logo
Login Subscribe
Google Play App Store
  • News
    • Obituaries
    • Lifestyle
    • Opinions
  • Sports
  • E-edition
  • Calendar
  • Archives
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Advertisers
    • Form Submission
    • About Us
    • News
      • Obituaries
      • Lifestyle
      • Opinions
    • Sports
    • E-edition
    • Calendar
    • Archives
    • Contact
      • Contact Us
      • Advertisers
      • Form Submission
      • About Us
We’ve got good news and bad news…
commentary
June 5, 2024
We’ve got good news and bad news…
By Joe Dorman CEO ? OICA,

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Second Session of the 59th Oklahoma Legislature officially adjourned for 2024. At best, it was a mixed bag for children; despite that, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) saw some great wins for children.

Still, there were far too many issues about which child advocates care that lawmakers refused to pass. In fact, some child advocates referred to this session as “an absolute dumpster fire” for children’s issues.

An important win was House Bill 2102, known as The Hope Shaffer Act by Rep. Forrest Bennett, D-OKC, and Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, requires driver education classes to get waivers from parents of students if a youth learning to drive will be operating the vehicle with other children as passengers. The measure is named for a young lady who lost her life in a driver education car driven by a student driver.

Senate Bill 1324 by Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, and Rep. Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa, requires the state Education Department create an optional electronic universal application for free or reducedprice meals, making it far easier and less costly for the state to process benefits for Oklahoma families.

This is important, especially since the governor refused to accept $40 million of federal summer food funding for Oklahoma families. To partially address that loss, Senate Bill 1192 by Senator Chuck Hall, RPerry, and Rep. Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston, moved $8,085,454 from the state Commerce Department to Oklahoma Human Services to increase funds for the grant program supporting affordable and nutritious lunches for children.

It was not all good news for Oklahoma’s children. House Bill 1028 would have banned corporal punishment for many special needs students in 10 percent of state public school districts still allowing teachers to hit special needs students. This was not brough to the floor for a vote despite having a majority of state representatives committing support, truly making this a national embarrassment. We are working with attorneys to develop a solution outside the legislative process.

House Bill 4147 by Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, and Sen. Adam Pugh,R-Edmond,would have created a modest childcare tax credit for businesses that help employees struggling to pay the prohibitive cost of childcare. The Legislature did allocate $2 million more for childcare support services, but significantly more is needed to meet the skyrocketing statewide demand for childcare services.

Senate Bill 1278 by Sen. Jessica Garvin, RDuncan, and Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City, would have provided for paid maternity leave for higher education employees; they were unintentionally left out of last year’s bill which saw a tremendous move forward to provide for maternity leave to state and public-school employees. Senate Bill 1315 by Senator Pugh and Rep. Rhonda Baker, RYukon, would have created an adoption leave program similar to maternity leave.

Other issues lawmakers chose to not support were the Dolly Parton Imagination Book project, at-home therapeutic care services, and many of the concepts offered by Governor Stitt’s 2023 Child Welfare Task Force for improving foster care services.

OICA will continue to work on those issues which were not passed; please join us in calling on lawmakers to address these issues in 2025. Interim studies, the formal review of concepts by lawmakers, will be limited as this is an election year, but we will still seek studies on these and many other good bills which were not passed.

Please reach out to OICA at https://www. oica.org if you have suggestions for a good study which we can pass along to lawmakers. And, of course, you can be involved by taking part in this year’s elections by asking questions to candidates. Primary Elections are held on Tuesday, June 18, so please exercise your civic duty and vote!

Braving the festival, honoring a friend
A: Main, news
Braving the festival, honoring a friend
By LENORE BECHTEL 
September 3, 2025
Every Labor Day weekend since moving to Oklahoma, I thought about going to the Dusk to Dawn Blues Festival. But the idea of a yard party running from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. was intimidating—and I could neve...
A: Main, news
Man injured diving into shallow water
September 3, 2025
A 22-year-old Yukon man was injured when he dove from a pontoon boat into shallow water at Lake Eufaula, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Patrick Tanner reportedly stopped his vessel to swim ...
A: Main, news
Man found dead in yard; possible suspect investigated
September 3, 2025
WARNER – Warner Police responded to a call early Saturday morning about a dead man laying outside of a residence in the area of Fifth and Third streets. The deceased has been identified as 51-year-old...
A: Main, news
Wellness Day for seniors Sept. 16
September 3, 2025
Heritage Home Care’s fifth annual Senior Wellness Day will be held Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 126 N. 1st St. (now Bridges Street), which is the former location of Family Dollar. The e...
A: Main, news
Looking ahead: Firm to help guide the way
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
September 3, 2025
What will Eufaula look like in 50 years? Without a plan, it’s anybody’s guess. But the City Council has taken steps to remove at least some of the guesswork. At a special meeting Friday, Aug. 29, the ...
Wine and Art Festival extravaganza Saturday
A: Main, news
Wine and Art Festival extravaganza Saturday
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
September 3, 2025
What: Vision Eufaula Wine & Art Festival When: Saturday Sept. 6, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Where: 150 N. Front St. Information: 405-248-2992 or visit visioneufaula.org The fourth annual Wine and Art Festival ...
ePaper
google_play
app_store
Editor Picks
5 in race for state school superintendent
news
5 in race for state school superintendent
By Jennifer Palmer Oklahoma Watch 
September 3, 2025
So far, five candidates are running to lead Oklahoma’s public education system as state superintendent in 2026. Former Tulsa school board members Jennettie Marshall, a Democrat, and Jerry Griffin, an ...
DOC Director stepping down
news
DOC Director stepping down
By KEATON ROSS OKLAHOMA WATCH 
September 3, 2025
Oklahoma Department of Corrections Director Steven Harpe, one of the highest paid officials in state government, will step down on Sept. 30 to take a private sector job. “I’m extremely proud of my tim...
news
Class of ’65 reunion set for Sept. 12
September 3, 2025
Graduates of the Eufaula High School Class of 1965 will get together from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept 12, at the Legacy on Main Street, 224 N. Main St. Graduates of the classes of ’64 and ’66 are...
A site out of this world
news
A site out of this world
By MIKE BARNES 
September 3, 2025
In Eufaula, a town where gossip can outpace the mail, a story is slowly gaining momentum. It isn’t about the latest fishing tournament or Friday night football, but about a cosmic visitor called 3I/ A...
Rest, reflections, and farewells
commentary
Rest, reflections, and farewells
By JOE DORMAN OICA CEO 
September 3, 2025
OKLAHOMA CITY – I hope your Labor Day weekend was full of relaxation. I schedule a vacation each year with friends to get away over this holiday which allows me to “charge up the batteries” for upcomi...
Facebook

THE EUFAULA INDIAN JOURNAL
100 N. 2nd Street
Eufaula, OK 74432

(918) 689-2191

This site complies with ADA requirements

© 2023 THE EUFAULA INDIAN JOURNAL

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Policy