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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.
Under two bills that passed House committee this week, judges would be allowed to reduce mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent offenders, and some inmates who successfully pass a drug treatment program would get chance to go before a judge and receive a suspended sentence. A Senate committee will consider a measure that would allow district courts to review arbitrator decisions in termination cases involving officers accused of excessive use of force or aggravated sexual assault. The McAlester City Council has voted unanimously to approve new body cameras for the city’s police force. Rep. Claudia Griffith has withdrawn her bill to protect the privacy of victims who were caught on cameras used by law enforcement, because it had been drastically changed by an amendment from another legislator to give public officials wide latitude to deny open records requests.
In a lawsuit that pitted Attorney General Scott Pruitt against former Attorney General Drew Edmondson, a judge ruled the Humane Society of the United States must turn over one contested document and portions of two others to Pruitt’s office but can keep the contents of more than 21 other documents secret. On the OK Policy Blog, we shared seven tips for getting your legislators’ attention. KOSU shared the audio from an “On Tap” event where OK Policy’s David Blatt and the Oklahoma Council of Public Affair’s Jonathan Small discussed the state’s $611M budget shortfall. A Senate panel passed a measure that would allow liquor stores to sell refrigerated, high-point beer.
The Regional Food Bank has doubled the amount of food they donate annually the last six years, but officials say it’s still not enough to help all of the Oklahomans battling hunger. Oklahoma City schools have managed to provide winter coats to all students, after having to cancel classes several times last year due to frigid temperatures and kids walking to school not having coats. A committee at Capitol Hill High School charged with selecting a replacement for the Redskins mascot, which is offensive to many Native Americans, has come up with four alternatives. The Tulsa World reported that while Sen. Jim Inhofe threw a snowball on the Senate floor in his attempts to deny the science of climate change, a small town in Oklahoma is playing a big role in that science.
OG&E is asking Oklahoma regulators to allow it to increase customer charges by $1.1 billion for federal environmental compliance and to replace an aging natural gas plant. A law that would have prohibited municipalities from restricting oil and gas drilling has been changed in committee to say that cities must reimburse mineral rights owners for any regulations that could reduce revenue from oil and gas on their land. Oklahoma City’s economic consultant, Russell Evans, told the city council that the latest indications show consumers remain confident in the future despite falling oil prices. Energy companies will cut between 400 and 500 workers per month on average this year, according to the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Economic Forecast. With wind energy production in full swing in Oklahoma, legislative leaders are looking to impose some new restrictions on the booming industry.
The Number of the Day is the total number of llamas in Oklahoma in 2012. In today’s Policy Note, the New York Times shares how low-income Americans are piling on extra jobs and hours in attempts to escape the coverage gap created by states that are refusing federal funds to expand Medicaid.
In The News
Two sentence reform bills pass out of state House committee
Judges would be allowed to reduce mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent offenders under a proposed law that passed out of a state House committee Wednesday. House Bill 1518, by Rep. Pam Peterson, R-Tulsa, would give judges the authority to hand down shorter sentences, even for crimes that require a minimum amount of prison time, if they feel the sentence would be unjust or if the offender does not present a risk to public safety. The measure would allow courts to take into account “the nature of the crime, history and character of the defendant and his or her chances of successful rehabilitation.”
Oklahoma Senate panel to consider legislation to ease police officers’ dismissals
Owasso police Lt. Mike Denton elbowed the suspect three times in the face, dragged him face-down by the handcuffs and stepped on his head. The June 2011 incident, caught on video, prompted the police department to fire the veteran officer for violating an excessive force policy. Denton disputed his termination and an arbitrator ruled in his favor. An Oklahoma Senate committee Thursday will consider a measure that would allow district courts to review arbitrator decisions in termination cases involving officers accused of excessive use of force or aggravated sexual assault.
McAlester approves the purchase of police body cameras
The McAlester City Council has voted unanimously to approve new body cameras for the city’s police force. The McAlester News-Capital reports the council approved the purchase of the cameras Tuesday. The McAlester police plan to buy 39 new “compact wearable video systems,” as well as a charging/docking station for a total cost of $31,000. One of the cameras will be given to the city’s Criminal investigation Division, and the rest will go to patrol officers. Police Chief Gary Wansick says that the use of body cameras is something that law enforcement is moving toward.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Bill to restrict Oklahoma Open Records Act is withdrawn
A state representative from Norman has withdrawn a bill that would have allowed public officials wide latitude to deny open records requests. Democratic Rep. Claudia Griffith said Thursday she will not allow House Bill 1361 to be heard because it has been drastically changed by an amendment. The bill cleared a House committee. “The bill in its current form is not my bill that I originally authored,” she said. “Rep. Mike Christian amended my bill in committee and completely warped the original intent of the legislation.”
