Senate approves bill requiring vote of the people before removing police funding originally approved by citizens
Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK
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OKLAHOMA CITY – The full Senate has given its approval to a measure to make sure local governments don’t ignore the will of their citizens when cutting police department budgets.
Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, is the author of Senate Bill 825 which was approved on Monday (March 8).
Standridge said the concept is straightforward — if the citizens had previously approved a tax increase to fund public safety, the local government cannot redirect or reduce those funds without a second vote of the people.
“I think most Oklahomans are opposed to the idea of defunding police, particularly if they voted to provide additional funding for law enforcement,” Standridge said.
“This bill simply says if the public votes for a tax increase for public safety, then that funding cannot be cut or redirected without going back to those citizens for a vote before any changes are made. This legislation is aimed at making sure the will of those voters is honored.”
The measure now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration. If signed into law, it would take effect on Nov. 1, 2021.
Senate approves bill requiring vote of the people before removing police funding originally approved by citizens Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK
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Upper chamber passes bill allowing governor appointments to fill U.S. Senate vacancies in Oklahoma3/11/2021
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OKLAHOMA CITY – According to a press release from Legislative staff at the Capitol, "In order to save taxpayers millions of dollars on a special election in the event of a future mid-term U.S. Senate seat vacancy," the Senate passed legislation Tuesday night (March 9) to allow the governor to fill the seat by appointment.
Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, is the author of Senate Bill 959, which would move the special election for the U.S. Senate seat to the next regularly scheduled statewide general election.
“According to the State Election Board, holding a special election to fill a vacant U.S. Senate seat would cost taxpayers around $4 million. These types of elections are extremely expensive and inconvenient for voters,” Paxton said.
“Allowing the governor to temporarily appoint someone to the empty seat and coordinate the special election with the next regularly scheduled general election would help avoid a nine-month void of representation, which is what it would take to run a complete special election cycle. This change is even more important right now due to the 50/50 split in the U.S. Senate.”
To be eligible to be appointed by the governor, an individual must have been a registered Oklahoma voter in the same party as the previous member for at least the last five years. The appointee would not be eligible to run for the vacancy in the special election or regular election.
“We’ve set specific eligibility guidelines for the appointee, and also prohibited the person from refiling for the office once the special term is fulfilled to protect the seat from the unfair advantage of incumbency,” Paxton said.
“This bill encourages a robust election cycle for this important elected position, as the appointed individual is only meant to be a placeholder so that we don’t go underrepresented in the U.S. Senate.”
S.B. 959 will next be heard in the House where Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, is the principal House author.
Upper chamber passes bill allowing governor appointments to fill U.S. Senate vacancies in Oklahoma Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK
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OKLAHOMA CITY –Every day in Oklahoma, hundreds of pregnancies end in miscarriage and stillbirth.
While a 2019 law requires healthcare providers to inform parents of their right to request fetal remains for private burial following a stillbirth or fetal death in pregnancies occurring at 12 weeks of gestation or later, families who lose a child in the first trimester are not given the same choice.
Given the high number of miscarriages and fetal deaths that occur in the first 12 weeks, Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, wants to extend the same courtesy to all grieving Oklahoma families who lose a child.
“Losing a child, no matter at what stage of pregnancy, is devastating for expectant parents and their families, but the loss is further magnified when medical facilities dispose of the infant’s remains without consulting with the family to see if they want to bury them,” Pugh said.
“This is a deeply emotional issue between scientific definitions and family love. If a baby hasn’t fully developed in the womb, some medical professionals consider the remains medical hazardous waste that must be disposed of. However, to some grieving families, that was their child from the moment of conception who deserves a proper burial and funeral. Lily’s Law will ensure that all families have the opportunity to properly mourn their child and honor their life however they choose.”
Pugh said the bill was requested by a concerned mother who has lost two children to miscarriage. While her family knew of their right to request their children’s remains and had them buried, she has learned through her work in a pregnancy and infant loss ministry that many families do not realize they can ask to have their baby’s remains.
The bill is named in honor of an Oklahoma family who lost their daughter, Lily Gianna, early in the first trimester in 2012.
