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Ending Indefinite Solitary Confinement for the Vast Majority of People with Death Sentences in Oklahoma
By Travis Handler
Latest Event
Voices Uncaged: Hispanic Heritage Art and Activism
This event is in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month with the purpose of bringing together artists, organizers, and community members to explore the powerful intersection of art and activism. We aim to uplift the voices, experiences, and resilience of immigrant communities – particularly those impacted by detention, deportation, and harmful immigration policies.
The event will take place at a local art gallery in the Paseo Art district of OKC near Flora Bodega, a community hub. Attendees can come-and-go anytime from 6-9pm on Friday, September 4 during the Paseo District's First Friday gallery walk.
Records Show DPS Sought Access To Bank Account, Routing Numbers For Card Reader Program
State Sen. Kyle Loveless, R-Oklahoma City, said the card reader program was a dangerous, unconstitutional tool. Loveless said the fact that DPS officials initially sought access to banking information shows the program was just another method to take money.
“We’ve seen this time and time again,” Loveless said. “Now we see they were trying to get that type of information. This shows this isn’t about identity theft, drugs, or crime or ISIS, it’s just another method to take innocent people’s property.”
At least three requests for legislative studies about the program are pending in the House of Representatives. Loveless said he planned to hold a series of public meetings about the program this fall.
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Legislative Session "Mostly Bad News" ACLU Of Oklahoma Leader Says
“In reality, the session did very little to help people,” Kiesel said. “We saw some horrible examples of bigoted and hate-filled legislation and a poorly written budget that does more harm than good.”
Many legislators, he said, were more concerned about deflecting the public’s attention away from the budget problem.
Kiesel said bills such as Senate Bill 1552, which would have made it a felony for a doctor to perform an abortion, and Senate Bill 1619, which targeted Oklahoma’s transgender residents, did nothing positive for the state and were ‘obviously unconstitutional.’
In addition, lawmakers passed a resolution seeking to remove the firewall from the Oklahoma Constitution that keeps the state from funding religious organizations with public money.
Kiesel called that resolution ‘unnecessary.’
“It (the resolution) has nothing to do with policy,” he said. “Instead, it is all about politics. The resolution is
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