Cybercrime Legislation Passes Senate, Heads to Governor

OKLAHOMA CITY – A bipartisan solution to address the proliferation of cybercrime unanimously passed the Senate on Tuesday.

House Bill 1759, authored by Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater and Sen. Zack Taylor, R-Seminole, updates language in the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act to better address computer security threats that continue to evolve.

“Our cybercrime bills are woefully behind the advance of technology leaving our agencies, businesses, and consumers vulnerable to threats, such as malware and ransomware,” Ranson said. “This bill updates definitions and penalties in the Computer Crimes Act so that Oklahoma is better prepared for whatever the future brings.”

As technology advances and more commerce moves online, cybercrime is a growing threat. The FBI estimates that cybercrime costs the global economy more than $450 billion a year. This nefarious activity costs not only large companies but also small businesses.

“When people think about cyber attacks, they probably think about large companies,” said Ranson. “However, small businesses are just as susceptible and sometimes more so due to their inability to pay for extensive cybersecurity. This bill is about protecting their livelihood and ultimately the state economy.”

HB1759 is now eligible to be signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt.