Bill > SB1596

This bill amends existing Oklahoma law regarding the statute of limitations, which is the legal time limit for starting a prosecution for a crime. Specifically, it changes the timeframes within which certain criminal prosecutions must be commenced, meaning the time allowed from when a crime is discovered or committed until charges can be filed. The most significant change is to prosecutions for sexual crimes against children, including rape, sodomy, and child trafficking, as well as sexual abuse of vulnerable adults and nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images; these can now be commenced at any time, removing the previous limitations based on the victim's age or discovery date, with a provision that any prosecution cannot rely solely on a victim's memory recovered through psychotherapy unless there is independent evidence. The bill also adjusts time limits for other offenses, such as bribery, embezzlement, falsification of public records, conspiracy, certain financial crimes, and violations of wildlife conservation laws, and sets an effective date of November 1, 2026.

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http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb1596&Session=2600