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
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2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
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3 SENATE BILL 2164 By: Jett
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to game wardens; amending 29 O.S.
7 2021, Section 3-201, as amended by Section 265,
8 Chapter 486, O.S.L. 2025 (29 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section
8 3-201), which relates to game wardens; requiring
9 consent of property owner to enter private land
9 without probable cause; establishing gunshots do not
10 constitute probable cause; updating statutory
10 language; and providing an effective date.
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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 29 O.S. 2021, Section 3-201, as
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15 amended by Section 265, Chapter 486, O.S.L. 2025 (29 O.S. Supp.
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16 2025, Section 3-201), is amended to read as follows:
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17 Section 3-201. A. All things being equal, veterans of World
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18 War II, the Korean, the Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars shall Any
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19 veterans shall be appointed as game wardens when vacancies occur.
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20 B. All persons appointed game wardens shall be peace officers
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21 and have the full powers of peace officers of the State of Oklahoma
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22 in the enforcement of the provisions of this Code and are authorized
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23 to:
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Req. No. 3170 Page 1
1 1. Enforce all state laws on Department-owned or Department-
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2 managed lands;
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3 2. Enforce all other laws of this state;
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4 3. Make arrests for wildlife conservation violations and
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5 nonconservation-related crimes with the same power and authority as
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6 sheriffs are vested with and in cooperation with other law
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7 enforcement officers and agencies;
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8 4. Take into possession any and all protected wildlife, or any
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9 part thereof, killed, taken, shipped or in any possession contrary
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10 to the law, and the wildlife or parts thereof may be disposed of as
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11 determined by the Director or any court of competent jurisdiction;
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12 5. Make a complaint and cause proceedings to be commenced
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13 against any person for violation of any of the laws for the
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14 protection and propagation of wildlife, with the sanction of the
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15 prosecuting or district attorney of the county in which the
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16 proceedings are brought, and shall not be required to give security
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17 for costs;
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18 6. Be an authorized agent of the Commission or Department under
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19 Section 3-202 of this title in addition to duties as a game warden;
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20 and
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21 7. Assist in enforcement of the state fire laws, upon request
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22 of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry.
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23 C. 1. Pursuant to the provisions of this subsection, a game
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24 warden may operate a vehicle owned or leased by the Department upon
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Req. No. 3170 Page 2
1 a roadway during the hours of darkness without lighted headlamps,
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2 clearance lamps, or other illuminating devices. As used in this
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3 paragraph, "roadway" shall include any street or highway in this
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4 state except an interstate highway, a limited access highway, a
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5 state trunk highway, or any street or highway within the limits of
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6 an incorporated area.
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7 2. Pursuant to the provisions of this subsection, a game warden
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8 may operate a vessel upon any waters of this state during the hours
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9 of darkness without the illuminating devices required by Section
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10 4207 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
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11 3. A game warden may operate a vehicle or vessel without the
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12 illuminating devices specified in this subsection only if the
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13 operation:
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14 a. is made in the performance of the duties of the game
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15 warden pursuant to the provisions of the Code, and
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16 b. (1) will aid in the accomplishment of a lawful arrest
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17 for any violation of the Code or any rule or
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18 regulation promulgated thereto, or
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19 (2) will aid in ascertaining whether a violation of
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20 the Code or any rule or regulation promulgated
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21 thereto has been or is about to be committed.
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22 D. Any person who refuses to stop a vehicle or boat when
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23 requested to do so by a game warden in the performance of the duties
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24 of the game warden is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction is
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Req. No. 3170 Page 3
1 punishable by a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00)
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2 nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).
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3 E. Any game warden who solicits or accepts any bribe or money
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4 or other thing of value in connection with the performance of duty
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5 as a game warden shall be guilty of a Class C2 felony offense and,
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6 upon conviction, shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment as
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7 provided for in subsections B through F of Section 20M of Title 21
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8 of the Oklahoma Statutes and shall be summarily removed from office.
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9 F. Pursuant to the provisions of subsection B of this section
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10 and the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Code, a game warden shall not
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11 have authority to use or place a game or wildlife camera on private
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12 property without the permission of the owner or controller of the
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13 property or pursuant to a warrant issued by a court of competent
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14 jurisdiction.
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15 G. A game warden shall not enter private property without
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16 probable cause, and the sound of gunshots alone shall not constitute
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17 probable cause. Game wardens shall obtain consent from the property
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18 owner to investigate private land.
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19 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
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21 60-2-3170 YG 1/15/2026 2:07:56 PM
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Req. No. 3170 Page 4Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.