Senate Approves Bill to Require Sex Offender Info on Driver’s License

Senator Brian Crain

Sen. Crain says his bill would better protect the most vulnerable citizens from sex offenders.

The full Senate has approved a measure which would identify registered sex offenders on their state driver’s license. Under Senate Bill 1426, by Sen. Brian Crain, convicted sex offenders would be given 180 days after being notified by the Department of Corrections to get a new license reflecting their status as a sex offender or face cancellation of their license for one year.

“Essentially, it’s another opportunity for us to protect the very young and the very old here in Oklahoma,” said Crain, R-Tulsa. “Currently we require that nursing homes, day care centers and schools do a background check to make sure individuals that are applying for jobs there are not on the sex offender registry. This bill would allow vendors of goods and services to have a guarantee that individuals they are placing in those same facilities are not on the sex offender registry.”

Crain did amend his bill on the floor to ensure that if a person was able to be taken off the sex offender registry, that individual could then get a new license without the previous information indicating they were on the registry.

In addition to the one year cancellation of a driver’s license for those who fail to update the document to reflect sex offender status, violation of the proposed law would also be a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $200.00. If approved, the new law would take effect January 1, 2007.

“I think this bill enjoys widespread support by both Democrats and Republicans, both House and Senate members. I anticipate that this will be received favorably by the House and I anticipate that by the end of this session, it will go to the Governor’s desk for his signature,” said Crain.

The measure now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Contact info

Senator Crain's Office - (405) 521-5620