Ralph Shortey

There Is A Significant Disconnect, Criminal Justice Reform Leaders Criticize Legislature For Trying To Overhaul Sq 780

... one national headline read: 'Oklahomans Voted to Make the State’s Criminal Justice System Less Barbaric,' asking, will legislators defy the will of the people. After a rambunctious town hall last month, Senator Ralph Shortey pulled back his efforts to change 780, while the House bill moved forward. The author, Rep. Scott Biggs, said he didn’t think voters understood the state questions. District attorneys were opposed, claiming the threat of prison is necessary to deter drug addicts. “Treatment won’t be on their radar screen, because why would I do treatment? I can just do a few months in county and be back in my old habits,” said Cleveland Co. District Attorney Greg Mashburn. Steele said 75 percent of offenders who entered DOC custody in 2015 committed low level offenses. It costs the state of Oklahoma $19,000 a year to incarcerate an individual and about $6,000 on average for treatment and supervision in the ...

Could Emails Hurt Pruitt’s New Position As Head Of Epa

... by next Tuesday, finding they had not complied with the open records request in a reasonable amount of time. "Clearly they worked awfully hard to slow the release of these documents over the course of time. So what's in there? This could be something that could create real problems for him on down the line," said Arnold Hamilton, editor of the Oklahoma Observer, a political journal. Hamilton says the emails could contain information about the extent of Pruitt's dealings with the oil and gas industry and how campaign contributions might have affected his decisions. "It speaks directly to the job that he's going to be performing at the EPA which is his ability to independently regulate the oil and gas industry in this country," said Hamilton. Oklahoma senator, Ralph Shortey, supports Pruitt's appointment and says he's not concerned about what those emails might contain. "I think that transparency is always a good thing if there's something out there that needs to be vetted. I would have a hard time believing that it wasn't vetted at this point," said Sen. Shortey. ...

Real Id One Vote, Signature From Becoming Law

... that would guarantee access to federal government buildings and commercial airlines to valid identification card and driver license holders. House Bill 1845 passed through the Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday morning and is now eligible for a floor hearing just three weeks into the legislative session. The federal government has given Oklahoma lawmakers until the end of session to adopt Real ID, and Homeland Security will grant another extension to implement the law if it's signed by Gov. Mary Fallin. Oklahomans who don't want a compliant license would still be able to get an ID that doesn't include the security features required by the federal government. The Real ID Act of 2005 was intended to strengthen driver's license procedures nationwide to prevent terrorists from obtaining bogus identification. Senate Appropriations Chair Kim David, R-Porter, told her fellow lawmakers that the bill is being fast-tracked through the Legislature and she opposes any attempt to amend the bill. She said, however, there could be some ...

Oklahoma's Brand-new Drug Law On Chopping Block

... vote of the people was sort of to bypass the political gridlock that has led Oklahoma to having the highest incarceration rates of any state in the nation,” Steele said. Commissioner Terri White, of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, said data and research continues to prove that it is less costly and more effective to provide treatment to people with mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders, rather than incarcerating them. White said she supports State Question 780 but would like to see legislation pass that diverts funding from State Question 781 to her agency, rather than to counties. "In my recent conversations with several district attorneys, my understanding of their concerns is that they are doubtful money will be provided for mental health and substance abuse services,” White said. ...

Russian Agents, Hackers Charged In Massive Yahoo Breach

... the judge ruled that while the text of the travel ban may have changed, its context had not. He cited several instances in which the president openly referred to the order as a “Muslim ban” and argued that its intention to target Islam is still clear. Girl Scouts pays tribute to iconic women in history with photo shoot. Published: Tuesday, March 14, 2017 @ 9:39 PM. Updated: Tuesday, March 14, 2017 @ 9:39 PM. By: Kelcie Willis - Cox Media Group National Content Desk. Hillary Clinton is among the female leaders tributed in a photo series from New York-area Girl Scouts in celebration of Women's History Month. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images). The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is celebrating Women's History Month with a special series of photographs. ABC News reported that New York-area Girl Scouts were chosen from over 300 applicants to dress as female leaders such as Amelia Earhart, Lucille Ball, Vera Wang and Condoleezza Rice. Tricia Messeroux, __link__ creator and photographer was behind the shoot. Her website of ...

Backing Off Defiance Of Voters Good Move

... Biggs claimed his bill was a response to complaints from his constituents, but considering what constituents of other lawmakers had to say, his claim seems rather suspect. It's more realistic to suggest that those constituents pushing Biggs to put yet more teeth into drug laws were ones who had voted against SQ 780. Unfortunately, the majority overruled them, and they need to accept that fact - just as many Donald Trump detractors must accept the fact that he is now firmly ensconced in the White House. The law enforcement community, for the most part, opposed SQ 780, and their rationale is understandable. They fear drug users would simply continue to commit their crimes if they thought no serious punishment were forthcoming. The danger of a felony conviction, they said, can be an incentive to keep users and pushers on the straight and narrow. That's true ...

For Now, Sq 780 Looks Safe From Changes

... decriminalize drugs in schools, parks and playgrounds," Biggs said after submitting the bill. "I'm all for cleaning up our books to have a more efficient justice system, but not at the expense of our children.". Biggs may have heard from his constituents, but many other constituents made their opinions known about being overruled by lawmakers. "When legislation goes to a vote of the people, isn't that a final decision?" asked State Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee. "And if you're going to tinker with that, you have to be very cautious.". Shortey has since backtracked in the face of public dissent. He weathered a boisterous three-hour town hall in mid-February, and later announced his two Senate bills - which together would obviate all of SQ 780 - will not advance as introduced. There has been no action on SB 512 or SB 503 since their referral to committee on Feb. 7. State Rep. Matt Meredith, D-Tahlequah, said voter opinion on a statewide question should be held in high regard. "With my background in law enforcement, I understand the ...

Ralph Shortey Suspended From Senate Activities, Police Report Released Of Motel Incident With Teenage Boy

... was just there to hang out with his friend.". That friend is a teenage boy whose parents told police "has a history of soliciting himself on Craigslist for sexual conduct.". Inside a backpack, police say they found an "open box of condoms.". Some of the details in the report are unclear because of the redacted information, but it appears the teen told his girlfriend earlier that "he was going to get paid tonight.". She says she watched the teen and the adult known to be Shortey enter the hotel room together. A Kindle tablet revealed the teen had told the adult that he needed money for spring break, to which the adult, believed to be Shortey, responded, "would you be interested in sexual stuff?". DA Greg Mashburn did not file charges against Shortey Wednesday, but the Oklahoma Senate sent a strong message. The Senate passed a resolution to suspend Shortey from all committees and strip his name from all ...

Capitol Deadline Cuts Off Hundreds Of Bills In Oklahoma

... Oklahoma that provides electric service. State Rep. Leslie Osborn, who sponsored the bill and also chairs the committee that didn't hear it, said she will keep working on the idea despite what she described as confusion surrounding her bill. “This discussion needs logic and reason, so I am pulling the measure and will request an interim study where lawmakers can study this issue and other state-owned assets in much deeper detail and hear from many more voices than the short legislative session allows,” Osborn wrote in an email. “As I have said on many occasions, our goal was not to divest the state of GRDA, but to start a discussion and develop an orderly process to determine if it would be prudent and plausible to do so, if necessary.”. As he promised a raucous town hall last month, state Sen. Ralph Shortey's two bills that would have repealed the criminal justice reforms included in State Questions 780 and 781 were not heard in committee. They can still be considered next year when lawmakers begin committee work again, but Shortey has said the measures won't advance in their current form. Senate Bill 192, which eliminates the statute of limitations on rape, also didn't ...