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OklahomaHB 3996Oklahoma 2026 Regular SessionHouse

Crimes and punishments; capital cases; Indigent Defense System to make certain payments and provide certain experts; effective date.

Sponsored By: Rande Worthen (Republican)

Became Law

Senate Committee

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Expert help for poor capital defendants

Beginning November 1, 2026, Oklahoma's Indigent Defense System must arrange and reasonably pay for experts needed for effective legal representation. This help covers death-penalty cases during court challenges after conviction. Defendants must be found unable to afford counsel after a hearing and have a lawyer appointed for that challenge. The law sets no payment amount or cap.

Stricter limits on death-penalty court challenges

Beginning November 1, 2026, courts face limits on reviewing late or repeat death-penalty challenges filed on or after November 1, 1987. These rules also cover other sentences in cases where the defendant has a death sentence, including claims about court authority. New applications go to Oklahoma's Court of Criminal Appeals within 90 days after the appellee's direct-appeal brief, or reply brief if filed. For cases with a direct-appeal brief filed before November 1, 1995, and no timely application, the deadline is 180 days after that date. Claims left out of a timely application are waived; amendments filed after the deadline count as repeat applications. Courts can consider late or repeat claims only through the law's exceptions for previously unavailable legal or factual grounds. The factual exception requires specific facts explaining why the claims could not be presented earlier. If proven, those facts must clearly and convincingly show that, without the error, no reasonable factfinder would have found guilt or imposed death.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Rande Worthen

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Brent Howard

    Republican • Senate

  • Trey Caldwell

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 348 • No: 13

House vote • 5/6/2026

FOURTH READING

Yes: 86 • No: 1

Senate vote • 4/22/2026

THIRD READING

Yes: 47 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/14/2026

Committee vote: Judiciary

Yes: 7 • No: 0

House vote • 3/4/2026

THIRD READING

Yes: 87 • No: 6

House vote • 3/4/2026

Top_of_Page

Yes: 87 • No: 6

House vote • 2/24/2026

DO PASS

Yes: 11 • No: 0

House vote • 2/24/2026

DO PASS

Yes: 11 • No: 0

House vote • 2/17/2026

DO PASS

Yes: 6 • No: 0

House vote • 2/17/2026

DO PASS

Yes: 6 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Becomes law without Governor's signature 05/13/2026

    5/13/2026House

  2. Sent to Governor

    5/6/2026House

  3. Enrolled measure signed, returned to House

    5/6/2026Senate

  4. Enrolled, signed, to Senate

    5/6/2026House

  5. Referred for enrollment

    5/6/2026House

  6. Fourth Reading, Measure passed: Ayes: 86 Nays: 1

    5/6/2026House

  7. SA's read, adopted

    5/6/2026House

  8. SA's received

    4/23/2026House

  9. Engrossed to House

    4/23/2026Senate

  10. Referred for engrossment

    4/22/2026Senate

  11. Measure passed: Ayes: 47 Nays: 0

    4/22/2026Senate

  12. General Order, Considered

    4/22/2026Senate

  13. Placed on General Order

    4/20/2026Senate

  14. Withdrawn from Appropriations committee

    4/20/2026Senate

  15. Referred to Appropriations

    4/14/2026Senate

  16. Title restored

    4/14/2026Senate

  17. Reported Do Pass as amended Judiciary committee; CR filed

    4/14/2026Senate

  18. Second Reading referred to Judiciary Committee then to Appropriations Committee

    4/1/2026Senate

  19. First Reading

    3/5/2026Senate

  20. Engrossed, signed, to Senate

    3/5/2026House

  21. Referred for engrossment

    3/4/2026House

  22. Third Reading, Measure passed: Ayes: 87 Nays: 6

    3/4/2026House

  23. Title stricken

    3/4/2026House

  24. Amended

    3/4/2026House

  25. General Order

    3/4/2026House

Bill Text

  • Enrolled (final version)

    5/6/2026

    PDF

  • Amended And Engrossed

    4/23/2026

    PDF

  • Floor (Senate)

    4/20/2026

    PDF

  • Senate Committee Report

    4/14/2026

    PDF

  • Engrossed

    3/5/2026

    PDF

  • Floor (House)

    2/26/2026

    PDF

  • House Committee Report

    2/24/2026

    PDF

  • House Committee Substitute

    2/24/2026

    PDF

  • House Policy Committee Report

    2/18/2026

    PDF

  • Introduced

    1/15/2026

    PDF

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