Local High School Student's Bill Get Unanimous Support in the House

March 23, 2023

By News Director Jared Atha

Rep. Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, on Wednesday secured unanimous passage of a bill in the House of Representatives that would alert residents in close proximity of a correctional facility in the event of a prisoner escape.

The bill itself was originally drafted by Arapaho-Butler High School senior Katie Edelen.

House Bill 1546 would direct the Oklahoma Department of Corrections to develop an Orange Alert communication system at each correctional facility in the state to notify any resident within a 40-mile radius of the facility when a prisoner has escaped.

Moore says the idea of the bill came to his attention last summer when Edelen attended the “Capital Camp” where high school FFA and 4-H students visited the capitol.

He said Edelen had the idea of the alert system after members of her family were in a frightening situation that involved escaped inmates.

Moore said the alert would work similar to the state’s Amber Alert system that people get on their cell phones. It would alert those who live within a 40-mile radius of the correctional facility where an inmate has escaped.

HB1546 passed 96-0 in the House. It now moves to the state Senate where it is authored by Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher.