By Devyn Lyon, Fox23 News
OKLAHOMA CITY — Lawmakers at the Oklahoma State Capitol are advancing legislation that would create a public registry for repeat domestic violence offenders, similar to the state’s existing sex offender registry.
Two bills authored by State Representative Ross Ford (R-Broken Arrow) aim to expand how certain offenders are tracked and listed publicly.
One of the measures, Oklahoma House Bill 1322, would establish the Persistent Domestic Violence Offenders Registration Act, creating a new public registry specifically for people who have been convicted multiple times of domestic violence offenses.
Under the bill, the amount of time a person must remain on the registry would depend on the number of convictions:
- One conviction: 5 years on the registry
- Two convictions: seven years on the registry
- Four or more convictions: up to 20 years on the registry
Ford said the registry is intended to help the public identify repeat offenders and provide another layer of protection for victims.
However, two sources with direct knowledge of domestic violence cases in Oklahoma told FOX23 the proposal may also affect victims who were charged while defending themselves during abusive situations.
They pointed to the Oklahoma Survivors’ Act, which allows incarcerated survivors of domestic abuse to seek reduced sentences if their actions were tied to abuse they experienced.
Those sources explained that under the proposed registry system, some of those victims could still appear on the public list if they received domestic violence convictions.
A second bill from Ford, Oklahoma House Bill 4104, would expand the types of crimes that require someone to register as a sex offender.
The proposal would add offenses involving secretly recording people in private situations, including placing hidden cameras in dressing rooms or hotel rooms or secretly filming underneath clothing in public spaces.
Both bills have passed out of a House committee, but while they were scheduled to be presented on the House floor, they have not yet received a vote by the full House.
