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In The Know is a daily synopsis of Oklahoma policy-related news and blogs. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
On Thursday, Governor Fallin signed a bill allowing the limited use of a marijuana derivative in a medical pilot program to treat children with epileptic seizures. Bills that establish a regulatory framework for ridesharing programs like Uber and Lyft and that triple the mandatory waiting time for an abortion from 24 to 72 hours passed the House and has been sent to the Governor. At a breakfast with lawmakers, Superintendents Keith Ballard (Tulsa Public Schools) and Rob Neu (Oklahoma City Public Schools) discussed the impact of budget cuts on their school districts. Spending per student has dropped 23.6 percent in Oklahoma since 2008, the deepest cuts in the US.
The campaigns in favor of and opposed to wind incentives have swung into high gear, with bills concerning two of three incentives up for consideration as soon as next week. Both sides make their cases here. As anti-fracking ban legislation moves forward, cities are reexamining their drilling ordinances. On the five-year anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act, author and blogger John Green discusses whether the law is working. In its annual recommendations, the Oklahoma Child Death Review Board calls for safe infant sleep practices and improving seat belt laws, as well as adequately funding agencies that serve children and families. You can read the recommendations here.
Engineers representing Arkansas river communities have released a report estimating costs associated with several low-water dams that could be part of a proposal before voters later this year. The Tulsa World shared the story of a small rural church where the hymns are sung in Creek. Following the shooting death of an unarmed suspect by a volunteer reserve deputy, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s office is reshuffling personnel. The Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office has found that a man who died after being shocked with a Taser by Osage Nation police officers in February died of cardiac arrest. The Number of the Day is 442 – the number of newly diagnosed chlamydia cases per 100,000 in Oklahoma in 2012. The US median was 291. In today’s Policy Note, PRI explains how kicking a trash can became a criminal offense for a sixth grader.
In The News
Oklahoma allows for use of marijuana derivative in medical trial
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin on Thursday signed into law a measure that allows for the use of a non-intoxicating derivative of marijuana in a medical pilot program to treat children who suffer from epileptic seizures. Fallin, a Republican, said she is opposed to the legalization of marijuana for medical or recreational use.
Oklahoma House passes ridesharing program regulations
A bill that sets up a regulatory framework for ridesharing programs such as Uber and Lyft has been approved by the Oklahoma House. The House voted 84-3 for the measure Thursday and sent it to Gov. Mary Fallin to be signed into law.
Oklahoma House passes 72-hour wait on abortions; measure now goes to governor
A bill that would place new conditions on abortions in Oklahoma went to the governor Thursday morning after passing the Oklahoma House of Representatives without discussion or debate. If Gov. Mary Fallin signs it into law, House Bill 1409, by Rep. Lisa Billy, R-Purcell, will increase the mandatory wait time for an abortion from 24 to 72 hours and will require abortion providers to include a link to the website “A Woman’s Right to Know” on their own websites.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Tulsa, OKC school superintendents talk funding with state lawmakers
Superintendents of the state’s two largest school districts discussed myriad issues with lawmakers Thursday during a breakfast at the Capitol. Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Keith Ballard covered finances, third-grade reading skills and his opposition to the possible expansion of charter school sponsorships to cities.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
See also: Oklahoma continues to lead US for deepest cuts to education from the OK Policy Blog.
Oklahoma wind incentive critics, backers take message to voters in direct mail campaigns
The battle over tax incentives for wind farms in Oklahoma has moved into campaign mode, with robocalls being made and direct mail sent to some voters in an effort to get them to sway their elected officials. Negotiations continue at the Capitol over incentives for the wind industry. Bills dealing with two of the three incentives are on the Senate floor and could come up for consideration as soon as next week.
See also: The wind energy debate comes sweeping down to the Capitol from the OK Policy Blog.
