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Oklahoma Speaker of the House Charles McCall approves 113 Interim Study Requests
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CapitolBeatOK Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – Lawmaker requests for 113 interim studies have been approved in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Of the 136 interim study requests from House members, House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, approved 107 outright and combined 12 requests of similar topics into six approved requests. The 113 approved requests include six joint studies with the Senate.
House committees will now begin scheduling studies between Aug. 2 and Nov. 5.
To ensure committee staff has capacity to prepare for and staff interim studies, factors such as topic relevancy, whether the topic has been studied previously, and potential for associated legislation were considered when reviewing study requests.
The full list of approved studies can be viewed at: https://ift.tt/3ryg0LT.
Studies will be live-streamed on the House website.
Handouts, presentations and documents utilized at hearings will be available online, as well.
Oklahoma Speaker of the House Charles McCall approves 113 Interim Study Requests Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK
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Ray Carter, Center for Independent Journalism
Approximately $11 billion in federal bailout funding is being dumped into the state of Oklahoma as the result of the passage of the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) after accounting for money going to everything from private citizens to state government to local governments to other organizations, lawmakers were told at the inaugural meeting of the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding.
That money is coming even though Oklahoma state government revenue has almost
fully rebounded (https://ift.tt/3kPNSTs ) to pre-COVID norms. Yet the state cannot use the federal money for some of the state’s most pressing needs.
“This is not for funding pensions,” said Melissa Houston, whose firm 929 Strategies is a contractor working with state officials to develop a plan for ARPA funds.
“This is not for funding ‘rainy days.’ ”
Oklahoma has billions in unfunded pension liabilities that cannot be addressed with the federal bailout funds. State officials have also sought to raise state savings to prepare to better deal with future downturns. So far, they have set aside more than $1 billion, but Gov. Kevin Stitt has said $2 billion is required for true financial stability.
Rather than address those needs, Houston told lawmakers that the “basic purpose” of the federal bailout funds is “to respond to the public health emergency” of COVID-19 and its associated impacts.
The federal COVID funds come as the worst of the pandemic appears behind the state and many of its associated financial costs have already been addressed with prior rounds of federal bailout funding.
In addition, the federal funds may be spent years after the effective conclusion of the pandemic. States are required to have all available federal bailout funding obligated by December 2024 and to have spent ARPA funds by 2026.
State lawmakers have direct oversight of $1.8 billion in federal bailout funds, officials said, but will have to comply with federal regulations that remain half-baked in some instances and face financial “claw back” penalties if federal officials conclude that money was not used appropriately.
(For additional background information on the Legislature’s ARPA duties, see: https://ift.tt/3kVZKTE)
Mark Tygret, director of the Oklahoma House of Representatives fiscal staff, told lawmakers that ARPA funds designated for infrastructure must be spent on projects that align with federal guidance that is currently all but nonexistent.
“We’re still waiting on anything other than two paragraphs on the website,” Tygret said.
In other instances, processes involve massive amounts of minutia.
“Many of these programs, or structural distribution mechanisms, already exist,” Tygret said.
“Many of them are going to be working under a CFDA number, the Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance, the 3,761-page document that anybody wants to read it with me, help yourself.”
And federal guidance keeps changing.
“Senator (Roger) Thompson was really fond of this book that I put together with all of the ARPA information but, Senator Thompson, I want to say that I’ve had to start creating addendums, because things keep coming out on a monthly, sometimes weekly basis,” said Mike Fina, executive director of the Oklahoma Municipal League. “Questions get answered, and we’re trying to piece it all together.”
At one point, Houston noted that state officials were having to rely on “an interim rule that continues to evolve, and some of the new reporting that came out put a lot more of the burden on the state.”
Amanda Rodriguez, chief financial officer for the State of Oklahoma, suggested that it is impractical and perhaps impossible for the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding to provide more than broad guidelines for ARPA fund usage, noting lawmakers won’t have time to provide individual project review.
“If we all tried to review each one of these individually, as a committee, I would think it would be a very slow process,” Rodriguez said.
Throughout the meeting, presenters noted the extreme volume of federal spending, which critics say is playing a role in fueling inflation (https://ift.tt/3kRUvEC).
“It’s an awful lot of money,” Tygret said.
“There’s, again, so much money circulating around,” Rodriguez said.
While the federal government has yet to provide clear guidance on use of the bailout funds and has given states nearly five years to spend ARPA money, there’s one area where federal officials are in a rush for detail: state plans.
