OKLAHOMA CITY – Included in the many bills approved by Gov. Kevin Stitt during the last week of session was House Bill 1449, the Women’s Bill of Rights, authored by Rep. Toni Hasenbeck (R-Elgin). Although both chambers of the Legislature achieved sine die adjournment on May 30, by law the governor has 15 days to approve or veto bills that made it to his des k by the deadline. Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) Two bills approved by the governor last week were co-sponsored by Rep. Boles.
Senate Bill 426, which advocates prohibiting enforcement of policies required or recommended by the World Health Organization. According to a legislative press release, SB 426 prohibits the state from enforcing any mandates or recommendations issued by the World Health Organization, the United Nations, or the World Economic Forum. Specifically, it ensures that Oklahoma will not compel its residents to adhere to directives related to masks, vaccines, medical testing or the gathering of public or private information. With an emergency tag, it becomes law immediately.
SB 2197 pertains to water rights and specifically addresses provisional temporary permits, reversion of water, reports by permit holders, administrative orders and permits. In part, the measure states that when the party entitled to the use of water commences using water but afterwards fails to beneficially use all or any part of the water claimed the unused water shall revert to the public and be regarded as unappropriated public water. Permit holders must report their annual water use to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board in a manner provided by the Board. The report will allow the permit ho lder an opportunity to explain any nonuse of the water allocated by the permit. Failure to report annual water usage may result in cancellation of the permit by the Board. Rep. Toni Hasenbeck (R-Elgin) The Women’s Bill of Rights, House Bill 1449, a carryover measure from 2023, was approved by the governor during the last week of the 2024 ses sion. The bill, authored by Rep. Hasenbeck and co-sponsored by Sen. Jessica Garvin (R-Duncan), will go into effect Nov. 1 and “preserves biological sex as a distinct leg al category,” according to a legislative press release.
Sex is defined as a person’s biological sex at birth and the measure, in part, clarifies how people of both biological sexes are treated under state law.
“The persistent encroachment of men into women-only spaces—whether that's in locker rooms or entrepreneurship programs—threatens the health, careers and lives of women across the world,” Hasenbeck said. “The signing of the Women's Bill of Rights makes permanent the responsibility we all have to ensure women and girls are safe in their protected spaces. I'm grateful to have worked on this meaningful legislation with Sen. Garvin the last two years.”
In addition, the Women’s Bill of Rights states that “equal” in reference to sex does not mean “identical” and that differentiating between sexes does not mean “unequal treatment.” The measure also forbids unfair sex discrimination while allowing for recognition of the differences between sexes on issues related to biology, privacy, safety or fairness, the press release said. Rep. Dick Lowe (R-Amber) Three southwest Oklahoma legislators teamed up to support HB 2197, pertaining to state water rights. It was written by Rep. Lowe and co-sponsored by Rep. Boles and Sen. Lonnie Paxton.
The measure specifically addresses provisional temporary permits, reversion of water, reports by permit holders, administrative orders and permits. In part, the measure states that when the party entitled to the use of w ater commences using water but afterwards fails to beneficially use all or any part of the water claimed, the unused water shall revert to the public and be regarded as unappropriated public water.
Permit holders must report their annual water use to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board in a manner provided by the Board. The report will allow the permit holder an opportunity to explain any nonuse of the water allocated by the permit. Failure to report annual water usage may result in cancellation of the permit by the Board.
In addition, the Board and its authorized agents will have a reasonable right to inspect private property in the performance of their duties and will be required to file complaints of violations. With an emergency tag attached, the law went into effect immediately. Rep. Rande Worthen (R-Lawton) A bill pertaining to unlawful occupation of property, SB 1994, was co-sponsored by Rep.
Worthen and approved by the governor last week. It was authored by Sen. Rob Standridge (R-Norman). The measure also addresses assistance from sheriffs, complaints, exemption of liability and property damage. It strengthens laws against squatting, which is defined as unlawfully occupying an uninhabited building or settling on a piece of land.
“In my district over the last year we have seen a homeowner arrive home only to find a stranger in their shower, unwilling to leave until they finished using the homeowner’s home, vagrants camping and defecating in front of businesses and even attacking patrons and employees with deadly force, and citizens camping on property without permission stating with full confidence that they would not leave until someone could prove the property was not theirs,” Standridge said in a press release.
The law, which goes into effect immediately with an emergency tag, states a felony charge can be issued when a person who is unlawfully occupying or trespassing upon a property intentionally causes $1,000 or more of damages. Upon conviction, the felony is punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not exceeding three years or by a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both fine and imprisonment.