Author: Steve Lewis

Focus on the Pardon and Parole Board (Capitol Update)

Everyone who makes decisions in criminal cases — from judges to prosecutors and defense attorneys to the parole board and the governor — bears the weight of the decisions they are making. They live in apprehension that a wrong decision could cost damage, injury, or life. It goes with the territory. No one in the system is infallible. [More...]

Updating state’s drug court statute could reduce overdose deaths (Capitol Update)

The Center for Disease Control released figures recently showing that 100,000 Americans died from a drug overdose between April 2020 and April 2021, nearly 30 percent more than the previous year. Of those, 798 people died in Oklahoma, a 20… Read more [More...]

Lawmakers moving deliberately in allocating ARPA funds (Capitol Update)

Most every group that provides services paid for fully or in-part by state government is enormously interested in the impending distribution of the $1.87 billion coming to the state through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The funds will be… Read more [More...]

Five Republican House members urge Stitt to grant clemency for Julius Jones (Capitol Update)

It looks as though Gov. Stitt will need to decide this week about whether to follow the recommendation of the Pardon and Parole Board and grant clemency to Julius Jones who was convicted of murder in Oklahoma County and sentenced… Read more [More...]

Interim study examines defined-benefit pension plans for state employees (Capitol Update)

If Rep. Avery Frix, R-Muskogee, and Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, never did another thing during their 12-year service in the legislature, which of course is not the fact, successful passage of their House Bill 2486 next session would make their… Read more [More...]

Factors could create progress towards treating, rehabilitating criminal offenders (Capitol Update)

For years, DOC has advocated for more diversion along with more and better treatment, education, and training programs. That’s not surprising. DOC officials see the back end of the criminal legal system and often have no choice but to carry out expensive sentences of incarceration that add little or nothing to public safety and fail to treat and rehabilitate offenders. There is a convergence of three factors that could lead to real progress. [More...]

Interim study examines teacher pay (Capitol Update)

In the wake of an alarming teacher shortage in Oklahoma, there was an interim study last week in the Senate Appropriations committee requested by Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant. The purpose of the study was to look at “qualitative pay” for… Read more [More...]

Interim study explores improving probation and parole services (Capitol Update)

Rep. J.J. Humphrey, R-Lane, Chair of the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee, is determined to use his background in corrections work to help reform criminal justice in Oklahoma. Before his election to the legislature, the third-term representative worked for… Read more [More...]

Interim study examines ways to reduce Oklahoma’s incarceration levels (Capitol Update)

It’s still early to know if major criminal legal reform is going to be on the legislative agenda for next session. I think there is a sincere desire by legislators to bring Oklahoma’s prison population to a more rational level… Read more [More...]

Interim study looks at services, resources for troubled children, families (Capitol Update)

Rep. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, hosted an interim study in the House Children, Family, and Youth Committee chaired by Rep. Carol Bush, R-Tulsa, last week to look at the feasibility of adding a “Family in Need of Services (FINS)” category to… Read more [More...]