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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.
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections’ effort to shift thousands of state prisoners out of county jails has resulted in nearly two-thirds of state prisons being over capacity. In response, the agency is proposing to increase the capacity rating of prisons to include temporary beds. Tulsa-area educators responded positively to gubernatorial candidate Joe Dorman’s latest education proposal to create a commission of state educators at all levels to develop and oversee educational standards. The latest episode of the OK PolicyCast shares highlights from a panel of education leaders at the 2014 Summer Policy Institute.
Hundreds of Oklahomans lined up overnight to get free medical care at an event run by Rural Area Medical Oklahoma. The Stillwater News Press discussed emails showing Governor Fallin’s administration appears to have made health care policy decisions based on politics, without considering how to help struggling Oklahomans. The Oklahoman argued that talking about mental health issues needs to become routine in Oklahoma, and and a Q&A by Jaclyn Cosgrove looks at what it’s like to suffer a mental health crisis.
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission accepted an $11,000 settlement agreement with state Rep. Seneca Scott for violations of ethics rules. Though state revenue collections were up in July, officials are expecting a drop in August due to large number of amended returns that are claiming bigger tax refunds. The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma is reporting more kids suffering from hunger. A $3.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education will help provide after-school tutoring and other programs at 13 high-poverty schools in Oklahoma. The City of Norman is considering a half-cent sales tax increase to fund $171 million in quality of life projects.
State officials and a former Narconon Arrowhead executive have been called to testify before a multicounty grand jury that is investigating the drug rehabilitation facility operated by the Church of Scientology. After years of revisions to laws concerning Oklahoma sex offenders, there is still confusion over the offender registry. The organizer of an effort to legalize medical marijuana in Oklahoma said it likely won’t be included on the November ballot because advocates won’t be able to collect enough petition signatures ahead of the deadline. As climate scientists predict hotter, dryer summers and more intense drought in the coming decades, state and local leaders in Oklahoma are trying to get residents to think differently about how they use water.
The Number of the Day is the average mortgage debt in Oklahoma in 2013. In today’s policy note, The Crime Report discusses why ‘Shock and Awe’ policing with military hardware fails to protect public safety.
In The News
Arrival of Jail Inmates Puts Most Oklahoma Prisons Over Capacity
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections’ effort to shift thousands of state prisoners out of county jails has resulted in nearly two-thirds of state prisons being over capacity. The Corrections Department is placing many inmates in designated “temporary” beds in various common areas of prisons, such as a gymnasium or day room. In a related move, the agency is proposing to revise how it determines the maximum capacity of its prisons, by using a higher “operational” capacity that includes temporary beds, on top of the current “rated design capacity” — the number of inmates a facility is designed to hold.
Read more from Oklahoma Watch.
Tulsa area educators applaud governor candidate Joe Dorman’s education proposals
Tulsa-area educators are frustrated over what they said is the Oklahoma legislature’s failure to ask for their input while working to develop new state education standards in the wake of Common Core’s repeal. But if Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Dorman wins the race against incumbent Gov. Mary Fallin this year, he plans to change that. Dorman was in Tulsa to unveil the third (so far) of four phases of his “Classrooms First” proposal.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
OK PolicyCast: Episode 4
Today’s episode shares highlights from the education panel at the 2014 Summer Policy Institute. Guests include Jenks Principal Rob Miller, Sapulpa Superintendent Kevin Burr, Booker T. Washington high school teacher Dr. Anthony Marshall, and OU professor and education researcher Dr. Curt Adams.
Hundreds turn out in Oklahoma City for free medical care
After waiting all night, Donna Jacobs rejoiced as she walked out of the Oklahoma Expo Hall on Saturday morning. The 63-year-old retired caregiver left State Fair Park with a pep in her step and a new pair of eyeglasses on her face. “I can see,” she shouted as she passed those still waiting in line to get service. “It’s worth the wait, they’ll get you all fixed up.” More than 800 people turned up for the first day of the free medical care event run by Rural Area Medical Oklahoma; 700 of those people were served within the first three hours of the event.
Decisions based on politics
Documents released earlier this week indicate Gov. Mary Fallin’s decision to not adopt a state health care insurance exchange and additional Medicaid funds was at least partially politically motivated. Monday, Fallin released 31 documents consisting of 100 pages of correspondence previously withheld from the media concerning her administration’s decision to reject a state health insurance exchange and expanded coverage for low-income people. The emails suggest members of Fallin’s executive team operated with political motivations and based their decisions about the state health insurance exchange on how it would be accepted by constituents, not whether the state exchange or increase in Medicaid dollars could help struggling Oklahomans.
Read more from the Stillwater News Press.
Talking about mental health issues needs to become routine in Oklahoma
Every now and then, news events remind us of the fallout from mental illness — a spate of suicides among high schoolers, a man kills several family members including an infant, a doctor who’s convinced that his son is possessed by the devil stabs the boy to death. Robin Williams’ suicide was another jarring reminder. Authorities say Williams hanged himself in his California home. A brilliant comic and accomplished actor, Williams, 63, had long acknowledged his fight with depression and substance abuse. That step — admitting he needed help for mental illness — is one that too many people won’t take.
See also: What’s it like: To suffer a mental health crisis from NewsOK.