The deadline for Oklahoma government to provide a state plan for spending ARPA money is due in just over one month on Aug. 31.
Note: This story is reposted, with permission, from the Center for Independent Journalism. It first appeared here: https://ift.tt/2UxQI4P . Ray Carter is a veteran news journalist who also worked in state government. He now guides the work of the center.
Billions to spend with limited guidance Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]()
CapitolBeatOK Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – The joint legislative committee formed to support the state planning of pandemic relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) met Wednesday (July 21) for its first organizational meeting.
The joint committee discussed the process and structure by which to evaluate proposals for the use of $1.9 billion in relief funds available to the State of Oklahoma. The panel’s work will inform the allocations eventually assigned by the state’s chief executive.
Under federal law, ARPA funds for state governments are to be used only to respond to the public health emergency and negative economic effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Such uses can include payments to state agencies, nonprofits, industry, households, and investments in public infrastructure.
The committee will receive and evaluate proposals through a robust subcommittee vetting process and engagement with stakeholders, including members of the executive branch, state agencies, community organizations, and public submissions.
Proposal submissions will be open to the public for several months and available online beginning Aug. 1.
The bipartisan joint committee established subcommittees in the following focus areas:
• Economic Development and Workforce, Co-Chairs: Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, and Rep. Rhonda Baker, R-Yukon
• Health and Human Services, Co-Chairs: Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow, and Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Depew
• Government Transformation and Collaboration, Co-Chairs: Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry, and Rep. Jeff Boatman, R-Tulsa
• Transportation, Infrastructure, and Rural Development, Co-Chairs: Sen. James Leewright, R-Bristow, and Rep. Logan Phillips, R-Mounds
“Oklahoma has the opportunity to make a strategic investment in our state ensuring a strong recovery from the pandemic,” said House Appropriations & Budget Chairman Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston, co-chair of the joint committee.
“We look forward to working collaboratively with the Governor, Legislature, state agencies, tribal nations and community members to use these one-time federal funds for projects that will positively impact the State of Oklahoma.”
The joint committee also heard from Mike Fina, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Municipal League, on the ARPA monies cities and counties will receive, and House Fiscal Director Mark Tygret regarding the funds that pass through directly to state agencies.
“It is imperative that this committee work collaboratively with our cities, counties, and state agencies to ensure these federal funds are leveraged to their full potential,” said Senate Appropriations Chairman Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, co-chair of the joint committee. “This is a chance to maximize these one-time funds to make investments that will benefit generations of Oklahomans.”
The committee will forward its recommendations to a group of six legislators and five executive branch officials who will formally score and send high-scoring priorities to Gov. Kevin Stitt, who will make the final allocation of funds.
“While other states will be forced to use this money to fill massive budget deficits, Oklahoma can build on the momentum created by reopening our economy last June and propel our state forward,” Stitt said.
“I appreciate the joint committee’s commitment to using these funds to make one-time strategic investments that will benefit future generations while improving services today, and I look forward to continuing our partnership with the legislators every step of the way.”
Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding holds organizational meeting Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]()
CapitolBeatOK Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – After conclusion of the regular legislative session, State Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, last month filed a pair of interim study requests.
With one of the proposed studies, she seeks to better understand the state’s outreach efforts regarding the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The other aims to look at how teacher contracts are handled throughout the state.
In a staff press release sent to CapitolBeatOK and other news organizations, Rep. Provenzano said the first to examine the overall importance of the FAFSA process as well as the progress Oklahoma has made at increasing the number of students who complete the application.
“Many Oklahoma students wouldn’t be able to attend college if not for financial aid,” Provenzano said.
“However, they can’t receive financial aid until they fill out a FAFSA. The importance of this form to an Oklahoma student’s future cannot be overstated. It is not without its hurdles, and we must do everything we can to ensure no student who wishes to go to college falls through the cracks on this one. We must dig into the roadblocks that prevent a student from applying. That’s what this study is about.”
With so many financial barriers to higher education, the FAFSA and the potential aid it represents can be a lifeline to students trying to lift themselves out of poverty, the press release asserted.
“The FAFSA is a gateway to financial aid for college,” said Jennifer Sack, a high school counselor at Tulsa’s Booker T. Washington.
“The first thing the FAFSA determines is whether the student qualifies for financial aid. But even if you don’t qualify for federal money, the FAFSA is what colleges use to determine what type of aid they can award a student. Even some private scholarships require proof that a FAFSA has been filed.”