Overcome with shock and grief, the young couple did not realize they could ask for their daughter’s remains, nor did the facility offer the option. Had they known, they said they would have chosen to recover Lily’s remains and bury her.
Senate Bill 647 further clarifies the definition of fetal death and stillbirth in statute. It also subjects birthing centers and medical facilities to the same requirement to maintain a written policy for the disposition of a child’s remains from a stillbirth or fetal death event as licensed hospitals.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists estimates that approximately 80 percent of all pregnancy losses occur within the first trimester or first 12 weeks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 10-20 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage before the 20th week of gestation. Close to 24,000 babies, or 1 in 160 babies, in the U.S. are stillborn, which can occur after the 20th week up through delivery.
S.B. 647 now goes to the House. Rep. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, is principal author in that chamber.
Oklahoma Senate approves Lily’s Law; protects rights of grieving families Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK
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OKLAHOMA CITY – A measure to allow more people to qualify for the state’s Delaying Sentencing Program for Young Adults received unanimous approval Wednesday evening by the Senate.
Sen. Michael Brooks, D-Oklahoma City, is the author of Senate Bill 140 to allow nonviolent, first time male offenders to participate in the program up to the age of 25, rather than 21.
“Oklahoma leaders have finally realized that we must be smarter on crime and help address the issues that cause people to commit crimes. As a criminal defense attorney, this is the single most impactful program for these nonviolent, first time offenders and has proven successful in significantly reducing recidivism,” Brooks said.
“This bootcamp-type program gives young men the opportunity to get a second chance at life and teaches them important life skills and how to be a productive citizen—something many of them weren’t taught at home.”
The Department of Corrections (DOC) started the program – also known as the Regimented Inmate Discipline (RID) program -- which is a deferred sentencing option for young adults who aren’t juveniles or youthful offenders.
To be eligible for the program, offenders must be between the ages of 18-21 as of the date of a guilty verdict or a guilty/no contest plea for a nonviolent felony offense or a juvenile who has been certified to stand trial as an adult for a nonviolent felony offense, who has no charges pending for a violent offense.
The offender also cannot have been convicted for several crimes including assault and battery, first- or second-degree murder, kidnapping, any crime against a child or any kind of drug trafficking.
Participants go through a strict “boot camp” type program where they learn respect for authority, themselves and others. Services while in the program include counseling, psychiatric or medical treatment, education or vocational training, work, restitution, and other program help in their rehabilitation.
Sentencing is delayed until the individual finishes the program at which time, a judge can defer the judgement, sentence the offender, suspend the sentence, sentence the individual to community sentencing or dismiss the criminal charges altogether.
S.B. 140 was requested by DOC as the number of qualified participants dropped dramatically after State Question 780 changed simple possession to a misdemeanor. Given the success of the program, the agency asked that the maximum age for participants be increased for the state to fully utilize the program.
Rep. Carl Newton, R-Cherokee, is the principal House author of the bill, which now goes to the House for further consideration.
Oklahoma State Senate approves bill modifying RID Program Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK
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OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation that protects the rights of sexual assault victims and facilitates faster trauma care passed the House on Monday (March 8) with a vote of 94 to 0.
Sexual Assault Victims' Right to Information Act (House Bill 2546), authored by Rep. Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, expands protections to victims of sexual assault regardless of participation in a criminal investigation of their assault. The act also allows for an advocate to be made available during a sexual assault examination.
“I have dedicated many years to listening to survivors of sexual assault,” Munson said. “I’ve learned that equipping and empowering survivors with access to information and a victims’ advocate are impactful ways to help them navigate a vulnerable time.”
Munson, elected to the state House in a 2015 special election, was the first member of her party in five decades to capture the near-north Oklahoma (District 85) seat she holds.
( https://ift.tt/3rDomRJ)
A 2019 OSBI (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation) report showed that while most crime is down, rape and domestic abuse are on the rise in Oklahoma.
“Sexual assault is a horrific trauma that should never be faced alone,” Munson said. “Now survivors are one step closer to ensuring they never have to.”
In a February House staff press release focused on the legislation – when it passed in the House Judiciary Committee with 9-0 support – Munson reflected, “The government has no role in whether or not a sexual assault victim should come forward and tell their story,” Munson said. “However, we do have a responsibility to protect these individuals and ensure they have the opportunity to do so at a later date and in a meaningful way.”
