Senator Wayne Shaw Helps Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission
As lawmakers enter into the fifth week of the legislative session, our work continues at a fast pace. Last week was the deadline for all bills to be heard in committee and now we are in the process of hearing the bills passed in committee on the Senate floor.
One of my bills, Senate Bill 155, passed in the General Government committee before the deadline and also passed the full Senate earlier this week. Senate Bill 155 would provide a dual office holding exemption for certain Scenic Rivers Commission officers, which would allow the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission to hire off-duty municipal and county law enforcement officers as part-time river patrol officers. This is particularly crucial in the summer months when additional enforcement assistance is needed when the weather warms up and more people in our area are enjoying the outdoor amenities our district has to offer.
During an interim study last fall, lawmakers heard from OSRC Capt. Bill James, a former Oklahoma Highway Patrolman, and he addressed the need for increased patrol to keep the altercations often fueled by a day of drinking on the river under control. He voiced his concerns that it is currently very difficult to control dangerous situations, including fights, on the Illinois River with the reduced number of law officers available, and while it may appear on paper that arrests since 2012 have declined, the reduced arrests are reflective of the OSRC’s law enforcement shortage and not an improvement in behavior. Capt. James shared figures with the committee indicating there were 30 DUI arrests in 2014 as compared to 54 in 2012 and 55 in 2013, which again, were indicative of fewer officers on duty and not due to an actual drop in delinquent behavior. In the same manner, warnings issued have dropped from a 2012 level of 1,066 to only 694 in 2014.
In an effort to address these concerns, I co-authored SB 155 with Rep. Will Fourkiller, which would boost the number of workers who would be eligible to be hired as part-time employees for the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission. An adequately staffed workforce is crucial to the commission, but with a stretched budget and restrictive hiring requirements, it has made it challenging to maintain a staff large enough to match the demands of the summer crowd. This bill passed in the Senate this week and now moves to the House for consideration.
Throughout the legislative session I will be keeping you aware of Senate news and the business of the state. Please feel free to contact me at the state Capitol by calling (405) 521-5574 or by email at shaw@oksenate.gov.
Senator Wayne Shaw Helps Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission
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