Governor Challenges Consent Decree For Mental Health Services For Jail Inmates
Gov. Kevin Stitt and Department of Mental Health Commissioner Allie Friesen are unhappy with a consent decree drafted by the Attorney General’s office.
The two convened a public meeting Wednesday to voice their concerns.
Last year, a lawsuit was filed against the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
The lawsuit claims the department failed to provide necessary mental health services on time to certain pretrial inmates who were declared mentally unfit to stand trial.
A consent decree was drafted by the plaintiffs’ attorneys and Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s office.
But Gov. Stitt and Commissioner Friesen are unhappy with the draft.
Stitt said he thinks the decree would place an undue burden on Oklahoma taxpayers.
Friesen said she worries it would give attorneys too much control over clinical decisions.
“I believe the Attorney General has represented us as he sees fit, however, like I've said, the consent decree, as it's written today, violates my ethical and legal responsibilities as commissioner,” Freisen said.
They plan to present their concerns to a federal judge in hopes of stopping the consent decree.
Gov. Stitt’s Work Permit, Visa Task Force Releases Final Report
Gov. Kevin Stitt’s work permit and visa task force has five recommendations for how Oklahoma can encourage non-citizens to join its workforce.
They include establishing a new government office and providing certain folks with a special privilege to drive.
Tricia Everest is Stitt’s Secretary of Public Safety and chairs the Oklahoma Work Permits and Visas Task Force.
She said the first recommendation is to create a new state “Office of New Oklahomans.”
"Having a centralized convener of all the information – barriers and opportunities, real and perceived – It really would be a solution for us and this is a great opportunity to take it up," Everest said.
The task force also recommended issuing certain qualified migrants “Driver’s Privilege Cards,” or DPCs, to be used solely to drive in Oklahoma, not for use as a valid form of I.D.
Other recommendations include allowing professional credentials for global talent in Oklahoma, piloting different kinds of state-issued visas for international workers and allowing employers to seek non-citizens to fill high-demand jobs.
These recommendations are only ideas. Their implementation depends on political will in the Oklahoma Legislature.
Oklahoma Schools Receive Hoax Supervisory Document on Walters’ Bible Directive
School districts across the state received packages Wednesday claiming to be from the State Department of Education.
The package contained 80 pages of extra-Biblical lore, purporting to be a supervisory document for State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ Bible directive. But, it was a hoax.
Included in the package is what’s titled “The Book of Aaron: A Lost Book of the Pentateuch” by Julian of the Jains.
It claims it was unearthed in Syria in 2008 and translated by “Syncretic Pedagogical Services, LLC,” copyrighted by “the Beast of the Sea,” also known as the antichrist, from the Biblical book of Revelations.
The cover letter said it was written by Walters, but instead of signing with his correct title, the signature said instead, “Secretary of Education.”
A spokesperson for the department said the package is fraudulent and claimed without providing evidence it was backed by George Soros.
He said any attempt to target schools will be met with the “full force of the law” and encourages districts to report the packages to law enforcement.
Revenue Report For Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is bringing in big bucks.
The Department of Wildlife Conservation’s recent report shows they raked in more than $61 million dollars in Fiscal Year 2024, which ended in July.
About a third of that revenue came from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses.
The rest is from federal grants and other miscellaneous sources. The agency doesn’t receive any money from the state budget.
Earlier this year, the state legislature passed a bill to restructure hunting and fishing licenses available in Oklahoma, including rolling all youth licenses into one. Those changes went into effect July 1.
Projections show the new licenses could boost the department’s revenue by $10 million.
But critics say price changes could drive away out-of-state hunters and fishers and cut into the money they bring to Oklahoma communities when they visit - an estimated $5 billion each year.
_________________
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.