House Bill 3371 passed the committee to add domestic strangulation to the list of violent crimes in our state.
Domestic strangulation is when someone strangles their intimate partner or family member.
Domestic strangulation is a felony in Oklahoma but it is not considered a violent crime which means that the sentence is only about one to three years.
Broken Arrow Representative Ross Ford is pushing House Bill 3371 in order to fix the that.
Victims say the change is needed and Rep. Ford says it will provide them better protection.
"Once you'd been strangled once you are five times more likely to die within the next 12 months!" Says Rep. Ford.
Representative Ford's office expects the bill to be heard on the house floor next week.
If passed and signed by the Governor the measure would make domestic strangulation a violent crime and increase the penalty to at least ten years behind bars.
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