{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-21-21-1168.4","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 21-1168.4","heading":"Discovery of human remains or burial furniture -","body":"Reporting and notification procedure.\n\nA. All persons who encounter or discover human skeletal remains\n\nor what they believe may be human skeletal remains or burial\n\nfurniture thought to be associated with human burials in or on the\n\nground shall immediately cease any activity which may cause further\n\ndisturbance and shall report the presence and location of such human\n\nskeletal remains to an appropriate law enforcement officer.\n\nB. Any person who willfully fails to report the presence or\n\ndiscovery of human skeletal remains or what they believe may be\n\nhuman skeletal remains within forty-eight (48) hours to an\n\nappropriate law enforcement officer in the county in which the\n\nremains are found shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.\n\nC. Any person who knowingly disturbs human skeletal remains or\n\nburial furniture other than a law enforcement officer, registered\n\nmortician, a representative of the Office of the Chief Medical\n\nExaminer, a professional archaeologist or physical anthropologist,\n\nor other officials designated by law in performance of official\n\nduties shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a Class D3 felony\n\noffense and shall be punished by imprisonment as provided for in\n\nsubsections B through F of Section 20P of this title.\n\nD. Anyone other than a law enforcement officer, registered\n\nmortician, a representative of the Office of the Chief Medical\n\nExaminer, a professional archaeologist or physical anthropologist,\n\nor other officials designated by law in performance of official\n\nduties, who disturbs or permits disturbance of a burial ground with\n\nthe intent to obtain human skeletal remains or burial furniture\n\nshall, upon conviction, be guilty of a Class D3 felony offense and\n\nshall be punished by imprisonment as provided for in subsections B\n\nthrough F of Section 20P of this title.\n\nE. The law enforcement officer, if there is a reason to believe\n\nthat the skeletal remains may be human, shall promptly notify the\n\nlandowner and the Chief Medical Examiner. If remains reported under\n\nthis act are not associated with or suspected of association with\n\nany crime, the State Archaeologist and the State Historic\n\nPreservation Officer shall be notified within fifteen (15) days. If\n\nreview by the State Archaeologist and the State Historic\n\nPreservation Officer of the human skeletal remains and any burial\n\nfurniture demonstrates or suggests a direct historical relationship\n\nto a tribal group, then the State Archaeologist shall:\n\n1. Notify the State Historic Preservation Officer; and\n\n2. Consult with the tribal leader, designated by the Oklahoma\n\nIndian Affairs Commission, within fifteen (15) days regarding any\n\nproposed treatment or scientific studies and final disposition of\n\nthe materials.","path":["OK Code","Title 21"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os21.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"7a334d71f4c22d7e394f37803709b7dd1763c0ded4b59a30bf4d1d8da56ef32f","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-21-21-1168.3","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-21-21-1168.5"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}