Court-appointed special advocates; removing requirement for state association to adhere to certain national standards. Effective date.

An Act
ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 1597 By: Gollihare, Jett, Murdock,
Coleman, and Pederson of
the Senate

and

Moore of the House

An Act relating to the Oklahoma Children’s Code;
amending 10A O.S. 2021, Section 1-8-102, as amended
by Section 1, Chapter 310, O.S.L. 2022 (10A O.S.
Supp. 2025, Section 1-8-102), which relates to court-
appointed special advocates; removing requirement for
state association to adhere to certain national
standards; updating statutory language; and providing
an effective date.

SUBJECT: Court-appointed special advocates

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 10A O.S. 2021, Section 1-8-102, as
amended by Section 1, Chapter 310, O.S.L. 2022 (10A O.S. Supp. 2025,
Section 1-8-102), is amended to read as follows:

Section 1-8-102. A. Any court-appointed special advocate
(CASA) available for appointment pursuant to the Oklahoma Children’s
Code or the Oklahoma Juvenile Code shall complete education and
training courses in accordance with national and Oklahoma CASA
standards.

B. No court-appointed special advocate shall be assigned a case
before:

ENR. S. B. NO. 1597 Page 2
1. Completing a training program in compliance with nationally
documented Court-Appointed Special Advocate court-appointed special
advocate standards. Documentation of training shall be submitted
annually by local court-appointed special advocate programs to the
Oklahoma Court-Appointed Special Advocate Association; and

2. Being approved by the local court-appointed special advocate
program, which will shall include appropriate criminal background
checks as provided in subsection C of this section.

C. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each local
court-appointed special advocate program shall require for any
person making application to become a court-appointed special
advocate volunteer or to be employed by the local court-appointed
special advocate program:

a. a child welfare records search conducted by the
Department of Human Services, which shall consist of a
search of the Child Abuse and Neglect Information
System maintained by the Department of Human Services
for review by authorized entities,

b. a criminal history records search conducted by the
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and

c. any other background check meeting the requirements as
set forth in Oklahoma Court-Appointed Special Advocate
Association state or national standards for local
programs.

2. If the prospective court-appointed special advocate
volunteer or employee of the local court-appointed special advocate
program has lived in Oklahoma this state for less than one (1) year,
a criminal history records search shall also be obtained from the
criminal history state repository of the previous state of
residence.

D. 1. Any person participating in a judicial proceeding as a
court-appointed special advocate shall be presumed prima facie to be
acting in good faith and in so doing shall be immune from any civil
liability that otherwise might be incurred or imposed.

ENR. S. B. NO. 1597 Page 3
2. Any person serving in a management position of a court-
appointed special advocate organization, including a member of the
Board of Directors acting in good faith, shall be immune from any
civil liability or any vicarious liability for the negligence of any
court-appointed special advocate organization advocates, managers,
or directors.

SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.

ENR. S. B. NO. 1597 Page 4
Passed the Senate the 2nd day of March, 2026.

Presiding Officer of the Senate

Passed the House of Representatives the 6th day of May, 2026.

Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives

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: _________________________________