“The more Oklahoma students that fill out the FAFSA the better it is for our state,” Provenzano said. “Our state schools, especially community and junior colleges, benefit by having more students able to attend, but the biggest blessing is that those additional students will have an opportunity to earn a college degree, which we all know can be life-changing.”
As for her second proposed Interim Study, the former educator and administrator hopes to investigate the effectiveness of yearly, semester and quarterly teacher contracts and how those contracts affect students, teacher retention and costs to acquire educators.
“Due to a lack of resources, our school administrators are constantly having to work miracles to staff our schools,” Provenzano said. “Often, however, administrators are forced to use short-term teaching contracts to do so. We need to study how these contracts and the constant shuffling of educators are affecting our students.”
The Tulsa solon hopes that the study will give lawmakers and the education community more data to fight for additional resources.
“We have to stop putting our state’s education professionals in unwinnable situations,” Provenzano said. “My hunch, which comes from experience, is that short-term contracts have long-term negative effects on Oklahoma students.”
Senate Interim studies have been approved, and House Speaker Charles McCall’s list of approved studies is expected by Friday (July 23). Senate President Pro Temp Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, surprised long-time Capitol-watchers when he approved all 71 proposals submitted.
Under both Democrats and Republicans, the majority party has dominated the Interim Study process. While it seems unlikely the Atoka Republican who runs the lower chamber (McCall) will follow the pro tempore’s lead, Treat’s inclusive directive to allow all the proposal Senate studies has provoked hopes for a similar thrust in the House.
NOTE: Pat McGuigan contributed to this report.
Representative Melissa Provenzano hopes to hold Interim Studies on student aid application program, teacher contracts Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]()
CapitolBeatOK Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Ajay Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, submitted an Interim Study request to House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, to better understand the policies that outline how Oklahoma law enforcement responds to a high-speed pursuit.
She will know on Friday (July 23) if McCall has agreed to the request.
The legislator from House District 99, in east Oklahoma City, is leading the charge to bring stakeholders from all sides of the discussion to the table. In the request, Pittman highlighted three areas of concentration for the study:
1. Examine the causes and policies that warrant the approval of high-speed chases in metropolitan areas.
2. Expose the aftermath of victims, and identify how data collection is stored and analyzed.
3. Explore options and solutions to preventative measures that will improve the outcomes of leaving innocent victims behind.
“I hope to find a policy that is safe for the public and the responding officers,” Pittman said. “We often see issues in black and white, but my job as a legislator is to help facilitate conversations to help us find common ground. We have seen several injuries and fatalities as a result of high-speed chases in highly populated areas.”
According to Pittman, the objective of this study is to give a voice to those citizens that have been affected by these accidents as well as address the concerns of the law enforcement members who serve them.
Pittman seeks to look at the policies that other states and large cities have implemented to protect citizens. She currently serves on the Transportation Appropriations and Budget, and the Public Safety Appropriations and Budget committees.
Public safety is one of Pittman’s top priorities for Oklahoma.
“We may get into this study and realize what works for some cities or counties in Oklahoma may not work in others,” Pittman said. “That’s ok. What matters to me and I believe my fellow lawmakers is that we get public input and put a policy in place that promotes the safety of all Oklahomans.”
The study request comes in the wake of a series of deaths and injuries in Oklahoma involving officers in pursuit of a speeding vehicle. Pittman’s goal is to share those best practices that could reduce the number of injuries and deaths.
“There are issues that must be addressed,” Pittman said. “There are concerns regarding these types of policies, as well as the transparency around them. This study is not being requested to condemn anyone. Our focus is to find ways to resolve our public safety issues, prevent deaths, and better serve our communities statewide.”
Senate Interim studies have been approved, and Speaker McCall’s list of approved studies is expected soon. Pittman achieved one of her legislative priorities in May, with passage of a measure that changed that law to allow “bottle service” at events.
(https://ift.tt/3iwIvWv)
Rep. Pittman encourages citizens, including members of public safety organizations, to reach out to her office if they wish to participate in the study.
State Representative Ajay Pittman of Oklahoma City seeks to conduct Interim Study on high-speed police pursuits Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]()
Joe Dorman, Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma has many statesmen who served at all levels and from different political backgrounds.
I have been fortunate to know outstanding men and women who dedicated themselves to Oklahoma regardless of political philosophies and pathways and am pleased in my role to help recognize those who support the children of our state.
