Req. No. 1264 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 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025) SENATE BILL 390 By: Nice AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to sentencing of juveniles; amending 10A O.S. 2021, Section 2 -5-204, as amended by Section 4, Chapter 375, O.S.L. 2022 (10A O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 2-5-204), which relates to treatment of child certified as adult or youthful offender in criminal proceedings; prohibiting imposition of certain terms of imprisonment for certain persons; updating statutory references; amending 22 O.S. 2021, Section 985.1, which relates to departure from mandatory minimum sentencing; requiring court to depart from mandatory minimum sentence under certain circumstances; and providing an effective date . BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 10A O.S. 2021, Section 2 -5-204, as amended by Section 4, Chapter 375, O.S.L. 2022 (10A O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 2-5-204), is amended to read as follows: Section 2-5-204. A. A child who is arrested for an offense pursuant to subsection A, B, C, D, or E of Section 2 -5-205 of this title, may, depending on the child ’s age and alleged crime, be charged as a juvenile delinquent, youthful offender, or an adult. If charged as a juvenile delinquen t, a petition shall be filed. If charged as a youthful offender or adult, an information shall be Req. No. 1264 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 filed. At any time after the child is charged as a youthful offender or adult, the district attorney may dismiss the information and file a juvenile delinqu ent petition. B. If the child is not otherwise represented by counsel and either the child, his or her parent, guardian, or next friend requests an attorney prior to or during interrogation, or upon being charged by information, as provided in subsection A of this section, the court shall appoint an attorney, who shall not be a district attorney, for the child regardless of any attempted waiver by the parent, guardian, or next friend of the right to be represented by counsel. If the court appoints an atto rney for a child for the interrogation or at the initial appearance, the court shall review the appointment at a subsequent hearing to determine if the child, parent, guardian, or next friend qualifies for a court -appointed attorney. C. When a person proc eeds to trial as either a youthful offender or as an adult as provided by the Youthful Offender Act, the accused person shall have all the statutory and constitutional rights and protections of an adult accused of a crime. All proceedings shall be as for a criminal action and the provisions of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes shal l apply, except as provided for in the Youthful Offender Act. D. All youthful offender court records for a person who is certified to stand trial as an adult or youthful offende r shall be Req. No. 1264 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 considered adult records and shall not be subject to the provisions of Chapter 6 of the Oklahoma Juvenile Code; provided, however, all reports, evaluations, motions, records, exhibits , or documents regarding the educational history, mental healt h, or medical treatment or condition of the person that are submitted to the c ourt or admitted into evidence during the hearing on the motion for certification as a juvenile or a youthful offender or on the motion for imposition of an adult sentence shall be confidential and shall be filed or admitted under seal, except that such records shall be provided to the Office of Juvenile Affairs. Any testimony regarding the reports, evaluations, motions, records, exhibits , or documents shall be given in camera an d shall not be open to the general public; provided, all persons having a dire ct interest in the case as provided in paragraph 1 of subsection A of Section 2 -2-402 of this title shall be allowed to be present during the testimony but shall be admonished no t to discuss the testimony following the hearing. All reports, evaluations, motions, records, exhibits , or documents shall be released from under seal by order of the court if the youthful offender is sentenced to the custody or supervision of the Department of Corrections by the court pursuant to paragraph 1 of subsection B A of Section 2-5-209 2-5-208A or subsection B of Section 2-5-210 2-5-210A of this title or if the juvenile or youthful offender is later charged as an adult with a felony crime. Req. No. 1264 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 E. Proceedings against a youthful offender shall be heard by any judge of the district court. F. Upon arrest and detention of a person subject to the provisions of the Youthful Offender Act, the person has the same right to be released on bail as would an adul t in the same circumstances. G. Upon a verdict of guilty or entry of a plea o f guilty or nolo contendere by a youthful offender who has been certified for the imposition of an adult sentence as provided by Section 2-5-207 2-5-207A of this title, the perso n may be detained in an adult jail, adult lockup, adult detention facility , or other adult facility if that facility is licensed by the State Department of Health to detain children under eighteen (18) years of age while the person is awaiting housing by t he Department of Corrections. In no event shall a person who was under eighte en (18) years of age at the time the offense was committed be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or be given a mandatory minimum sentence that carries a term of imprisonment that exceeds twenty (20) years. H. A child or youthful offender shall be tried as an adult in all subsequent criminal prosecutions, and shall not be subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court as a juvenile delinquent or youthful offender processes in any further proceedings if: 1. The child or yout hful offender has been certified to stand trial as an adult pursuant to any certification procedure provided Req. No. 1264 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 by law and is subsequently convicted of the alleged offense or against whom the imposition of judgment and sentence has been deferred; or 2. The youthful offender has been certified for the imposition of an adult sentence as provided by Section 2-5-207 2-5-207A of this title and is subsequently convicted of the alleged off ense or against whom the imposition of judgment and sentencing has been deferred. I. Except as otherwise provided in the Youthful Offender Act, a person who has been certified as a youthful offender shall be prosecuted as a youthful offender in all subseq uent criminal proceedings until the youthful offender has attained eighteen (18) years of age. All proceedings for the commission of a crime committed after a youthful offender has reached eighteen (18) years of age shall be adult proceedings. SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 22 O.S. 2021, Section 985.1, is amended to read as follows: Section 985.1. A. When sentencing a person convicted of a criminal offense for which there is a mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment, the court may depa rt from the applicable sentence if the court finds substantial and compelling reasons on the record, after giving due regard to the nature of the crime, history, and Req. No. 1264 Page 6 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 character of the defendant and his or her chances of successful rehabilitation, that: 1. The mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment is not necessary for the protec tion of the public; or 2. Imposition of the mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment would result in substantial injustice to the defendant; or 3. The mandatory minimum sente nce of imprisonment is not necessary for the protection of the public and the defendant, based on a risk and needs assessment, is eligible for an alternative court, a diversion program , or community sentencing, without regard to exclusions because of previ ous convictions, and has been accepted to the same, pending sentencing. B. The Except as provided in subsection D of this section, the court shall not have the discretion to depart from the applicable mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment on convicti ons for criminal offenses under the following circumstances: 1. The offense for which the defendant was convicted is among those crimes listed in Section 571 of Title 57 of the Oklahoma Statutes as excepted from the definition of “nonviolent offense”; 2. The offense for which the defendant was convicted was a sex offense and will require the defendant to register as a sex offender pursuant to the provisions of the Sex Offenders Registration Act; 3. The offense for which the defendant was convicted involv ed the use of a firearm; Req. No. 1264 Page 7 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 4. The offense for which the defendant was convicted is a crime listed in Section 13.1 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes requiring the defendant to serve not less than eighty -five percent (85%) of any sentence of imprisonment i mposed by the judicial system prior to becoming eligible for consideration for parole; 5. The offense for which the defendant was convicted is a violation of the Trafficking in Illegal Drugs Act as provided in Sections 2-414 through 2-420 of Title 63 of t he Oklahoma Statutes; 6. The defendant was the leader, manager , or supervisor of others in a continuing criminal enterprise; or 7. The offense for which the defendant was convicted is a violation of the Oklahoma Antiterrorism Act as provided in Sections 1268 through 1268.8 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes. C. Any departure fr om the mandatory minimum sentence as authorized in this section shall not reduce the sentence to less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the mandatory term. D. The court shall de part from the applicable mandatory minimum sentence as required pursuant to subsection G of Section 2 -5-204 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes. SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025. 60-1-1264 TEK 1/6/2025 4:25:21 PM