Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, has passed legislation out of committee to assist inmates leaving state custody with obtaining driver's licenses.

House Bill 2364 requires the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) to assist inmates in obtaining a noncompliant REAL ID driver license. If an inmate does not or cannot obtain a driver's license, DOC is required to assist them in obtaining a REAL ID Noncompliant Identification Card.

The change updates the Sarah Stitt Act, which Hill passed in 2021 to provide needed documentation and employment services to those leaving incarceration in an effort to reduce Oklahoma's recidivism rate and boost the state's economy. Under the law, DOC is also required to provide inmates with copies of their degrees and certificates, work record, birth certificate, as well as a Social Security card, a resume and documentation that the inmate completed a practice job interview. The act was named for Oklahoma's First Lady Sarah Stitt in recognition for her work to reduce recidivism.

"When inmates leave prison fully prepared to enter the workforce and gain housing, our whole state benefits," Hill said. "The likelihood they'll return to prison is significantly lessened because they reenter society with the tools and support they need to make it happen. House Bill 2364 would help American citizens leave Oklahoma prisons with a state driver's license, which will help them access work, housing, grocery stores and other services, and gives them a state ID to be used in securing a job. This not only reduces recidivism but also strengthens Oklahoma’s restorative workforce by helping more people become productive, contributing members of society."

HB2364 passed the House Public Safety Committee 5-0 on Wednesday and must be heard by the House Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee before it may move to the House floor.