Oklahoma House Passes Sentencing Reform For Victims of Domestic Violence
A domestic violence related bill two years in the making is headed to the governor's desk for consideration.
The legislation provides sentencing reform for victims of domestic violence.
Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat’s bill passed on the House floor 84-3 on Wednesday after passing on the Senate floor unanimously last month.
The bill would create the Oklahoma Survivors’ Act, which would allow defendants to provide evidence they were victims of domestic abuse within the year they committed a crime.
If the court finds the defendant was a victim of abuse during the relevant period and the abuse was a substantial contributing factor to the crime, their sentence could be reduced.
The bill revives proposed legislation from last year which was passed unanimously by the House but ultimately lost momentum in the Senate after language allowing for the sentencing reform to be applied retroactively was removed.
It now goes to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk for signature.
Oklahoma Lawmakers Reject Proposal to Overhaul Judicial Selection Process
Lawmakers in the Oklahoma House are preserving the state’s process for selecting state-level justices this week. At least for now.
A measure that would have dismantled a decades-old system meant to keep corruption out of Oklahoma’s judicial branch has failed.
The Judicial Nominating Commission, or JNC, was established by a vote of the people in 1967. It was in response to a scandal that revealed multiple justices on Oklahoma’s Supreme Court were taking bribes.
Rep. Mark Lepak is the House sponsor of Senate Joint Resolution 34, a measure to dismantle the JNC and replace it with a legislative confirmation process that more closely resembles the federal government’s.
Lepak says the constitutional amendment is for a more transparent judicial nomination process and is more representative of the people’s will.
Opponents of the resolution say it opens the door for partisanship and theatrics in Oklahoma’s judicial system.
The measure failed with a 36-60 vote earlier this week, but could technically be reconsidered. If eventually passed, it would face a vote of the people.
Healthy Aging Program Promotes Intergenerational Conversations
Oklahoma State University’s Active Aging for LIFE program aims to challenge aging stigmas and bring people in rural areas together.
Six rural communities are participating in this round of the program.
Through the program, older adults and college students will meet with high schoolers to talk about life and the aging process.
The program is funded through an almost $250,000 grant.
Its first stop will be at Enid High School. Emily Roberts is an OSU professor who helped start the project.
“You know, the aging process is across the lifespan, it’s not just when you turn 50 or 60. The things that we do now will impact us throughout our life,” Roberts said.
Roberts said she and her collaborators will work to create bonds between younger and older people at the half-dozen schools they visit.
She wants to see the program create intergenerational relationships and ultimately grow to work with more communities.
Upgrades Planned For Science Museum Oklahoma Planetarium
The planetarium at Science Museum Oklahoma is set to temporarily close... as the museum transitions to a new planetarium.
The last shows will be held on April 21.
The new Love’s Planetarium is expected to open in the early fall.
Museum officials say the new facility will use some of the best technology available, allowing for extreme high-resolution images.
Science Museum Oklahoma will offer a series of laser light shows in the current planetarium during the transitional period.
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