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Showing 161 to 180 of 560 article results for “supreme court”
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Law & Principles
Lawmakers must ensure fairness for all Oklahomans
Oklahoma lawmakers should pass “trigger” laws that declare anytime an Oklahoman of American Indian descent is exempted from a state law or regulation, that law will be repealed for all other Oklahomans.Jonathan Small | July 20, 2023
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Law & Principles
Document shows Cherokee political donations favor Democrats
Oklahoma politicians often refer to tribal governments as state “partners.” A recently obtained Cherokee Nation document indicates the tribe financially partners with politicians from both parties through campaign contributions, but especially with Democratic lawmakers.Ray Carter | July 13, 2023
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Law & Principles
Fairness, certainty, and unity still needed
“If Oklahoma is to survive, we must all be subject to the same laws, taxes, and treatment—period.”Curtis Shelton | July 7, 2023
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Law & Principles
We need fairness for all Oklahomans
You may have seen some recent news that could have serious public-safety implications for Tulsa and other parts of eastern Oklahoma.Dave Bond | July 5, 2023
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Law & Principles
Public-safety reality contradicts tribal claims
After a federal court ruled that city police within historic tribal reservations in Oklahoma cannot enforce local ordinances, such as speed limits, when the violator is an American Indian, tribal officials have downplayed the decision, saying tribal law enforcement who are cross-deputized by cities like Tulsa can handle the workload. But the manpower of tribal police forces, and the tribes’ own calls for federal bailouts, suggest the tribes cannot handle much of that responsibility.Ray Carter | July 3, 2023
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Law & Principles, Culture & the Family
OCPA praises Supreme Court ruling favoring religious liberty
OCPA President Jonathan Small said the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling today in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis preserves citizens’ core right to religious liberty and free speech.Staff | June 30, 2023
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Law & Principles
Tribes hail ‘get out of jail free’ card for Indians
Tribal leaders are praising a federal court decision that effectively gave Indians a “get out of jail free” card by ruling that tribal citizens are exempt from local law enforcement in Tulsa and other communities located on historic reservation land throughout eastern Oklahoma.Ray Carter | June 30, 2023
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Law & Principles
Stitt offers tribes status-quo deal on tobacco compacts
Gov. Kevin Stitt has offered tribal governments a one-year extension of state-tribal compacts that maintains the status quo as it has existed for nearly a decade, including payment of millions of dollars to tribes that the state does not legally have to provide.Ray Carter | June 29, 2023
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Law & Principles
Record contradicts tribe’s public-safety claim
The recent U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit ruled that American Indians are exempt from local enforcement of speeding laws and other municipal regulations in areas lying within some Oklahoma tribes’ historic reservation lines. The cross-deputization of tribal and local police offered as a solution has already failed to address existing problems.Ray Carter | June 29, 2023
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Law & Principles
Court rules Indians exempt from traffic laws
If any individual member of an American Indian tribe wants to ignore the speed limit in Tulsa—say, by driving 100 miles-per-hour through a school zone—that individual can do so without fear of facing a ticket or charges by city police under a new ruling issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.Ray Carter | June 28, 2023
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Law & Principles
Court cases show Oklahoma has enforcement power over tribes
Senators were told there was no scenario in which the state could collect all tobacco taxes it is owed—those generated by tobacco sales to non-Indians—because the state cannot sue a tribal government. But court decisions show otherwise, with courts ruling that Oklahoma state government can enforce its tax laws even when dealing with tribal actors who are breaking state law.Ray Carter | June 27, 2023
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Law & Principles
Senate sustains Stitt veto on tribal compacts—for now
By a one-vote margin, members of the Oklahoma Senate have voted to sustain Gov. Kevin Stitt’s veto of a legislatively drafted state-tribal compact on tobacco taxes.Ray Carter | June 26, 2023
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Education
Minute of silence recommended for Oklahoma schools
State Superintendent Ryan Walters is encouraging schools to begin each day with a minute of silence in which students can reflect, pray, or engage in any other silent activity.Ray Carter | June 22, 2023
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Law & Principles
Groups across the political spectrum support students in free-speech lawsuit against OSU
The organization Speech First says OSU’s harassment, computer, and bias-incidents policies violate students’ constitutional rights. Several organizations from across the political spectrum are urging the court to preserve the plaintiff students’ anonymity.Ray Carter | June 19, 2023
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Law & Principles
Legislative compact expands tribe’s territory 109,000 percent
Because of a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, new state-tribal tobacco compacts drafted by state legislators could provide a gargantuan expansion of tribal territory. That change could result in hundreds of millions in existing state tax collections shifting to the control of a small sliver of tribal officials over time, and force non-Native Oklahomans to shoulder a larger tax burden to make up the difference.Ray Carter | June 15, 2023
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Law & Principles
Tribal chiefs chosen by few tribal members
Election results suggest that Gov. Kevin Stitt received far more raw votes from American Indian voters than the combined number of tribal citizens who have cast votes in favor of the elected chiefs of five major tribes.Ray Carter | June 14, 2023
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Budget & Tax
Indian ruling could hit the state treasury
A case before the Oklahoma Supreme Court could have major revenue implications for state government.Curtis Shelton | June 12, 2023
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Law & Principles
Renewing tobacco, car-tag compacts bad for Oklahoma
Special-interest attempts to force automatic renewal of existing tobacco and license-tag compacts will create enormous challenges for the state.Jonathan Small | June 5, 2023
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Law & Principles
What is the Oklahoma Supreme Court doing?
Abolishing the JNC and moving to the model formulated by James Madison would inject more accountability into the judicial system while maintaining the separation of powers so vital to the republican form of government.Ryan Haynie | June 1, 2023
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Law & Principles
Stitt vetoes compact bills over state revenue concerns
Gov. Kevin Stitt has vetoed two bills that would extend existing state-tribal compacts on tobacco taxes and motor vehicle licenses, warning that those agreements fail to account for the impact of a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling.Ray Carter | June 1, 2023