Name: Oklahoma just passed a law providing protections to some drivers who hit protesters with a car
Brand: businessinsider.com
SKU: businessinsider-com-1102
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

Oklahoma just passed a law providing protections to some drivers who hit protesters with a car

preview

Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification.An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. It often indicates a user profile.Redeem nowSign up for our newsletter to receive our top stories based on your reading preferences — delivered daily to your inbox.Something is loading.A new law in Oklahoma will penalize protesters who block public roadways, while offering protections to drivers who may unwittingly hit or even kill them with a car.The bill would make obstructing the use of a public street or highway during a demonstration a misdemeanor carrying a possible sentence of a year in jail as well as a $100 to $5,000 fine.Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the , which takes effect November 1, into law Wednesday.Under House Bill 1674, motorists who are "fleeing from a riot" and have "reasonable belief" they are in danger, cannot be held criminally or civilly responsible for injuring or killing demonstrators.&nbsp;Critics of the bill say it is meant to limit legal protests after a summer of nationwide demonstrations against police violence and racism, following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.&nbsp;The bill's author, state Sen. Rob Standridge said in a that the law sets a high standard. "It has to be unintentional, first and foremost," Standridge said, and the driver must feel they are in "imminent harm," "like people are trying to break open the windows, and trying to drag someone out of the vehicle."&nbsp;The legislation was introduced primarily as a response to an last May, in which a driver in a pickup truck pulling a horse trailer drove through a crowd of George Floyd protesters on a freeway, injuring three people and leaving one of them paralyzed from the waist down.&nbsp;The driver, who was not charged, said he sped up because he was afraid for his family's safety."This is an important protection for citizens who are just trying to get out of a bad situation," state Rep. Kevin West said in "When fleeing an unlawful riot, they should not face threat of prosecution for trying to protect themselves, their families, or their property."Data shows that the majority of Black Lives Matter protests have been peaceful, A conducted by the Armed Conflict Location &amp; Event Data Project found that protesters in 93% of such demonstrations last summer did not engage in violence or destructive activity.&nbsp;The Oklahoma bill passed the House and Senate along party lines earlier this month.A group of people protesting the passage of the legislation entered the House Chambers inside the Oklahoma State Capitol briefly on Wednesday, , but the session continued on after demonstrators had left.&nbsp;The Oklahoma bill is part of a of legislation Republican state lawmakers are calling "anti-riot" bills, aimed at punishing rioters and absolving the drivers who may hit them.&nbsp;A proposed would bar those convicted of unlawful assembly from holding state employment, while a would prohibit those people from receiving student loans, unemployment benefits, and housing assistance.&nbsp;Meanwhile, earlier this week that cracked down on public disorder, and Republican legislators in Iowa passed a bill similar to Oklahoma's, that grants immunity to such drivers.Sign up for notifications from Insider! Stay up to date with what you want to know.Subscribe to push notificationsAn icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.Keep readingIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification.

Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification.An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. It often indicates a user profile.Redeem nowSign up for our newsletter to receive our top stories based on your reading preferences — delivered daily to your inbox.Something is loading.A new law in Oklahoma will penalize protesters who block public roadways, while offering protections to drivers who may unwittingly hit or even kill them with a car.The bill would make obstructing the use of a public street or highway during a...

public

Erin Snodgrass

What you want to know about business. A section of @thisisinsider. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Visit our homepage for the day's top stories.

Oklahoma just passed a law providing protections to some drivers who hit protesters with a car

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS