Lauria and Ashley’s law stalls; Bible family outraged
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — A victim rights bill named after two missing Craig County teens hit a bump in its journey to become law.
Lauria and Ashley’s Law, authored by Rep. Steve Bashore, R-Miami, was scheduled to be heard on the Senate floor tomorrow (4/25).
“Lauria and Ashley” bill passes Oklahoma House 85-13
Lorene Bible, Lauria’s mother, said the family was notified late Wednesday that the bill will not be heard because the legislators do not have time to hear the bill.
House Bill 2946 or the Lauria and Ashley’s Law, passed in the Oklahoma House 85-13 in February. The bill adds accessory to murder in the first or second degree to the list of crimes that would require an offender to serve 85% of their prison sentence before being eligible to request parole. Felons would not be eligible to earn any credit that would reduce their sentence below 85% of what was imposed, according to the Bill.
“This is a slap in the face to the Bible family and all victims,” Bashore said.
Bashore said the Senate Judicial Committee passed the bill on March 26 and had almost a month to hear the bill.
“It’s asinine the bill will not be heard, Bashore said.
“It’s not a time-consuming bill, but even if it was – so what – it’s about the victims,” Bashore said.
“Passing this bill into a law would have only been a semi-win for the Bible family,” Bashore said.
Passing this bill won’t bring back the girls, but it would stop the heartache for other families, he said.
Click here to read the Bible family’s Facebook page.
Lorene Bible & Lisa Bible Brodrick discuss Lauria & Ashley’s Law
“If the bill is not heard on Thursday, it will not be heard and we will have to file again next year,” Bible said. “So again, it appears that victims’ rights are not important.”
Bible is imploring people to reach out to Senate Majority Floor Leader Greg McCourtney’s office and ask him to hear House Bill 2946.
“We need to keep monsters behind bars, not for the sake of our girls, Lauria and Ashley, but for your children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews,” Bible said.
Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman disappeared on Dec. 29, 1999, from Freeman’s rural Welch home, which had been set on fire. Danny and Kathy Freeman were fatally shot and the girls were kidnapped.
Authorities believe the girls were held in a Picher mobile home belonging to Phil Welch, Jr. for around two weeks where they were drugged, tortured, raped, and beaten and ultimately murdered.
Convicted felon Ronnie Busick pleaded guilty in 2020, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison on a reduced charge of accessory to felony murder. His sentence was reduced after he earned good behavior credits allowing him to be released in May 2023. As part of his plea agreement, Busick would have served even less time if he had led authorities to the location of the girls’ bodies. Due to the current law, he received 60 days of credit for every month in prison.
