Supporters of Open Primaries In Oklahoma Refile Petition
Oklahomans in support of opening up the state’s primary elections have refiled their initiative petition with the Secretary of State.
State Question 835 is now filed as State Question 836.
The ballot initiative was first filed in November after what supporters called years of coalition building. It aimed to allow all voters, regardless of political party registration, to cast a ballot in the state’s primary elections for state-wide officials.
The process is known as open primaries.
Robert McCampbell is an attorney representing the initiative’s supporters. He told the nonprofit news organization Oklahoma Voice the re-file would clarify some language in the petition and avoid possible “misrepresentation” of the language.
The new wording clarifies there is no impact on the selection of presidential electors and that open primaries would only affect partisan elections at the county, state and federal levels.
Presidential elections won’t change.
Another Bird Flu Outbreak Detected In Northeast Oklahoma
More cases of a deadly bird flu were detected in poultry in northeast Oklahoma in late December.
So far, about 130,000 turkeys were culled in the outbreak.
This is the fourth detection of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in Oklahoma commercial poultry flocks since late last year.
In all, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports more than 221,000 birds have been culled because of the outbreaks in Adair County.
Alicia Gorczyca-Southerland, Oklahoma’s Assistant State Veterinarian, said the most recent detections were found during pre-movement testing.
“But the cause really is just the delay in those birds for truly finishing their migration to Central and South America because it's still warm here,” Gorczyca-Southerland said.
Control zones for the birds are in place.
Other cases in commercial flocks have been detected in neighboring states in recent months. Gorczyca-Southerland said state veterinarians are staying in touch to manage the virus.
Judge: Oklahoma Board Violated Transgender Student’s Rights in Gender Marker Case
More than a year after the Oklahoma Board of Education initially denied a transgender student’s request to change the gender marker on their school records, a judge has ruled that decision unconstitutional.
Cleveland County judge Michael Tupper ruled a transgender Moore Public Schools student’s rights under the state constitution were violated when the Oklahoma Board of Education voted to deny their request to have the gender marker on their school records changed without holding a formal hearing. Since the student was not given due process, Tupper ruled the Board’s vote was null and void.
This ruling is the result of a lawsuit filed by the student’s family in December of 2023 in response to the Board’s decision in October of that year.
The lawsuit also questioned the validity of an emergency rule approved by the Board requiring school districts to notify the Board before modifying a student’s records. Tupper found the rule to be valid and enforceable.
Report: Oklahoma’s Changing Climate is Largely to Blame For Insurance Troubles
A new congressional report has Oklahoma ranked among coastal states for high insurance non-renewal rates. Lawmakers say the primary reason is climate change.
The U.S. Senate Budget Committee says the impact of climate change is not just an environmental problem but a "looming economic threat."
The 84-page report on mounting insurance policy premiums and non-renewal rates says Oklahoma isn’t typically on the radar for this issue - but this time - it’s fifth among states with the highest growth of non-renewals from 2018 to 2023.
Oklahoma falls just behind coastal states Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina and Hawaii.
The report says high winds, hail and wildfires are likely to blame for the non-renewal rates. This kind of severe weather is becoming more common with climate change.
________________
For additional news throughout the day visit our website, KGOU.org and follow us on social media.
We also invite you to subscribe to the KGOU PM NewsBrief.