The legislation would, if enacted, put into place measures that increase the likelihood that a sexual assault victim knows their rights during an investigation.
“We need to ensure that at a person’s most vulnerable moment they know there are people there to help,” Munson said. “Victims need to know there are experts, people who regularly deal with the horrific fallout of sexual trauma, that are ready to jump in and help in any way they can. Sometimes, when we are most vulnerable, knowing there is a helping hand can make all the difference.”
As a result of this week’s actions, H.B. 2546 is eligible to be heard in the Senate.
Note: Publisher Pat McGuigan contributed to this report.
Sexual Assault Victims' Right to Information Act Passes in Oklahoma House Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK
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OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate advanced a slate of pro-life measures, demonstrating the chamber’s commitment to protecting the sanctity of life, the Senate leader said Wednesday (March 10).
Among the measures passed by the Senate was Senate Bill 918 from Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City. Treat’s bill would repeal regulations on abortions and restore Oklahoma’s prohibition on abortion should the central holdings of
"Roe v. Wade" or "Planned Parenthood v. Casey" be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Each life has worth and value and must be protected from conception all the way through the very end. My commitment, and the commitment of Senate Republicans, to protecting the sanctity of life is unwavering and unfaltering. The measures passed by the Senate today are practical steps that will help save lives. I appreciate my Senate colleagues for their votes to protect life and look forward to these bills advancing in the House of Representatives,” Treat said.
Senate Bill 918 now moves to the Oklahoma House where the primary co-sponsor is Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City. (Text of S.B. 918 can be read here: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2021-22%20FLR/SFLR/SB918%20SFLR.PDF)
Among the measures approved by the Senate on Wednesday were:
• Senate Bill 584 by Senator Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, which would prohibit state funding or funding from any political subdivision of the state for any health care provider found guilty of trafficking in fetal body parts. (http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2021-22%20FLR/SFLR/SB584%20SFLR.PDF)
• Senate Bill 612 by Dahm, which would prohibit an abortion procedure in Oklahoma unless it is required to save the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency.(http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2021-22%20FLR/SFLR/SB612%20SFLR.PDF)
• Senate Bill 723 by Dahm, which would prohibit an abortion procedure once a fetal heartbeat is detected. (http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2021-22%20FLR/SFLR/SB723%20SFLR.PDFf)
• Senate Bill 778 and Senate Bill 779, both by Senator Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, which would provide safeguards surrounding the use of abortion-inducing drugs. (LINKS : https://ift.tt/38qE8bi
and https://ift.tt/3tddVVz)
• S.B. 918 by Treat which would repeal regulations allowing abortions and restore Oklahoma’s prohibition on abortion should the central holdings of “Roe v. Wade” or “Planned Parenthood v. Casey” be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Oklahoma State Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat applauds Senate’s passage of pro-life measures Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK
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Oklahoma City – On Tuesday (March 9), the State Senate approve Senate Bill 334. According to a press release from Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR), S.B. 334 “would damage the impact of prior criminal justice reforms that safely reduce Oklahoma’s prison population and reinvest in alternatives.”
Criminal Justice Reform leader speaks out
Kris Steele, Executive Director with OCJR, commented on S.B. 334 in a press release sent to CapitolBeatOK.com and other news organizations. Steele spoke in response to upper chamber’s passage of the measure:
“We’re deeply disappointed that legislators voted to undo the will of the people by passing Senate Bill 334 out of the Senate today. This bill rolls back State Question 780, which made simple drug possession and low-level property offenses a misdemeanor, and received overwhelming support from voters in 2016. This comes after four years of the legislature attempting to undo S.Q. 780, despite mounting evidence that the reform is benefiting our state.
“Oklahomans have already spoken on this issue, and the message remains clear: Our state must stop criminalizing addiction, poverty, and mental health crises. S.B. 334 is a step backwards and will increase incarceration and prison spending without making us safer.
“We need additional reform if we want to safely decrease our state’s prison population. We need to reinvest in solutions that actually address the root causes of crime. We need to provide people who commit offenses with treatment that helps them heal, successfully transitions them back into their communities and saves the state money. S.B. 334 is not an evidence-based reform and goes against the will of the people. We urge representatives in the House to vote no on this bill.”
