State Lawmakers Approve OSBI Investigation Into DHS
A state committee has granted law enforcement leeway to investigate the Department of Human Services after a parent accused the agency of negligence in handling his son’s abuse report.
Stillwater parent Darrel Dougherty testified before the Oklahoma Legislature’s House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee on Monday that DHS investigators covered up his son’s abuse while his son was in state custody.
DHS staff said Dougherty complained too much and refused to investigate allegations.
Dougherty said the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth has told him they would like to look into his claims, but need an outside state agency to authorize them to do so if DHS doesn’t.
Committee chair and state Rep. Justin Humphrey (R-Lane) announced Monday he had done just that.
“I can’t sit by and do absolutely nothing. If this gets me in trouble, then I’ll be proud to get in trouble, for it’s a good cause to get in trouble on,” Humphrey said.
Humphrey said he isn’t trying to go after DHS, but rather trying to ensure accountability from the state agency.
Dougherty claims officials were evasive until former DHS director Deborah Shropshire resigned at the end of August.
"Because the investigation was going to be into the administration and legal staff of DHS, I believe she did not allow that investigation to move forward before she resigned,” Dougherty said.
Dougherty also claimed a DHS case worker illegally removed his son’s clothes during an investigation, and that the agency glossed over a credible sexual abuse report.
In response to the hearing Monday, a DHS spokesperson said her agency is “committed to protecting the safety and wellbeing of Oklahoma’s children.”
Investigation Found Legal Fees Fighting For Title X Funding Cost $600K
An investigation by nonprofit news outlet The Frontier found Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s office spent more than $600,000 in legal costs since November in a case challenging the loss of millions in federal family planning funding.
A state fund created to fight federal overreach covered the costs.
Oklahoma’s challenges made it to the U.S. Supreme Court, which denied its request to stop the Biden Administration from blocking federal family planning money earlier this month.
The funds were lost last year when the state refused to meet one of the grant’s requirements to provide counseling to pregnant people on all options, including abortion if a patient requests it.
According to the nonprofit news outlet, contracts with Tulsa law firm Titus Hillis Reynolds Love and national firm Spencer Fane cost the Attorney General’s office $200,000 after the lawsuit was filed in federal court. Attorneys have received up to $540 an hour since then.
The Attorney General’s office told The Frontier it plans to file another action at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Cherokee Nation Considering Law To Address Housing Shortage
The Cherokee Nation is proposing a permanent housing law that would alleviate a shortage of places to live on the reservation over the long-term.
The proposed law would dedicate $40 million every three years toward housing needs, and would be a reauthorization of the Cherokee Nation’s Housing, Jobs and Sustainable Communities Act.
The original act, passed in 2019, brought funds for housing rehabilitation and the construction of new homes. In 2022, the law was revised to boost funds to $120 million.
The act expires in September 2025.
If the proposal to extend it passes, it will allocate funding and planning between housing and community development needs.
Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said the law is intended to alleviate the growing housing crisis.
“Anything we can do to alleviate a single person, a single individuals housing problem is going to help with that overall deficit,” Hoskin Jr. said.
The legislation goes before a tribal council committee later this month.
State Meteorologist Says: Today Is A Great Day To Be Outdoors
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality issued its second-ever statewide "Awesome Air Alert" Tuesday.
The DEQ’s meteorologists keep tabs on temperature, wind, ozone and other factors to determine air quality across the state.
On days when the air hits a certain pollution threshold, the agency issues a county-by-county Air Quality Health Advisory. Those let people who could be affected - like elderly Oklahomans or people with asthma - know to stay inside if they can.
But, Erin Hatfield with the DEQ said there are plenty of good air days, too.
“And so we thought it was really important to balance that out and let people know, hey, yes, well, we have issued air quality health advisories. We're also going to tell you when it's a great day to get outside,” Hatfield said.
The first statewide Awesome Air Alert came in June before Oklahoma headed into a months long stretch of lower air quality days.
But the DEQ finally issued its second Awesome Air Alert on Sept. 17, and hopes to issue many more.
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