Oklahoma Lawmakers Propose Criminal Charges For Immigrants In State Without Legal Permission
Oklahoma Lawmakers are creating a new crime to try and combat illegal immigration. The proposal would punish people for entering and remaining in the state without legal permission.
The new crime is called “impermissible occupation.” For a first offense, it is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, a $500 fine, and then 72 hours to leave Oklahoma.
For a second offense, it's a felony charge, up to 2 years in prison and a $1,000 fine.
House Speaker Charles McCall is leading the effort. He says the soon-to-be-filed bill uses language upheld by federal courts.
McCall added it also prevents local officials from taking their own initiative to protect immigrant communities.
"Cities will not be able to make their own individual designation of whether or not they want sanctuary city status or not. This bill will preempt that and will not allow that in the state of Oklahoma," McCall said.
Leadership in both the House and Senate say they’ve drafted the measure with advice and input from the state’s attorney general.
Oklahoma City Planning Commission Greenlights New County Jail Plans, Tallest Skyscraper
Thursday was a big day for the Oklahoma City Planning Commission. The commission approved allowing the next steps toward a massive skyscraper in Bricktown, as well as the location of a new Oklahoma County Jail.
Despite sometimes fervent opposition from residents in the area, and from Del City and OKC, the Planning Commission voted to approve a special permit to build the new county jail at the E. Grand Boulevard location that recently got the OK from Oklahoma County commissioners. Now, the decision goes to the city council.
Also, during the nearly five hour meeting, approval was given to proceed with the development in Bricktown of what’s planned to be the tallest building in the country.
It’s not the end of the process for either of these ambitious projects.
Changes To Graduation Requirements Up Math, Eliminate Arts, World Languages, Gym
A bill advanced this week that would make changes to Oklahoma students’ graduation requirements.
Students would still be expected to earn the same number of credits, and the biggest updates are to math and electives.
House Bill 3278 by Yukon Republican Representative Rhonda Baker would up the math requirement from three to four years.
It also adds approved real-world application courses to the options for math and science, like you could find at a CareerTech institute.
Students would also need six credits that fit their Individual Career and Academic Plan, which is a personalized course guide Oklahoma students use to plan for careers or postsecondary education.
For that, there are more than a dozen credit options, ranging from internships to Junior ROTC to music.
Additionally, students would need three units approved by the local board.
The bill would also remove requirements for a year of fine art, two years of world language and two years of physical education.
The changes would begin in the 2025-26 school year.
The bill has already advanced through the House and passed the Senate Education Committee Tuesday. It can now be heard on the Senate Floor.
Tulsa Public Schools Ups The Intensity To Prepare For High-Stakes Testing
Tulsa Public Schools teachers are prepping their students for next week’s statewide testing.
Oklahoma’s annual testing regiment for school districts begins Monday and the Oklahoma Voice reports teachers this year are buckling down to prepare their students.
The State Board of Education has set rigorous goals for TPS to improve reading scores. Last year, state Superintendent Ryan Walters said he would not rule out stripping the district of its accreditation, though he’s recently sounded more confident in TPS leadership.
Asriel Teegarden, a teacher at Burroughs Elementary, told Oklahoma Voice there’s a “different intensity level” in prepping for Monday's tests.
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