Tagged: State Capitol

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A Sand Springs woman's gripping tale of becoming a child prostitute at age 11 captivated a legislative panel exploring ways to deal with what police say is a growing problem of human trafficking in Oklahoma.

Jeannetta McCrary told lawmakers how she went from a straight-A cheerleader to a life of sexual exploitation and prostitution as a victim of child trafficking in the 1980s.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma agencies are saving money by switching to debit cards instead of paper checks for things like unemployment benefits and tax refunds, but at least one lawmaker is concerned the cards are posing problems for some citizens and leading to huge windfalls for a private contractor.

State Rep. Scott Inman of Del City outlined his concerns Tuesday during a meeting of the House Government Modernization Committee.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Two state lawmakers are asking Republican Governor Mary Fallin to block tax dollars from being used to fund non-profit groups.

State Representatives Paul Wesselhoft of Moore and Sally Kern of Oklahoma City say more than $12 million appropriated to four state agencies this year are intended for non-profits. Examples of the spending include the IPRA National Finals Rodeo, which has received $50,000 over a two-year period, the Rural Enterprise Institute, which has received $2.25 million over three years, and the OK Expo, which got $2 million this year.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A state lawmaker who was awarded more than $61,000 in workers' compensation due to a collision as he drove to the state Capitol is appealing for more money.

And the state House and its insurance carrier are also appealing — asking that the $61,560 awarded to Republican Representative Mike Christian in July be thrown out.

The Oklahoman reports that Christian's appeal asks the Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Court "to adequately compensate" Christian for injuries suffered in the 2009 collision.