An act relating to counties and county officers, the official text

1                             STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2   1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)

3 HOUSE BILL 2835                 By: Burns

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6                               AS INTRODUCED

7   An Act relating to counties and county officers;

    amending 19 O.S. 2021, Section 215.20, which relates

8   to election of district attorney; directing for

    nonpartisan elections of district attorneys; amending

9   19 O.S. 2021, Section 510, which relates to

    qualifications of county sheriff; directing for

10  nonpartisan elections of county sheriffs; and

    providing an effective date.

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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

14  SECTION 1.      AMENDATORY  19 O.S. 2021, Section 215.20, is

15 amended to read as follows:

16  Section 215.20. A. At the primaries and general elections held

17 in 1966, and each four (4) years thereafter, there shall be

18 nominated and elected in each and every district attorney's district

19 in the State of Oklahoma, a district attorney, who shall hold office

20 for a term of four (4) years, beginning on the first Monday of

21 January following his their election, and until his their successor

22 is elected and qualified.

23  B. District attorney elections shall be nonpartisan, and all

24 candidates shall file as independent candidates. No primary

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1 elections shall be held in a nonpartisan election. Each candidate

2 shall appear on the ballot as an independent candidate without party

3 or other designation.

4  SECTION 2.      AMENDATORY  19 O.S. 2021, Section 510, is

5 amended to read as follows:

6  Section 510. A. Any person, otherwise qualified, who has been

7 a resident of the State of Oklahoma for two (2) years, has been a

8 registered voter of the party whose nomination he or she seeks, or a

9 registered Independent, within the county from which such person

10 seeks election for the six (6) months next preceding the first day

11 of the filing period, is at least twenty-five (25) years of age next

12 preceding the date of filing for office, possesses at least a high

13 school education and has served as a duly certified peace officer,

14 in a full-time capacity, for a period of four (4) years or more

15 prior to the date of filing for the office of county sheriff, shall

16 be eligible to hold the office of county sheriff or to file

17 therefor. Within twelve (12) months of taking office, all newly

18 elected or appointed sheriffs shall complete a sheriff's

19 administrative school which has been developed by the Oklahoma

20 Sheriffs' Association and which has been approved by the Council on

21 Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET). Failure to complete

22 the sheriff's administrative school within the specified period

23 shall preclude the new sheriff from obtaining CLEET certification.

24 New sheriffs with prior CLEET certification, who fail to attend the

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1 sheriff's administrative school, shall have their CLEET

2 certification revoked. Provided, however, the provisions of this

3 section relating to qualifications shall not apply to any person

4 serving as a county sheriff or to any person previously serving as

5 county sheriff prior to the adoption of this statute.

6   B. County sheriff elections shall be nonpartisan, and all

7 candidates shall file as independent candidates. No primary

8 elections shall be held in a nonpartisan election. Each candidate

9 shall appear on the ballot as an independent candidate without party

10 or other designation.

11  C. For purposes of this section, "peace officer" shall mean a

12 full-time duly appointed or elected officer who is paid for working

13 more than twenty-five (25) hours per week and whose duties are to

14 preserve the public peace, protect life and property, prevent crime,

15 serve warrants, and enforce state, federal or military laws and

16 local ordinances of this state or any political subdivision thereof.

17  SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.

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19  60-1-11151      MJ    12/11/24

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