Author: Steve Lewis

Justice demands proportionality in child abuse laws (Capitol Update)

Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee — chaired by Sen. Brent Howard, R-Altus — held a three-hour interim study exploring Oklahoma’s “Failure to Protect” statutes. The study was led by Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Bristow. The Oklahoma statute, 22 O.S. 843.5,… Read more [More...]

Interim studies examine Oklahoma services to families, children, youth (Capitol Update)

The House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Human Services, led by Chairman Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, and Vice Chair Emily Gise, R-Oklahoma City, held a series of interim studies last week ranging widely on Oklahoma’s services to families, children, and youth.… Read more [More...]

Interim study looks at potential improvements to Oklahoma’s criminal justice system (Capitol Update)

The Senate Public Safety Committee chaired by Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, conducted an interim study on October 1 requested by Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, to consider several flaws in the criminal justice system – some that could perhaps be easily… Read more [More...]

The challenge of reforming Oklahoma’s property tax (Capitol Update)

Representative Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, has assumed chairmanship of the House Subcommittee on Finance after the resignation of former Rep. Ty Burns, R-Pawnee, and Fetgatter wants to look at lowering the property tax burden and finding ways to replace the revenue.… Read more [More...]

Tracing the rise and resignation of Ryan Walters (Capitol Update)

The most remarkable — if not the most important — happening in state government last week was the announcement by State Superintendent Ryan Walters that he is resigning with sixteen months left in his term of office. His departure may… Read more [More...]

Petition seeks constitutional amendment to guarantee every idea a vote in the Oklahoma Legislature

We seem to be living in a time when the long-agreed-upon principles upon which we have governed ourselves are being challenged. A group of citizens — including former Republican State Rep. Charles Key and former 2014 Republican state senate candidate… Read more [More...]

Breaking Oklahoma’s cycle of incarceration requires coordinated efforts, investments (Capitol Update)

The House County and Municipal Government Committee, chaired by Rep. Eddy Dempsey, R-Valliant, heard an interim study last week sponsored by Rep. Danny Williams, R-Seminole, and Rep. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, that reviews criminal justice funding and outcomes resulting from the… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma State Treasurer pushes Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust board to file shareholder proposals (Capitol Update)

Oklahoma Watch reported recently that State Treasurer Todd Russ is driving an effort to get the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) Board of Investors to make proposals to corporations in which the board invests the $2 billion trust fund. The… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma’s county jails face rising insurance and liability pressures (Capitol Update)

Last week, Senator David Bullard, R-Durant, sponsored an interesting and important interim study on insurance rates for county jails before the Senate Local and County Government Committee, chaired by Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain. The study featured testimony from several county… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Supreme Court stays HB 2783 over Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust Board terms (Capitol Update)

There was an interesting ruling by the Oklahoma Supreme Court recently staying implementation of House Bill 2783, authored by the respective chairmen and vice chairmen of the House and Senate appropriations committees. The bill sought to strike statutory language providing… Read more [More...]