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OK HB1971
Bill
Status
2/3/2025
Primary Sponsor
Danny Williams
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AI Summary
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Requires employees, contractors, volunteers, and third parties at state-run juvenile facilities, private contractors, group homes under Office of Juvenile Affairs supervision, or county detention facilities to immediately report any suspected sexual misconduct or exploitation between staff and juveniles to both the facility supervisor and a new Independent Oversight Committee
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Creates criminal penalties of up to 2 years imprisonment and $5,000 fine for failure to report incidents, plus civil liability exempt from the Governmental Tort Claims Act for damages caused to juvenile victims
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Establishes an Independent Oversight Committee within the Office of Juvenile Affairs with subpoena power to investigate all reports of sexual misconduct, coercive relationships, and exploitation separately from internal facility reviews
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Authorizes civil fines up to $50,000 per juvenile victim against negligent facilities and requires annual training on prevention, identification, and reporting of sexual misconduct for all facility personnel
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Creates exceptions to juvenile record confidentiality laws to allow disclosure of files related to sexual violence against minors in custody to law enforcement, parents/guardians, attorneys, court-appointed advocates, and court officers without requiring a court order
Legislative Description
Children; Accountability, Transparency, and Protection for Exploited Youth Act; report; sexual misconduct or exploitation; penalties; Office of Juvenile Affairs; Independent Oversight Committee; responsibilities; investigations; civil liability; damages; negligence; civil penalties; training; annual report; exception; Oklahoma Open Records Act; disclosure; confidentiality; judicial review; juvenile records; exception; codification; effective date.
Last Action
Referred to Criminal Judiciary
2/5/2025