By Ian Nikkel Fox23 News
Senate Bill 1636 passed the Oklahoma State Senate planning committee on Tuesday. The bill aims to bring renewed attention to unsolved cold cases across the state.
The bill is designed to create a pathway for families to formally request a review of cold cases under certain conditions. While specific details are still being finalized, the proposal would establish parameters, including a set number of years, that must be met before a family member can seek a review.
Maggie Zingman, whose daughter’s case remains unsolved, is traveling to Oklahoma City to attend the hearing. She hopes to build support for the measure, which she says could help put cases like her daughter’s back on the desks of state investigators.
“One of the components relates to law enforcement and setting certain parameters,” Zingman said. “If those parameters are met, then the family has the right to ask for a cold case review.”
She emphasized that her advocacy is not meant as criticism of law enforcement agencies. Instead, she says the goal is to bring fresh perspectives to long-unsolved cases.
“We have to be careful when we say cold case reviews because of a problem with the case,” Zingman explained. “It may not be a problem. And I think that’s so important.”
Zingman has been working closely with the bill’s author, Senator Carrie Hicks of Oklahoma City. She said Hicks has kept her involved throughout the drafting process, even sharing updates and revisions before the proposal was submitted to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation for feedback.
“I feel very privileged,” Zingman said. “She sent me a copy of the bill and asked, ‘What do you think?’”
The bill passed the committee (8-0) and will now move to General Order and could be scheduled for consideration on a future Senate floor agenda.