Eight Senate Democrats opposed rolling back reforms in S.Q. 780, and they voted against S.B. 334.
This put them in favor of the reforms enacted through the historic S.Q. 780. Those senators included Mary Boren of Norman, Jo Anna Dossett of Tulsa, J.J. Dossett of Owasso, Carri Hicks of Oklahoma City, Julia Kirt of Oklahoma City, Kevin Matthews of Tulsa, George Young of Oklahoma City, and Kay Floyd of Oklahoma City, who serves as leader of the Minority Caucus in the Senate.
Three Republicans opposed S.B. 334, including Nathan Dahm of Broken Arrow, Frank Simpson of Springer and Senate President Pro Tempore Great Treat of Oklahoma City.
In all, 35 Republicans voted to reverse some of the S.Q. 780 reforms by supporting S.B. 334.
These included Mark Allen of Spiro, Micheal Bergstrom of Adair, David Bullard of Durant, George Burns of Pollard, Bill Coleman of Ponca City, Julie Daniels of Bartlesville, Tom Duggar of Stillwater, Jessica Garvin of Duncan, Chuck Hall of Perry, Warren Hamilton of McCurtain, John Haste of Broken Arrow, Brent Howard of Altus, Darcy Jech of Kingfisher, Shane Jett of Shawnee, Chris Kidd of Waurika, James Leewright of Bristow, Greg McCortney of Ada, John Michael Montgomery of Lawton, Casey Murdock of Felt, and Joe Newhouse of Tulsa.
Also voting to rollback S.Q. 780’s reforms were Lonnie Paxton of Tuttle (author of S.B. 334), Roland Pederson of Burlington , DeWayne Pemberton of Muskogee, Adam Pugh of Edmond, Dave Rader of Tulsa, Cody Rogers of Tulsa, Paul Rosino of Oklahoma City, Rob Standridge of Norman, Brenda Stanley of Midwest City, Blake Stephens of Moore, Zack Taylor of Seminole, Roger Thompson of Okemah, and Darrell Weaver of Moore.
One Democrat, Michael Brooks of Oklahoma City, did not vote and was listed as “excused.”
Back to Back Disappointments
The upper chamber’s approval of Senate Bill 334 marked the second consecutive week with major disappointment for bipartisan advocates of criminal justice reform.
Senate Bill 704, as described in Patrick B. McGuigan’s news story (February 18, 2021) drew high praise from conservative analysts seeking reforms needed to address spiraling prison costs, as well as the backing and broad support from prison reformers across the spectrum of Oklahoma opinion (https://capitolbeatok.worldsecuresystems.com/reports/sentencing-reform-legislation-aimed-at-non-violent-offenses-would-protect-safety-reduce-prison-popul).
That proposal was sponsored by Senator David Rader, a Tulsa Republican. S.B. 704 aimed to address concerns some conservative critics had raised last year in opposition to State Question 805 (which failed on the November 2020 ballot).
Despite attempts to seek discussion of the that reform (which had gained approval in the Public Safety Committee earlier this session), S.B. 704 did not secure a hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
As a result of the procedural stiff-arm, S.B. 704 did not, for now, advance in the legislative process.
Frustrating Opposition to incremental criminal justice reform continues
After the November 2020 general election election – in a statement first posted on Facebook, McGuigan, founder of CapitolBeatOK.com (an online news service) and publisher of The City Sentinel newspaper, commented, “I was proud to support State Question 805, and to carry pro-805 messages on the Facebook pages and websites I manage – and in our November 2020 print edition of The City Sentinel. Although the measure garnered 54 percent [support] in Oklahoma County, it lost statewide.”
McGuigan was co-editor of 'Crime and Punishment in Modern America', a compilation of scholarly conservative and libertarian essays making the case for broad reforms of the criminal justice system, released during the Reagan Administration.
McGuigan has written frequent news stories and commentaries focused on problems with Oklahoma’s death penalty process.
McGuigan said in his post-election comments that The City Sentinel’s editorials and commentaries would advocate for new incremental reforms of the state’s judicial system.
