Former Jenks City Councilman Brian O'Hara wins Republican Primary for Senate District 37

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Brian O'Hara speaks at a Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce candidate forum. (Photo: Scott Emigh).

The Republican Party of District 37 nominated their choice for State Senator Tuesday in a crowded primary election with seven candidates. Former Jenks City Councilman Brian O'Hara won the special election with 41.86% of the vote. He will take on Democratic nominee Allison Ikley-Freeman in a November 14 general election.

O'Hara has worked as the Deputy District Director for Congressman Jim Bridenstine in Oklahoma's First District for the past four years. In the past he has served as a Jenks City Councilman and an Oklahoma Aquarium Board Member.

O'Hara was endorsed by Congressman Bridenstine, who called O'Hara "a friend, a conservative, and a man of integrity." 

Ikley-Freeman ran unopposed in the Democratic Party and will be a heavy underdog in the general election. In the 2016 election, Republican Dan Newberry handily defeated Democrat Lloyd Snow by more than 15% of the vote in a three-way election. 

Second among Republican candidates was Sand Springs City Councilman Phil Nollan with 32.13% of the vote, followed by Sand Springs Municipal Judge R. Jay McAtee with 11.12%. Nicole Nixon received 6.75%, Rick Hardesty received 5.21%, Sand Springs City Councilman Brian Jackson received 2.33%, and Grady Grant received 0.6%.

Sen. Newberry, ODOT officials tour and discuss Highway 51 conditions in Sand Springs

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SAND SPRINGS – Oklahoma State Senator Dan Newberry hosted key officials from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in Senate District 37 on Friday to discuss transportation and infrastructure conditions in Senate District 37, which includes portions of Jenks, Sand Springs and Glenpool.

Senator Newberry welcomed ODOT Director Mike Patterson and members of his staff.  They viewed conditions along Highway 51 near Sand Springs, where residents have expressed concerns about sections of the highway eroding.

“First and foremost, it’s important the state build and maintain safe roads and bridges. Oklahomans depend on the fact they are safe each day as they drive to work and take their children to school,” Senator Newberry said. “A good transportation system is also critical to economic development in Oklahoma. Our businesses need good roads and bridges to quickly and efficiently get their goods and services to their customers.”

Newberry serves on the Senate Transportation Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.

“Since I’ve served in the Senate, we’ve made transportation a priority and have provided funding to improve Oklahoma’s roads and bridges. ODOT has done a great job, but it’s important we keep pressing forward and not lose any progress in building up our transportation infrastructure. I appreciate Director Patterson visiting Senate District 37 and hearing about the concerns of local residents. I look forward to working with him and ODOT to address some of the issues along Highway 51.”

The pictured section of Highway 51 is located between Sand Springs and Mannford and has been in various states of closure since last July. Repair work is expected to begin as early as October.

CPHS and Page Academy graduate 412 in Class of 2016; Snow receives honorary diploma

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Every student and every class to pass through the halls of Charles Page is special in its own way. But the Class of 2016 has earned a special place in in the annals of Sandite history. CPHS Principal Stan Trout recognized these past few years as an "athletics and fine arts Renaissance." 

Indeed, this class has seen our first football playoff victory since they were toddlers. They led us to State Championship appearances in football, wrestling, softball, tennis, golf, debate, and more. Seniors Cameron Meeker and Emma Bedokis became the first debate semifinalists in school history and fourteen Sandites have put pen to paper in committing to play collegiate sports.

412 students graduated from CPHS and Page Academy Saturday evening at the Oral Roberts University Mabee Center. Among them were 74 honor grads, having attained 4.0 GPAs over all four years of high school, and 34 earned certificates of distinction.

Student Council President Courtney Langley led the packed stadium in the Pledge of Allegiance and Christina Brittle amazed the crowd with her performance of the National Anthem. The CPHS band set the tone throughout the evening and Bryn Lewis and National Merit Scholar and Academic All State Scholar Ethan Veenker gave touching speeches to their peers. 

The ceremony took a comical turn as Principal Trout contended that outgoing Superintendent of Schools Lloyd Snow could not be considered "the perfect Sandite" without having graduated from Sand Springs. Snow was then walked through a series of auditory "End of Instruction Exams." 

