Oklahoma
State Senate
Communications Division
State Capitol
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
For Immediate Release: March 11, 2009
Sen. Don Barrington
Senate Approves Ban on Cell Phones in Prisons
Sen. Don
Barrington believes Oklahoma's prisons would be safer without
cell phones, and the Senate agreed Wednesday approving Senate
Bill 1064 banning them and other electronic devices capable of
sending or receiving electronic communications from correctional
facilities.
"This is an effort to protect our correctional workers and
the public. Cell phones are being smuggled in to prisoners and
they're getting involved in organized crime as well as harassing
their victims from within their cells," said Barrington,
R-Lawton. "This is dangerous and wrong. We have to do all
we can to keep these people from continuing to commit crimes,
and increasing the penalty for bringing cell phones into these
facilities or for prisoners being found in possession of them
is one way we can accomplish that."
Under SB 1064, bringing such devices into a jail, state penal
institution or other place, without authority, where prisoners
are located would be a felony punishable with up to two years
in prison, a fine not exceeding $2,500 or both. The new law would
also pertain to prisoners found with such devices in their possession.
"This is common sense legislation. There are already a number
of items that are banned from prisons because they can be used
as weapons, and with cell phones being used to commit crime I
believe this is one of the worst weapons for these criminals to
have," said Barrington. "Prisoners are allowed to call
their loved ones using the prison phones, so there's no reason
for them to have cell phones accept for misbehavior."
Guns, knives, controlled dangerous substances, alcohol, tobacco
products, and money are currently banned in prisons.
SB 1064 will now go to the House for further consideration.
For more information contact:
Sen. Barrington's Office: 405-521-5563
