Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB743 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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29		-	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
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31	28		STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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33	30		1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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35	32		COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
36	33		FOR ENGROSSED
37	34		SENATE BILL NO. 743 By: Gollihare, Alvord,
38	35		Thompson, Green, Paxton,
39		-	Stanley~~, Hall~~, and ~~Haste~~ of
40		-	~~the~~ Senate
	36	+	Stanley, and Hall of the
	37	+	Senate
41	38
42	39		and
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44		-	Lawson~~, Pae,~~ ~~Schreiber, and~~
45		-	~~Manger of the House~~
	41	+	Lawson of the House
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51	48		COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
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53	50		An Act relating to criminal disturbance; declaring
54	51		legislative findings; amending 21 O.S. 2021, Sections
55	52		915 and 916, which relate to disturbance of religious
56	53		meeting; specifying range of punishment for certain
57	54		misdemeanor offense; establishing felony off ense for
58	55		certain convictions; specifying range of punishment
59	56		for certain felony offense; modifying elements of
60	57		certain offenses; providing for noncodification ; and
61	58		declaring an emergency.
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67	64		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
68	65		SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
69	66		codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
70	67		The Legislature finds that the right of the people to meet and
71	68		assemble for religious worship is imperative for the people of this
	69	+	state; that the exercise of the right of a person to protest at
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73		-	SB743 HFLR Page 2
74		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	71	+	Req. No. 13573 Page 2 1
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99		-	state; that the exercise of the right of a person to protest at
100	96		places of religious worship must be balanced against the right of
101	97		another person to meet and assemble for religious worship in an
102	98		unobstructed manner; and that preventing the willful obstruction of
103	99		access of a person to places of religious worship is a matter of
104	100		statewide concern. Therefore, the Legislature declares that it is a
105	101		compelling public interest of this state to protect the ability of
106	102		its people to meet and assemble for religious worship wit hout
107	103		willful obstruction.
108	104		SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 21 O.S. 2021, Section 915, is
109	105		amended to read as follows:
110	106		Section 915. Every person who willfully disturbs, interrupts ,
111	107		or disquiets any assemblage of people met for religious worsh ip, by
112	108		any of the acts or things hereinafter enumerated, is in Section 916
113	109		of this title shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor
114	110		punishable by a fine not to exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00),
115	111		by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed one (1)
116	112		year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. A person who commits a
117	113		second or subsequent offense shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a
118	114		felony punishable by a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars
119	115		($1,000.00), by imprisonment in the c ustody of the Department of
120	116		Corrections for a term not to exceed two (2) years, or by both such
121	117		fine and imprisonment .
	118	+	SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 21 O.S. 2021, Section 916, is
	119	+	amended to read as follows:
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123		-	SB743 HFLR Page 3
124		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	121	+	Req. No. 13573 Page 3 1
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149		-	SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 21 O.S. 2021, Section 916, is
150		-	amended to read as follows:
151	146		Section 916. The following are the acts deemed to constitute
152	147		disturbance of a religious meeting as prohibited by Section 915 of
153	148		this title:
154	149		1. Uttering any profane discourse, committing any rude or
155	150		indecent act, or making any unnecessary noise, either within the
156	151		place where such meeti ng is held, or so near it as to disturb the
157	152		order and solemnity of the meeting .;
158	153		2. Exhibiting within one (1) mile, any shows or plays without a
159	154		license by the proper authority. Knowingly obstructing, detaining,
160	155		hindering, impeding, or blocking the entry of another person to or
161	156		exit from a place where such meeting is held;
162	157		3. Engaging in, or aiding or promoting within the like
163	158		distance, any racing of animals or gaming of any description.
164	159		Knowingly approaching another person within eight (8) feet of such
165	160		person, unless such other person consents, for the purpose of
166	161		passing a leaflet or handbill to, displaying a sign to, or engaging
167	162		in oral protest, education, or counseling with such other person in
168	163		the public way or sidewalk area within a radius of one hun dred (100)
169	164		feet from any entrance door to a place where the meeting is held ; or
170	165		4. Obstructing in any manner, without authority of law, within
171	166		the like distance one (1) mile, the free passage along any highway
172	167		to the place of such the meeting.
	168	+	SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
	169	+	of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
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174		-	SB743 HFLR Page 4
175		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	171	+	Req. No. 13573 Page 4 1
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200		-	SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
201		-	of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
202	196		declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
203	197		be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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205		-	COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY AND PUBLIC SAFETY
206		-	OVERSIGHT, dated 04/17/2025 - DO PASS, As Amended and Coauthored .
	199	+	60-1-13573 GRS 04/17/25
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