Many jokes were made, such as, "What do you get when you have a Sandite and take away nine football victories?..A Chieftain," and "Besides football and basketball, what new OSSAA sport did the Sandites and Booker T Washington compete in?" The answer of "Twitter" was met with thunderous laughter. Principal Trout has never shied away from controversial jokes at graduation, something that earns him extra love and respect from his students. 

After taking his "EOIs" Snow was required to lead the crowd in one last "V-I-C-T-O-R-Y" cheer and awarded an honorary CPHS diploma. But the laughter was soon replaced with tearful joy as the beloved Superintendent gave his final graduation speech, a heartwarming address in which he recognized the Class of 2016 as his class. 

After remarks from Board of Education President Mike Mullins came the presentation of diplomas and perhaps the most famous Sand Springs tradition of all, a final message from Frank Cooper. The annual reading of "Love You Forever" by Robert N. Munsch. The children's bedtime story has taken a special place in the hearts of the Sand Springs community after generations of young Sandites have sat through the tearful recital by Cooper. 

The story is altered, and filled with the names of the Class of 2016, as Cooper adds his own touches and flares of inspiration to make the story unique to each class each year, but each year features the same iconic chorus;

"I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my babies you'll be."

Finally, the Senior Quartet led the crowd in the Alma Mater and Senior Class President Erin Kennedy gave the closing speech. The students were dismissed to their parents and, despite two more weeks of school, to the world. 

Senate passes Holt legislation to avoid future budget shortfalls

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The Senate has passed Senate Joint Resolution 44, authored by Sen. David Holt, by a vote of 46-1. The legislation, approved Monday, would give the people of Oklahoma the opportunity to measure the current 15 percent cap on the state’s Rainy Day Fund against the total state budget of approximately $24 billion. Currently, the Rainy Day Fund’s 15 percent cap is measured against the artificially smaller number of “general revenue fund certification” that was just $5.6 billion for the most recent budget, less than a quarter of the dollar amount actually spent by the state. The recent drop in energy prices has created a budget shortfall of $1.3 billion that far exceeds the maximum amount of approximately $850 million that the Rainy Day Fund could have held under the current cap.

“We’ve lived in an energy-based economy long enough to know these price drops are going to happen and we need to have a savings account that is adequate to the task,” said Holt, R-Oklahoma City. “Out of this current budget crisis, I can think of no greater gift we can give future generations than to put a savings plan in place that will give us the security we need to avoid future shortfalls like this. The lessons we’re learning in this crisis need to be applied today, while they are fresh. Putting an appropriate cap in place is the first step. The current cap is measured against a dollar amount that has no particular relevance, it provides a false sense of security, and it has utterly failed us.”

SJR 44 now proceeds to the House for consideration. Because the cap on the Rainy Day Fund is part of the Constitution, amending it requires a vote of the people. If SJR 44 passes the House, it would be placed on the November, 2016 ballot for consideration by the voters.

Bill to create “guilty but with mental defect” verdict heads to House

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OKLAHOMA CITY – On Tuesday, the Senate gave unanimous approval to a measure to modify the “not guilty by reason of insanity” (NGRI) defense in Oklahoma.  Sen. Ron Sharp said Senate Bill 1214 would add a “guilty but with mental defect” defense for those individuals who are found guilty with a mental illness but who also have an antisocial personality disorder. 

“The not guilty by reason of insanity defense was created for those who are not mentally capable of understanding their actions but now we have people who commit violent crimes trying to use this defense even when the crime was premeditated,” said Sharp, R-Shawnee.  “The law needs to be modified to take into account those who suffer from a mental illness but are still mentally capable of understanding their actions.  They need to be held accountable.”

SB 1214 would provide that anyone who has an antisocial personality disorder and is found guilty with a mental illness cannot use the NGRI plea and must complete the sentence for the crime.  The bill creates the guilty with mental defect and not guilty by reason of mental illness pleas.

Under the legislation, a plea of guilty with mental defect would result in the same sentence that could be imposed on another person convicted of the same crime.  Those found guilty with mental defect would be required to be examined by the state Department of Mental Health with a recommendation to be made within 45 days. 

