Pawhuska Journal-Capital

CAPITOL

Criminal justice reform a continuing focus

L
ast week was busy an official individual- and involvement in the Capitol on Monday and Bill Coleman represent
at the Capitol as ized determination that child welfare system then some teachers from District 10 in the Okla-
we worked day and no condition of release when sentencing a Ponca City and other homa Senate. You may
night to hit the Thursday would assure the defen- person certified as an schools stopped by to contact him by call-
Mar deadline. There were dant’s return to court. adult. visit on Tuesday. Always ing 405-521-5581 or by
more than 330 Senate Before determining In closing, EPIC Char- enjoy visiting with our email at bill.coleman@
20 bills to hear. We con- release, judges must con- ter School Day was at the outstanding educators. oksenate.gov. SEN. BILL COLEMAN
sidered all the measures sider whether a person
and now turn our atten- poses a specific threat
tion to our committees to a specific person as
2019 for consideration of the well as whether the
remaining House bills. person violated a pro-
Several important tective order. It also
Page bills were passed by requires judges to release
the Legislature for someone following an
A007 further consideration appearance in court
in the opposite cham- unless the judge makes
Clip ber including all of certain findings defined
resized our Senate Republican by this bill. A person
Caucus agenda items. must be taken before the
33% The five government most accessible magis-
accountability bills trate in the county for an
received final approval in initial appearance and
the Legislature last week charged with a crime
and have been signed within 48 hours of the
into law and are in effect. arrest.
Gov. Stitt isn’t wasting SB 616 requires the
any time getting bills Pardon and Parole Board
signed. An agreement to officially state why a
was made to use three of parole is denied. If the
the House’s bills and two Board denies parole to
of the Senate’s bills. The someone convicted of an
measures will give hiring 85-percent crime, they
power over the direc- must suggest reme-
tors of five of our highest dial actions to prepare
appropriated state agen- the inmate for the next
cies to the governor as parole consideration. It
well as authority to set also prohibits a prisoner
their salaries. from waiving consid-
The agencies and bills eration for parole or a
include the Oklahoma recommendation for
Healthcare Authority parole and outlines
(SB 456), the Oklahoma instances when a per-
Department of Trans- son’s parole may be
portation (SB 457), the revoked.
Office of Juvenile Affairs HB 2218 will help
(House Bill 2479), the lessen the financial
Oklahoma Department of burden of those released
Corrections (House Bill from prison by allow-
2480), and the Oklahoma ing courts to waive
Department of Mental outstanding fines, court
Health and Substance costs and fees if the
Abuse Services (House person attends a career
Bill 2483). tech center, workforce
SB 1 also received final training program or state
approval by the Senate to university or college. For
create LOFT and provide every 40-hour educa-
better insight and under- tion/training work week,
standing of our state’s the court will waive the
budget. The House has above expenses based
a similar version of this on the equivalent of the
legislation. No word on person’s potential gross
if there will be a com- income based on the
promise bill or if one of state’s minimum wage.
the current bills will be SB 414 establishes a
allowed to go through to statute of limitations for
the governor’s desk. the crimes of first- and
Criminal justice reform second-degree man-
is a major focus and sev- slaughter. Prosecutions
eral bills were approved must commence within
this week including my 10 years after the discov-
SB 287. This bill will help ery of the crime.
decrease the unsustain- SB 112 prohibits anyone
able and very expensive convicted of a crime
growth of our prison committed before the
population by limiting age of 18 from receiving
sentencing for repeat a sentence of life without
nonviolent, nonsexual parole or a mandatory
felony offenders. minimum sentence. It
SB 252 modifies condi- also mandates that the
tions for the release of courts must consider
arrested individuals by the age of the person at
clarifying that a “vio- the time of the offense,
lent offense” refers to maturity level, cul-
offenses defined in the pability, family and
Oklahoma Prison Over- environment, intellectual
crowding Emergency capacity, peer pressure,
Powers Act. Addition- rehabilitation capacity,
ally, the court must make community involvement,
Chris Warbey/Getty Images

don’t believe
what can everything
you feel.
trigger an You’ve been pulled from the world you once
knew. There’s a reason for it. It’s depression.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Latimer County News-Tribune

Mar
21

2019

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Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.