City Officials Reconsider Drilling Ordinances as Anti-Frack Ban Legislation Moves Forward
The Oklahoma House and Senate have advanced legislation to prevent cities, towns and counties from banning fracking and other oil and gas activities. At least one of the bills will likely end up on the governor’s desk, but even in its unsigned, non-finalized form, the legislation is affecting local regulation.
Watch this: “Is Obamacare Working? The Affordable Care Act Five Years Later”
On the five-year anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act, author and blogger John Green asks: is it working? The answer is yes – and no. In the clip below, Green discusses the ACA’s successes, including a sharply declining uninsured rate, early indicators of better health outcomes, an end to discrimination against people with preexisting conditions, and reduced job lock.
Read more from the OK Policy Blog.
Oklahoma Child Death Review Board suggests ways to keep kids safer
Improving seat-belt laws, emphasizing safe infant sleep practices and adequately funding agencies supporting children and their families are among the recommendations released Thursday by the Oklahoma Child Death Review Board. The board is a statutorily created entity within the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth to reduce the number of preventable child deaths.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Read the recommendations here.
Engineers release cost estimates for Arkansas River infrastructure plans
A group of engineers representing Arkansas River communities released an exhaustive report Thursday estimating costs associated with several low-water dams that could be part of a proposal headed to voters later this year. The report includes estimates for parks, beaches, pedestrian bridges and even a manufactured island as possible projects attached to three new low-water dams along the Arkansas River and an overhaul of Tulsa’s Zink Dam.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Praying in Creek: Rural Indian church keeps faith with its ancestral language
Two little girls, 7-year-old cousins who could almost pass for identical twins, come running across the grass, their waist-length hair flowing behind them, their shoes muddy from playing in the creek. “Look what we found,” one of them squeals, holding up a turtle the size of a brick.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Sheriff Stanley Glanz names Rick Weigel as new undersheriff, also announces other personnel moves
Chief Deputy Rick Weigel will replace outgoing Undersheriff Tim Albin, who is resigning this week in the wake of a 2009 internal report alleging falsified records and special treatment pertaining to Reserve Deputy Robert Bates. Tulsa County sheriff’s Maj. Shannon Clark confirmed the promotion Wednesday afternoon, while also announcing two other personnel moves.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Autopsy finds man died of cardiac arrest after being immobilized with stun gun
An Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office autopsy report indicates that a 41-year-old man who was shocked with a stun gun during an altercation with Osage Nation police officers in February died of cardiac arrest. The autopsy report released Wednesday states that Terry Price of Tulsa “became reportedly unresponsive after being tased.”
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Quote of the Day
“Those state agencies that serve to safeguard Oklahoma’s children require adequate funding in order to perform their duties. Oklahoma needs to make certain tax regulations and reforms are in place that ensure revenue will not be reduced and a budget that can be balanced. A stand-still budget, much less budget cuts, will not provide Oklahoma with the foundation it needs to build capacity nor to provide strong infrastructure, safe communities and healthy, thriving children. Agency improvement and policy changes are ineffective without a financial commitment by the state of Oklahoma to affect positive change.”
– The opening paragraph of the Oklahoma Child Death Review Board 2015 Recommendations. The Child Death Review Board is a statutorily-created entity within the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth to reduce the number of preventable child deaths. (Source)
Number of the Day
442
Number of newly diagnosed chlamydia cases per 100,000 in Oklahoma in 2012. The US median was 291.
Source: 2015 County Health Rankings.
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
How kicking a trash can became criminal for a 6th grader
Kayleb Moon-Robinson was 11 years old last fall when charges — criminal charges — began piling up at school. Diagnosed as autistic, the sixth-grader was being scolded for misbehavior one day and kicked a trash can at Linkhorne Middle School in Lynchburg, Virginia, in the Blue Ridge Mountains. A police officer assigned to the school witnessed the tantrum, and filed a disorderly conduct charge against the sixth grader in juvenile court. Just weeks later, in November, Kayleb, who is African-American, disobeyed a new rule — this one just for him — that he wait while other kids left class. The principal sent the same school officer to get him.
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