Monday Deadline For Petition To Raise State’s Minimum Wage
An effort to get more money in the pockets of Oklahoma’s lowest paid workers is a step closer to making November’s ballot.
Organizers say they have double the signatures needed.
State Question 832 would ask Oklahomans if they support raising the minimum wage for the first time in nearly fifteen years.
The plan is to incrementally raise the minimum wage in response to increasing costs.
Organizer Amber England said though the campaign has been successful, lawmakers make it very difficult to get an initiative on the ballot.
“They’re chipping away at the process, and Oklahomans should be alarmed at what the legislature is doing to the ballot measure process. It is infinitely more difficult,” England said.
The legislature passed a new law this year that limits the ability to get a ballot measure off the ground with new deadlines and costs.
The deadline for the campaign to turn in signatures collected is Monday. The state said 92,000 signatures are required for this ballot initiative.
Federal Judge Orders Wind Farm to Pay Osage Nation for Illegal Mining
A federal judge says a wind farm must pay the Osage Nation for illegally mining on Osage land, but the court hasn’t decided how much.
The feds argue those damages are more than 500 times as much as the wind farm’s attorneys say it should owe.
In 2010, Enel leased land in Osage County to build 84 wind turbines. The lease covered surface land, not the earth and minerals underneath. But the company dug huge holes at the base of each turbine and used some of the excavated rocks as backfill.
In 2013, the Osage Minerals Council sued. They say this counts as mining, which requires a permit Enel never applied for.
After 10 years in court, a federal judge agrees. She says Enel must pay the Osage Nation damages but hasn’t determined how much.
This week, Enel argued they only owe around $69,000. But the U.S. Attorney’s Office says it’s more like $38 million, according to a report from the Tulsa World.
The judge will decide how much is owed now that attorneys have made their closing arguments.
As Eviction Filings Rise, Oklahoma Could Enact Right-to-Counsel Laws
An increasing number of eviction cases are being filed in Oklahoma, often resulting in higher rates of homelessness.
A federal grant opportunity could help fund a possible solution.
As many as 70% of tenants fail to show up to court when facing eviction. And without a court appearance, those tenants face default losses.
Right to Counsel is a nationwide effort to mandate a renter’s access to free legal representation.
Cities that have enacted right-to-counsel ordinances see a significant decrease in defaulted cases.
Oklahoma nonprofit Legal Aid Services has been operating a right-to-counsel pilot program in Tulsa.
Since August 2022, free legal support has been provided to almost 2,000 households.
The nonprofit news outlet Oklahoma Watch reports an ordinance unlocking federal funds is gaining traction in Tulsa.
Oklahoma City Councilperson James Cooper told the outlet he hopes OKC will follow suit.
The program would cost $3.5 million annually to be implemented fully in Oklahoma City.
Pop-Up Shop For Indigenous Clothing In Broken Arrow
Indigenous fashion can now be found in the Tulsa suburb of Broken Arrow.
Inidgichic is a pop-up shop showcasing contemporary Native fashion curated by artists representing the 39 tribes in Oklahoma.
First appearing in Tulsa last November, the store was so popular that it stayed open for months longer than anticipated.
Now, the shop is popping up again at the Museum of Broken Arrow.
Osage, Otoe-Missouria and Pawnee co-founder and artist Jessica Harjo said as Indigichic’s popularity grows, so does the designers’ passion for creating.
“We’re also redefining fine art, and native art is part of that conversation,” Harjo said.
Harjo said Inidgichic plans to eventually open a full-time store.
The hand-tailored pieces are on display and for sale in the museum’s gallery until the end of July.
_________________
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 AM NewsBrief.