Sen. Deevers aims bills at restoring moral sanity in Oklahoma

Another set of excellent bills by State Sen. Dusty Deevers. Pray that these can get a fair and just hearing in the Legislature!

Deevers Introduces Slate of Legislation to Restore Moral Sanity in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 22nd) — Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, announced on Tuesday a bold slate of eight legislative measures aimed at restoring moral sanity in Oklahoma. Together, these bills set a course for pushing back against the moral decay foisted upon Oklahoma by the far-left’s march through our institutions to destroy the moral foundations upon which the United States and Christian Civilization had long rested.

“Sadly, the left’s century-long assault on morality and decency has been so successful that some have come to accept as normal a society that is drowning in hardcore pornography, prenatal homicide, and sexual performances for children. None of this is normal. Each one of these evils is a result of a policy choice to not stand for what we know is right. Opposing these evils does not mean we are extremists. It means we are sane,” Deevers said.

Senate approves bill creating tax credit for adoption expenses

Senate approves bill creating tax credit for adoption expenses

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 27th) – The full Senate has given approval to a bill creating an income tax credit to help defray some of the costs associated with adoptions.  Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry, is the principal Senate author of House Bill 3088.  Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, is principal House author of the measure.

Fallin vetoes 'Constitutional Carry', signs adoption bill

Governor Fallin announced her action on two controversial measures passed in the final week of the legislative session. The first was SB 1212, the "Constitutional Carry" bill that would have removed the requirement to pay for a license and take a class in order to exercise your constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Fallin vetoed the measure. SB 1212 passed the House by a vote of 59 to 28, and the Senate by a vote of 33 to 9.

The second was SB 1140, a measure that would protect the religious freedom of non-profit groups to facilitate adoptions consistent with their faith. LGBT extremists had been pressuring the Governor to veto the bill, but she [surprisingly to me] actually came through and signed it. SB 1140 passed the House by a vote of 56 to 21, and the Senate by a vote of 33 to 7.

Here are her press releases announced the actions she took:

Governor May Fallin Vetoes Senate Bill 1212

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today vetoed Senate Bill 1212, which would have eliminated the requirement to complete a short firearms safety and training course from a certified instructor and demonstrate competency with a pistol before carrying a gun in public. The governor issued the following statement:

“Oklahoma is a state that respects the Second Amendment. As governor, I have signed both concealed-carry and open-carry legislation. I support the right to bear arms and own a pistol, a rifle, and a shotgun.

“Oklahomans believe that law-abiding individuals should be able to defend themselves. I believe the firearms requirement we current have in state law are few and reasonable. Senate Bill 1212 eliminates the training requirements for persons carrying a firearms in Oklahoma. It reduces the level of the background check necessary to carry a gun.

“SB 1212 eliminates the current ability of Oklahoma law enforcement to distinguish between those carrying guns who have been trained and vetted, and those who have not.

“Again, I believe the firearms laws we currently have in place are effective, appropriate and minimal, and serve to reassure our citizens that people who are carrying handguns in this state are qualified to do so.”

Governor Mary Fallin Signs Senate Bill 1140

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today signed Senate Bill 1140, which to the extent allowed by federal law, no private child-placing agency shall be required to perform, assist, counsel, recommend, consent to, refer, or participate in any placement of a child for foster care or adoption when the proposed placement would violate the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies. The governor issued the following statement:

“After many hours of consideration and investigation of Oklahoma’s current practice, I note the aggressive efforts that have been made since I have been governor and the substantial progress made in finding more temporary and permanent placements for deserving children, reducing by 21 percent the number of children in state custody. This improvement is due in large part to the successful public-private partnership of more than 50 agencies, some of which are faith-based.

“Under Senate Bill 1140, the state will not be in any way restricting current practice allowing LGBTQ individuals and couples fostering or adopting. It does not ban same-sex adoption or foster care in Oklahoma. Instead, the bill will help continue Oklahoma’s successful placement of children with a broad array of loving families and basically maintain the status quo by setting forth in statute practices which have successfully worked for the best interest of Oklahoma children. I also note that the bill mirrors very similar legislation in Virginia, which has been on the books since 2012 without any court challenges. Since then, five additional states have passed similar legislation. Kansas also has a similar bill before its governor.

“SB 1140 allows faith-based agencies that contract with Oklahoma to continue to operate in accordance with their beliefs. In a day and time when diversity is becoming a core value to society because it will lead to more options, we should recognize its value for serving Oklahoma also because it leads to more options for loving homes to serve Oklahoma children. Other states that have declined the protection to faith-based agencies have seen these agencies close their doors, leaving less options for successful placement of children who need loving parents.

“Finally, I remain committed to preserving the rights of all Oklahomans who are eligible and want to be considered for parenting. Therefore, I plan to direct the Department of Human Services, by executive order, to immediately publish a list of Oklahoma adoption and foster agencies on its website who are willing to serve everyone who meets the Department of Human Services criteria for being a foster or adoptive parent.”

