HB 1350 Summary

• Amends Oklahoma stalking law to define stalking as willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly following or harassing another person in a manner that causes reasonable fear or actual emotional distress, with misdemeanor penalties of up to 1 year in county jail and/or $1,000 fine.

• Establishes felony penalties (up to 5 years in Department of Corrections custody and/or up to $2,500 fine) for stalking violations that occur when a protective order, probation condition, or prior violent conviction is in effect against the same party.

• Creates enhanced felony penalties (up to 5 years and/or up to $2,500 fine) for second stalking offenses within 10 years or violations of protective orders after prior stalking convictions.

• Expands victim protection orders to cover victims of rape, forcible sodomy, sex offenses, kidnapping, and assault and battery with a deadly weapon, making them substantially similar to domestic abuse protective orders.

• Adds definitions for "harasses," "course of conduct," "emotional distress," "unconsented contact," and "member of the immediate family" to stalking statute; effective November 1, 2015.