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Oklahoma
State Senate
Communications Division
State Capitol
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
For Immediate Release: February 16, 2010
Sen. Sean Burrage
Full Senate Approves Emergency Contact Bill
A bill to ensure law enforcement can contact next of kin in case
of an accident or emergency has been approved by the Oklahoma State
Senate. Sen. Sean Burrage is the principal author of Senate Bill
1779, which was approved unanimously on Tuesday.
“Under this legislation, anyone applying for a driver license
or identification card or renewing their license or ID would have
the option of providing an emergency contact person. The Department
of Public Safety would maintain that database,” said Burrage,
D-Claremore. “I want to stress participation would be strictly
optional.”
Burrage decided to file the legislation after a friend contacted
him after the death of a relative in a car accident.
“The victim died in the middle of the night, but police could
not find an emergency contact name or number. They literally had
to break into his apartment to get the name and number of someone
to call. By then it was 12 hours after the victim had died,”
Burrage said. “This legislation would simply give people who
want to participate in this program the opportunity to provide contact
information to be used in the case of a true emergency.”
Burrage’s bill will now move to the House of Representatives
for committee assignment and consideration.
For more information contact:
Sen. Burrage: 405-521-5555
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