Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed State Bill 825 Monday, which will require cities to put all redirections or reductions of funding up for a vote.
Stitt wrote in a tweet the bill will âmake it harder for cities to defund the police.â The bill was authored on Feb. 1 by Oklahoma Sen. Rob Standridge (R-Norman).
âAny municipality that levies a dedicated tax pursuant to a vote of the people for the purpose of funding public safety or any other governmental purpose shall not redirect all or a portion of the dedicated tax revenue to another purpose without a vote of the people authorizing such action,â the bill states.
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Members of the Norman City Council cut nearly $1 million to the NPD s proposed budget during the June 16, 2020 meeting. (Kyle Phillips / the Transcript)Kyle Phillips
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has concluded its investigation into the Norman City Councilâs alleged violation of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, and is turning its findings over to the local district attorney.
Cleveland County Sheriff Chris Amason requested in January that the OSBI investigate a criminal misdemeanor complaint against the Norman City Council for the bodyâs alleged violation of the meeting act.
The county sheriff has the authority to request an independent investigation by the OSBI to determine whether criminal charges are necessary or not. Amason requested the investigation after Judge Thomas Baldwin found in December that the council violated the Open Meeting Act with a âdeceptively worded or materially obscuredâ agenda for its June 16, 2020 meeting, a rulin
OSBI completes investigation into Norman FOIA violation
April 22, 2021
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NORMAN, Okla. (AP) The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has finished its investigation into the city of Norman’s violation of the state’s Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, OSBI spokesperson Brooke Arbeitman said Thursday.
“We have completed our investigation and will submit a report to the sheriff, who was the requestor, and the district attorney,” Arbeitman said. “I cannot comment on the findings of the investigation,” which Arbeitman said has not yet been submitted to the sheriff or prosecutor.
Cleveland County Sheriff Chris Amason requested the investigation in January after a district judge ruled in December that the City Council violated the act during a June 2020 meeting in which the police budget was cut by $865,000 with the funding to be moved into community programs and for an internal auditor.