Gollihare Advances Risk-Based Bail Reform to Strengthen Public Safety

OKLAHOMA CITY — Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville, secured Senate passage of Senate Bill 1618, legislation to modernize Oklahoma’s pretrial system by equipping judges with validated risk assessment tools to better protect communities and ensure consistent, informed release decisions.

Senate Bill 1618 requires courts to utilize a validated pretrial risk assessment to evaluate a defendant’s likelihood of failing to appear in court or posing a threat to public safety prior to setting conditions of release. The assessment is designed to inform — not replace — judicial discretion, preserving the authority of judges to make final determinations based on the totality of circumstances.

Gollihare said the measure strengthens Oklahoma’s ability to identify high-risk offenders while improving fairness and consistency in pretrial decisions.

“Oklahoma families deserve a system that is focused first and foremost on public safety,” Gollihare said. “This legislation gives judges better tools to identify who poses a real risk and who does not, so we can keep dangerous individuals off the streets while ensuring low-risk defendants are treated fairly.”

Current law allows judges to deny bail when clear and convincing evidence shows a defendant poses a danger, but those decisions are not guided by a standardized, evidence-based framework. SB 1618 addresses that gap by introducing structured, data-driven assessments grounded in decades of research.

Under the measure, courts must consider the results of the assessment when determining pretrial release conditions, while maintaining full discretion to depart from those findings when necessary to protect public safety or ensure a defendant’s appearance in court.

Gollihare emphasized that the bill reflects a balanced, commonsense approach to reform — one that prioritizes accountability without undermining judicial independence.

“This is about bringing greater consistency, transparency, and discipline to a system that carries real consequences for victims and communities,” Gollihare said. “We are reinforcing a standard that is both tough on crime and grounded in objective, evidence-based decision-making.”

Public safety organizations have voiced strong support for the measure, noting it provides law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts with additional tools to manage repeat and violent offenders while improving overall system reliability.

Senate Bill 1618 now advances to the Oklahoma House of Representatives for further consideration.

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