Read the full stored bill text
Req. No. 13850 Page 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
HOUSE BILL 3555 By: Eaves
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to public safety; amending 47 O.S.
2021, Section 2-117, which relates to police
authority of the Department of Public Safety; making
certain exception for municipal police departments;
providing for application for roadway designation as
a safety corridor; listing requirements of
application; requiring review and approval or denial
of application; listing certain considerations;
authorizing designation be valid for certain period
of time; detailing action upon approval; authorizing
renewal designation; limiting use of designation;
defining term; authorizing the promulgation of rules;
and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 47 O.S. 2021, Section 2-117, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 2-117. A. The Commissioner of Public Safety and each
officer of the Department of Public Safety, as designated and
commissioned by the Commissioner, are hereby declared to be peace
officers of the State of Oklahoma and shall be so deemed and taken
in all courts having jurisdiction of offenses against the laws of
Req. No. 13850 Page 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
the state. Such officers shall have the powers and authority now
and hereafter vested by law in other peace officers, including the
right and power of search and seizure, except the serving or
execution of civil process, and the right and power to investigate
and prevent crime and to enforce the criminal laws of this state.
B. In addition to the powers and authority prescribed in
subsection A of this section, the officers of the Department shall
have the following authority, responsibilities, powers and duties:
1. To enforce the provisions of this title and any other law
regulating the operation of vehicles or the use of the highways,
including, but not limited to, the Motor Carriers Act of this state,
or any other laws of this state by the direction of the Governor;
2. To arrest without writ, rule, order or process any person
detected by them in the act of violating any law of the state;
3. When the officer is in pursuit of a violator or suspected
violator and is unable to arrest such violator or suspected violator
within the limits of the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol
Division, to continue in pursuit of such violator or suspected
violator into whatever part of the state may be reasonably necessary
to effect the apprehension and arrest of the same, and to arrest
such violator or suspected violator wherever the violator may be
overtaken;
4. To assist in the location of stolen property, including
livestock and poultry or the carcasses thereof, and to make any
Req. No. 13850 Page 3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
inspection necessary of any truck, trailer or contents thereof in
connection therewith;
5. At all times to direct all traffic in conformance with law
and, in the event of a fire, or other emergency, or to expedite
traffic, or to insure ensure safety, to direct traffic as conditions
may require, notwithstanding the provisions of law;
6. To require satisfactory proof of ownership of the contents
of any motor vehicle, including livestock, poultry or the carcasses
thereof. In the event that the proof of ownership is not
satisfactory, it shall be the duty of the officer to take the motor
vehicle, driver, and the contents of the motor vehicle into custody
and deliver the same to the sheriff of the county wherein the cargo,
motor vehicle and driver are taken into custody;
7. When on duty, upon reasonable belief that any vehicle is
being operated in violation of any provisions of this title, or any
other law regulating the operation of vehicles, to require the
driver thereof to stop and exhibit his or her driver license and the
certificate of registration issued for the vehicle, if required to
be carried in the vehicle pursuant to paragraph 3 of subsection A of
Section 1113 of this title, and submit to an inspection of such
vehicle, the license plates and certificate of registration thereon,
if applicable, or to any inspection and test of the equipment of
such vehicle;
Req. No. 13850 Page 4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
8. To inspect any vehicle of a type required to be registered
hereunder in any public garage or repair shop or in any place where
such vehicles are held for sale or wrecking, for the purpose of
locating stolen vehicles and investigating the title and
registration thereof;
9. To serve all warrants relating to the enforcement of the
laws regulating the operation of vehicles or the use of the highways
and bench warrants issued for nonpayment of fines and costs for
moving traffic violations;
10. To investigate and report traffic collisions on all
interstate and defense highways and on all highways outside of
incorporated municipalities, and may investigate traffic collisions
within any incorporated municipality upon request of the local law
enforcement agency, and to secure testimony of witnesses or of
persons involved;
11. To investigate reported thefts of motor vehicles, trailers
and semitrailers;
12. To stop and inspect any motor vehicle or trailer for such
