This week, the Oklahoma House of Representatives passed several bills designed to curb criminal activity in Oklahoma.

Rep. John George, R-Newalla, authored House Bill 3694, House Bill 3696, House Bill 3782 and House Bill 3783.

House Bill 3694, which passed the House Wednesday, is a proposed amendment to decrease the felony threshold for theft from $1,000 to $500 dollars.

Currently, nationwide, there is a rise in violent crime, particularly in retail settings. George said the National Retail Federation reports that over 81% of business owners have faced more violent theft-related crimes compared to previous years.

"It's necessary for Oklahoma to adopt pragmatic legislation that not only holds violent offenders accountable but also confronts the alarming rise in crime rates," George said. "We have two options: either we can take a lenient approach to crime or adopt smart strategies to combat it."

Oklahoma increased felony thresholds on July 1, 2017, and George said that overall crime rates substantially rose after this change. According to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, between 2018 and 2019, there was a 54% increase in property-related crimes and 34% in offenses against persons.

On Tuesday, House Bill 3696 passed off the House floor. It proposes to establish a felony charge for individuals who commit battery or assault on a retail employee during the commission of a crime. George said this legislation aims to create a safer environment for workers in different types of retail establishments by imposing felony charges on those who commit violence against retail employees.

"This bill is a data-driven policy initiative to tackle increasing crime rates," George said. "The statistics show that crime rates in our state are increasing annually, and this measure aims to provide law enforcement with adequate means to address violent criminals who put workers in danger."

OSBI data shows that between 2018 and 2019, crimes against persons increased by 34%, and between 2020 and 2021, they increased by 68%. HB3696 would introduce a new law that specifies that if a person intentionally assaults or harms a retail employee while they are performing their job duties, they will be charged with a felony. This offense carries a penalty of up to $2,500 in fines or a maximum of 2 years in prison.

Later on Tuesday, the House passed House Bill 3782. This bill suggests that individuals who are out on bond for a violent crime and are arrested again for another violent crime may have their initial bond revoked. Additionally, they could be detained without the option for further bond.

"This is a simple but serious bill," George said. "It aims to prevent violent offenders from committing further crimes."

George highlighted the need for alignment in Oklahoma's laws regarding assault and battery with deadly weapons. Currently, while such crimes cover various means of injury without intent to kill or commit a felony, domestic violence cases are limited to firearms.

"This bill is a result of an interim study on domestic violence," George said. "The aim is to align the language with the existing assault and battery with deadly weapon laws. House Bill 3783 seeks to ensure that the value of a crime is not reduced when it involves domestic violence."

House Bill 3783, which passed the House Tuesday, aims to extend the definition of certain domestic assault and battery offenses to include all potential lethal weapons.

All four bills are now available to be considered by the Senate.