Oklahoma's largest-ever state budget, nearly $13 billion, has advanced from committee in the final week of the 2023 legislative session.
The Oklahoman reports the budget includes increased funding for education, healthcare and state building renovations.
Proposed cuts to the grocery tax, personal income tax and corporate income tax won't happen this year, but smaller cuts and a tax credit for family caregivers were approved.
Lawmakers aim to wrap up work by Friday, with a possibility of reconvening in June if needed.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled against a group opposing the highly-contested ACCESS turnpike project.
The court ruled that the group “failed to establish that they have a clear legal right to the injunctive.” Pike Off OTA, the group opposing the plan, had sued the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority over the construction of three proposed turnpikes.
Despite the court’s ruling, the OTA still cannot proceed with the project or secure funding. Pike Off remains confident and awaits the Supreme Court's decision on if the OTA can enter the bond market to pay for the projects.
Meanwhile, the state attorney general has requested an audit of the OTA.
Another step toward implementing more commuter rail and transportation options in the metro may be coming by 2025.
Voters in Oklahoma City, Norman and Edmond may want to keep a lookout for a special sales tax vote in the next few years to fund a regional transit system.
The Oklahoman reports that the Regional Transportation Authority of Central Oklahoma has a timeline for choosing routes running across the metro: from Edmond to Norman to Will Rogers Airport – by fall 2024.
This proposal from the Regional Transit Authority comes as other projects are gaining steam: including an Amtrak Heartland Flyer line into Kansas and an expansion of OKC’s EMBARK bus rapid transit.
RTA’s proposals could include a mix of community stations or platforms and larger park and ride lots to be spread throughout the metro area.
An explosion at a refinery in Wynnewood injures two people.
The incident happened Tuesday morning at Wynnewood Refining. According to multiple media reports, two refinery employees were injured and airlifted to a hospital.
Emergency crews were able to contain and extinguish the fire within a couple of hours. CVR Energy, the refinery's owner, is investigating the cause of the explosion. The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality is also conducting an investigation into the incident.
It’s not the first time the refinery has experienced problems. Multiple explosions have occurred at the facility between 2006 and 2012.
Supporters of domestic abuse survivor justice met at the Oklahoma State Capitol Tuesday to advocate for loved ones who may be left behind from one of this legislative session’s criminal justice reform bills.
Advocates and family members of criminalized survivors of domestic abuse expressed their frustration over retroactivity being removed from House Bill 1639, which creates an opportunity for criminalized survivors to present evidence of their abuse at the time of their crime against their abuser to the court for a chance at a lighter sentence.
Amanda Ross, the niece of April Wilkins, who is serving a life sentence for shooting and killing Terry Carlton in 1998, says her aunt acted in self-defense.
"The state of Oklahoma and in particular, the district attorneys, have extracted their pound of flesh from my aunt but still want more," said Ross.
Supporters urged members of the legislature to add retroactivity back into the bill in the next few days before the end of the session.
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