Starting on November 1 of this year, volunteers who oversee the safety of children during supervised visitations will need to provide a Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation criminal history background check and other information. Senate Bill 1756 was signed into law by Governor Kevin Stitt.
The measure also requires volunteers to provide an affidavit listing who resides in their home and if the volunteer has any mental health or substance abuse issues.
The legislation was proposed after three children were killed by their mother.
Senator Ally Seifried introduced the bill.
“This tragedy shook our community to its core. While we cannot erase the pain of those we have lost, I am honored to have played a role, however small, in bolstering safeguards that may prevent future tragedies. The memory of those precious children will forever inspire our efforts to create a safer world for our Oklahoma children,” Seifried said.
Representative Mark Lepak joined Seifried in her effort to make supervised visits safer.
“This is a great example of turning grief into action in the service of others. What a wonderful way to memorialize their children. Senator Seifried did a great job listening to the fathers of Noee and little Billy, and forming what they learned into common sense legislation that might someday prevent another tragedy. I was honored to carry the bill to the House, and am grateful to them for its passage, and to the Governor for signing the bill,” Lepak said.
