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AM NewsBrief: Jan. 22, 2025

This is the KGOU AM NewsBrief for Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025.

Federal Judge Denies Request to Pause Biden Nursing Home Staffing Mandate

A federal judge denied a request to temporarily halt the implementation of a Biden Administration staffing mandate for nursing homes.

The staffing rules would require nursing homes to have a registered nurse on site 24/7 and employees to spend a minimum amount of time with each resident.

LeadingAge Oklahoma joined a suit against it, requesting the mandate be temporarily paused. With that request being denied, its CEO, Claire Dowers-Nichols, says she’s unsure of what next steps will look like.

Some have speculated President Donald Trump might stall or completely shelve the rule’s provisions.

“So we're kind of in a holding pattern until we see what the administration does and what happens next in the case," said Dowers-Nichols.

Dowers-Nichols says she’s still concerned there won’t be enough staff to meet the mandate when certain requirements take effect in May 2026.

State Senator Raises Concerns Over Who Controls Charter School Library Standards

A state senator is concerned about who decides what library materials are suitable for charter school students.

School board members elected in each district decide what books are appropriate based on local standards, but Democratic Sen. Mary Boren of Norman points out the state charter school board members oversee charter schools all over Oklahoma.

“It's a much broader state-wide view instead of more of a local community standard view.”

State charter school board members are appointed by the Governor and the leaders of the House and Senate, and therefore they are accountable to different constituencies than locally elected school boards. Some local boards have defied State Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters' directives on school library materials.

This story was produced Sam Moore with News Gurus.

Oklahoma Lawmakers Weigh Bills to Reform Mental Health and Addiction Policies

Oklahoma lawmakers are considering several bills that could change state policies related to mental health and addiction.

There is no shortage of bills related to mental health and addiction.

Proposals include adding mental health screenings to routine doctor visits and requiring behavioral health training for medical professionals.

Schools are also a focus, with bills proposing excused mental health days for students, fentanyl awareness programs and emergency opioid overdose training for school staff.

Some measures aim to increase parental control over mental health and education, while others seek to regulate the influence of social media on youth mental health.

Biden Commutes Sentence of Indigenous Man

On his final day in office, former President Biden commuted an 80-year-old Indigenous man convicted of murdering two federal law enforcement agents in 1977. Some tribal nations in Oklahoma are pleased with the decision.

Following the height of the American Indian Movement, Leonard Peltier was found guilty of killing two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Peltier, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, consistently denied the murder allegations.

Since his conviction, prominent leaders such as Mother Theresa and Nelson Mandela have advocated for him to receive clemency. Robert Gifford is an Oklahoma defense attorney who pushed for Peltier to be released.

"You're not going to get a fair trial anywhere if the federal government doesn't want you to have one. And that was Leonard 100 percent," said Gifford.

The Cherokee and Seminole tribal nations have expressed support for Biden’s commutation, while some individuals have expressed disappointment, linking Peltier with violence.

Peltier is expected to return home next month after being imprisoned for nearly 50 years.

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