Oklahoma Rule of Law and Public Safety Cooperation Act

This bill awaits the Governor's action. Deadline: 2026-05-25 14:05:00 (UTC).

Voting is now open for 72 hours. - Ends (UTC): 2026-05-22T14:00:00Z Members may vote Aye, Nay, or Present. Results are visible in real time.

Debate is now open for this bill for 72 hours. - Begins (UTC): 2026-05-16T13:00:00Z - Ends (UTC): 2026-05-19T13:00:00Z Please keep discussion on-topic and substantive. After debate closes, voting will automatically begin.

This bill has been enacted via no action (pocket pass) at the Governor review deadline.

Result: passed. Aye (seats): 63 Nay (seats): 37 Present (seats): 0 Total seats: 100

Mr. President, Governor Sharp is right about one thing: this is not complicated. If a federal detainer request is lawful, and a person is already in lawful custody, then Oklahoma ought to cooperate instead of letting a patchwork of local policies create confusion, delay, and unnecessary risk. Rule of law means the laws are enforced in an orderly way, not selectively honored depending on which county or city hall you happen to be standing in. I also want to emphasize what this bill actually says, because too many of these debates drift into caricature. It does **not** erase constitutional protections, due process, or court orders. It expressly preserves them. So the choice before us is not between law enforcement and liberty. The choice is between a clear statewide standard with legal guardrails, or a muddled system where local non-cooperation frustrates public safety and invites litigation. As someone who has spent a lifetime in command structures, I can tell you that unclear lines of responsibility are where mistakes multiply. Oklahoma has every right to expect its agencies, sheriffs, police departments, and detention facilities to share booking and release information and comply with lawful requests. That is not extremism. That is basic discipline in government. I support the bill.

Colleagues, this bill is not complicated. If someone is in lawful custody and federal authorities submit a lawful detainer request, Oklahoma should not be playing games, hiding the ball, or inventing local policies that obstruct cooperation. We ask our police and sheriffs to keep order; we should not tie one hand behind their back because some city hall wants to make an ideological point. Now, I expect we will hear the usual argument that any cooperation at all risks trampling rights. But the bill itself answers that concern: it expressly requires constitutional protections, due process, and compliance with court orders. That matters. Rule of law is not selective. It means enforcing the law while respecting the limits the Constitution puts on government. Those are not competing values; they are the same obligation. From where I come from, working families are tired of watching politicians create gray areas, pass the buck, and then act shocked when trust breaks down. If Oklahoma wants a clear public safety standard, this is a reasonable one: cooperate lawfully, share basic custody information, and let the Attorney General act when jurisdictions decide they are above state policy. That is not extremism. It is basic, orderly governance, and I support the bill.