One of the first major criminal justice reform measures to be addressed by the Oklahoma Legislature will be making State Question 780 retroactive. Voters in 2016 approved the measure which made drug possession a misdemeanor and raised the felony threshold for simple theft. House Floor Leader Jon Echols and Rep. Jason Dunnington filed House Bill 1269 to provide post-conviction relief to Oklahomans whose convictions took place before SQ 780 passed.
“It is time for Oklahoma to get out of the business of arresting and prosecuting individuals afflicted by drug addiction,” Dunnington said. “We have Oklahomans that are labeled as felons, and their crimes would be legal or a much lesser crime today. These folks are disenfranchised, and their families are suffering. This legislation seeks to heal these wounds and continue Oklahoma down the road of responsible criminal justice reform.”
Echols believes Oklahomans are calling on the Legislature to enact criminal justice reforms.
“The people of Oklahoma have spoken loud and clear on the issue of criminal justice reform,” Echols said. “I look forward to working with members of both parties to find not Democratic or Republican solutions, but Oklahoma solutions to the issues facing this state. This bill will be a great step in that direction.”
House Minority Leader Emily Virgin is throwing her support behind HB 1269.
“I commend and applaud Majority Leader Jon Echols and Representative Jason Dunnington for their leadership on this important issue,” Virgin said. “Our criminal justice system should reform lives not ruin them. This legislation gives new hope to Oklahomans whose lives have been destroyed for crimes that would be a misdemeanor today.
“I am proud to support this legislation, and I encourage the Speaker, leadership in the Senate and the Governor to stand with the hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans demanding we act on criminal justice reform. Passing this bipartisan legislation at the beginning of session would be a great signal to all of Oklahoma that this government is ready to come together to meet Oklahoma’s problems.”