The bill was requested by Pottawatomie County District Attorney, Richard Smothermon in response to the 2012 murder case involving Jerrod Murray.  Murray kidnapped fellow East Central University student, Generro Sanchez, and shot him multiple times.  Murray confessed, with no emotion or remorse, to the murder saying he just wanted to see what it felt like to kill someone.  He was charged with murder but, under Oklahoma law, found not guilty by reason of insanity.  He was then sentenced to imprisonment in the Oklahoma Forensic Center until such time that he is found to not be a danger to himself or others.

“This bill targets the most dangerous criminals who have mental illnesses but will never be cured by treatment; the ones that kill just to kill or hurt others because they get pleasure from it,” said Smothermon.  “This bill would allow a jury to send these criminals to prison rather than a mental hospital, which is where they deserve to be.”

Smothermon and Sanchez’ mother, Jeana West, were in the Senate gallery to listen to the debate on SB 1214.

The bill will now go to the House for further consideration. 

Senate approves National Guard conceal carry legislation

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OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 913 Tuesday to ensure Oklahoma’s Army and Air National Guard personnel can protect themselves and others while on the job. The bill, by Sen. Frank Simpson, would allow such authorized veterans to carry loaded or unloaded concealed weapons at Oklahoma Military Department facilities.

“The threats against our brave military men and women don’t stop when they return home from active duty abroad. Our enemies desire to attack us here, and our Guard and military personnel are high-profile targets,” said Simpson, R-Springer. “We’ve seen all too often military personnel attacked at recruiting stations and even military bases and facilities. It makes sense for us to allow our Guard members, who are highly trained in the use of weaponry, to carry firearms so that they can protect themselves and others in emergency situations. I appreciate my Senate colleagues for unanimously supporting this measure.”

There have been eight attacks at military facilities across the nation since 2009. In July 2015, a terrorist killed four Marines and injured several others at a military recruiting center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Following that incident, Gov. Fallin issued an executive order in July to allow authorized military personnel to carry concealed weapons. SB 913 will make that executive order permanent in state statute. The Oklahoma National Guard Adjutant General will establish guidelines for the implementation of the legislation.

SB 913 now moves to the House for further consideration.

Bill ensuring more accountability in public policy rules heads to full Senate

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State Senators Nathan Dahm and Anthony Sykes said a bill ensuring legislative input on state agency rules will create greater accountability when determining policies impacting the lives of Oklahomans.  Senate Bill 1130 clarifies Oklahoma law to ensure the Legislature’s authority to approve, amend or disapprove agency rules.

Dahm, principal author of SB 1130, said the measure was approved by the full Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

“Up until the administration of President Woodrow Wilson, our elected representatives in Washington, D.C. had the ability to change federal agency rules when needed.  Ever since then, the federal bureaucrats, who don’t have to answer to the public for their actions, have had control over public policy issues that impact the lives of private citizens and businesses in countless ways, and we know it’s often a negative impact,” said Dahm, R-Broken Arrow.  “We want to ensure that at the state level, it is those who are directly accountable to the people who have the final say and have the oversight ability to protect people and businesses from excessive agency rules.”

Language contained in SB 1130 would codify the Legislature’s right to amend any rules as they proceed through the legislative review process and establish new agency rules directly through enactment of a joint resolution.

“When bureaucracies adopt rules that run contrary to the will of Oklahoma citizens, people get trampled. It is impossible to hold a bureaucrat accountable,” said Sykes, R-Moore.  “But I’m living proof that you can hold an incumbent accountable. This measure ensures greater accountability to the public in the policy decisions that affect their lives.”

SB 1130 will next be considered by the full Senate.

Weekly Column by Senator Dan Newberry

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This week kicks off the second session of the 55th Legislature, and with a $900 million projected shortfall in the budget, this year will present many challenges for lawmakers.  As the old adage goes, the difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is all in how you use them.  It’s difficult to dispute that we’re facing several significant stumbling blocks this year.   With a significant shortfall and most agencies facing cuts in funding, it paints a tough situation for our state to overcome.  While this will present a unique set of budgetary circumstances this year, I choose to think of it as an opportunity to find and identify those stepping stones that can lead to meaningful change in Oklahoma.

