Okla Legislature 2nd Worse in Nation

[patric]

California bars state-funded travel to Oklahoma over LGBTQ law

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-california-travel-lgbt-20180601-story.html

[heironymouspasparagus]

California bars state-funded travel to Oklahoma over LGBTQ law

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-california-travel-lgbt-20180601-story.html

You're doing fine Okrahoma!

[Breadburner]

Did someone fart..

[Hoss]

Did someone fart..

Once again, probably your upper lip.

[Breadburner]

Once again, probably your upper lip.

Are you having another "Hossy Fit"...

[patric]

Did someone fart..

"There appears to be more and more Californians sharing our values as we are seeing more Californians move to Oklahoma," said Michael McNutt, spokesman for Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, in a statement. "With our state's economy being as strong as it is, we won't miss a few Californians traveling on state business showing up in our state."

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jun/3/oklahoma-unfazed-after-landing-california-state-tr/

[heironymouspasparagus]

"There appears to be more and more Californians sharing our values as we are seeing more Californians move to Oklahoma," said Michael McNutt, spokesman for Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, in a statement. "With our state's economy being as strong as it is, we won't miss a few Californians traveling on state business showing up in our state."

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jun/3/oklahoma-unfazed-after-landing-california-state-tr/

Just one more national embarrassment for our state.  If I could, I would post the pic...

[cannon_fodder]

"There appears to be more and more Californians sharing our values as we are seeing more Californians move to Oklahoma," said Michael McNutt, spokesman for Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, in a statement. "With our state's economy being as strong as it is, we won't miss a few Californians traveling on state business showing up in our state."
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jun/3/oklahoma-unfazed-after-landing-california-state-tr/

California is #3 in the nation at retaining its resident's.  Yes - it has a good number of people leaving, but only 1.66% of its population moves away in a given year. 75% of Californians stay in California.  Compared to just 65% for Oklahoma.  4% of all living people born in Oklahoma are now residing in California. We don't want to get in a "more people want to be here than there" argument.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/08/13/upshot/where-people-in-each-state-were-born.html#California

And no, this won't be some crippling blow to our economy.  But it will be missed.  OU plays UCLA in a few months and will drop boatloads of cash, I'm guessing that won't happen again under the ban.  Every California who comes and enjoys our low, low prices leaves behind cash. Odds are good plenty of Okies will be going to California and dropping cash for various reasons.  While it certainly won't be a crippling blow, why pretend like we don't want to get some of that back?

Why not just say "it's unfortunate they have made this decision, we welcome anyone from California who wants to enjoy Oklahoma on government business or on vacation."

[heironymouspasparagus]

Why not just say "it's unfortunate they have made this decision, we welcome anyone from California who wants to enjoy Oklahoma on government business or on vacation."

Because that would require thoughtful consideration and an actual "give-a-s..." attitude about this state and the people in it - other than their "good buddies".

[patric]

Oklahoma has overtaken Louisiana as the state with the highest incarceration rate in the United States
Taking the top position from Louisiana also makes Oklahoma the global leader in incarceration. State authorities and reforms experts long anticipated Oklahoma taking the position since Louisiana legislators passed reforms in the past 12 to 18 months. Reform efforts undertaken in Oklahoma are expected to only slow the incarceration growth rate in the state and not reduce it, said Kris Steele, chair for Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/oklahoma-now-has-highest-incarceration-rate-study-finds/article_0561c981-5e48-51a0-812e-19c22b33f55d.html

Another trophy we can place alongside "World Leader in Taser Deaths"

[heironymouspasparagus]

Oklahoma has overtaken Louisiana as the state with the highest incarceration rate in the United States
Taking the top position from Louisiana also makes Oklahoma the global leader in incarceration. State authorities and reforms experts long anticipated Oklahoma taking the position since Louisiana legislators passed reforms in the past 12 to 18 months. Reform efforts undertaken in Oklahoma are expected to only slow the incarceration growth rate in the state and not reduce it, said Kris Steele, chair for Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/oklahoma-now-has-highest-incarceration-rate-study-finds/article_0561c981-5e48-51a0-812e-19c22b33f55d.html

Another trophy we can place alongside "World Leader in Taser Deaths"

We're number 1 !!    Twice!!

[Townsend]

Oklahoma lawmakers to be 'honored' for support of education

https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/oklahoma-lawmakers-to-be-honored-for-support-of-education

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma's state legislators will be collectively honored with an award Friday for their support of education.

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, and Senate Majority Leader and President Pro Tempore-designate Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, will accept the Oklahoma State School Boards Association's Legislator of the Year award on behalf of all their leagues.

"Passage of the state's largest-ever teacher pay raise honored the critical role educators play in the lives of our children and finally allows Oklahoma school districts to offer regionally competitive teacher pay," said OSSBA Executive Director Shawn Hime. "OSSBA is proud to recognize legislators for their work to pass the teacher pay raise and their commitment to ensuring every child has an outstanding teacher."

The award comes after a teacher walkout halted class throughout the state, as teachers sought increased funding for public education and better pay. The nine-day walkout eventually ended, as legislators passed a series of tax hikes to fund a $6,100 average teacher pay raise and more funding for schools.

"Education has been and always be a priority in the Oklahoma Senate, which is why we'll continue to focus on enacting the resources and reforms to support our teachers and help our students excel," Treat said.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Oklahoma lawmakers to be 'honored' for support of education

https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/oklahoma-lawmakers-to-be-honored-for-support-of-education

Participation ribbon for non-participants.

"Education always a priority"....Lol...   I want some of what he is smoking!   I wonder if he grows it himself...?

[patric]

Once upon a time, Arizona passed a law that allowed sober drivers to be arrested for DUI.

Being science-free, fact-free political theater, Oklahoma promptly copied the law, but in 2014 The Supreme Court in Arizona threw out their law, finding drivers cannot be convicted "based merely on the presence of a non-impairing metabolite that may reflect the prior usage of marijuana."

Oklahoma, meanwhile, still keeps that law on the books, and prosecutors still prosecute sober Okies for DUI.

The Arizona Supreme Court concluded that interpreting the law so that any byproduct of cannabis proves impairment "leads to absurd results."

"Most notably, this interpretation would create criminal liability regardless of how long the metabolite remains in the driver's system or whether it has any impairing effect," the Supreme Court's ruling said. "For example, at oral argument the State acknowledged that, under its reading of the statute, if a metabolite could be detected five years after ingesting a proscribed drug, a driver who tested positive for trace elements of a non-impairing substance could be prosecuted."

http://archive.azcentral.com/ic/pdf/arizona-court-marijuana-ruling.pdf

[patric]

It is fair to say that things in Oklahoma had been falling apart. A plunge in oil prices caught up with years of tax-slashing and the results were ugly: cash-strapped school districts going to four-day weeks, prisons dangerously overcrowding and rural hospitals shutting down. The two-term Republican governor, Mary Fallin, shows up in poll after poll with approval numbers well below freezing, reliably among the least-popular governors in the country. As in Louisiana and Kansas, the fallout of fiscal austerity had spread quickly to politics.

"You got elected because you weren't Obama," said Anthony Sykes, a conservative state senator, speaking of some of his hard-line colleagues. "But the Obama well went dry. And you've got to produce some results now."

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/02/us/oklahoma-midterm-elections.html