Oklahoma House Votes To Pass Domestic Abuse Survivors Sentencing Bill

The Oklahoma House of Representatives voted Wednesday to pass HB 1639, a bill designed to lessen sentences for domestic violence victims who face possible prison time in connection with a crime against their abuser.

The bill will allow a judge to limit sentences to ten years in prison if they determine the person being sentenced is a survivor of domestic violence within one year prior to or on the date of the offense.

In a recent study the Young Women's Christian Association said there were over 43,000 domestic violence calls in Oklahoma in 2022, which resulted in nearly 1,000 arrests.

The YWCA also said in 2021 Oklahoma ranked second in the nation for the number of women killed by men.

Senior Campaign Strategist Alexandra Baily, at The Sentencing Project, released the following statement after the House voted to pass the bill:

“The Sentencing Project applauds the Oklahoma House Judiciary—Criminal Committee for unanimously passing the Oklahoma Domestic Abuse Survivorship Act. This legislation will provide justice to domestic abuse survivors in Oklahoma by giving courts more nuance in sentencing and the ability to resentence people convicted of crimes where domestic abuse was determined to be a significant factor. Our legal system must account for the circumstances behind every crime, and sentences should be proportional depending on those circumstances. This bill does just that.”

“Going forward, it is essential that lawmakers maintain the current language in the bill, including the current proposed sentencing ranges and retroactivity for people who have already been convicted. We look forward to seeing this bill - in its current form - signed into law.”