Ethics Commission reaches settlement with Tulsa lawmaker for rules violations
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission on Friday accepted a settlement agreement with state Rep. Seneca Scott for violations of ethics rules. The settlement agreement says Scott improperly used his campaign account to purchase plane tickets for his children to join him at a legislative conference, pay for maintenance on his personal vehicle, pay for dry cleaning and purchase clothing items. He also failed to provide documentation for purposes that were permissible, including purchasing toys for children of incarcerated parents in his community and for cash donations to churches.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Oklahoma tax collections rise in July but may decrease in August
Release of the state’s report on July general revenue fund receipts was a good news-bad news story for state agencies and Oklahoma taxpayers. The good news — and it was extremely good news — was that total general revenue fund collections for the first month of the new fiscal year exceeded July collections from a year ago by 14.9 percent. The $471 million in July general revenue fund collections was 17.3 percent above the official estimate. If the trend continues, state agency budgets will be fully funded this fiscal year and revenue increases will be on track to trigger a cut in the state’s top personal income tax rate from 5.25 percent to 5 percent in 2016. The bad news is state finance officials are expecting a drop in August collections.
Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma reports more kids suffering from hunger
Dozens of people stopped by the 2NEWS studios in midtown Tulsa Friday to donate peanut butter to the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. The food bank will eventually disperse all the jars of peanut butter to help feed people across Green Country, including many children. In fact, the food bank’s marketing and communications manager, Maggie Hoey, said one in four children in this area will go to bed hungry every night. “That’s a statistic that we’re not okay with at the food bank, and I don’t think anybody is,” Hoey said.
$3.1 Million Grant From U.S. Department Of Education
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Janet Barresi recently approved awarding almost $3.1 million in 21st Century Community Learning Center grants to 13 recipients for a five-year period beginning with the 2014-15 school year. “Our hope in awarding these grants is that students at risk will receive the additional learning time and specific instruction they need to be successful in their adult life,” Barresi said. “I’m thankful to the grantees for providing these opportunities and support for our children and their families as we strive to meet the goal of ensuring each student is college-, career- and citizen-ready.”
Sales tax hike sought in Norman for ‘quality of life’ improvements
A $171-million-plus list of “quality of life” improvements is being promoted by Norman Forward, an ambitious initiative petition drive calling for a spring election to pass a 15-year, half-cent sales tax to fund the package of amenities. Proponent Mike Fowler said the petition is the result of years of study by businessmen and various stakeholders to determine what Norman needs to move forward as a city.
State officials called to testify before grand jury on Narconon Arrowhead
State officials and a former Narconon Arrowhead executive have been called to testify before a multicounty grand jury that is investigating the drug rehabilitation facility, where three patients have died since 2011, the Tulsa World has learned. Meanwhile, a national association that certifies drug addiction counselors has sued Narconon Arrowhead, the Church of Scientology and 80 related defendants in federal court. The lawsuit, filed in Oklahoma’s Eastern U.S. District Court in Muskogee, alleges that Narconon employees falsely claimed to be accredited by the National Association of Forensic Counselors “in order to bait vulnerable victims into the Scientology religion.”
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Confusion Continues Over Sex Offender Registry In Oklahoma
After years of revisions laws concerning Oklahoma sex offenders, there is still confusion over the offender registry. Seven years ago, Oklahoma amended the state’s Sex Offender Registration Act that requires the Department of Corrections to assess offenders by assigning them to one of three risk levels. A sex offender’s level determines how long they have to register. “Except, this is the confusing part, unless your case was before 2007, and if it was before 2007, those rules don’t apply to you unless aggravated applies to you,” said defense attorney David Slane. “The legislature has changed the rules repeatedly, then the Department of Corrections is trying to interpret it to thousands of people, and in the meantime, the average policeman is trying to figure out what am I supposed to do, am I supposed to arrest this individual or not.”
Organizers: Oklahoma medical marijuana petition will fall short
An effort to legalize medical marijuana in Oklahoma likely won’t be included on the November ballot because advocates won’t be able to collect enough petition signatures ahead of the deadline, the organizer of the initiative said Friday. Oklahomans for Health delivered more than 30 boxes of signed petitions to the Oklahoma Secretary of State’s Office. They have until Saturday to gather the signatures of more than 155,000 registered Oklahoma voters to authorize a statewide referendum on the issue. Families who say their children desperately need medical marijuana rallied at the Capitol ahead of turning in the signatures.
Oklahoma cities consider water conservation options
As climate scientists predict hotter, dryer summers and more intense drought in the coming decades, state and local leaders in Oklahoma are trying to get residents to think differently about how they use water. As demand for water grows, state and local officials are looking at ways to make better use of the water the state has. In many cases, communities are reusing water that flows down residents’ sinks, showers and, yes, toilets as a way to keep up with demand.
Quote of the Day
“In one telling email, a staffer wrote rejecting the Affordable Care Act ‘buys us some time to look twice at the exchange with people who want us to make an anti-ObamaCare statement.’ In another email concerning a response to a blog post by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, a staffer suggested the response should not include the name of President Clinton because ‘it’s not a president we want to associate with.’ It’s good that Fallin chose to release the documents. But it’s disturbing some decisions about the Affordable Care Act were based more on politics than how it could impact low-income Oklahomans.”
-The Stillwater News Press, on newly released emails showing how Governor Fallin’s staff made the decision to refuse federal funds for expanding health coverage and creating a state-led health insurance exchange (Source: http://bit.ly/1BtjLCK)
Number of the Day
$23,330
Average mortgage debt in Oklahoma in 2013
Source: Urban Institute.
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
Why ‘Shock and Awe’ Policing Fails
Law enforcement needs to respect the right of citizens to assemble in peaceful protest—and keep its military hardware out of sight, says a former director of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). In an extended telephone interview with The Crime Report’s Deputy Managing Editor Graham Kates, Stewart contended that the escalation of violence—which triggered the imposition of a curfew in Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis, this weekend by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, could have been prevented if police had avoided the kind of crowd-suppression tools usually associated with anti-terrorism—and were willing to be more transparent.
Read more from the The Crime Report.
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