The Legislative Digest is your weekly look at the happenings of Oklahoma’s state legislature, upcoming bills and the terms to know.
Legislature continues to move slowly, as all government does. Here’s a look at what’s happening before and up to bills being passed or passed over.
HR1022: This bill recognizes February 7, 2018 as Rose Day at the state capitol. It was introduced on Feb. 5 and passed and signed by the governor by Feb. 8. It is in support of unborn children, against “trafficking in body parts of aborted babies” and generally anti-choice in sentiment. Sure, this isn’t going to affect our everyday lives. But it feels like a moral judgement on a subject that hasn’t been properly argued or agreed upon.
SB1333: The title was stricken, which means that the title was changed. Thrillingly, this bill puts an effective date of October 2018 and an actual measurement for what counts as a drink of spirits and other alcohols. There are worse bills to pass, and this one actually helps to clarify rules that people could be charged for, both in terms of buying alcohol and getting the attention of police.
SB1551: The “Parental Rights Immunization Act” would require parents to consent to their children being vaccinated after consulting with the child’s doctor to understand the pros and cons of vaccination. On the one hand, I absolutely believe every child who can be vaccinated should be. On the other, this is a great chance to spread accurate information and for parents to understand real risks that are associated with certain vaccines, especially if their child has an immune system issue that heightens risks.
