Oklahoma House Bill HB2705

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/3/25
• Refer: 2/4/25
• Report Pass: 3/4/25
• Engrossed: 3/12/25
• Refer: 4/1/25
• Report Pass: 4/15/25
• Enrolled: 5/1/25
• Passed: 5/8/25

Caption

Sexual assault victims; directing law enforcement agencies to inform sexual assault victims of the status of certain evidence; codification; effective date.

Summary

HB2705 creates a new section of Oklahoma law requiring law enforcement agencies, when requested by a sexual assault victim, to provide information about the status of sexual assault forensic evidence in the victim’s criminal case. The agency may require the request to be made in writing, and it is not required to proactively contact the victim or the victim’s advocate unless a request is made. The bill also establishes a list of victim information rights. Upon request, victims must be told whether a DNA profile was obtained from the evidence, whether that profile was entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), and whether there is a confirmed match in CODIS. The statute states that its purpose is to encourage agencies to share information already in their possession, but it does not require disclosure if doing so would interfere with or compromise an ongoing criminal investigation. The act is set to take effect November 1, 2025.

Impact

HB2705 adds a new victim-notification requirement to Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, specifically codifying a right for sexual assault victims to receive certain updates about forensic evidence and DNA testing in their cases. It affects law enforcement agencies handling sexual assault investigations and creates a statutory framework for victim access to evidence-status information, while preserving agency discretion to withhold information when disclosure could harm an active investigation.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition. It passed both House and Senate committees unanimously and cleared third reading in both chambers with strong vote totals, suggesting general agreement that sexual assault victims should have better access to information about their cases and forensic evidence.

Contention

There is limited recorded contention in the available materials, but the bill does preserve law enforcement discretion in two areas that could matter in practice: agencies may require written requests, and they may deny disclosure if it would impede an ongoing investigation. Any potential debate would likely center on balancing victim transparency and communication against investigative confidentiality and prosecutorial/law-enforcement needs.