Gov.Kevin Stitt’s vetoes of a pair of compacts with tribal nations in Oklahoma will not stand. But, he isn’t going down without a fight.
Lawmakers overrode the compact extensions today (Monday) to put them in place despite his objections.
So, Stitt is suing House Speaker Charles McCall and Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat.
"We need the courts to tell us. Does the governor have the authority to negotiate the compacts or does the legislature have the authority?," said Stitt.
Lawmakers have been critical of Stitt and his ability to negotiate with the tribes as of late.
House Floor Leader Jon Echols panned the governor on the house floor before voting to override his veto.
"I am disappointed that we’ve gotten into this place. I’m disappointed this is what I'm spending my day doing. I'm disappointed that we've gotten so into petty politics," Echols said.
House Speaker McCall released a statement saying that the govenor's lawsuit is a waste of taxpayer dollars and an attempt to undermine "legitimate compact negotiations".
The compacts – which are identical to what was previously agreed upon by the state and tribes – will run through the end of 2024.
Legal action threatens to derail what would be the nation’s first publicly funded religious school.
The application for St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual Charter School was approved in June by Oklahoma’s Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. But ever since the application came to light, the school has faced looming legal challenges.
Now, nine residents and a nonprofit public school advocacy group have come together to file a lawsuit against the school board and related parties. They’re represented in part by the American Civil Liberties Union.
Dan Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief:
"Charter schools are public schools under Oklahoma law, and the very notion of a religious public school is a constitutional oxymoron," said Mach.
The main concerns of the suit are religious indoctrination and discriminatory practices, such as students being treated differently for their religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley held a press conference on Monday to discuss the process for six officers to return to the force after charges related to two 2020 shooting deaths were dropped last week.
Last week, Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna announced her office would be dropping the charges against the five Oklahoma City police officers who shot and killed 15-year-old Stavian Rodriguez and the one police officer who shot and killed 60-year-old Bennie Edwards.
Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley says the process for the officers to return to duty will involve visits with a licensed professional counselor to determine if they are fit to return and a training debriefing. He also says transparency in this process is important.
"It’s been traumatic for everyone — the community, the officers involved, and definitely the families of Bennie Edwards and Stavian Rodriguez. And so, I feel like how we bring these officers back, too, has an effect on the families and the community," said Gourley.
Gourley says whether the officers will return to their original positions is yet to be determined.
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