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Bill > SB743
OK SB743
OK SB743Criminal disturbance; specifying range of punishment for certain offenses; modifying elements of certain offense. Emergency.
summary
Introduced
02/03/2025
02/03/2025
In Committee
04/17/2025
04/17/2025
Crossed Over
03/31/2025
03/31/2025
Passed
02/09/2026
02/09/2026
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
02/09/2026
02/09/2026
Introduced Session
2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
An Act ENROLLED SENATE BILL NO. 743 By: Gollihare, Alvord, Thompson, Green, Paxton, Stanley, Hall, and Haste of the Senate and Lawson, Pae, Schreiber, and Manger of the House An Act relating to criminal disturbance; declaring legislative findings; amending 21 O.S. 2021, Sections 915 and 916, which relate to disturbance of religious meeting; specifying range of punishment for certain misdemeanor offense; establishing felony offense for certain convictions; specifying range of punishment for certain felony offense; modifying elements of certain offenses; providing for noncodification; and declaring an emergency. SUBJECT: Criminal disturbance of religious meeting
AI Summary
This bill, an emergency measure, aims to protect religious gatherings by clarifying and strengthening laws against disturbing them. It declares that preventing the willful obstruction of access to places of religious worship is a matter of statewide concern and a compelling public interest. The bill modifies existing law to specify that disturbing a religious meeting is a misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $500 and/or jail time up to one year, but a second or subsequent offense becomes a felony with fines up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment up to two years. It also expands the definition of what constitutes a disturbance to include knowingly obstructing someone's entry or exit from a religious meeting, and prohibits intentionally approaching someone within eight feet for the purpose of protesting, handing out leaflets, or engaging in other forms of communication within a 100-foot radius of an entrance without their consent. The bill also retains the prohibition against obstructing free passage along a highway within one mile of a meeting.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (12)
Todd Gollihare (R)*,
Mark Lawson (R)*,
Jerry Alvord (R),
Grant Green (R),
Chuck Hall (R),
John Haste (R),
Robert Manger (R),
Daniel Pae (R),
Lonnie Paxton (R),
Suzanne Schreiber (D),
Brenda Stanley (R),
Kristen Thompson (R),
Last Action
Approved by Governor 02/06/2026 (on 02/09/2026)
Official Document
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