Additionally, McGuigan is a member of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (OK-CADP).
The diverse support coalition for S.Q. 805 included scholars and leaders at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU-Oklahoma).
Opponents of S.Q. 805 contended they supported further criminal justice reforms, but “not this state question.”
Among their criticisms was the measure was crafted to amend the state constitution, rather than revise statutes.
However, the fate of S.B. 704, a statutory measure, indicates many legislators oppose incremental reforms of existing state measures that have made the Sooner State the nation’s top incarcerator of non-violent offenders.
Many members of the state organization for District Attorneys have opposed every step taken to reform the state’s system, including State Question 805.
Governor Kevin Stitt, who supported incremental criminal justice reforms early in his administration, opposed last November ballot initiative, as did other Republican elected officials.
In Oklahoma County, both candidates for Sheriff (Democrat Wayland Cubit and Republican Tommie Johnson, the GOP nominee who won the office on November 3) opposed S.Q. 805.
Another prominent opponent of the ballot proposition was Steve Fair, a high-ranking Republican and a conservative columnist whose essays appear frequently on the CapitolBeatOK website.
Bill that rolls back S.Q. 780 clears the Oklahoma Senate, laying out strong opposition to reform impetus Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK
OKLAHOMA CITY – February Gross Receipts to the Treasury were down by less than one percent compared to collections from last year, but sales tax receipts are up by almost 8 percent, State Treasurer Randy McDaniel announced early this month.
Collections from all sources in February total $950.8 million, down by $6 million, or 0.6 percent, from February 2020. Since March of last year, monthly gross receipts have been below prior year collections every month except one, and that was due to the delayed income tax filings in July.
February sales tax collections exceed those of the prior February by $28.2 million, or 7.9 percent. It marks only the second time in the past year that sales tax receipts have exceeded those of the same month of the prior year. Both instances are likely due to expenditure of the two rounds of federal stimulus payments.
“The Oklahoma economy is performing better than many other states,” Treasurer McDaniel said. “While gross receipts indicate the pandemic is constraining business and personal activity, the state is responding to the significant financial and social challenges relatively well.”
Combined income tax receipts for the month dropped slightly, with individual income tax collections up by 2.2 percent and corporate receipts down by 56.4 percent. Gross production collections are down by 45.9 percent and motor vehicle receipts are off by 9 percent.
The largest percentage of revenue growth for the month and past year is from the medical marijuana tax.
The marijuana tax produced $5.5 million in February, a 64.7 percent increase over the year. For the past 12 months, the marijuana tax has produced $60.3 million, a jump of more than 100 percent from the trailing period.
Combined gross receipts from the past 12 months of $13.11 billion are below collections from the previous 12 months by $601.6 million, or 4.4 percent. All major revenue sources show contraction during the period ranging from gross production taxes at 43.6 percent to combined income taxes at 0.8 percent.
Other economic indicators
The Oklahoma Business Conditions Index in February remained above growth neutral for a third month. The February index was set at 67.1, compared to 65.4 in January, 55.9 in December and 49.4 in November. Numbers above 50 indicate economic expansion is expected during the next three to six months.
The latest unemployment data available is from December, when the rate in Oklahoma was set at 5.3 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s jobless rate was down from 6.1 percent in November, but up from 3.4 percent in December 2019. The U.S. unemployment rate was set at 6.7 percent in December.
February collections
Compared to gross receipts from February 2020, collections in February 2021 showed:
• Total February 2021 gross collections are $950.8 million, down $6 million, or 0.6 percent.
• Gross income tax collections, a combination of individual and corporate income taxes, generated $292 million, down by $1.3 million, or 0.4 percent.
* Individual income tax collections are $286.2 million, an increase of $6.2 million, or 2.2 percent.
* Corporate collections are $5.8 million, down by $7.5 million, or 56.4 percent.
• Combined sales and use tax collections, including remittances on behalf of cities and counties, total $449.1 million – up by $39.8 million, or 7.9 percent.
* Sales tax collections total $384.5 million, an increase of $28.2 million, or 7.9 percent.
* Use tax receipts, collected on out-of-state purchases including internet sales, generated $64.6 million, an increase of $11.7 million, or 22 percent.
