An act relating to crimes and punishments, the official text

1                            STATE OF OKLAHOMA

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

3 HOUSE BILL 2883                   By: Chapman

4

5

6                            AS INTRODUCED

7   An Act relating to crimes and punishments; creating

    the Utility Worker Protection Act of 2025; defining

8   term; establishing assault or battery of a utility

    worker as a felony; stating certain violation shall

9   be cumulative to any other act or acts; and providing

    an effective date.

10

11

12

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

14  SECTION 1.      NEW LAW  A new section of law to be codified

15 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 650.12 of Title 21, unless there

16 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

17  A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Utility

18 Worker Protection Act of 2025".

19  B. As used in this section the term "utility worker" means a

20 person employed by or contracted by any person, firm, corporation,

21 district or association, whether private, municipal, body politic or

22 cooperative, which is engaged in the sale, generation, distribution,

23 or delivery of electricity, water, natural gas, or other utility

24 services.

    Req. No. 12228                                           Page 1
1   C. Every person who, without justifiable or excusable cause and

2 with intent to do bodily harm, commits any assault or battery upon

3 the person of a utility worker who is performing duties within their

4 scope of employment, upon conviction, is guilty of a felony

5 punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of

6 Corrections for a term not exceeding two (2) years, or by a fine not

7 exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by both such fine and

8 imprisonment.

9   D. This section shall not supersede any other act or acts, but

10 shall be cumulative thereto.

11  SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.

12

13  60-1-12228      JBH  01/16/25

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

    Req. No. 12228                                                Page 2