The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) annually presents awards to two former public servants who continue to make a difference after elective office. This is the first year we have named those awards; our board of directors authorized naming rights to honor a pair of distinguished careers dedicated to improving the lives of Oklahoma’s children.
Our Republican public servant award has been named after former state representative, Governor, and U.S. Sen. Henry Bellmon. His storied career as a trailblazer in Oklahoma politics is legendary. He led a bipartisan group of senators stopping a federal constitutional amendment that would have prohibited busing to racially desegregate public schools. As governor, he led the charge for historic change to Oklahoma public education with House Bill 1017.
Recipient of the Henry Bellmon Public Servant Award for 2021 is the Honorable J.C. Watts.
Watts, a former college and professional football player, was elected in 1990 to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, the first African-American in Oklahoma to win statewide office. He successfully ran for Congress in 1994 becoming the first African-American Republican U.S. representative from south of the Mason–Dixon line since Reconstruction. He was re-elected to four terms with increasing vote margins. In 1998, he became chair of the House Republican Conference.
After a career in public office, Watts dedicated time to nonprofit work, including service on the board of Ground Zero Emergency Training Center. He co-launched the Black News Channel in 2020 as a 24-hour news channel aimed at an African American audience.
Our Democratic public servant award is named after former state Rep. Laura Boyd. Dr. Boyd has a Ph.D. in psychology and served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for six years. In 1998, she became the first woman to receive a major party nomination for Oklahoma governor. Boyd is noted for having authored the Ryan Luke Act, which cracked down on child abuse and sexual predators. Boyd is also recognized for pioneering the Oklahoma College Savings Plan. Today, Boyd is founder of Policy and Performance Consultants, Inc.
The 2021 winner of the Laura Boyd Public Servant Award is former state Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre. McIntyre worked for the Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Division, and served on the Tulsa Public School Board for 16 years. She was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2002 and was one of 16 Black women selected as Fellow for the NOBEL/Women CAWP Leadership Institute. She was the first freshman appointed to the House Speaker’s leadership team.
In 2004, McIntyre was elected to the Oklahoma Senate, representing District 11 until 2012.
Today, McIntyre is a member of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission, a staunch advocate of breast cancer research, and is currently a member of the OICA Board of Directors.
Congratulations to this year’s winners and thank you to those allowing us the naming rights for these two awards. Public servants working together and across party lines will help improve the lives of Oklahoma’s youth. These four Oklahomans all made their mark in this mission.
About OICA: The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy was established in 1983 by a group of citizens seeking to create a strong advocacy network that would provide a voice for the needs of children and youth in Oklahoma, particularly those in the state’s care and those growing up amid poverty, violence, abuse and neglect, disparities, or other situations that put their lives and future at risk. Our mission statement: “Creating awareness, taking action, and changing policy to improve the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma’s children.”
Biographical Note: A former state representative, Joe Dorman now guides the work of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy. He writes often for The City Sentinel newspaper, and for CapitolBeatOK.com.
Public Service for Children is neither partisan nor complete: Analysis Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]()
Steve Fair
President Grover Cleveland was the first Democrat president elected after the Civil War. He served two non-consecutive terms- the only president to do so in American history. Cleveland was elected in 1884 as the 22nd president. He was defeated in 1888 by Republican Benjamin Harrison, after losing his home state of New York.
In 1888, they met again, with Cleveland winning what historians say was the ‘cleanest, quietest and most creditable in the memory of the post-civil war.’ President Harrison’s wife was dying of tuberculosis and he did not personally campaign at all. His wife died two weeks before the election and by that time both candidates had stopped campaigning.
Four other times in our nation’s history, former presidents have sought to win back the White House.
In 1840, Martin Van Buren lost his bid for reelection and then ran again for the Democratic nomination in 1844 and 1848, losing both times.
In 1850, Millard Fillmore became president when Zachary Taylor died in office. He didn’t get the Whig party nomination in 1852, but did in 1856 and got just eight electoral votes.
Ulysses S. Grant wanted to run for a third term in 1876, but was persuaded to not run by Republican Party leaders. Grant sought the GOP nomination in 1880, but was defeated by James Garfield.
Teddy Roosevelt became president in 1901, when William McKinley was assassinated. He won in 1904 and then declined to run in 1908, instead endorsing William Howard Taft. He became upset with Taft and challenged him for the GOP nomination in 1912. After losing to Taft, Teddy ran as an Independent under the Bull Moose Party banner. Teddy spilt the vote and Taft finished third and Democrat Woodrow Wilson won.