• Gross production taxes on oil and natural gas total $45.9 million, a decrease of $39 million, or 45.9 percent.
• Motor vehicle taxes produced $50.9 million, down by $5 million, or 9 percent.
• Other collections composed of some 60 different sources including taxes on fuel, tobacco, medical marijuana, and alcoholic beverages, produced $113 million – down by $493,273, or 0.4 percent.
* The medical marijuana tax produced $5.5 million, up by $2.1 million, or 64.7 percent from February 2020.
Twelve-month collections
Combined gross receipts for the past 12 months compared to the trailing 12 months:
• Gross revenue totals $13.11 billion. That is $601.6 million, or 4.4 percent, below collections from the previous period.
• Gross income taxes generated $4.73 billion, a decrease of $38.3 million, or 0.8 percent.
* Individual income tax collections total $4.09 billion, down by $93.9 million, or 2.2 percent.
* Corporate collections are $642.6 million, an increase of $55.6 million, or 9.5 percent.
• Combined sales and use taxes generated $5.52 billion, a drop of $63.8 million, or 1.1 percent.
* Gross sales tax receipts total $4.71 billion, down by $142.2 million, or 2.9 percent.
* Use tax collections generated $810 million, an increase of $78.4 million, or 10.7 percent.
• Oil and gas gross production tax collections generated $560.3 million, down by $433.5 million, or 43.6 percent.
• Motor vehicle collections total $769.2 million, a decrease of $22 million, or 2.8 percent.
• Other sources generated $1.54 billion, down by $44 million, or 2.8 percent.
* Medical marijuana taxes generated $60.3 million, up by $30.4 million, or 101.5 percent.
About Gross Receipts to the Treasury: The monthly Gross Receipts to the Treasury report, developed by the state treasurer’s office, provides a timely and broad view of the state’s economy. It is released in conjunction with the General Revenue Fund report from the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, which provides information to state agencies for budgetary planning purposes. The General Revenue Fund, the state’s main operating account, receives less than half of the state’s gross receipts with the remainder paid in rebates and refunds, remitted to cities and counties, and apportioned to other state funds.
Total Receipts Down, Sales Tax Up, Oklahoma state Treasurer Randy McDaniel reports Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK Ellyn Hefner, The City Sentinel's continuing series on OKSTABLE
Note: This is a February 2021 story, published on page 7 of The City Sentinel print edition. We regret the long delay in sharing this with online readers. Visit our upgraded and improved website at: www.City-Sentinel.com. Print copies can be found each month at locations all across Oklahoma City.
OK STABLE exists to allow people with disabilities to save and invest money without jeopardizing their eligibility for public benefits programs such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). When asked why one of its participants was saving money, the response was ideal… “I want to do what smart adults do. I want to save money”.
Notice that this young adult account owner doesn’t just want to do what adults do. He wants to do what SMART adults do.
Saving and investing money is not a practice that all people do. Whether you are living with a disability or not, people choose to manage their finances differently. However, OK STABLE makes it possible for persons with disabilities to save money.
This is a change in mindset for people with disabilities that had been forced to keep their own financial resources below $2,000 if their life required the supports provided through public benefits programs. In 2017, Oklahoma put state regulations into place that were enabled by the federal Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, and created OK STABLE.
“Imagine being told throughout your life that you could not save money… and now being told you can”, stated Doug Jackson, Deputy Director of the national STABLE Account program. Jackson went on “this means we have to teach new financial habits.”
The Power of Saving Over Time
We all have things we regularly spend money on. A cup of coffee. A lottery ticket. Or, a pizza. Using pizza as an example, imagine saving the cost of a $10 pizza each week over ten years. Without any interest earned, you would have saved $5,200. Perhaps if you invested this money over the same period of time, you could have even more.
Reasons to Save
If you are a parent of a child with a disability, you know you won’t be around forever. Your child is likely to outlive you. Saving money now could provide the resources to pay for the things you buy now for your child once you are gone.
If you are the person with a disability, saving your money could help you attain whatever financial goal you have. Vacation. Purchasing a home. A vehicle. Saving for the season of life when you can no longer earn a paycheck.
