Articles
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Judicial Reform, Law & Principles
Constitutional change required for cap on noneconomic damages
This legislative session, Senate Judiciary Chair Julie Daniels seeks to revive the noneconomic damages cap by placing it in the Oklahoma Constitution. The bill, SJR 40, may be the sole remaining approach to assure that the intent of the legislature, as well as the state’s voters, is preserved.A.J. Ferate | April 28, 2020
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Law & Principles
Calls to change absentee voting process raise fraud concerns
In response to COVID-19, a coalition of mostly left-leaning organizations is demanding that Oklahoma abandon a longstanding election-security safeguard.Ray Carter | April 27, 2020
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Judicial Reform, Law & Principles
Put tort reform in the Oklahoma Constitution
The Oklahoma Supreme Court conducts itself more as a rolling constitutional convention than an appellate court. The Legislature, and the people, should not tolerate the Court’s overreach.Benjamin Lepak | April 20, 2020
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Criminal Justice, Law & Principles
Crime may be unaffected by COVID-19, while lawsuits proliferate
The statewide COVID-19 shutdown may have dramatically impacted most Oklahomans, but it may not have deterred serious crimes, law enforcement officials told lawmakers Thursday. At the same time, the state could soon face a rash of lawsuits challenging the legality of government actions that forced business closures and the loss of citizens’ jobs.Ray Carter | April 17, 2020
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Law & Principles, Culture & the Family
In Norman, buying groceries may result in fine, jail
A recent “stay at home” order issued by Norman Mayor Breea Clark requires citizens of Norman to restrict shopping to odd or even days, based on a citizen’s home address, as part of the city’s response to COVID-19.Ray Carter | April 3, 2020
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Law & Principles, Culture & the Family
Shutdowns: What’s the point?
Stopping the worst ravages of this virus is an important task for all Americans, including our government officials. The importance of the task provides no excuse for turning the process into a bureaucracy where the means become more important than the ends.Trent England | April 2, 2020
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Health Care, Law & Principles
Noneconomic-damages fix must be constitutional, not statutory
Any serious effort to reform a state’s civil justice system must include, as one of its core components, a solution to the problem of excessive claims for noneconomic damages, commonly understood as damages awarded for the pain and suffering experienced by the injured person seeking compensation.Andrew C. Spiropoulos | March 31, 2020
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Health Care, Law & Principles
Coronavirus response undermines case for many regulations
Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed an executive order that waives various regulations in Oklahoma, including mandates restricting the provision of telemedicine, to help address issues associated with coronavirus.Ray Carter | March 18, 2020
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Law & Principles
Lawsuit reform narrowly survives in Senate vote
Legislation that would allow Oklahoma voters to reinstate a longstanding lawsuit reform narrowly survived a Senate vote.Ray Carter | March 13, 2020
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Health Care, Law & Principles
Republicans endorse ‘implicit bias’ training
The Republican-controlled Oklahoma House of Representatives voted this week to encourage medical professionals serving pregnant women to undergo “implicit bias” training.Ray Carter | March 12, 2020