Although nothing in the original U.S. Constitution limited presidents to two terms, George Washington declined to seek a third term and suggested two terms of four years were enough for any president.
That became the unwritten rule for presidents until 1940, when Franklin Roosevelt won his third term and then won a fourth term in 1944. He died just months into his fourth term. In 1947, Congress passed the 22nd amendment, which limits the POTUS to two terms. It was ratified by the states on February 27, 1951.
Former President Donald Trump appears to be a 2024 presidential candidate. His speech at the CPAC convention in Dallas was vintage Trump. It resulted in Trump winning the ‘straw poll’ for 2024 potential GOP candidates by a wide margin.
Three observations:
First, Trump is a known commodity. That means he has a strong base of support, but he also faces strong opposition in his own Party. One of the keys to winning a general election is to get those who supported another candidate in the primary to support you in the general election. Trump polarizing personality could make that challenging. Most anti-Trumpers in the GOP wouldn’t vote for a Democrat, but they can stay home.
Second, the swing vote is the key. Trump won in 2016 because he appealed to organized labor with his ‘America First’ theme. In 2020, he didn’t do as well with that group. They didn’t turn out in the numbers necessary to push him over the top. Part of that was due to the slow down of the economy due to the pandemic, but many felt like the return of manufacturing to the U.S. Trump had promised was too slow.
Third, if Trump loses the nomination and then runs on a third-Party ticket, the Democrat will be elected. President Teddy Roosevelt is an excellent example. Ross Perot ran as a third-Party candidate and got Bill Clinton elected by siphoning votes away from President George HW Bush.
It seems too soon to be talking about the 2024 presidential election, but expect Trump to clear the field on the GOP side if he decides to do something no president in modern history has done; seek a non-consecutive second term.
NOTE: Steve Fair is conservative commentator whose essays often appear at CapitolBeatOK.com, an independent, non-partisan news organization based in Oklahoma City, and in The City Sentinel newspaper. Fair is Chairman for the Oklahoma Republican Party in the state’s Fourth Congressional District. Steve can be reached by email at [email protected]. His blog is stevefair.blogspot.com.
Non-Consecutive Presidential Terms: Analysis Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]()
CapitolBeatOK Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. John Talley, R-Stillwater, has requested an interim study to investigate clinical outcomes of patients with pain following policies resulting in rapid reductions in opioid prescribing.
The study seeks to examine the effects of the restrictions on prescribed pain medication implemented within the state following the enactment of Senate Bill 1446 in November 2018.
Talley said his goal is to bring together researchers, physicians, patients and policy analysts to hear multiple perspectives on the impacts of existing policies and if they have helped reduce opioid addiction in Oklahoma, as well as examine how these changes have affected patients and their ability to access the treatment they need.
“From the start, there should have been metrics in place to measure the clinical outcomes of patients impacted by laws enacted to address the opioids crisis,” Talley said. “It’s my hope that this study, if approved, will allow us to ensure these well-intentioned policies address the real issue while limiting unintended consequences.”
Talley is working with Rep. Ty Burns, R-Pawnee, and Rep. Preston Stinson, R-Edmond, to organize the study.
“This is a complex issue without a one size fits all solution,” Stinson said. “I look forward to hearing from all stakeholders to ensure that our laws are appropriate, safe, and adequate to address patients’ needs.”
The interim study request was filed under the number 21-105. House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, will announce approved interim studies by this Friday, July 23.
Oklahoma State Representative John Talley of Stillwater leads group of lawmakers requesting Interim Study on Opioid Prescriptions Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]()
CapitolBeatOK Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Jay Steagall, R-Yukon, Chair of the House State's Rights Committee, sent a letter earlier this month in response to comments made this week by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki concerning the Biden Administration’s plan to get more Americans vaccinated, including through a door-to-door outreach program.
The full text of the letter, which was sent to CapitolBeatOK.com and other news organizations, can be seen below.
To the Great People of the State of Oklahoma,
In her July 6, 2021, press briefing, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki presented the Biden Administration’s plan to get more Americans vaccinated, which includes a strategic door-to-door outreach program, an effort that is of serious concern to multiple constituents in the district I represent, other fellow Oklahomans, and myself.
Press Secretary Psaki stated, “The President will outline five areas his team is focused on to get more Americans vaccinated.
