his or her person, whether on 
duty or off duty, anywhere in the state pursuant to paragraph 3 of 
subsection A of Section 1272 and paragraph 1 of subsectio n H of 
Section 1277 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Stat utes. 
C.  Release of information compiled pursuant to this section 
shall be prohibited except for release of information to l aw 
enforcement agencies and prosecutorial authorities for the purpose 
of crime prevention, criminal investigation, or criminal 
prosecution.  If the Commissioner determines it necessary to do so 
in the interest of public safety or crime prevention, the 
Commissioner may authorize the release of inf ormation compiled 
pursuant to this sec tion to leadership of the state or any political 
subdivision, critical infrastructure personnel, the target of any 
threat, or any segment of the public. Unauthorized release or 
unauthorized use of this information sha ll be a misdemeanor and 
shall be punishable by incarceration in the county jail not 
exceeding one (1) year or a fine not exceeding Fifty Thousand 
Dollars ($50,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment. As 
used in this section, "unauthorized release " or "unauthorized use" 
shall include, but not be limited to, giving the information to any 
person who is not a law enforcement officer or prosecutorial 
authority unless necessitated by an ongoing criminal investigati on, 
or release of information to a law en forcement officer who is not   
 
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engaged in a criminal investigation requiring the information or who 
is not authorized by his or her agency to receive such information, 
or release of information without the express aut hority of the 
Commissioner or in violatio n of any rules promulgated by the 
Department of Public Safety.  Information collected and compiled 
under the authority of this section shall be privileged and not 
discoverable nor subject to subpoena or order for pr oduction issued 
by any court, other than production in a district court crimina l 
proceeding for the prosecution of crimes which are the subject of 
the information sought. 
SECTION 4.  It being immediately necessary for the preservation 
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby 
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and 
be in full force from and after its passage an d approval. 
Passed the House of Representatives the 20th day of March, 2023. 
 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the House 
 	of Representatives 
 
 
 
Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2023. 
 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of t he Senate 
 
   
 
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