OKLAHOMA CITY (May 11th) – The governor today signed into law a bill that increases the punishment for theft of catalytic converters, tires and wheels from a vehicle.
House Bill 4373 by Rep. Ross Ford, R-Broken Arrow, modifies the elements of third-degree burglary to include the theft of these vehicle parts and provides that the fine for such crime will be up to $5,000.
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 11th) – Legislation reforming the financial audit process for Oklahoma municipalities has received its final stamp of approval from the Oklahoma House of Representatives and has been sent to the governor's desk.
House Bill 1058, authored by Rep. Brad Boles, R-Marlow, modifies the audit requirement for municipalities with an income of at least $50,000 and a population of less than 2,500.
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| "The Seminole Oil Boom," a painting commissioned by former Rep. Weldon Watson and his wife Cheryle, is unveiled on the House floor May 4. |
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Wednesday was presented by the Oklahoma Arts Council with a preview of "The Seminole Oil Boom," a new painting offered for consideration for the Oklahoma State Capitol Art Collection by former Rep. Weldon Watson and his wife Cheryle. Watson represented House District 79 in Tulsa as a Republican from 2006 to 2018 when he was term limited.
For some on the political left, failure to achieve their goals through existing processes does not lead them to reassess their tactics or strategy. Instead, they immediately resort to unprecedented efforts to destroy the system. If they can’t win playing by the rules, some on the left want to jettison rules altogether.
But that attitude doesn’t result in a better world for all. Instead, it breeds anarchy. The recent release of a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade provides the latest example.
[May 4th, Free The States] For the first time, a bill to immediately abolish abortion has passed committee!
On Wednesday, the Louisiana House Criminal Justice Committee voted 7-to-2 to pass the Abolition of Abortion in Louisiana Act (HB813) to the floor of the State House, where it awaits a hearing. This is the first time a bill to abolish abortion has passed a committee.
In the aftermath of ongoing scandal over a contractor's sweetheart deal to operate restaurants at multiple state parks and questionable spending (covered well by The Frontier), Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell has re-opened bidding for a new contractor to replace Swadley's Foggy Bottom Kitchen:
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (May 6th) – One week after accepting a larger oversight role of the agency, Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell, in his role as Secretary of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage, today provided an update on the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. He also announced a new requests for proposal (RFP) for new state park restaurant concession contract(s).
In a radio interview on the Hugh Hewitt Show yesterday, U.S. Senate special election candidate Alex Gray dropped a political bombshell when he pledged to author legislation to "disestablish the five historic Indian reservations that the U.S. Supreme Court in McGirt kind of created out of whole cloth [... to] start the process of fixing the mess that McGirt put us in."
Winning elections is meaningless if we lose our nation. For 40 years Republicans have won elections yet refused to truly face our nation's giants.
With a $30 trillion debt crisis, will we continue to sell our children's future for 30 pieces of silver? Given Medicare is insolvent in just four years, Social Security insolvent in 11 years, and every child now owes $90,000 as their share of the national debt, true leaders must arise. They must be fixated on freedom and not willing to kick the can down the road yet again.
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 4th) - Cindy Byrd’s investigative audit of Stillwater Public Schools has led to felony embezzlement charges filed against former district employee Stacy Hampton. Hampton is accused of stealing more than $200,000 from the school nutrition program over the course of seven years.
Chris Schiller seems to be an early frontrunner in the CD2 Republican primary, simply by virtue of having raised over a half-million dollars ($250k via personal loan) and being the first candidate with TV ads. Here's his press release:
Chris Schiller, a community pharmacist and small businessman seeking the Republican nomination in Oklahoma's 2nd Congressional District, announced his first television ad today.
The issue of criminal-justice reform in Oklahoma has been debated for years, and state voters have increasingly warmed to the idea that we can reduce incarceration and associated prison costs, improve public safety, and lower our crime rates, all at the same time.
That reality is reflected in voter approval of a ballot initiative that reduced the penalties for some property and drug crimes. It can also be seen in the fact that that the Legislature passed an associated law applying those changes to individuals currently in prison, which resulted in the nation’s largest single-day community under Gov. Kevin Stitt.
That public support has been problematic for Stitt’s political opponents, however, which may be why some have resorted to extreme—and even laughable—tactics in their attack ads.
