Oklahoma Senate To Vote To Eliminate State Sales Tax On Groceries
Oklahoma’s Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat announced his chamber will vote on a proposal to cut the state’s portion of the grocery tax Thursday.
Treat says a grocery tax cut will be “the only tax relief the Senate will be seeking this year.” That would make an income tax cut, championed by Governor Kevin Stitt and House Speaker Charles McCall, unlikely.
Treat says with pending investments into government programs and state-wide infrastructure projects, the state can’t afford to do more this session.
"I want to see immediate relief with the grocery tax elimination. That's the quickest way to help average Oklahoma families. And it's a much more meaningful cut for most families in Oklahoma, said Treat.
Treat proposed his own SB 12-83 this year, but several measures have been floating around since the last legislative session.
Commissioners Select Site For New Oklahoma County Jail
Oklahoma County commissioners voted Wednesday to locate the new county jail in southeast Oklahoma City.
Commissioners selected the site on East Grand Boulevard, a location that's drawn push back from residents and elected officials from that area.
Nine potential locations were under discussion today including a site on Oklahoma City's Northeast side.
That site at NE 23rd and Coltrane was removed from consideration.... following an early morning march by state and local elected officials and concerned citizens.
Rapper and community organizer Jabee Williams was among the marchers.
"It was important for a bunch of reasons. The main reason to show how serious we are about not having a jail on the east side," Williams said. "Also to show how long it takes for people to get from - if a jail’s over there - all the services that are down here. You know what I’m saying? It’s a two and a half hour walk."
The next step in the process is that OKC City Council has to rezone the East Grand property.
Commissioners have been discussing potential jail sites for several months, and faced a deadline in order to use federal funds to build the new jail.
Del City leaders say they plan to fight back against the commissioners' decision to locate the jail near their city. The city is seeking legal advice from outside attorneys.
The current jail in downtown Oklahoma city opened in 1992, and has been cited for numerous health and safety violations by state and federal authorities.
Police Release Update On Owasso Student Death
The Owasso Police Department released an update Wednesday on its investigation into the death of a high school student.
Police say the medical examiner's autopsy indicated that Nex Benedict did not die as a result of trauma.
Benedict, who identifies as nonbinary, died earlier this month, one day after being injured in a fight at Owasso High School.
Police say toxicology results and other testing are still pending, as the investigation continues.
Oklahoma Panel Passes Judicial Age-Limit Bill
A bill that’s already stirring controversy in the legal community is advancing through Oklahoma’s State Senate. The measure that would require some judges to retire at 75.
Senate Bill 1672 would mandate appellate and district court judges to retire following their 75th birthday.
The real world fallout of the bill: It would oust two justices appointed by Democrats on Oklahoma’s Supreme Court. That means Governor Kevin Stitt would be able to appoint the majority of the court, when adding those two… to three he’s already appointed.
The bill’s author, Sen. Julie Daniels of Bartlesville, says she’s upset with the actions of the state’s highest court.
"In many cases the court has drifted over into making its own policy, canceling out things the legislature has done because it doesn’t approve of them. Not necessarily because they’re actually unconstitutional," Daniels said.
The bill narrowly passed out of the judiciary committee and can now be considered by the full Senate.
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