mechanical tests as may be prescribed by the Commissioner to
determine the roadworthiness of the vehicle. Any vehicle which may
be found to be unsafe for use on the highways may be ordered removed
from said highway until such alterations or repairs have been made
that will render said vehicle serviceable for use on the highway;
Req. No. 13850 Page 5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
13. To stop and inspect the contents of all motor vehicles to
ascertain whether or not the provisions of all general laws are
being observed;
14. To enforce the laws of the state relating to the
registration and licensing of motor vehicles;
15. To enforce the laws relating to the operation and use of
vehicles on the highway;
16. To enforce and prevent, on the roads of the state highway
system, the violation of the laws relating to the size, weight, and
speed of commercial motor vehicles and all laws designed for the
protection of the highway pavements and structures on such highways;
17. To investigate and report to the Corporation Commission and
the Oklahoma Tax Commission violation of their rules and the laws
governing the transportation of persons and property by motor
transportation companies and all other motor carriers for hire;
18. To investigate and report violations of all laws relating
to the collection of excise taxes on motor vehicle fuels;
19. To regulate the movement of traffic on the roads of the
state highway system;
20. Whenever possible, to determine persons causing or
responsible for the breaking, damaging, or destruction of any
improved surfaced roadway, structure, sign, marker, guardrail, or
any other appurtenance constructed or maintained by the Department
Req. No. 13850 Page 6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
of Transportation, and to arrest persons responsible thereof and to
bring them before the proper officials for prosecution;
21. To investigate incidents involving an employee of the
Department, when such incidents are related to the performance of
the duties of the employee; and
22. To initiate or assist in manhunts and fugitive
apprehensions.
C. Whenever any person is arrested by a patrol officer for a
traffic violation, the provisions of Sections 16-101 through 16-114
of this title shall apply.
D. 1. Except as provided in this subsection, the powers and
duties conferred on the Commissioner and officers of the Department
of Public Safety shall not limit the powers and duties of sheriffs
or other peace officers of the state or any political subdivision of
the state.
2. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division shall have primary law
enforcement authority respecting traffic-related offenses upon the
National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, and may have
special law enforcement authority on those portions of the federal-
aid primary highways and the state highway system which are located
within the boundaries and on the outskirts of a municipality, and
designated by the Commissioner of Public Safety for such special law
enforcement authority. As used in this subsection, "outskirts of a
Req. No. 13850 Page 7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
municipality" means and shall be determined by presence of the
following factors:
a. low land use density,
b. absence of any school or residential subdivision
requiring direct ingress or egress from the highway,
and
c. a scarcity of retail or commercial business abutting
the highway.
3. The Commissioner may designate any portion of the National
System of Interstate and Defense Highways, and those portions of the
federal-aid primary highways and the state highway system which are
located within the boundaries of and on the outskirts of a
municipality for special traffic-related enforcement by the Oklahoma
Highway Patrol Division and issue a written notice to any other law
enforcement agency affected thereby. Upon receipt of such notice,
the affected law enforcement agency shall not regulate traffic nor
enforce traffic-related statutes or ordinances upon such designated
portion of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways or
such designated portions of the federal-aid primary highways and the
state highway system without prior coordination and written approval
of the Commissioner.
E. 1. Any of the following persons may request the
Commissioner to investigate the traffic-related enforcement
practices of a municipal law enforcement agency whose jurisdiction
Req. No. 13850 Page 8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
includes portions of the federal-aid primary highways, the state
highway system, or both located within the boundaries of and on the
outskirts of the municipality:
a. the district attorney in whose jurisdiction the
municipality is located,
b. a majority of the county commissioners, by resolution,
of the county in which the municipality is located,
c. the State Auditor and Inspector,
d. the State Attorney General, or
e. a state legislator in whose district the municipality
is located.
2. The request shall state that the requesting party believes
the enforcement practices are being conducted:
a. within the boundaries of and on the outskirts of the
municipality, and
b. for the purpose of generating more than fifty percent
(50%) of the revenue needed for the operation of the
municipality.
