Bill > HB3244

This bill modifies several Oklahoma statutes related to crimes and punishments, primarily focusing on expanding the definitions and penalties for identity theft and exploitation of vulnerable individuals, and clarifying the scope of a "pattern of criminal offenses." It broadens the definition of a pattern of criminal offenses to include acts committed across county lines, within municipalities, or involving online activity, and adds "organized retail theft" and the creation of false identification to the list of predicate offenses. The bill also enhances penalties for exploiting elderly or disabled persons by making it unlawful to coerce or entice vulnerable individuals, including those with mental illness, homelessness, or intellectual disabilities, into committing crimes, and establishes a "pattern of exploitation" offense with significant prison time. Crucially, it significantly expands the types of personal identifying information that constitute identity theft, including digital identifiers, biometric data, and various government-issued or financial account numbers, and introduces "aggravated identity theft" for possessing five or more articles of another person's identifying information, carrying a penalty of 10-15 years imprisonment. The bill also authorizes the use of identity theft task force officers and allows law enforcement to share certain identification information with fraud investigators, and sets an effective date of November 1, 2026.

Justice

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb3244&Session=2600