02 May 2025 :

April 28, 2025 - Oklahoma. House Passes SB 599: Death Penalty for First Child Rape Offense

Senate Bill 599 was voted 80-8 on April 28. On April 29 the new law was engrossed, signed, and passed to Senate.

a bill that would add the death penalty or life without the possibility of parole as potential punishments for any person convicted of certain sexual crimes against children.

Under Senate Bill 599, an offender would not need to be convicted a second time of these specific crimes for this higher range of punishment.

The measure also would give a greater range of punishment for any person convicted of inappropriately touching a child under the age of 12. Instead of the 25-year term now in statute, an offender could face a term of not less than 10 years, but the amendment adds the possible punishment of life without parole or even death. Anyone convicted of forcible anal or oral sodomy, rape or rape by instrumentation of a child under 14 years of age shall now be eligible for punishment by death or by imprisonment for life without parole upon first offense.

3 other states – Florida, Idaho and Tennessee – have adopted similar legislation, and 7 additional states are running similar measures this year.

SB599 passed the House on a vote of 80-8. It now moves back to the Senate for consideration of amendments made in the House. The Senate passed a previos version of the law on March 27 (see HoC).

https://www.okhouse.gov/posts/news-20250430_1
Bill Information