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What is the Oklahoma Survivor's Act?

Scripps Media

CDC: one in four women will suffer intimate partner violence in their lifetime

By: Jennifer Maupin

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TULSA, Okla. — The Oklahoma Survivor's Act is a new law that provides sentencing relief for survivors of domestic violence and abuse who are convicted of crimes linked to their abuse.

How did it become law?

The Act was first introduced as Senate Bill 1470 in 2023, but failed to pass. In 2024, it was reintroduced and revised as Senate Bill 1835. Governor Kevin Stitt initially vetoed the revised bill in April before signing it into law on May 21, 2024.

The law took effect on Aug. 29, 2024.

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April Wilkens' case

April Wilkens was convicted in 1999 for killing her ex-fiance in Tulsa County. Wilkens claimed the shooting was in self-defense after enduring years of domestic and sexual abuse. She was sentenced to life in prison.

Wilkens was the first person to file under the Oklahoma Survivor's Act. Her case and the advocates supporting her are often credited for helping move the legislation forward to become law.

Despite her being the first to file, delays have caused her resentencing hearing to be scheduled for Sept. 3.

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What does the law do?

The Oklahoma Survivor's Act works in two parts — one part adds sentencing relief for future survivors of domestic abuse who are convicted of a crime linked to their abuse.

The other part of the law gives guidelines for retroactive resentencing for those already convicted of a crime related to their abuse.

The law applies to survivors of partner, family, or trafficker abuse.

What's happened since the law's been in place?

Lisa Rae Wright was the first survivor to be released under the Act on Jan. 8 after serving nearly 35 years for the murder of her husband.

Wright was found guilty of having her brother kill her abusive husband and was serving a life sentence before she applied to have her sentence reduced under the new law.

April Wilkens case

Tulsa County's first major hearing

Erica Harrison applied to have her sentence reduced for killing Calvin Anderson, who she says raped her twice, including once when she was a teenager.

She said one night when he physically threatened her, she shot and killed him.

On Aug. 29, Tulsa County judge Sharon Holmes denied her request, stating the law requires Erica Harrison to have been an intimate partner with Calvin Anderson, not a rape victim.