SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB981 SFLR Page 1 (Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 SENATE FLOOR VERSION February 25, 2025 SENATE BILL NO. 981 By: Gollihare An Act relating to bail; amending 22 O.S. 2021, Section 1101, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 54, O.S.L. 2024 (22 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 1101), which relates to offense s bailable; authorizing denial of bail under certain circumstance ; updating statutory reference; updating statutory language; and providing an effective date . BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 22 O.S. 2021, Section 1101, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 54, O.S.L. 2024 (22 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 1101), is amended to read as follows: Section 1101. A. Except as otherwise provided by law, bail, by sufficient sureties, shall be ad mitted upon all arrests in criminal cases where the offense is not punishable by death and in such cases it may be taken by any of the persons or courts autho rized by law to arrest, to imprison offenders or to perform pretrial services, or by the clerk of the district court or his or her deputy, or by the judge of such courts. B. In criminal cases where the defendant is currently an escaped prisoner from the Department of Corrections, the defendant SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB981 SFLR Page 2 (Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 must be processed back into the Department of Corrections prior to bail being set on new criminal charges. C. All persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, except that bail may be denied for: 1. Capital offenses when the proof of guilt is evident, or the presumption thereof is great; 2. Violent offenses; 3. Offenses where the maximum sentence may be life imprisonment or life imprisonment without parole; 4. Felony offenses where the person charged with the offense has been convicted of two or more felony offenses arising out of different transactions; and 5. Controlled dangerous substances offenses where the maximum sentence may be at least ten (10) years ’ imprisonment; and 6. Driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substance if such person has previously been convicted with two felonies for driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substance . On all offenses specified in paragraphs 2 through 5 6 of this subsection, the proof of guilt must be evident, or the presumption must be great, and it must be on the ground s that no condition of release would assure the safety of the community or any person. D. There shall be a rebuttable presumption that no condition of release would assure the safety of the community if the state shows SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB981 SFLR Page 3 (Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 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 clear and convincing evidence tha t the person was arrested for a violation of Section 741 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes. E. If the person was arrested for any crime provided for in the Protection from Domestic Abuse Act or a violent crime provided for in Section 571 of Title 57 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the court shall be responsible for assessing prior patterns of abuse and shall present written findings on the bail amount. F. There shall be a rebuttable presumption that no conditions of release on bond would assure the safety of the community or any person therein if the state shows by clear and convincing evidence that: 1. The person was arrested for a violent offense and released on bond; and 2. While out on said bond, the person was subsequently arrested and charged for a vi olent crime as set forth for in Section 571 of Title 57 of the Oklahoma Statutes. SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025 . COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY February 25, 2025 - DO PASS