Governor signs key Gollihare bills into law

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville, on Wednesday celebrated several of his policy priorities being signed into law. Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed into law a handful of Gollihare’s bills, including public safety proposals, a measure to protect landowner’s property rights and a bill on firefighter’s pensions.

These are among the bills Senator Gollihare authored or coauthored that have been signed into law:

House Bill 3159: The Landowner’s Bill of Rights ensures that if the state acquires land through eminent domain but then later publicly sells that property, the original landowner or their heirs would have the first chance to repurchase the property. If the original landowner repurchases the property, the cost would be lower than the current market value or equal to the amount paid to that person when their land was seized through eminent domain.

Senate Bill 1662 authorizes the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to develop procedures in accordance with the National Child Protection Act for qualified businesses, nonprofit entities and other organizations to request a state and national background check to determine if an employee, volunteer or other “covered individual” has a history of abusing children.

House Bill 3612 allows a court to hold an offender’s prison sentence in abeyance while they serve time in federal prison. Once the offender completes their time in federal custody, that person shall be returned to the Department of Corrections to serve their state-imposed prison sentence.

House Bill 2991 updates state references to the minimum distribution age for the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System to remain in compliance with IRS regulations.

“From looking out for landowner’s property rights to protecting public safety, I have worked tirelessly on these bills to address the real issues Oklahomans face,” Gollihare said. “I appreciate my colleagues in the House and Senate for working with me on these critical measures, and I thank the governor for giving them his stamp of approval. I look forward to these laws taking effect in the coming months.”

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For more information, contact Sen. Todd Gollihare at (405) 521-5528 or Todd.Gollihare@oksenate.gov