Judge rules Human Society can keep more than 21 documents secret
The Humane Society of the United States must turn over one contested document and portions of two others to the Oklahoma attorney general’s office, an Oklahoma County district judge ruled Wednesday. The organization can keep the contents of more than 21 other documents secret, Oklahoma County District Judge Patricia Parrish ruled after reviewing the documents in private. The Humane Society of the United States had sued state Attorney General Scott Pruitt in an effort to withhold releasing some documents requested as part of an attorney general’s inquiry into Oklahoma fundraising activities by the national animal rights organization.
Seven ways to get your legislators’ attention
Does this sound familiar? You hear about some out-there proposal at the state Legislature, or you know about some good idea that’s not getting done, and you get inspired to mobilize – to speak up so our elected officials will hear you. What do you? The first answer that comes to many of our minds is “Let’s march to the Capitol and have a rally!” A crowd waving signs is what so many of us associate with politics. We look back to those dramatic, history-making marches from the Civil Right movement, and think that’s what you do to make a difference. But is that the only or the best option?
Read more from the OK Policy Blog.
How do you solve a $611 M shortfall?
The State of Oklahoma is facing a $611 million dollar shortfall in the 2016 budget year which starts July First. On Wednesday, February 26th, KOSU held its monthly On Tap series to focus on how to deal with the deficit at Picasso’s Cafe in Oklahoma City’s historic Paseo District. Our panelists included Oklahoma Council of Public Affair Executive Vice President Jonathan Small and Oklahoma Policy Institute Executive Director David Blatt.
Bill to let liquor stores sell cold, high-point beer passes Senate committee
A Senate panel on Thursday passed a measure that would allow liquor stores to sell refrigerated, high-point beer. Senate Bill 383 by Sen. Stephanie Bice, R-Oklahoma City, advanced from the Senate Business and Commerce Committee by a vote of 10-0 and heads to the Senate floor. Bice was asked if the measure would create an unequal playing field because some liquor stores would not be able to afford to put in refrigeration equipment. Bice said refrigeration is optional in the bill, not mandated.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Regional food bank expanding to meet demand
More Oklahomans are battling hunger, officials say. The food bank has doubled the amount of food they donate annually the last six years, but it’s still not enough. “They don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” said Cari Ogden, vice president of community initiatives with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. One in six Oklahomans struggle with hunger. Officials say the big reasons are the state’s growing population, rising cost of food and chronic underemployment.
Oklahoma City school reports every child has a coat
It’s next to impossible to imagine being outside in today’s wind without a coat. But for thousands of Oklahoma City children, that used to be a harsh reality. Last year, Oklahoma City Schools canceled enough classes that the district had to make them up. And it was due in large part to the frigid temperatures. The district said it was simply too cold for many students to safely get to school wearing the hoodies and t-shirts that made up their regular wardrobe.
Four possible mascot names chosen for Oklahoma City’s Capitol Hill High School
Capitol Hill High School is getting closer to naming a new mascot. The committee charged with selecting a replacement for Redskins has come up with four alternatives: Red Hawks, Red Wolves, War Eagles and Nations, The Oklahoman has learned. About two dozen members who met Thursday also considered Chieftains and Warriors, along with Wolverines and Jaguars. Chieftains, the choice of the school’s alumni association, didn’t make the cut because it identified American Indian individuals, according to J. Don Harris, association president and committee member.
While Inhofe throws snowball, little town in Oklahoma plays big role in climate debate
Nearly two hours west of Bartlesville, on a prairie flat enough to see the town’s water tower from half a county away, Lamont has a dwindling population of just 417 people. Less than half a mile wide, four Lamonts would fit inside of downtown Tulsa, with plenty of room left over. But Thursday, while a U.S. senator from Oklahoma was literally throwing a snowball in the fight over global warming, little Lamont was playing a big role in the research.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. faces big year before Oklahoma regulators
Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. faces a big year before Oklahoma regulators, who will decide on how to charge customers for environmental compliance, the replacement of an aging generation plant and a new rate case. Customer bills are expected to rise significantly in the next five years if regulators at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission grant the utility’s requests. OG&E wants to recover $1.1 billion from customers for federal environmental compliance and to replace an aging natural gas plant in western Oklahoma City.
