Two new Oklahoma laws aimed at improving public safety take effect November 1st.
Republican Representative Steve Bashore of Miami authored both measures.
House Bill 3244 strengthens penalties for organized retail crime and identity theft. It expands the types of personal information covered under identity theft laws, including fingerprints, passwords and PIN numbers. The measure also increases penalties for repeat offenders and closes loopholes that allow criminals to exploit vulnerable people, including seniors and minors.
House Bill 2941 requires first responders to notify law enforcement when they suspect a drug overdose, after addressing the patient's immediate medical needs. It also establishes fentanyl as the presumed cause of death in fatal overdoses involving the drug.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reports fentanyl was involved in 86 percent of opioid-related overdose deaths in 2024.
Bashore says both laws are designed to protect Oklahomans by holding criminals accountable and helping authorities better track and respond to the state's growing fentanyl problem.
