State’s Next Scheduled Execution Canceled
An Oklahoma death row inmate has been deemed incompetent for execution.
The Pittsburg County district court ruled 63-year-old Wade Lay incompetent for execution on Thursday.
He was scheduled to be executed on June 6, but will now undergo treatment and later reevaluation of his competency.
Lay has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Findings from both the defense and the State showing the delusions and paranoia caused by his severe mental illness prevent him from having any rational understanding of the reason for his execution.
Lay was sentenced to death for the 2004 murder of security guard Kenneth Anderson in an attempted bank robbery.
This comes as the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals decided future executions will be scheduled individually instead of in phases moving forward.
Oklahoma Lawmakers Inch Closer to Budget Agreement Amid Income Tax Cut Disagreements
State lawmakers are facing a May 31st deadline to reach an agreement on the state budget.
A proposed income tax cut remains a key issue.
There was some give and some take at Thursday’s second 2024 State Budget Summit—lawmakers are closer to a final product.
But a slight shift in position from Gov. Kevin Stitt and House Leadership on an income tax cut may speed up or slow down talks going forward.
In line with House Bill 2950, from the very early days of the session, Stitt now proposes flattening income tax rates for all but the poorest Oklahomans.
"The quarter of a point, we're kind of taking that off the table. The path to zero would only be if revenue grows. I don't know what the numbers are, but just flattening those rates really helps the poorest of Oklahomans," Stitt said.
An income tax cut would only take effect if the state saw large revenue increases year-over-year.
Still, disagreements on what it means for Oklahoma’s fiscal bottom line and future expenditures mean no commitments on other parts of the budget from either side.
Study: Fewer Medical Students Choosing Oklahoma For Residency Program
A new study found that, for the second year in a row, medical school graduates were... less likely to apply for residency positions in states with abortion bans and restrictions.
The research is from the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Compared to last year's application cycle, 4.2 % fewer U.S. medical school graduates are applying to residencies in the 14 states with near-total bans.
Oklahoma saw a 6.9% decrease in applicants. Those applicants span specialties beyond those who work with pregnant people, including pediatrics and family medicine.
AnnaMarie Connolly is the chief of education and academic affairs for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She said in a news release the data “demonstrates once again the ways in which abortion bans and restrictions interfere with and negatively affect the lives and health of patients and clinicians.”
Noble County Getting Expanded Recycling Center
A northern Oklahoma tribal nation is building a new recycling center in Noble County.
It is the result of a first-of-its-kind grant that enables the tribe to expand its sustainable efforts to community members.
The Otoe-Missouria Tribe has about 3,300 tribal members and already has a recycling program for employees working at its tribal complex. But, a $1.5 million dollar EPA grant is about to expand those efforts.
“The grant is going to help us, like open it up instead of just to the employees here. It's gonna open up to the communities,” said Angela Heim, the Ote-Missouria Environmental Coordinator.
She said the new recycling center will be available for tribal citizens and people living in surrounding areas.
“We do want to work with EPA's recycling goal, which is to increase it up to the rate of 50% by 2030. So at the time, we recycle 20% here at the tribe,” Heim said.
She said hitting the EPA’s goal is achievable. The center is scheduled to open next year.
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