Filed by Michael Cross in Feature, Local News, News, Politics.
February 8, 2010

A bill heading to the floor of the State Senate would make it easier for law enforcement to contact family members in the case of accidents or other life threatening situations.

Senate Bill 1779 was passed through the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee last week.

The bill’s author Senator Sean Burrage says Oklahomans would have the option of filling out emergency contact information when getting a drivers license or ID card.

“So when law enforcement does come upon you and you are incapacitated or something else may have happened to you then they would be able to contact that person.”

The Claremore Democrat says this would be strictly voluntary, and the information would go into a database used only by the Department of Public Safety.

He got the idea when talking to a friend about a cousin who died, and the family wasn’t notified for 12 hours.