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28	28	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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30	30	1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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32	32	HOUSE BILL 1164 By: Woolley
33	33
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38	38	AS INTRODUCED
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40	40	An Act relating to children; enacting the Protect
41	41	Families from Government Overreach Act; providing
42	42	purpose and intent; requiring the De partment of Human
43	43	Services to restore physical custody of child or
44	44	children under certain circumstances; requiring the
45	45	Department to return all records; providing exception
46	46	if ongoing risk exists; directing the Department to
47	47	file emergency motion if immine nt threat exists;
48	48	directing records to be expunged within timeframe;
49	49	directing the Department to submit report to the
50	50	Oklahoma Commission for Human Services; providing
51	51	that noncompliance may result in audits, penalties,
52	52	and sanctions; allowing for civil re medies and
53	53	criminal penalties; providing that federal and state
54	54	agencies may conduct audits; providing that certain
55	55	circumstances may delay custody restoration;
56	56	authorizing court to order continued separation if
57	57	evidence of imminent danger exists; providin g that
58	58	exceptions must be documented; directing court to
59	59	establish timelines f or reassessment; providing for
60	60	codification; and providing an effective date .
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66	66	BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
67	67	SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
68	68	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -11-101 of Title 10A, unless
69	69	there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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96	96	This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Protect
97	97	Families from Government Overreach Act".
98	98	SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of la w to be codified
99	99	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -11-102 of Title 10A, unless
100	100	there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
101	101	A. The purpose of this act is t o safeguard the rights of legal
102	102	guardians and custodial parents of minor children by ensuring timely
103	103	restoration of custody and property when criminal charges are
104	104	resolved favorably. The act affirms the constitutional principles
105	105	of due process and familia l association under the Fourteenth
106	106	Amendment of the United States Constitution and aims to address
107	107	potential overreach by child welfare agencies.
108	108	B. This act is designed to:
109	109	1. Protect familial integrity by minimizing emotional and
110	110	psychological harm cau sed by unnecessary separation, consistent with
111	111	Section 1-1-102 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes, which
112	112	emphasizes the child 's best interests;
113	113	2. Ensure accountability by setting clear deadlines and
114	114	consequences for agency noncompliance and promoting transparency and
115	115	adherence to due process;
116	116	3. Balance safety and rights by al lowing exceptions when child
117	117	safety concerns exist, as defined in Section 1 -4-904 of Title 10A of
118	118	the Oklahoma Statutes ; and
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145	145	4. Guarantee that all persons shall be treated as in nocent
146	146	until proven guilty in a court of law and that, if not guilty, all
147	147	rights and liberty shall be restored.
148	148	SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
149	149	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -11-103 of Title 10A, unless
150	150	there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
151	151	A. Pursuant to Section 1-4-704 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma
152	152	Statutes, when all criminal charges against a parent or guardian are
153	153	dismissed, dropped, or result in a not guilty verdict under Ti tle 21
154	154	of the Oklahoma Statutes, the Department of Human Services,
155	155	including Child Protective Services, shall:
156	156	1. Restore physical custody of the child or children to the
157	157	parent or guardian within seventy -two (72) hours; and
158	158	2. Return all personal proper ty, records, and documentation
159	159	taken during the removal process. Reunification efforts shall
160	160	adhere to the principles set forth in Section 1 -4-704 of Title 10A
161	161	of the Oklahoma Statutes, ensuring prompt and safe reunification
162	162	tailored to the family 's needs.
163	163	B. If the Department identifies ongoing risks to the child,
164	164	despite the resolution of criminal charges, the agency must:
165	165	1. File an emergency motion, pursuant to Section 1 -4-807.1 of
166	166	Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes, and provide clear and convincing
167	167	evidence that reunification poses an imminent threat; and
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194	194	2. Obtain a court o rder supporting continued separation within
195	195	seventy-two (72) hours.
196	196	C. Pursuant to the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States
197	197	Constitution, the Department shall, when determi ning whether to
198	198	separate or reunite families, take into consideration the
199	199	constitutionally protected right of intimate association.
200	200	SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
201	201	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -11-104 of Title 10A, unless
202	202	there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as fol lows:
203	203	A. Pursuant to Section 18 of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
204	204	all Department of Human Services and Child Protective Services
205	205	records related to investigations, removal, and adjudication
206	206	connected to dismissed criminal charges shall be expunged within
207	207	seventy-two (72) hours of resolution. Expunged records shall
208	208	include all formats, in compliance with Section 19 of Title 22 of
209	209	the Oklahoma Statutes, which requires treating records as though
210	210	they never existed.
211	211	B. The Department shall submit reports to the Oklahoma
212	212	Commission for Human Services confirming expungement compliance.
213	213	Noncompliance may result in state audits, civil penalties, or
214	214	administrative sanctions.
215	215	SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
216	216	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -11-105 of Title 10A, unless
217	217	there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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244	244	A. Aggrieved individuals may seek damages for violation s of due
245	245	process or constitutional rights, pursuant to 42 U.S.C., Section
246	246	1983.
247	247	B. Noncompliance by the Department of Human Services or Child
248	248	Protective Services personnel may result in criminal charges,
249	249	pursuant to Section 580 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, which
250	250	relate to public officer misconduct.
251	251	C. Federal and state agencies may conduct audits which may
252	252	impact the Department funding for systemic violations.
253	253	SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
254	254	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -11-106 of Title 10A, unless
255	255	there is created a d uplication in numbering, reads as follows:
256	256	A. Ongoing investigations unrelated to resolved criminal
257	257	charges, pursuant to Section 1 -4-704 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma
258	258	Statutes, may delay custody restoration. If proven in an emergency
259	259	hearing that clear and convincing evidence of imminent danger
260	260	exists, the court may order continued separation, pursuant to
261	261	Section 1-4-904 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes.
262	262	B. Exceptions shall be documented with findings of fact and
263	263	conclusions of law.
264	264	C. The court shall establish timelines for reassessment.
265	265	SECTION 7. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
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267	267	60-1-10435 CMA 12/28/24

Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB1164 Compare Versions