OK lawmakers Advances Bill to Governor Stitt to Raise Age of Consent
OKLAHOMA CITY—Oklahoma lawmakers sent a bill to Gov. Stitt to sign, raising the age of sexual consent to 18.
If signed, Oklahoma would become the 12th state where the age of consent is 18.
Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, authored House Bill 1003, which is designed to 'to shield minors from exploitation while still showing grace to young people in close-in-age relationships.'
Under Oklahoma law and the proposed law, the maximum age difference is four years.
The propsed law also clarifies that sex between a school employee and a student under the age of 20 is considered rape.
The bill, House Bill 1003, also clarify the state's 'Romeo and Juliet' law, meaning young people who engage in consensual sexual activity with someone under 18 would not be charged with rape if the age difference between them is less than four years.
The current Romeo and Juliet law applies when one partner is at least 14 but under 18, and the other is no more than four years older.
Under the current law, a 17-year-old could legally engage in consensual relations with a 14-year-old, but an 18-year-old in the same situation would not be covered by the exemption. If the law is passed a 21-year-old could legally engage in a consensual relations with a 17-year-old.
The Romeo and Juliet law does not apply if the older party is in a position of authority, trust, or influence over the younger individual, for example, teachers, coaches, clergy members, and others in positions of power.
Sexual activity with a child below the age of 14 is classified as first-degree rape under Oklahoma law regardless of the age gap.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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