150 new laws hit the books this week
By Jennifer Mock and John Greiner
Capitol Bureau
Laws that will restrict abortions, send child molesters to prison longer and change the way state officials deal with immigration go into effect Nov. 1. Those three bills are among about 150 set to become law this week. Andstarting Thursday, the watermelon will be the state vegetable.
Among the most controversial bills last legislative session was Senate Bill 139, which forbids abortions from being performed with public financing or at public institutions like the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Lawmakers' first attempt to pass similar legislation was vetoed by Gov. Brad Henry because it didn't allow abortions in the case of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. But despite an outcry from the medical community saying the bill would impair the doctor-patient relationship, a second attempt to pass the legislation succeeded, including the exceptions.
Rep. John Wright, R-Broken Arrow and the original House author of the anti-abortion legislation, said "taxpayers who very much are morally opposed to the issue of abortion” should not have to be compelled to participate in the procedure by way of taxpayer-funded abortions.
A bill dubbed Jessica's Law will set a minimum of 25 years in prison for anyone convicted of molesting a child under 12. Currently there is no minimum sentence. Rep. David Dank, author of House Bill 1816, called it the most important legislation of the session.
Dank said he hopes the new law will serve as a deterrent for those preying on children.
"One of our biggest obligations is seeing after the well-being and safety of our young people and this is a major step in doing that,” said Dank, R-Oklahoma City. "We need to protect those who can't protect themselves.”
Other laws
Other bills include ones giving judges the right to carry guns in the courthouse and letting people find out how their state tax dollars are spent through a public Web site.
Children also will have to start wearing helmets when riding all-terrain vehicles on public land. And law enforcement officers will have to add six hours of training in sexual assault and violence crimes.
House Speaker Lance Cargill has four bills going into effect, including an option for Oklahoma college students to lock in their tuition rates for four years. Legislation eliminating almost two dozen state boards and commissions also will go into effect Nov. 1, along with a bill that will give children free access to state museums and historical sites once a week.
Cargill also pushed through legislation in House Bill 2101 that will give some state funds to private faith-based groups that are working to reduce recidivism rates in state prisons.
"We want to create a culture of learning and discovery in this state,” said Cargill, R-Harrah, of the free museum bill.
The legislation eliminating several boards, including the state Alcoholic Beverage Laws and Enforcement Commission and the Oklahoma Department of Mines, is only a first step is making Oklahoma government more streamlined, Cargill said. He plans to continue to look at ways to further consolidate government next session and will begin an interim study on the issue in mid-November.