On Monday, the Oklahoma Senate passed two major pieces of legislation to protect businesses and punish criminals.

Sen. Julie Daniels (R-Bartlesville) introduced the bills aimed at facilitating the prosecution of repeat offenders and career criminals in response to a notable rise in crime across the state.

“The staggering rise in criminal activity in our state is simply unacceptable,” Sen. Daniels wrote in a press release.

She highlighted the need for these “commonsense bills” and called for prompt action from the House to pass them. She argues these bills would address the surge in crimes and ensure a safer environment for Oklahomans.

“These commonsense bills are a crucial step towards safeguarding our communities and hard-working Oklahomans by taking aim at career criminals and deterring others from following a similar path,” Sen. Daniels wrote. “The strong backing from respected organizations across our state underscores the critical nature of these legislative measures.”

Statistics from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) underscore the situation’s urgency, with a 171% increase in crimes against people and a 164% rise in property crimes between 2017 and 2021.

Furthermore, the National Retail Federation has noted that over 81% of business owners report a spike in violent retail thefts in recent years.

The first bill, SB 1877, proposes extending the aggregation period for calculating the value of stolen items from 90 to 180 days.

According to Sen. Daniels, this change aims to give law enforcement and prosecutors more time to accurately assess the behavior of repeat offenders and construct more robust cases against career criminals, thereby also serving as a deterrent to potential offenders.

The second bill, SB 1735, focuses on protecting businesses and employees from violence during forcible entries into “restricted areas” like behind the counters where alcohol and tobacco are stored. The legislation acknowledges the increased risks faced by frontline workers such as cashiers in retail, grocery and convenience stores, according to Sen. Daniels.

Both SB 1877 and SB 1735 have received backing from influential groups, including the Public Safety Alliance of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, and the Oklahoma Grocers Association.

The bills are now poised for consideration in the House, marking a critical step towards improving public safety and combating the escalation of criminal activities in Oklahoma.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Sen Daniels’ SB 1877 and SB 1735: Oklahoma targets repeat offenders