Justice Watch: As Legislative Session Progresses, Some Justice Reform Bills Stall

The end of the 2022 legislative session is in sight. 

Lawmakers are scheduled to wrap up business and adjourn for the summer on May 27. That’s 32 days from today, if you’re interested in counting down.

A series of deadlines, committee hearings and chamber votes have narrowed down which proposals do and don’t have a shot at becoming law. 

April 14 was the final day for bills to advance past committee in the opposite chamber. Two notable criminal justice bills stalled and won’t be eligible for consideration until next year: 

• Senate Bill 1646: Would have created a felony classification system with reduced sentencing ranges for some nonviolent offenses. I analyzed its potential impact in an explainer article published earlier this month. 
• House Bill 3294: Would have directed the state to follow the terms of State Question 781 and allocate funds saved from imprisoning fewer people to local diversion and mental health programs. Check out my April 6 newsletter for a more detailed explanation of the proposal. 

Bills aimed at reducing court fines and fees and making employment more accessible to people with involvement in the justice system have gained the most traction this session. Examples include: 

• House Bill 3205: Lowers probation, program and legal counsel fees in juvenile cases. 
• House Bill 3316: Authorizes the state to automatically expunge certain low-level criminal offenses. In an article published early last month, I examined the many barriers to expungement in Oklahoma. 
• Senate Bill 1691: Specifies that a criminal conviction cannot be grounds to deny a person a state-issued occupational license, unless the offense substantially relates to the job duties or poses a reasonable public safety threat. 
• Senate Bill 1532: Would authorize courts to waive outstanding court fines and fees if a person has made timely installment payments in at least 48 of 60 months.

I’ll be keeping track of these bills as the session winds down. Have questions? Let me know via Twitter or Email. 

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From the impact of COVID-19 behind bars to the effects of prison gerrymandering, my reporting focuses on how Oklahoma’s criminal justice system impacts people inside and outside of the system. It can take weeks or months for me to file public records requests, dig into documents and track down sources. As a nonprofit news organization, we rely on your financial support to do this time-consuming but important work. Help us make a difference.