Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1
2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
2
3 SENATE BILL 1597 By: Gollihare
3
4
4
5
5
6 AS INTRODUCED
6
7 An Act relating to the Oklahoma Children's Code;
7 amending 10A O.S. 2021, Section 1-8-102, as amended
8 by Section 1, Chapter 310, O.S.L. 2022 (10A O.S.
8 Supp. 2025, Section 1-8-102), which relates to court-
9 appointed special advocates; removing requirement for
9 state association to adhere to certain national
10 standards; updating statutory language; and providing
10 an effective date.
11
11
12
12
13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
13
14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 10A O.S. 2021, Section 1-8-102, as
14
15 amended by Section 1, Chapter 310, O.S.L. 2022 (10A O.S. Supp. 2025,
15
16 Section 1-8-102), is amended to read as follows:
16
17 Section 1-8-102. A. Any court-appointed special advocate
17
18 (CASA) available for appointment pursuant to the Oklahoma Children's
18
19 Code or the Oklahoma Juvenile Code shall complete education and
19
20 training courses in accordance with national and Oklahoma CASA
20
21 standards.
21
22 B. No court-appointed special advocate shall be assigned a case
22
23 before:
23
24
24
Req. No. 2826 Page 1
1 1. Completing a training program in compliance with nationally
1
2 documented Court-Appointed Special Advocate court-appointed special
2
3 advocate standards. Documentation of training shall be submitted
3
4 annually by local court-appointed special advocate programs to the
4
5 Oklahoma Court-Appointed Special Advocate Association; and
5
6 2. Being approved by the local court-appointed special advocate
6
7 program, which will shall include appropriate criminal background
7
8 checks as provided in subsection C of this section.
8
9 C. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each local
9
10 court-appointed special advocate program shall require for any
10
11 person making application to become a court-appointed special
11
12 advocate volunteer or to be employed by the local court-appointed
12
13 special advocate program:
13
14 a. a child welfare records search conducted by the
14
15 Department of Human Services, which shall consist of a
15
16 search of the Child Abuse and Neglect Information
16
17 System maintained by the Department of Human Services
17
18 for review by authorized entities,
18
19 b. a criminal history records search conducted by the
19
20 Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and
20
21 c. any other background check meeting the requirements as
21
22 set forth in Oklahoma Court-Appointed Special Advocate
22
23 Association state or national standards for local
23
24 programs.
24
Req. No. 2826 Page 2
1 2. If the prospective court-appointed special advocate
1
2 volunteer or employee of the local court-appointed special advocate
2
3 program has lived in Oklahoma this state for less than one (1) year,
3
4 a criminal history records search shall also be obtained from the
4
5 criminal history state repository of the previous state of
5
6 residence.
6
7 D. 1. Any person participating in a judicial proceeding as a
7
8 court-appointed special advocate shall be presumed prima facie to be
8
9 acting in good faith and in so doing shall be immune from any civil
9
10 liability that otherwise might be incurred or imposed.
10
11 2. Any person serving in a management position of a court-
11
12 appointed special advocate organization, including a member of the
12
13 Board of Directors acting in good faith, shall be immune from any
13
14 civil liability or any vicarious liability for the negligence of any
14
15 court-appointed special advocate organization advocates, managers,
15
16 or directors.
16
17 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
17
18
18
19 60-2-2826 TEK 1/13/2026 11:31:22 AM
19
20
20
21
21
22
22
23
23
24
24
Req. No. 2826 Page 3Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.