"I am deeply concerned that Senator Mike Morgan and other members of the Senate Democrat leadership are refusing to hear these two bills, just because they came from a Republican House of Representatives. This seems to be part of a pattern by Senate Democrats this week, as they introduce a poisonous partisan climate into the people’s business," said House Speaker Todd Hiett (R-Kellyville). "These are responsible proposals designed to keep Oklahoma children safe. For Senator Morgan and his committee chairmen to not hear these bills for political reasons is truly disturbing."

Both bills have been refused a hearing in the Senate committees to which they were assigned. Thursday, April 6, is the day by which bills passed by the House must be heard by a Senate committee, or else they are effectively dead.

HB 2839 was assigned to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety, chaired by Sen. Kenneth Corn (D-Howe). HB 2841 was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Charlie Laster (D-Shawnee). Both committees have already met for their final scheduled meeting this week, though Hiett said it is not too late to schedule special meetings of each committee.

"These are bills that every law-abiding Oklahoman should be eager to support," said House Speaker Pro Tempore Susan Winchester (R-Chickasha), who authored both measures. "One measure simply aims to make sure that sex offenders aren’t preying on our children. The other seeks to make sure our bail laws effectively keep dangerous suspects away from the people they are most likely to harm. Why the Senate can’t at least give these two bills an open debate in committee is beyond me."

Both HB 2839 and HB 2841 are key planks of the Keeping Oklahoma Kids Safe Initiative being pushed by House leadership.

HB 2839, the Protecting Youth from Sex Offenders Act, focuses on three areas of reform to crack down on sex offenders. The measure would prohibit registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of parks and playgrounds (extending the 2,000 prohibition that already exists for schools). It would strengthen punishments against sex offenders for crimes that involve the physical molestation of a child 12 or younger, requiring a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years without parole. It also increases the penalties for sex offender cases involving children under 16, and narrows the range of penalties so some offenders cannot receive unjustly lenient sentences. And it would expand the current "two strikes" provision, which sentences repeat sex offenders to life without parole.

HB 2841 would enact reforms to tighten bail restrictions against dangerous suspects. The bill was prompted by the case of Caitlin Wooten, a sixteen-year-old from Ada. Last year, Wooten was killed by her mother’s ex-boyfriend, Jerry Don Savage. Only weeks before, Savage was able to quickly post bail after being arrested for attempting to kidnap Caitlin’s mother.

Under HB 2841, judges could consider a number of different factors when determining where to set bond for a potentially dangerous suspect. These factors would include the nature of and circumstances surrounding the alleged offense, as well as the personal history and character of the suspect, including their mental condition, financial situation, criminal record, and any history of drug or alcohol abuse.