Dozens of fees are heaped upon people charged with crimes in Oklahoma. They are used to support services like court filings, law libraries, public defenders, and courthouse security. When defendants can’t pay, the consequences are far-reaching; last year a series…
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Civil asset forfeiture is a legal tool that has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. Under the current civil asset forfeiture laws in Oklahoma and several other states, law enforcement can seize and keep property suspected of being used in or…
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Oklahoma has the second highest incarceration rate in the country, up from fourth highest in 2012, with approximately 1,310 out of every 100,000 of our citizens incarcerated in 2014. The state appropriated $485 million to the Department of Corrections in FY…
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By:
Steve Lewis
February 5, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. You can sign up on his website to receive the Capitol Updates newsletter by email.…
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By:
David Blatt
February 4, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Over 1,700 bills and resolutions have been introduced for the 2016 legislative session, along with an equal number of measures from last session that remain alive and could still be considered this year. Despite the plethora of legislation, there is…
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By:
Steve Lewis
January 22, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. You can sign up on his website to receive the Capitol Updates newsletter by email.…
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By:
David Blatt
January 14, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Oklahoma Policy Institute is pleased to announce that Ryan Gentzler has joined the organization in a new policy analyst position that will focus on criminal justice issues. The position is funded through a grant from the Center on Budget and…
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By:
Steve Lewis
October 23, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. You can sign up on his website to receive the Capitol Updates newsletter by email.…
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By:
Gene Perry
October 1, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Last week, Oklahoma Policy Institute participated in a joint press conference with Sen. Kyle Loveless (R-OKC), the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), and the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma. The topic was a new poll jointly sponsored by…
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[Update: During public comments on the ordinance, a large majority of those speaking said that passing it would be a mistake. A final vote is still scheduled for Oct. 13.]
Today the Oklahoma City Council is holding a public hearing…
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