Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, R-Altus, and Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, recently held an interim study examining Oklahoma's current administrative rules process and considering how it could be made more efficient and transparent. "One of the things we’ve been working on is trying to make this process more transparent, get more people involved in it, make it more accountable not only to us as legislators but also to the public, where more people are aware of the rules process—how it works, the notification process, the public comment process," Kendrix said during the study. "We've been working with the secretary of state on the portal that they have, to try to make that better for everybody involved." Chris Coffman from the Office of the Oklahoma Secretary of State told attendees about two websites the Office of Administrative Rules (OAR) division operates to increase transparency and accountability. OAR is responsible for publishing public body meeting notices and maintaining official records of the state's rules and rulemaking notices, among other responsibilities. The first website Coffman highlighted, openmeetings.ok.gov , provides options to search for upcoming and archived open meetings, view a calendar of upcoming meetings, and view a list of all public bodies and agencies that must adhere to the Open Meetings Act. Oklahomans also can subscribe to be alerted via email or text notifications when public bodies post open meeting notices and documents. Coffman shared that, while the website is still a work in progress, 400 active public bodies have begun submitting meeting notices. He noted these meeting notices could include rulemaking hearings. Proposed administrative rules, which hold the effect of law once approved, may be viewed at rules.ok.gov . Coffman said the website is designed to be a "one-stop rules portal" that citizens, agencies and elected officials can access at each step of the rulemaking process. Kendrix, who serves as chair of the House Administrative Rules Committee, said he has multiple people reaching out directly to him during each session for help viewing proposed rules because the process has historically been so cumbersome. "Oklahoma’s administrative rules process has an enormous impact on our state’s communities and businesses, so it's essential that this process is both clear and accessible to everyone," Bergstrom said. "By making it easier for the public to engage and stay informed, we’re taking steps toward a government that works on behalf of Oklahomans. Our goal is a process that respects public input and strengthens accountability across the board." Kendrix and Bergstrom said they intend to use their findings from the study to consider potential improvements to make Oklahoma's administrative rulemaking process more efficient and accountable to the people.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Three Oklahoma lawmakers say that legal legend Stephen Jones will argue on behalf of their petition against Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett, according to a notice filed at the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Friday. Jones is a nationally recognized attorney who led the defense team for Oklahoma City Murrah Building bomber Timothy McVeigh in the late 1990s. The petition was filed Sept. 13 by Reps. Tom Gann, R-Inola, Kevin West, R-Moore, and Rick West, R-Heavener, who between them are all customers of the state’s three largest public utility companies – Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG), Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) and Public Service Co. of Oklahoma (PSO). The petition seeks to prohibit Hiett’s continuing participation in utility cases at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) involving victims and/or witnesses of criminal conduct allegedly committed by Hiett, according to witness statements given to The Oklahoman in July and August. Hiett has refused to disqualify himself from the cases. The Supreme Court has called for oral arguments in the matter on Nov. 12. Until this point, the three state representatives had made their case to the court pro se , acting as their own attorney. “Throughout his long history representing high-profile defendants, Stephen Jones has been a champion of civil rights and constitutional due process rights. We are very happy to have his help in this matter,” the three state representatives said in a joint statement. “Our petition argues that the due process rights of millions of Oklahoma ratepayers are being violated by Commissioner Hiett in utility cases worth billions of dollars. His alleged drunken and sexual misconduct toward and in front of utility company representatives has tainted these cases, and ratepayers already are suffering from it. “We believe the rate payers in Oklahoma deserve fair and impartial representation from the Corporation Commission, and we are pleased Stephen Jones agrees with us. With his help and the court’s, we are confident judicial integrity and ratepayers’ constitutional rights can be restored at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.”
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Ross Ford, R-Broken Arrow, today issued a statement asking all law enforcement to increase public safety efforts at all polling places throughout the state during the upcoming general election. The call comes after the Federal Bureau of Investigation's recent arrest of an Afghan national who the bureau said was planning an Election Day terrorist attack. Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, a 27-year-old man who had been living in Oklahoma City, told the FBI he and his brother-in-law planned to target “large gatherings of people” Nov. 5, according to an affidavit filed by federal agents in court. "I know our state election officials are working overtime to ensure poll workers and everyone planning to vote are safe in our upcoming elections," Ford said. "But as a former police officer, I just want to urge other law enforcement officers to be extra diligent during this time. "I'm grateful to the men and women in the FBI, whose hard work and alertness stopped this plot. I'm confident they and other law enforcement will be just as thorough in the coming weeks to monitor suspicious activity and thwart any further threat. I deeply appreciate those who work so hard daily to protect us and keep our state safe. "We must ensure people feel safe and secure as they exercise this important right." Ford served as a police officer for over 25 years with the Tulsa Police Department.