The Latest in Oklahoma: July 27, 2024
A&A Advocates
Oklahoma lawmakers have allocated millions of dollars to fund community-based diversion and treatment programs, but only 36 of 77 counties submitted grant applications. Lawmakers allocated $12.5 million to the fund in May 2023, nearly seven years after voters approved State Question 781. The 2016 ballot initiative accompanied State Question 780, which specified that the state should use money saved from incarcerating fewer people to support county-level diversion and treatment programs. Oklahoma’s prison population has dropped by nearly 20% over the past seven years, saving the state tens of millions of dollars. View the map of county application submissions here.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters released guidelines for Oklahoma teachers to incorporate the Bible into their curriculum on Wednesday. According to a press release, the guidelines include historical context, literary significance, and artistic and musical influence of the Bible. The guidance also includes provisions that all teachers in the state will be provided a physical copy of the Bible, the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Ten Commandments as resources in every classroom. At least eight schools have stated they will not alter their curriculum despite the recent mandate.
Oklahoma County District Judge Sheila Stinson issued an order last week to permanently ban enforcement of the Oklahoma Energy Discrimination Act — a law passed in 2022 that prohibits state contracts, including pension system investments, with financial institutions that have policies thought to discriminate against oil and gas interests. The judge ruled that, among other things, the law was unconstitutionally vague. Phil Bacharach, a spokesman for Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, said the AG’s Office will appeal.
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance attended a private luncheon in Oklahoma City to fundraise for the general election yesterday. Oklahoma leaders, including Gov. Kevin Stitt and Attorney General Gentner Drummond, were in attendance.
What We’re Watching
All House and Senate interim study requests have been approved and assigned to committees. View the House interim study requests here, and view Senate interim study requests here.
“Hopefully it shows that we try to keep safe and sound banking practices, but we also understand that banking is important to each community, and in my 30 years, we’ve always been able to, once a bank has issues, to be able to get that bank facility open, maybe by other ownership. But I’ve never had to have a community that lost a banking facility in my 30 years.” – Oklahoma banking commissioner has been appointed to his ninth term, making him the longest serving banking commissioner in the nation.
