Electronic monitoring changes signed into law
More of Oklahoma’s nonviolent offenders will soon qualify for the state’s Electronic Monitoring Program thanks to legislation signed into law May 5.
Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, said Senate Bill 456 addresses two eligibility issues within community sentencing to help nonviolent offenders re-enter society while keeping predators out of the program.
“This bill improves our community sentencing statutes by ensuring those who committed low-level crimes and don’t present a danger to society can return to their families and the workforce. This will allow them to become productive members of society while lowering incarceration costs and prison overcrowding,” Coleman said. “It further adds some instances of child abuse and neglect as well as vulnerable adult exploitation to the violent crimes list, ensuring these predators don’t qualify for the program.”
Requested by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, SB 456 eliminates the current eligibility requirements that keep inmates sentenced between five and 10 years from participating in Electronic Monitoring Program. The new law will allow all sentence lengths to be eligible for the program once a nonviolent offender is within three years of release. It also makes inmates convicted on counts relating to child abuse and neglect or exploitation of a vulnerable adult ineligible to participate in home monitoring.
Participation in the Electronic Monitoring Program is not automatic. Inmates must apply to the program and meet numerous eligibility standards prior to enrollment.
The new law will go into effect November 1, 2021.
Elections will be delayed because of U.S. Census
Legislation was signed into law May 5 to delay elections this December, January and March that would interfere with ongoing redistricting efforts.
Requested by the State Election Board Secretary, Senate Bill 347 prohibits municipalities and political subdivisions from holding an election on the second Tuesday of December 2021 or the second Tuesday of January or March 2022 for the offices of U.S. Representative, State Senator or Representative and County Commission districts following the reapportionment of those districts. Senate Redistricting Committee chairman, Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, authored the measure.
“The pandemic significantly slowed the national census, so Oklahoma, along with all the other states, won’t be able to complete redistricting this session, but
will have to reconvene in special session later this fall to complete our work,” Paxton said. “Because of this, the Election Board wanted to delay any elections from December through March to have sufficient time to properly implement the new precincts associated with the updated district boundaries.”
Additionally, the bill will allow for special elections in June
of odd-numbered years to fill vacancies.
SB 347 became law upon the governor’s signature.
Career opportunity law signed by governor
Sophomores will be able to participate in more school-sponsored career opportunities beginning with the 2021-2022 school year under legislation signed into law May 5.
Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, is the author of Senate Bill 619 allowing sophomores, 16 years
or older, to apply for apprenticeships, internships and mentorships through their school.
“ The best way to really learn something is with hands-on, real-life experience, and that’s especially true for students trying to decide what career to pursue. Senate Bill 619 will give them an extra year to learn about fields they’re interested in by allowing them to work alongside actual professionals who can mentor and train them,” Bullard said. “It’s one thing to see jobs on TV or read about them in books, but this program helps them learn what additional training or education they may need and what the daily demands are of the job to see if it’s really something they love and would excel at.”
Currently, only juniors and seniors can participate in the
job training program. SB 619 will allow school districts to purchase liability insurance coverage to extend these career opportunities to sophomores. Schools can not charge participants or their parents for the insurance. School districts are protected under the Governmental Tort Claims Act and any school board that does not obtain insurance will not be held legally liable.
The new law, which goes into effect July 1, 2021, further directs the State Board of Education to review apprenticeships, internships and mentorships to determine their eligibility for academic credit towards graduation requirements.
Telehealth bill equals payment parity for docs
A bill ensuring payment parity for physicians who care for patients using telemedicine has been signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt.
Sen. Greg McCortney, R-Ada, is the principal Senate author of Senate Bill 674, and the principal House author is Rep. Mark McEntire, R-Duncan. The measure was signed on May 5.
While telemedicine has been in use in recent years, its potential was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. During 2019, SoonerCare members completed
11,941 telehealth visits. In 2020, that number rose to 333,415 visits, an increase of 2,726% in just one year.
McCortney, chair of the Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee, said insurance companies have typically paid physicians a lower amount for telemedicine visits compared to in-person office visits for the same services, but under the governor’s emergency orders, doctors received the same amount for telemedicine. SB 674, which takes effect Nov. 1, 2021, will make that permanent.
“Telehealth is definitely part of the future of healthcare and, more importantly, it’s the right now solution for those who need care and for health care providers,” said McEntire, chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Health. “I’m glad to see this bill signed into law to further help us in our mission of improving health outcomes for all Oklahomans.”
Legislators recognize law enforcement officers
As law enforcement officers from throughout Oklahoma watched from the gallery, the Oklahoma Senate approved a resolution May 5 recognizing May as “Law Enforcement Appreciation Month” in the state.
Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, is the principal author of Senate
Resolution 15. Weaver, who spent three decades in law enforcement and served as director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, told fellow members about the dangers and risks law enforcement officers face daily.
“There are about 13,000 Oklahomans who selflessly serve their fellow citizens as peace officers. They’re husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, our next-door neighbors and the people we go to church with on Sunday. But unlike most of us, they face dangerous situations on a regular basis, and too many have made the ultimate sacrifice while upholding the law,” Weaver said. “It’s only fitting for us to honor them in the Senate and throughout Oklahoma.”
Weaver noted that six Oklahoma law enforcement officers had died in the line of duty during 2020, including three from COVID-19. Those included Capt. Billy Dewayne Allen, Sr., with the Fort Sill Police Department; Tulsa Police Officer Jerad Lindsey; Oklahoma Highway Patrol Capt. Jeff Sewell; Sgt. Craig Vincent Johnson, Tulsa Police Department; Lt. Shirley Lanning, Canadian County Sheriff’s Office; and Bryan County Deputy Sheriff Jarid Taylor.
—Compiled by Tim Farley, Southwest Ledger