OK Baptists, Catholics support adoption protection bill

Baptist leaders champion Oklahoma adoption protection bill

OKLAHOMA CITY—Oklahoma State Senators are set to consider Senate Bill 1140 this week. The bill, which was authored by State Sen. Greg Treat, would codify religious liberty protections for faith-based adoption providers in Oklahoma.

Baptist leaders, including Hance Dilbeck, Anthony Jordan and Russell Moore, have spoken out in favor of SB 1140.

In a letter to Oklahoma lawmakers, Dilbeck, who now serves as Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma’s Executive Director-Treasurer said, “Southern Baptists in Oklahoma have a long history of involvement in adoption and caring for children in need of homes. We recognized that faith-based organizations have been on the leading edge of providing hope and good homes for children in need of adoption or foster care.

“We have been alarmed and outraged to learn of threats to the religious liberty and moral convictions of faith-based agencies other parts of the country, such as Massachusetts. In Oklahoma, now is the time to ensure equal opportunity and protection for individuals and groups involved in foster care and adoption. Indeed the very survival and future of such organizations depends upon it.” Jordan, who recently retired as BGCO executive director-treasurer, co-signed the letter with Dilbeck.

Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, also voices support for the bill.

“I write to express my support of SB 1140. I am grateful to Senator Greg Treat for his leadership on this critical legislation. As Southern Baptists we affirm adoption as a life-giving alternative for vulnerable women and consider orphan care to be of vital importance. We also believe religious freedom is a biblical teaching that is essential to American life and, thankfully, enshrined in the United States Constitution. The successful passage of SB 1140 is essential to the preservation of both.”

Moore added, “Faith-based adoption and foster care agencies ought not have to choose between providing children with loving families and following their sincerely held religious beliefs about marriage and family. As the ability of such agencies to help facilitate adoptions according to their deeply held convictions is being attacked, several states including Virginia, Texas, Alabama, North Dakota, South Dakota, and others see it fit to protect their faith based adoption providers in this way. We stand with many others with thanks for your support of SB 1140 and Oklahoma’s effort to protect the religious liberty of those serving vulnerable children.”

Oklahoma faith leaders lend support for adoption protection

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma’s Catholic bishops joined leaders of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma on Friday in support of Senate Bill 1140. The bill provides protection for faith-based adoption services that are desperately needed to reduce the number of children waiting to be matched with loving families.

SB 1140, authored by Sen. Greg Treat, mirrors similar laws recently passed in Virginia, Michigan, South Dakota, Texas and elsewhere. Oklahoma has a statutory environment that discourages new adoption services to open, specifically faith-based agencies. Many would-be agencies have reported that they fear potential religious discrimination and lawsuits that may come from a future state administration.

In states like Massachusetts, Illinois, California and the District of Columbia, faith-based agencies have been forced to close after new regulations were promulgated that would have mandated changes to their adoption criteria in violation of their religious principles.

“In Oklahoma, there are many adoptive parents eagerly waiting for the opportunity to adopt and ultimately raise a child. Part of the problem is we lack a sufficient number of agencies to provide and handle the adoptions,” said The Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley, Archbishop of Oklahoma City. “I applaud Sen. Treat’s leadership on SB 1140, which will encourage new adoption services and provide important protections for faith-based adoption agencies.”

Contrary to opposing rhetoric in recent days, the bill does not change current practice for adoption agencies. Sen. Treat’s measure simply codifies the long-standing practice of faith-based agencies adhering to adoption practices that are consistent with their mission.

“As Oklahoma Baptists, we want to voice our strong support of Senate Bill 1140, which we believe is necessary to protect the religious liberty of faith-based adoption providers in Oklahoma,” said Dr. Hance Dilbeck, Executive Director-Treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. “Faith-based organizations have been on the leading edge of providing hope and good homes for children in need of adoption or foster care. This legislation will undoubtedly draw opposition and overreaction from some, including those who may claim this would hinder same-sex couples or others from adopting. Yet, we all recognize that same-sex couples are afforded the opportunity to adopt in all 50 states. This proposed policy only would ensure that groups cannot compel faith-based organizations to act against their consciences and statements of faith.”

The Most Rev. David Konderla, Bishop of Tulsa, added, “Some faith-based agencies are reluctant to open their doors without the legal protections that Sen. Treat’s bill offers. We welcome these protections and the ultimate flourishing of new adoption agencies in Oklahoma.”

This past year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled organizations that receive state funds or other support cannot be denied the right to exercise their religious mission. Sen. Treat’s bill will enshrine that decision in Oklahoma statute.

The bill has been passed out of Senate committee. It awaits approval by the full Senate before being sent to the House for consideration. Rep. Travis Dunlap is the House author of the measure.