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An Act
ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1414 By: West (Josh) of the House
and
Hamilton of the Senate
An Act relating to counties and county officers;
amending 19 O.S. 2021, Section 510, which relates to
qualifications for county sheriff; defining term;
modifying eligibility to file for certain office;
requiring certain document be presented when filing
declaration of candidacy for certain office;
authorizing Secretary of State Election Board to
prescribe certain form; permitting military police
service to meet certain experience requirement;
requiring certain verification; and providing an
effective date.
SUBJECT: Counties and county officers
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 19 O.S. 2021, Section 510, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 510. A. As used in this section, “peace officer” shall
mean a full-time duly appointed or elected officer who is currently
or has previously been paid for working more than twenty-five (25)
hours per week and whose duties include or included preserving the
public peace, protection of life and property, prevention of crime,
service of warrants, and the enforcement of:
1. Federal laws;
2. The laws of this state;
3. The laws of any other state in the United States; or
ENR. H. B. NO. 1414 Page 2
4. The local ordinances of any political subdivision of such
state.
B. Any person, otherwise qualified, who has been a resident of
the State of Oklahoma this state for two (2) years, has been a
registered voter of the party whose nomination he or she seeks, or a
registered Independent, within the county from which such person
seeks election for the six (6) months next preceding the first day
of the filing period, is at least twenty-five (25) years of age next
preceding the date of filing for office, possesses at least a high
school education, and has served as a duly certified peace officer,
in a full-time capacity, for a period of four (4) years or more
prior to the date of filing for the office of county sheriff, shall
be eligible to file for or hold the office of county sheriff or to
file therefor.
C. A candidate shall present proof of peace officer
qualification at the time of filing a declaration of candidacy with
the secretary of the county election board as described in Section
5-111 of Title 26 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The Secretary of the
State Election Board may prescribe a form to be included as part of
the documented proof of police or veteran experience as required by
this section.
D. Any veteran who has served as military police may count four
(4) or more years of service as military police to meet the
experience requirement listed in subsection B of this section. A
veteran shall present a Certificate of Release or Discharge from
Active Duty (DD Form 214) when filing a declaration of candidacy as
verification of military police experience.
E. Within twelve (12) months of taking office, all newly
elected or appointed sheriffs shall complete a sheriff’s
administrative school which has been developed by the Oklahoma
Sheriffs’ Association and which has been approved by the Council on
Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET). Failure to complete
the sheriff’s administrative school within the specified period
shall preclude the new sheriff from obtaining CLEET certification.
New sheriffs with prior CLEET certification, who fail to attend the
sheriff’s administrative school, shall have their CLEET
certification revoked. Provided, however, the provisions of this
section relating to qualifications shall not apply to any person
serving as a county sheriff or to any person previously serving as
county sheriff prior to the adoption of this statute.
ENR. H. B. NO. 1414 Page 3
For purposes of this section, “peace officer” shall mean a full-
time duly appointed or elected officer who is paid for working more
than twenty-five (25) hours per week and whose duties are to
preserve the public peace, protect life and property, prevent crime,
serve warrants, and enforce state, federal or military laws and
local ordinances of this state or any political subdivision thereof.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
ENR. H. B. NO. 1414 Page 4
Passed the House of Representatives the 14th day of May, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the 5th day of May, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________