Crimes and punishments; making certain acts unlawful; effective date.
Summary
HB1689 amends Oklahoma’s larceny-of-lost-property statute to clarify and expand the conduct that can be prosecuted when a person finds property and fails to make a reasonable effort to identify and return it to the owner. The bill keeps the existing value-based penalty structure for stolen or misappropriated lost property, with misdemeanor treatment for property under $1,000 and escalating felony penalties for higher-value property up to eight years’ imprisonment for property valued at $15,000 or more.
In addition to the lost-property changes, the bill creates a new offense involving shopping carts. It makes it unlawful to remove a shopping cart from the parking area of a retail establishment with the intent to permanently or temporarily deprive the owner of the cart, and also unlawful to possess a cart that has been removed under those circumstances. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. The act is set to take effect November 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill amends 21 O.S. 2021, Section 1702, thereby changing Oklahoma criminal law governing larceny of lost property and adding a separate shopping-cart offense. It expands the statute’s reach beyond traditional lost-property appropriation to include unauthorized removal or possession of retail shopping carts, and it establishes misdemeanor penalties for that conduct. The measure affects individuals who find and keep lost property, retail establishments that own shopping carts, and prosecutors and courts enforcing misdemeanor and felony theft-related offenses.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have received generally favorable treatment in committee and on the House floor, advancing through the House Criminal Judiciary Committee, the House Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee, and third reading with clear majority support. It also received a do-pass-as-amended recommendation in the Senate Public Safety Committee, suggesting continued support for the concept even as it moved into the Senate process. The available record shows no committee transcripts, so the broader sentiment can only be inferred from the vote margins and progression.
Contention
The main point of contention appears to be the scope of criminal liability, particularly the addition of a new offense for shopping-cart removal or possession and the inclusion of temporary deprivation language, which can broaden enforcement beyond outright theft. The House floor vote of 54-33 indicates meaningful opposition, likely reflecting concerns about overcriminalization, enforcement priorities, or whether existing theft and property laws already cover the conduct. The Senate committee’s amended approval suggests there may also have been concerns about the bill’s wording or application, though the specific amendments are not provided.
Labor: fair employment practices; penalty for wage and fringe benefit payment violations with the intent to defraud; increase. Amends sec. 15 of 1978 PA 390 (MCL 408.485).