Firefighters; prohibiting fire departments from employing previously convicted sex offenders; effective date.

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ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 3082 By: Kelley of the House

and

Hines of the Senate

An Act relating to firefighters; amending 57 O.S.
2021, Section 589, which relates to the Sex Offenders
Registration Act; prohibiting fire departments from
employing previously convicted sex offenders;
providing penalties; defining term; and providing an
effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 57 O.S. 2021, Section 589, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 589. A. It is unlawful for any person registered
pursuant to the Oklahoma Sex Offenders Registration Act or the Mary
Rippy Violent Crime Offenders Registration Act to work with or
provide services to children or to work on school premises, or for
any person or business which contracts for work to be performed on
school premises to knowingly and willfully allow any employee to
work with children or to work on school premises who is registered
pursuant to the Oklahoma Sex Offenders Registration Act or the Mary
Rippy Violent Crime Offenders Registration Act. Upon conviction for
any violation of the provisions of this subsection, the violator
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed

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One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00). In addition, the violator may be
liable for civil damages.
B. 1. A person or business who offers or provides services to
children shall ensure compliance with subsection A of this section
by conducting a name search of employees at least annually against
the registries maintained pursuant to the Oklahoma Sex Offenders
Registration Act and the Mary Rippy Violent Crime Offenders
Registration Act while such person is working with or serving
children. All persons working with or providing services to
children shall be required to sign a statement declaring that he or
she is not currently required to register under the provisions of
the Oklahoma Sex Offenders Registration Act or the Mary Rippy
Violent Crime Offenders Registration Act. Compliance with the
signed statement shall be mandatory for all persons working with or
providing services to children, and there shall be no liability or
obligation placed upon any person or business to ascertain the
truthfulness of the affidavit. Any person or business having a
contract with a school shall ensure compliance as provided by
Section 6-101.48 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
2. Failure of any person or business who works with or provides
services to children to conduct the annual name search of each
person employed shall be a misdemeanor. Upon conviction for failure
to conduct a name search, the violator shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars

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($1,000.00). Refusal of any person who is employed to work with or
provide services to children to sign a statement declaring they have
no requirement to register as provided in this section shall be a
misdemeanor, upon conviction, punishable by a fine not to exceed One
Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), and the person shall be immediately
terminated from employment. Any person discovering an employment or
registration violation as required by any provision of law for any
person currently employed to work with or provide services to
children has a duty to and shall immediately report such findings to
the district attorney.
C. It is unlawful for any law enforcement agency to employ any
person as a peace officer or criminal investigator who has received
a verdict of guilty or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any offense
required to register that requires registration pursuant to the Sex
Offenders Registration Act or the Mary Rippy Violent Crime Offenders
Registration Act, including those receiving a verdict of guilt,
pleading guilty or nolo contendere as part of a deferred judgment or
other provision of law authorizing a delayed or suspended judgment
or sentence. Every person receiving a verdict of guilty or pleading
guilty or nolo contendere to any offense required to register
pursuant to the Sex Offenders Registration Act or the Mary Rippy
Violent Crime Offenders Registration Act shall be prohibited from
being certified by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and
Training (CLEET) as a peace officer, private investigator, or

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security guard, and if at the time of the verdict or plea such
person has been previously CLEET certified such certification shall
be revoked. Any violator shall be guilty of a misdemeanor upon
conviction of noncompliance with the provisions of this subsection.
D. 1. It is unlawful for any fire department in this state to
employ any person as a firefighter who has received a verdict of
guilty or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any offense that
requires registration pursuant to the Sex Offenders Registration
Act, including those receiving a verdict of guilt, pleading guilty
or nolo contendere as part of a deferred judgment or other provision
of law authorizing a delayed or suspended judgment or sentence. Any
person who violates the provisions of this subsection shall, upon
conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor.
2. As used in this subsection, "firefighter" means a volunteer
firefighter or a permanent salaried professional member of any fire
department within the State of Oklahoma.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.

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Passed the House of Representatives the 4th day of March, 2026.

Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives

Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2026.

Presiding Officer of the Senate