“One: targeted, community-by-community, door-to-door outreach to get remaining Americans vaccinated by ensuring they have the information they need on how both safe and accessible the vaccine is.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra made the statement, July 8, 2021, that it is “absolutely the government’s business” to know which Americans have not taken the coronavirus vaccine - another extremely invasive and dangerous assertion manufactured by the Biden administration.
I contend that these types of actions and assertions from the federal government are not just overreaching, but violate multiple provisions of the U.S. Constitution. First, the enumerated powers delegated in Article I, Section 8; the right of the People to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects as found in the Fourth Amendment; as well as the vertical separation of powers prescribed in the Tenth Amendment.
James Madison once stated, “The powers reserved to the several states will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement and prosperity of the state.” Simply put, it is NOT within the federal government’s purview to know the vaccination status of individual Americans, nor is it appropriate for the federal government to enact intrusive measures such as “community-to-community, door-to-door” vaccine “education” efforts.
House Bill 1236, which was introduced and passed overwhelmingly by the Republican majority-led Oklahoma Legislature this spring and signed into law by the governor on May 25, 2021, asserts the reserved state powers mentioned in the Tenth Amendment. This sends a clear message to the federal government of our intention to maintain the balance of powers and to protect the rights of all Oklahomans. One such reserved power of the state is to manage within its own boundaries “pandemics and health emergencies,” as enumerated in HB 1236.
The door-to-door efforts suggested this week by the Biden administration are inappropriate and will not be welcomed in the State of Oklahoma.
Respectfully,
Jay W. Steagall
Chairman, State’s Rights Committee
Oklahoma House of Representatives State’s Rights Committee Chairman Jay Steagall responds to Biden Administration’s Door-to-Door targeting efforts of unvacinated Americans Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]()
CapitolBeatOK Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Mike Dobrinski, R-Okeene, commented on the appointment of Bartlett Bouse to the Oklahoma Board of Juvenile Affairs by House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka.
“Mr. Bouse’s career in family law and juvenile justice, as well as his experience in the district attorney’s office, will be invaluable as he serves on the Office of Juvenile Affairs Board of Directors,” Dobrinski said in a press release from state House staff sent to CapitolBeatOK.com and other news organizations.
“I am pleased Bart has agreed to serve his community and northwest Oklahoma in this capacity, and believe he will do so with honor and distinction.”
Dobrinski recommended Bouse, a constituent, and he thanked Speaker McCall for appointing him to the board. Bouse’s term started immediately upon his appointment. He replaced board member Sean Burrage.
Bouse, of Woodward, received his juris doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, and a bachelor of science in accounting from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva.
He has practiced general law at his personal firm, Bouse Law Firm, in Woodward, since July 1999. Before that, he was an assistant district attorney in the district attorney’s office in Woodward.
Bouse is a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association and is admitted to practice in Oklahoma, the U.S. District Court-Western District of Oklahoma and the U.S. Court of Appeals-Tenth Circuit.
He served as a member of the Western Plains Youth and Family Service Board, including as president of the board, and as a member of the Woodward County Post Adjudication Review Board. He was commissioner of the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth and a board member of the Woodward United Fund. Bouse also has served on a number of civic boards, commissions and campaigns.
Burrage, a vice president at the University of Oklahoma, had served on the juvenile justice board since 2017. This spring, Burrage notified Speaker McCall – who had (under new legal provisions) appointed him to the post in 2019 – of his intention to resign.
Burrage served eight years in the Oklahoma State Senate (2006-2014). In leaving the OJA Board, Burrage said in a letter to Speaker McCall, “My position at the University of Oklahoma is very demanding, and I need to give as much attention as possible to my duties in that regard. Please know that I feel very confident in the current board and the Executive Director, Rachel Holt.”
Burrage is known for his passion for juvenile justice system reforms. In addition to his legislative service, he was president of Southeastern Oklahoma State University for five years, and previously was a partner in the Taylor Burrage Law Firm.
The Board of Juvenile Affairs sets policy for the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) and is the rulemaking body for the office. The board is responsible for reviewing and approving the budget, assisting the agency in planning activities related to the priorities and policies of the agency, providing a public forum for receiving comments and disseminating information to the public, and establishing contracting procedures for the agency and guidelines for rates of payment for services provided by contract.
Note: Mike Dobrinski represents District 59 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which includes which includes Dewey County, and parts of Blaine, Canadian, Kingfisher and Woodward counties. Patrick B. McGuigan contributed to this report.
Representative Mike Dobrinski praises Bartlett Bouse as new member of the Board of Juvenile Affairs, replacing Sean Burrage Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK |
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