3. Upon receipt of a request pursuant to this subsection, the
Commissioner may investigate the traffic-related enforcement
practices of the municipal law enforcement agency and the receipts
and expenditures of the municipality. The law enforcement agency,
the municipality, and the requesting party shall cooperate fully
with the Commissioner in such an investigation. Upon the completion
Req. No. 13850 Page 9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
of the investigation, the Commissioner shall submit a report of the
results of the investigation to the Attorney General, who shall make
a determination within sixty (60) days of receipt of the report as
to whether the enforcement practices of the municipal law
enforcement agency are being conducted as provided in subparagraphs
a and b of paragraph 2 of this subsection. Upon a determination
that the enforcement practices are not being conducted in such a
manner, the Attorney General shall notify the Commissioner in
writing, and the Commissioner shall take no action to make a
designation as provided in paragraph 3 of subsection D of this
section. Upon a determination that the enforcement practices are
being conducted as provided in subparagraphs a and b of paragraph 2
of this subsection, the Attorney General shall notify the
Commissioner in writing, and the Commissioner shall make the
designation of special traffic-related enforcement as provided in
paragraph 3 of subsection D of this section, which shall stay in
force for such time as determined by the Commissioner. The
Department of Public Safety shall adopt rules to uniformly implement
the procedures for initiating, investigating and reporting to the
Attorney General the results of a request under the provisions of
this subsection and the criteria for determining the length of time
the designation of special traffic-related enforcement shall be in
force.
Req. No. 13850 Page 10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
F. Nothing in this section shall limit a member of the Oklahoma
Highway Patrol Division from requesting assistance from any other
law enforcement agency nor limit officers of such agency from
rendering the requested assistance. The officer and the law
enforcement agency responding to the request of the member of the
Oklahoma Highway Patrol Division or sheriff's department shall have
the same rights and immunities as are possessed by the Oklahoma
Highway Patrol Division.
G. No state official shall have any power, right, or authority
to command, order, or direct any commissioned law enforcement
officer of the Department of Public Safety to perform any duty or
service contrary to the provisions of this title or any other laws
of this state.
H. 1. A municipality may exceed the revenue cap described in
paragraph 2 of subsection E of this section for traffic violations
occurring within a designated safety corridor. A municipality may
submit a joint application to the Oklahoma Department of Public
Safety and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation requesting
designation of a specific roadway segment as a designated safety
corridor. The application shall include:
a. traffic and citation data for the prior twelve (12)
months,
b. evidence of a pattern of excessive speeding, traffic
accidents, or fatalities, and
Req. No. 13850 Page 11
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
c. a plan for increased enforcement and public safety
measures;
2. Upon review of the application, the Oklahoma Department of
Public Safety and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation shall
approve or deny the request based upon:
a. the severity and frequency of traffic safety concerns
in the proposed corridor,
b. supporting traffic studies or data, and
c. the reasonableness of the enforcement plan proposed by
the municipality;
3. If approved, the safety corridor designation shall be valid
for a period of six (6) months, during which time:
a. the municipality may exceed the revenue cap described
in paragraph 2 of subsection E of this section for
violations occurring strictly within the designated
corridor,
b. additional enforcement and signage shall be used to
promote public awareness and deter violations, and
c. data on citations, accidents, and compliance shall be
collected and submitted to the Department of Public
Safety and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation;
4. The safety corridor designation may be renewed for
subsequent six-month periods upon reapplication and updated data
Req. No. 13850 Page 12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
submission, subject to approval by the Oklahoma Department of Public
Safety and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation;
5. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to permit
municipalities to use traffic enforcement as a primary revenue-
generation mechanism contrary to public safety objectives;
6. For purposes of this section, a "designated safety corridor"
means a specifically identified segment of roadway within the
jurisdiction or on the outskirts of a municipality that has been
approved by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety and the
Oklahoma Department of Transportation for enhanced traffic
enforcement based on demonstrated patterns of excessive speeding,
high accident rates, or traffic-related fatalities. The purpose of
the designation is to reduce traffic violations and improve public
safety through targeted enforcement and visibility measures.
7. The Department of Public Safety and the Oklahoma Department
of Transportation are authorized to promulgate any rules necessary
to effectuate the provisions of this subsection.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
60-2-13850 JBH 7/23/25