Bill > HB3096

This bill, effective November 1, 2026, grants crime victims in Oklahoma the right to request a review of proposed plea agreements in felony cases before a judge accepts them. A plea agreement is a deal between the prosecution and the defendant where the defendant agrees to plead guilty or no contest to a charge in exchange for a lighter sentence or other concessions. Currently, victims have limited input in this process. Under this new law, if a victim or their representative asks for it, the district attorney must provide them with notice of the proposed plea agreement and when the court will consider it. If a victim requests a review, the initial judge (a special judge or associate district judge) cannot finalize the agreement; instead, it must be sent to a district court judge for an independent review. This district court judge will then have the final say, either accepting or rejecting the plea agreement. Importantly, this bill does not make victims a formal party to the case, does not limit the prosecutor's power to decide what charges to pursue, and does not give victims the right to appeal the plea agreement itself, but rather ensures their voice can be heard in the judicial approval process. If a victim does not request a review, any plea agreement accepted by the court will still be valid.

Justice

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb3096&Session=2600