Oklahoma is turning up the legal heat on repeat “peeping tom” offenders and secret recorders, bumping certain voyeurism crimes from slap-on-the-wrist misdemeanors to felonies and forcing felony offenders onto the sex offender registry. The move brings potential prison time of one to five years, plus fines of up to $5,000, and the new rules are scheduled to kick in Nov. 1, 2026.
Lawmakers say the goal is straightforward, if not exactly subtle: go after hidden-camera schemes and serial invasions of privacy that kept slipping by with misdemeanor penalties.
In a press release from the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Rep. Ross Ford, R-Broken Arrow, said, “Peeping Tom offenders degrade their victims and erode public trust,” adding that “victims of these crimes should be assured the perpetrators will face justice for their actions.” The measure was requested by the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE) Board, which is staffed by the state attorney general’s office, according to the House release. Records show the act was signed into law by the governor, according to LegiScan.
In the same Oklahoma House of Representatives release, Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Sapulpa, did not mince words, saying, “Peeping Toms who repeatedly spy on people and invade their privacy are sex offenders, plain and simple.” The release spells out the kinds of conduct the bill is aimed at, including watching people change through a window, trying to photograph private areas in public, and hiding cameras in private spaces when three or more victims are involved. Legislative records show the governor approved HB4104 on May 12, 2026, according to LegiScan.
What HB4104 Changes
According to the bill text on the Oklahoma Legislature website, HB4104 amends both the state’s criminal code and the Sex Offenders Registration Act, pulling certain peeping-type crimes into the Class B5 felony category and expanding who has to register as a sex offender.
The floor version reclassifies two main buckets of conduct: second or subsequent misdemeanor offenses under the existing peeping statute, and some hidden-camera or secret-recording behavior that involves multiple victims. Once those cross the felony line, they carry potential prison sentences of one to five years and fines up to $5,000. Lawmakers carved the bill to focus on repeat or especially invasive behavior, rather than rewrite every voyeurism law on the books.
Why Sponsors Pushed The Change
Sponsors and the SAFE Board argue that misdemeanor penalties simply have not scared off people running hidden-camera setups, particularly when they can victimize several people before anyone realizes what is happening. Oklahoma’s current peeping statute and its elements are laid out in 21 O.S. Section 1171, according to Justia, but HB4104 widens the list of repeat or clandestine acts that rise to the felony level. Supporters say that shift should give law enforcement clearer tools to go after serial offenders.
HB4104 officially takes effect Nov. 1, 2026, and is expected to become the go-to statute for prosecutors handling repeat voyeurism cases or secret-recording schemes. Defense lawyers and civil-liberties advocates are likely to keep a close eye on the first wave of cases, watching how courts define what counts as a “repeat” or “invasive” offense. In the meantime, police agencies and prosecutors’ offices will be updating their charging playbooks to match the new law.
