Ford Offender Registries and Outdoor Siren Tampering Bills Move to Senate
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Ross Ford, R-Broken Arrow, on Tuesday unanimously passed three bills in that House that would enhance punishments for those convicted of domestic or sexual abuse crimes as well as those who tamper with outdoor warning systems. The measures now move to the Senate. House Bill 1322 would create a Domestic Violence Offenders Registry to be available online for public view. Anyone convicted in Oklahoma of a domestic violence offense after Jan. 1, 2028, would be registered through district court clerks on the registry created and maintained by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The registry would include the offender's name, the county or counties of conviction, their most recent booking photo and additional information. "Oklahoma persistently ranks as one of the worst states for domestic abuse," Ford said. "We must continue to work toward prevention and better support for victims of these crimes. Requiring domestic abusers to register will improve public awareness and give victims and law enforcement additional tools to keep themselves and the public safe." Ford said the idea for the law came from Tennessee, which became the first state in the nation to launch a domestic violence offenders registry after the murder of Deputy Sheriff Savanna Puckett. It's reported she was killed by a former partner who had a documented history of domestic violence. If enacted in Oklahoma, the offender would be required to pay a $150 registration fee. They can be removed from the registry five years after completion of their last sentence. The registry shall not include the names of any victim. House Bill 4104 would add three crimes to the list of those that require registry as a sex offender: second and subsequent offense of watching, gazing or looking upon a person in a clandestine manner; using photographic, electronic or video equipment in clandestine manner; and second or subsequent offense of using such means to capture images of a private area without consent. Ford said the bill deals with three subsections of Oklahoma's Peeping Tom statute. One addresses watching people changing clothes through a window, which is currently a misdemeanor. Another deals with attempting to take photos of peoples' private areas while they are in the public – also a misdemeanor. A third addresses an individual who hides a camera in a private area such as a locker or dressing room or a space where people would assume privacy. This bill would turn second or subsequent misdemeanor offenses under this area of statute into felonies and require any felony offender to register as a sex offender. House Bill 4107 would make it unlawful to tamper with, activate, attempt to activate or cause to be activated an outdoor warning siren without proper authorization. Punishment would be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to one year in the county jail or both. If an unauthorized activation caused a false emergency response or public panic, the offense would become a felony punishable by up to $5,000, up to one year in the county jail or both fine and imprisonment. Ford said such tampering is happening now, and it causes havoc, especially during this time of year when all Oklahomans are on heightened alert for severe weather.