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Oklahoma House passes sentencing reform for victims of domestic violence

After a similar bill stalled in the legislature last year, a bill that seeks to provide sentencing reform for victims of domestic violence is one step closer to becoming law.

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat’s bill passed on the House floor 84-3 on Wednesday after passing on the Senate floor unanimously last month.

The bill would create the Oklahoma Survivors' Act, which would allow defendants to provide evidence they were victims of domestic abuse within the year they committed a crime. If the court finds the defendant was a victim of abuse during the relevant period and the abuse was a substantial contributing factor to the crime, their sentence could be reduced.

The bill revives proposed legislation from last year which was passed unanimously by the House but ultimately lost momentum in the Senate after language allowing for the sentencing reform to be applied retroactively was removed.

It now goes to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk for signature.

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Hannah France joined KGOU as a reporter in 2021, shortly after earning a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. In 2023, Hannah was the first place recipient of the Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists' Radio Outstanding Reporter Portfolio award. Hannah reports on a variety of topics including criminal justice, housing, and labor rights and is dedicated to educating and empowering Oklahomans through community storytelling.
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