Thursday, May 10, 2012
OKLAHOMA CITY – The statewide public safety plan developed through Oklahoma’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative has been signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin.
“Increasing public safety is a top priority of my administration and a primary function of state government. The reforms in HB 3052 will help to reduce crime and ensure our streets are safer for Oklahoma families,” Fallin said. “In addition to lowering crime rates, reducing the incarceration rate and giving law enforcement more resources to fight crime, this bill will help us to save taxpayer dollars by helping our corrections system operate in a more efficient and effective way.”
Criminal justice stakeholders from across the state stood in support Thursday as Fallin ceremoniously signed House Bill 3052. The bill, authored by House Speaker Kris Steele and Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, was formally signed Wednesday.
“Today marks the beginning of a tougher, smarter fight against crime,” said Steele, R-Shawnee. “Police will get more resources, offenders will be held more accountable, prisons will have the space to incarcerate dangerous criminals and Oklahoma will be much safer as a result. We’re thrilled to have been part of the unprecedented collaboration across our entire criminal justice system that has delivered this meaningful law to the people of Oklahoma.”
HB 3052 establishes a grant program to fund crime reduction initiatives by local law enforcement agencies, requires at least nine months of post-release supervision of all felons, establishes risk, mental health and substance abuse assessments and evaluations prior to sentencing for those found guilty of a felony, and initiates a series of other strategic reforms designed to control prison growth and implement strategies to increase public safety.
“We’ve made a historic public safety reform that puts Oklahoma’s broken criminal justice system back on a sustainable path,” said Bingman, R-Sapulpa. “By being both tough on crime and fiscally conservative, this law will reduce violent crime, give crime fighters the tools to do their job and ensure our criminal justice system keeps Oklahoma families and communities safe.”
HB 3052 goes into effect on Nov. 1.