Oil and gas local control bill undergoes major change in committee
Language in a state Senate bill meant to set parameters for municipalities that want to regulate oil and gas production underwent a drastic revision in committee Thursday. Senate Bill 468 by Senator Bryce Marlatt (R – Woodward) was amended in the Senate Energy committee, then passed onto the full Senate. The amendment would set up a frame work in which mineral rights and land owners could recoup losses from a municipality or county caused by rules and regulations concerning oil and gas production. The fair market value of the mineral interest must be reduced by at least sixty percent.
Read more from OK Energy Today.
Oklahoma City officials await consumer reaction to oil and gas downturn
Economists are curious to see whether Oklahoma City’s economy has diversified enough to power through a downturn in oil and gas. Pardon city leaders for being a little more anxious for the answer. How consumers react to the combination of falling gas prices and uncertainty in the oil patch will tell much about how the city’s budget holds up in 2015-16. Oklahoma City’s economic consultant, Russell Evans, told the city council this month that the latest indications show consumers remain confident in the future.
Oklahoma City property could dodge a hard slam from oil price slide
Commercial landlords are bracing for a slam, but brokers expect shrinking energy companies won’t kick much space back onto the market over a temporary oil price drop. And energy companies will cut between 400 and 500 workers per month on average this year, according to the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Economic Forecast, briefed by Roy Williams, chamber president and CEO. That’s the takeaway from a half-day of tea leaves reading at “Beyond the Boom,” the annual forecast conference of the Commercial Real Estate Council of Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma legislative leaders look to impose more restrictions on blossoming wind industry
With wind energy production in full swing in Oklahoma, legislative leaders are looking to impose some new restrictions on the booming industry. The Senate Energy Committee approved a bill Thursday by Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, to require planning for when wind farms are decommissioned and set minimum distances from places like schools or airports. The bill also requires wind developers to provide certain public notice before the giant turbines can be erected.
Read more from the Associated Press.
See also: The wind energy debate comes sweeping down to the Capitol from the OK Policy Blog.
Quote of the Day
“Newsflash, folks: Oklahoma’s prisons are overcrowded. So, we need to reserve expensive prison beds for those we’re afraid of, not just those that we’re mad at.”
-Rep. Pam Peterson, R-Tulsa, speaking about her bill that would give judges the authority to hand down shorter sentences, even for crimes that require a minimum amount of prison time, if they feel the sentence would be unjust or if the offender does not present a risk to public safety (Source)
Number of the Day
2,388
Total number of llamas in Oklahoma in 2012.
Source: USDA Agricultural Census
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
Piling on work to escape gap in health law
Alma Ramos, a soft-spoken prep cook at a Tex-Mex restaurant, was eager to sign up for health insurance through the new HealthCare.gov marketplace last year. But Ms. Ramos, a single mother of three, quickly hit a baffling hurdle. Ms. Ramos is one of many low-income, working adults who are caught in what experts call the coverage gap, eligible for neither federal subsidies nor Medicaid because they live in states that have declined to expand Medicaid under the health care law. And like Ms. Ramos, many of those people are taking second jobs or working extra hours to increase their incomes, hoping to become eligible for assistance that will enable them to afford marketplace plans.
Read more from the New York Times.
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So yesterday you linked us to this: http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/capitol_report/controversial-bills-giving-oklahoma-a-black-eye-tulsa-regional-chamber/article_cb1d19c5-0388-5cc1-8f95-a2b21ad73fe2.html. Today you send us to Senator Inhofe impressing the world of business with the intelligence of Oklahoma voters. Good luck with your next cold calls, OK Chamber of Commerce types.
Ran across these two pieces just after posting the above:
http://www.vox.com/2015/2/26/8116981/james-inhofe-global-warming
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/02/muslim-girl-sings-star-spangled-banner-as-oklahoma-anti-islamic-protesters-scream-insults/
I repeat, good luck with those cold calls, you OK business promoters.