Begin Saving Today
“Smart adults save money” is an idea that would not have existed for people with disabilities. But with OK STABLE, people with disabilities can save much more like a smart adult.
To learn more about OK STABLE, visit okstable.org, or contact disability advocate and financial planner Ellyn Hefner by phone at: 405-640-9408.
OKSTABLE accounts and a good life Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK
Steve Fair
Election integrity is fundamental to a stable Republic.
In the 2020 general election, President Trump maintained ballot fraud occurred in several states. Because of varying rules on balloting, several states were still counting votes in the presidential election three weeks after polls closed. That needs to be addressed -- but Democrats are pushing for sweeping election reform.
On Sunday (March 7) President Biden signed an executive order designed to increase voter access. It orders federal agencies to expand access to voter registration, provide voting access and education to prisoners in federal custody. It also orders the feds to examine barriers to citizens with disabilities voting and the process for overseas voters, including active-duty military.
"During this current legislative session, elected officials in 43 states have already introduced over 250 bills to make it harder to vote. We cannot let them succeed," Biden said.
Biden also urged the Senate to pass H.R. 1.
Last week U.S. House Democrats passed H.R. 1, a sweeping election reform bill that if signed into law would put the federal government in charge of elections. Some troubling provisions in HR1 include: (1) grants Washington DC statehood(2) removing of the notarization or witnesses of a voters signature for mail in voters, (3) nationwide same day registration, (4) automatic registration when you register a car, apply for food stamps or any federal entitlement program, (5) bans requirement to provide identification to vote, (6) allow convicted felons to vote, (7) allows Congress to dictate to states how to do redistricting for U.S. House representation, (8) establishes a ban on knowingly making false or anonymous statements about a candidate in a federal election, (9) pre-registers 16 year olds to vote, (10) eliminates ‘dark money’ in elections, (11) makes ballot harvesting legal.
Three observations about H.R. 1 and election/balloting reform:
First, individual states should remain in charge of their own elections, not the federal government.
Article I, Section 4, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution says: The times, places, and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed in each State by the legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations except as to the places of choosing Senators.
The provision allowing Congress to ‘alter the regulations’ didn’t mean promoting cheating. The founders never envisioned the federal government running elections in the states. H.R. 1 is a clear power grab by the Democrats.
Second, H.R. 1 is not about integrity at the ballot box, it’s about staying in power.
By eliminating voter ID and expanding voter eligibility to felons, young people, and illegal immigrants, Democrats virtually guarantee Republicans could not win a future presidential election. For years, Ds have claimed ‘voter suppression’ when Republican controlled state legislatures passed voter ID laws insuring the person voting is actually that person. That should raise red flags. How can anyone oppose verifying voter ID unless they want to cheat?
Third, HR1 could be the undoing of America.
That is no exaggeration! If ballot box integrity or probity is compromised, citizens have no voice and the result will be a total lack of respect for authority- anarchy. All Americans, no matter their Party affiliation should demand elections be run in a fair and honest way.
Pray H.R.1 does not pass the Senate and is signed into law. Election reform is needed, but it best done through state legislatures. That is why 43 states are running 250 bills.
It should not be done by Executive Orders and Congressional involvement.
On Thursday evening, the Stephens County Republican Party will hold their biannual precinct meetings and county convention. The location will be: Faith Church, 1404 W. Main Street, Duncan. The precinct meetings will start at 6 p.m. and the convention will convene at 7 p.m.
The primary business will be the election of county GOP officials and selection of delegates to the state convention in April.
State Senator Darrell Weaver from Moore will be the keynote speaker at the convention.
NOTE: A conservative and a Republican Party leader, Steve Fair is a widely published Oklahoma writer. For more information about the event mentioned at the end of this commentary, email [email protected] or go to their Facebook page. Fair is chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party’s Fourth Congressional Distirct. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Steve’s blot is stevefair.blogspot.com.
H.R. 1 could unravel us: Analyzing and sketching its pro-fraud provisions, and President Biden’s executive order of March 7 Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK |
Pat McGuiganThe dean of all Oklahoma Journalism, Mr Patrick McGuigan; has a rich history of service in many aspects of both covering the news and producing the information that the public needs to know. Archives
September 2021
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