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HB 4198

Workplace violence; creating the Protection from Workplace Violence Act; authorizing certain persons to seek protective order relief; codification; effective date.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Todd Gollihare and 1 co-sponsor

Oklahoma establishes civil protective order mechanism allowing workers and employers to seek court restraining orders against workplace violence threats without criminal prosecution.

Coauthored by Representative Dollens
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 4198

Legislative bill overview

HB 4198 creates Oklahoma's "Protection from Workplace Violence Act," establishing a legal mechanism allowing workers and employers to seek protective orders against individuals who pose workplace violence threats. The bill codifies new statutory language to address workplace safety through civil restraining order procedures similar to existing domestic violence protections.

Why is this important

Workplace violence affects thousands of employees annually and can result in injury, death, or psychological trauma. This legislation provides a targeted legal tool for affected workers and employers to obtain court-ordered protection without requiring criminal charges, potentially preventing incidents before they occur.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope and definition: Unclear whether "workplace violence" includes threats, harassment, stalking, or only physical violence; overly broad definitions could enable misuse while narrow ones may fail to protect vulnerable workers
  • Due process concerns: Balance between rapid protective order issuance and respondents' rights to fair notice and hearing; ex parte orders (issued without the other party present) raise fairness questions
  • Employer liability: Ambiguity about employer obligations to request orders, report incidents, or implement security measures; unclear consequences for non-compliance could create unintended legal exposure
  • Implementation costs: Requires judicial resources, law enforcement training, and potential protective order monitoring; funding mechanism not apparent from bill summary

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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