March 15, 2019 Issue, Page 4 of 14

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| SEE NO REASON TO VACCINATE ... Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 Agency accountablility and criminal justice reform measures advance Changes are coming to By Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy CEO Joe Dorman The Elk City News Government functions best when different branches, elected officials and agen- cies maintain good working relationships. To his credit, Governor Kevin Stitt under- stands the value of maintain- school, when I played baseball as I’ve gone through life, Ihave the city. We are committed to ing collegial relationships fora local youth team in Arling- often connected towns and cities covering the town and inform- with the Legislature and his ton, Texas, named the Elks. to their sports teams, and it’s ing the community about what is efforts seem to be generating Unlike the brown-clad Elk been pretty evident in my first happening. wins for his administration. City Elks, we wore maroon. We few days in Elk City that people Thave covered a number of Last week, the governor and held practices behind - what here are proud ofthe Elks. beats in my other newspaper a large group of Senators and Dorman else? - an Elks Lodge, located on Now that I’ve become the stops, all of which were in Texas, Pioneer Parkway. editor of the Elk City News, I and I've done various kinds of Representatives held a large ‘The only other team I know pledge that the paper will beef joint press conference announcing a reform package aimed that uses the Elks monikeris up coverage ofhigh school and reporting. Hard news, deadline at consolidating accountability for executive agencies (and Burleson High School, south of youth sports. The Elk City News news, long-form interviews, power over those agencies) in the governor’s office. Fort Worth, which used to be in has hired a new sports editor to features. You name it - I've my high school’s district when I cover sports in Elk City as well done it. I want to do that kind of The new plan gives the governor the ability to hire and reporting here, too. was in high school. Kelly Clark- as the nearby communities. fire the directors of five state agencies: the Department of son, the first winner of “Ameri- ‘That pledge to increase Ifyou have any ideas for sto- Corrections, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the Of- can Idol,” graduated from Bur- coverage carries over to the ries, feel free to call (225-3000) fice of Juvenile Affairs, the Department of Mental Health Don Munsch Jeson High School. Burleson now the news side. I will be cover- or shoot me an email: editor@ and Substance Abuse Services and the Department of Editor, The Elk City News has two high schools, with the ing police, county, city hall and ecdailynews.com. Or stop by the ‘Transportation. Governor Stitt campaigned on this, argu- other high school, Centennial, schools and other issues impor- paper at 206 W. Broadway St. ing that the state’s chief executive needsto be given more My first experience with the using the nickname Spartans. tant to readers. You will see me Till be seeing you around power to directly influence policy within executive agencies. nickname Elks was in grade Pm an avid sports fan, and at meetings and other events in town. ‘The reform package also gives the Legislature additional appointments on the boards that oversee those agencies and makes those appointments “at will,” meaning they can be removed at any time by the appointing authority- whether itis the governor, speaker ofthe House or the president pro You never know who tempore of the Senate. In addition to legislative action on agency reform, law- makers have also been making progress on criminal justice reform. Two justice reform measures, House Bill 2218 and House Bill 2310, passed off the House floor last week and your’re talking to are now going to the Senate. HB 2218 is a comprehensive bill that would allow courts to waive fines, fees and court costs for certain indigent defendants, for those who are enrolled in a technical school, workforce training program or college or university and for those who work at least 40 hours per week. The bill also allows defendants under probation supervision to earn Glynda Lomax credit for compliance that would reduce the length of their supervision. “The Internet is like ‘The measure requires a court to hold a hearing to estab- alcohol in some sense. It lish a payment plan for defendants who have been ordered accentuates what you would site. Why would he be on they had been through, he to pay fines, court costs and fees. The court would use a for- do anyway. If you want to a dating site when he’s in a re- wasn’t in the relationship mula to establish the amount of the defendant’s discretion- be a loner, you can be more lationship with me? she asked for the long term, just for ary income and set the repayment at no more than 10 per- alone. If you want to connect, herself. They had weathered the hard time he was going cent of the discretionary income amount. The bill requires it makes it easier to connect.” some hard times together and through, then he would be the court to consider the employment of the defendant and ~ Esther Dyson she had been there for him on his way out the door to his allows the court to order the defendant to serve weekends in through every one of them. new love, whoever she turned lieu of revocation. She had been interested They were building a rela- out to be. House Bill 2310 removes ajury’s exclusive authority to in him for months. They met tionship, a future together. The next morning, the recommend punishment at jury trial. The bill would allow near a dance floor when he right? Or were they? Was she woman could hold her silence a person convicted of a crimeto select either the jury or the was a restaurant owner and just building castles in the air no longer. She woke him up judge to hand down a sentence. she was in upper level man- while he was secretly looking and told him to get out of bed In addition, at least another 17 criminal justice bills have agement. His intelligence lev- for someone else? She de- and get ready quickly. The In time the woman I knew either been published to be heard in the House and Senate el and tall cowboy look were cided to find out the truth. man was obviously baffled. discovered there had been or are eligible to be published. OICA is engaged in discus- just part of the attraction. With a few hours work and “Why?” he asked. “Where are several Shellys. The woman sions regarding one of these bills, the Failure to Protect Over the months they grew some photos borrowed from we going? It’s Saturday.” “I learned a valuable lesson. legislation, run as House Bill 2523 by Rep. Tammy West. closer and closer. Eventually a friend, the woman created wouldn’t want you to miss The man, packing his belong- We are encouraged by her effort to ensure that people who his restaurant fell on hard aprofile on the dating site your date with Shelly!” the ings into his car with no place cause harm, or allow harm to be done, to children will re- times and had to close. She of- under a different name and woman retorted. to go as the snow fell softly fered him a place to stay, then emailed the man from it. The internet makes it eas- down around him, learned ceive ajust punishment. a job. One evening, as she was Then she waited anxiously, ier than ever before to meet, A bill that would require the Department of Human walking past him to check on not really wanting to know greet and cheat. Another one too. Services to assess children upon being taken into custody dinner, she noticed he quickly the answer to the question her friend of mine, an unsuspect- Be careful out there in passed this week also. House Bill 1075 would require DHS. closed the web page he had heart was asking - is he being ing man who had been mar- cyberspace. to provide every child taken into custody an assessment of been viewing. Her suspicions unfaithful? Is he looking for ried for many years, lost his his or her physical, medical, mental health and educational immediately roused, she someone new? wife to an internet romance ‘You never know who you're needs and would require the assessment be updated at regu- began to peruse in her mind Her answer arrived within after twenty-plus years of really talking to. lar intervals while the child is in the department's custody. what he could have been look- hours while he was at work, marriage. The bottom line is, Thursday (3/14) is the third reading deadline for bills ing at that she was not invited in the form ofan email from if someone wants to cheat on “Information on the In- and resolutions to be heard in the chamber of origin, which to see. the man to the profile she had you, they will find the ways means all House and Senate bills must be heard by Thurs- After a few days of inves- made. After a few exchanged and the means to do it. On the ternet is subject to the same day at midnight to stay alive for the current legislative ses- tigating behind the scenes, emails, they made a date to internet, you can be anyone rules and regulations as con- sion. That means lawmakers will be working late nights this she discovered the man had a meet. you want to be and meet any- versation ata bar.” ~ George week in an effort to hear hundreds of remaining bills. profile up on an online dating Tt was true then. After all one you want to meet. Lundberg