Oklahoma Certifies Presidential Elector Votes
Oklahoma officially certified its presidential elector votes in a ceremony Tuesday.
Gov. Kevin Stitt says the process was safe and secure, and the results are accurate.
Following his speech, seven individuals representing the state’s Electoral College votes approached a desk and signed the certification documents.
"All seven of these electors in Oklahoma will go into an envelope and we'll send six different copies. And then the January 6th that we hear so much about, is in Washington, DC, when Congress opens these envelopes and counts the votes from all the states," said Stitt.
Stitt says the election certification process is happening in every state in the country.
OKC Stands Firm on Jail Rezoning, Lawsuit Heads to Court
The city of Oklahoma City refused to back down from its decision to deny rezoning for the proposed Oklahoma County Jail site at 1901 East Grand Blvd.
The Oklahoma County Board of Commissioners filed a lawsuit, claiming sovereignty over the land and seeks to overturn the city's decision.
Commissioners say the city’s stance jeopardizes $40 million in federal funds for a planned mental health facility adjacent to the jail.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond urged both sides to work together, but no resolution was reached. The lawsuit will go to court on Jan. 23.
Oklahoma Education Department Proposes Tracking Students of Undocumented Parents
A new Oklahoma State Department of Education proposal would track the number of K-12 students whose parents don’t have legal immigration status.
Under the proposed administrative rule, Oklahoma schools must ask students’ parents or legal guardians to provide proof of citizenship upon enrollment.
If they can’t do that, they’ll be counted. The state would then receive the aggregate number of students with a parent in the country illegally, though individual identities would not be revealed.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters had said he would make a move like this in July…with the stated purpose of knowing the “cost and burden” of students attending public schools in Oklahoma without legal immigration status.
The rules are now open for public comment. They will be heard in January before the State Board of Education can approve them for review by the legislature.
Signing Bonus Program Attracts 61 Teachers to Rural Oklahoma Schools
Dozens of teachers joined schools in rural Oklahoma this year after getting a signing bonus.
Nonprofit news outlet Oklahoma Voice reports the State Department of Education said 61 teachers took advantage of the $1.2 million dollar signing bonus program.
Teachers certified in secondary math and science were eligible for the bonus.
Twenty teachers came from out-of-state.
The first round of signing bonuses paid last year attracted more than 500 teachers, but ended in a lawsuit that is still pending in Oklahoma County District Court.
New Additions Coming To State Capitol Complex
Officials are set to break ground Thursday on an arch and amphitheater at the Oklahoma Capitol complex.
The arch will honor the 45th Division of the Oklahoma National Guard.
Lawmakers allocated $4.3 million for the project.
Additional private funding is expected.
The site will also feature an amphitheater with a capacity of 100, and a veterans park.
Construction is set to finish within two years.
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