As Oklahomans will remember, the 80’s brought the worst oil crisis our nation has faced.  The economic reality was heartbreaking, with many families facing poverty and other hardships for years while waiting for the economy to recover.  My family was one of thousands who struggled in the face of the oil crisis and I remember wondering when or if recovery would ever happen.  Even though I was young at the time, I decided I would do whatever I could to help make a difference in whatever way I could, at whatever point in my life those opportunities presented themselves.  Over the years, that same determination has helped to fuel my commitment to the people of my district and the state. 

On Monday during her state of the state address, we heard Gov. Fallin’s goals for this year’s legislature, with the budget at the top of the priority list.  In order to fix the shortfall, we must remain focused on the core government functions and ensure those are properly funded, including education and infrastructure.  Children are the future of Oklahoma, and as sacrificial givers to the future of Oklahoma, teachers are one of our most valuable resources in ensuring tomorrow’s young leaders are provided with a quality education today.  Oklahoma teachers deserve to teach in adequately funded districts and earn a salary that is competitive with other states.  This will remain one of our highest priorities this year. 

Our work is cut out for us and I encourage you to follow the process by visiting the official State Senate website at www.oksenate.gov where live audio and video streaming from the Senate Chamber, as well as from all committee rooms are available. 

            I am looking forward to kicking off the new legislative session.  There’s a lot to be done and I’m ready to get to work.  As we approach this tenuous time in the state’s history, it is important to remember we are all stakeholders in Oklahoma’s future and I’m committed to making sure your voice is heard in state government.  I always welcome your ideas and input and encourage you to contact me with any concerns. 

To contact me at the Capitol, please write to Senator Dan Newberry, State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Room 234, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105, email me at Newberry@oksenate.gov or call (405) 521-5600.

Senator Treat comments on Pre-K legislation

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OKLAHOMA CITY – The Vice-Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Greg Treat, said Thursday that his legislation to modify how Pre-K classes are funded will not be heard this session.  Senate Bill 1324 would have removed early childhood education from the State Aid formula and allowed local school districts to make decisions on Pre-K education freeing up much-needed funds for K-12 public education. 

In January, the State Board of Education had to make a mandatory three percent or $46.7 million cut to its budget because of the General Revenue failure for FY’16. 

“We’re facing a nearly $1 billion revenue shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year, which may require cuts to common education,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.  “I introduced Senate Bill 1324 to explore the option of giving local school districts more flexibility over funding streams for Pre-K. State resources are limited and this bill would allow local officials to shift funds from Pre-K to serve students in K-12.  These would not be new taxes but rather existing local funding streams that are currently restricted by state statute.”

Last month, the State Board of Education had to make a mandatory three percent or $46.7 million cut to its budget because of the General Revenue failure for the current fiscal year. 

Treat said he is disappointed that Senate Education Chairman John Ford has said he will not give the bill a hearing this year but is pleased that Sen. Ford has agreed to chair an interim study (pending approval by the President Pro Tempore) later this year to continue the discussion about Pre-K.  

“It’s disappointing we won’t have a chance this session to discuss my idea to free up much-needed funds for K-12 education but I’m pleased that Senator Ford has agreed to chair an interim study later this year to continue to look at both the effectiveness of Pre-K and whether there is a better way to fund it,” said Treat.  “I appreciate the chairman’s honest disagreement with my position and look forward to studying the issue with him moving forward.”

Treat noted that several recent studies have called into question the long-term effectiveness of Pre-K.

“Oklahomans expect us to constantly examine the effectiveness of all government programs so successful programs can be expanded and unsuccessful programs can be fixed or eliminated,” said Treat.

“This is a program that was instituted because of its reported long-term benefits in students’ academic careers as well as their success in the workforce and other areas.  If those benefits are now being proven false, then we may need to reevaluate how we approach early childhood education.”

If SB 1324 is not heard by the Senate Education Committee, it will be considered dead and cannot be brought back up this session.  Treat asks that educators and parents contact him to share their thoughts on this issue.

“The feedback I have received since I filed this legislation is welcomed and I look forward to working with educators and parents to find evidence-based ways to improve our education system,” said Treat.  “We can’t be afraid of having a frank dialogue to seek solutions that are most beneficial to the education of our children.” 

For more information, contact:
Sen. Treat: (405) 521-5632
Treat@oksenate.gov