The Latest in Oklahoma: June 21, 2024
A&A Advocates
Oklahomans headed to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots in several state and federal races. Notably, four Republican incumbents—Oklahoma Senate floor leader Greg McCortney, who had been tapped as the next president pro tempore; Jessica Garvin; Cody Rogers; and John Talley—lost primary battles for seats in the Oklahoma state legislature. Find the unofficial results here.
A proposed five-year consent decree to settle a class-action lawsuit Briggs et al v. State and reform how Oklahoma provides competency restoration services to mentally ill criminal defendants has been filed by plaintiffs’ counsel and Attorney General Gentner Drummond, but Gov. Kevin Stitt and the state’s mental health commissioner say the proposal has lacked due diligence and will improperly involve lawyers in clinical practice decisions. Read the court filing here.
Gov. Kevin Stitt has withdrawn his nomination of Mike Holder to serve on the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents and has instead nominated attorney Jennifer Henderson Callahan to an eight-year term, replacing Rick Davis. Stitt has amended his special session call to apply to Callahan.
The GEO Group that operates the Lawton Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility has ended its contract with the state after Gov. Kevin Stitt rejected a request for a $3 million increase. In his veto message, Stitt said Senate Bill 1167 would create an unfunded mandate to increase per diem rates at the Lawton prison. The agency had housed 2,616 inmates at the prison run by The GEO Group. “This private, for-profit group runs OK’s most dangerous prison—multiple prisoners have died on their watch this year alone,” The governor said in a tweet. “As the businessman Governor, I hold bad vendors accountable.”
What We’re Watching
The Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronauticsreleased a five-year, $342 million plan to build new runways, terminals and more to airports across Oklahoma.
State Senator Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, announced on Thursday that he has been named the next CEO and Executive Director of the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association, following the submission of his resignation letter to Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat last week.
“I am thankful that the Biden Administration will not be allowed to completely rewrite Title IX with its misplaced gender policy. Oklahoma schools and universities should not be penalized for following state law that protects female students on the athletic field, as well as in bathrooms and locker rooms. The Court’s decision is a victory for state sovereignty and all who believe young women deserve safe spaces at school.” – Attorney General Gentner Drummond celebrated a court decision that rules the U.S. Department of Education’s attempt to include sexual orientation and gender identity in Title IX was invalid.
