News

Bill to ban traffic citation quotas

January 23, 2020

Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, filed a bill prohibiting law enforcement entities from enacting policies that require officers, justices or judges to meet traffic citation quotas. “It’s no secret that some jurisdictions may emphasize writing tickets at different times to try and generate more revenue,” Dahm said. “Our peace officers shouldn’t be pushed by their…

Gov. Stitt sets new record with pardons

January 23, 2020

Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed 62 commutations, 93 pardons and 23 paroles, bringing the total signed during his first year to 774 commutations, 290 pardons and 101 paroles. “This has been a historic year for criminal justice reform in Oklahoma,” said Stitt. “Under new leadership in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and at the Pardon and Parole…

End Death Penalty bill

January 23, 2020

State Rep. Jason Dunnington, D-Oklahoma City, filed House Bill 2876 which would remove the death penalty from among the options in Oklahoma for sentencing in capital cases. “I’m proud to be a part of the important progress we’ve made toward criminal justice reform,” Dunnington said. “Oklahomans are becoming more aware of the wasted costs of…

Reduce sentencing bill

January 23, 2020

Legislation providing juvenile offenders a second chance by preventing harsh sentencing was recently filed by Sen. George Young, D-Oklahoma City. Senate Bill 1189 not only prohibits life without parole sentences for juveniles, but also prohibits a mandatory minimum sentence that exceeds 20 years for any offender under the age of 18. The bill would also…

Create hazard district

January 23, 2020

State Rep. Lonnie Sims, R-Jenks, authored House Bill 2776, The Oklahoma Hazard Mitigation Assessment District Act, which provides the framework for residents in each county to elect and establish a hazard mitigation assessment district. House Bill 2776 is the first piece of legislation to be introduced following interim studies Sims hosted to conduct a review…

Rep. Gann to run again

January 23, 2020

State Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola (House District 8), will run for a third term with the Oklahoma House of Representatives. First elected in 2016, Gann became one of only two elected state representatives that do not take lobbyist or PAC money. Gann has remained true to that pledge and will continue to represent the 8th…

Surprise medical billing

January 23, 2020

State Reps. Marcus McEntire, R-Duncan, Chris Sneed, R-Muskogee, and Tammy Townley, R-Ardmore, commented on the ongoing discussions to eliminate surprise medical billing in Oklahoma. A surprise medical bill is a bill an out-of-network health provider issues to a covered insured person for health care services in an amount greater than the patient’s cost-sharing obligation that…

Medical assault problem

January 23, 2020

Oklahoma needs to be proactive in addressing assaults against medical professionals. That’s according to Sen. Darrell Weaver, author of Senate Bill 1290, the Medical Care Provider Protection Act. Last October, Weaver held an interim study on healthcare professionals and workplace violence. Weaver, R-Moore, said despite a career in law enforcement, he was stunned by the…

Raise tobacco age to 21

January 23, 2020

State Sen. Greg McCortney, R-Ada, has filed legislation to reflect recent changes in federal law raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21. Last month, Congress passed legislation prohibiting the sale of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21. The Tobacco-Free Youth Act was signed into…

School counselors’ bill

January 23, 2020

Due to unfunded mandates of public education testing, many Oklahoma schools are using their school counselors as building test coordinators and test administrators, a practice Sen. Mary Boren says needs to stop. The Norman democrat and certified school counselor filed Senate Bill 1381 to protect school counselors from being pulled away from their official duties…