More people escaping domestic violence eligible for utility fee waivers in Oklahoma
Editor's note: This story includes discussion of domestic violence. If you or someone you know needs help, please call 800-799-7233.
A gap in a state law meant to help domestic violence victims move into new places more quickly will soon be closed after Gov. Kevin Stitt approved a fix.
Public utility providers will be required to waive certain setup fees for people escaping domestic violence with the help of a tribal program or shelter.
Oklahoma law currently only requires utility providers to honor fee waiver requests from domestic violence programs on a state-approved list. Tribal nations operate programs completely separate from the state, so they are left out.
Cherokee Nation officials noticed the discrepancy and asked state lawmakers to change the wording of the law so it would cover domestic violence programs and services offered by tribes.
The Legislature passed the resulting measure, House Bill 3863, without a single no vote. Now that it has the governor’s sign off, it will become law Nov. 1.
Rep. Ross Ford, R-Tulsa, who introduced the bill, said he believed it was important for all Oklahomans to have access to the utility fee waivers, which he said have made a difference for victims.
“I don’t have specific numbers, but I do know it is helping to get domestic violence victims out of a dangerous situation and into a safe place to where they and their kids are protected from abuse,” Ford said earlier in April.
Another Oklahoma bill intended to help survivors of domestic violence was vetoed, then overridden
Stitt approved the bill Tuesday, the same day he vetoed a separate measure intended to help domestic violence victims. Senate Bill 1470, known as the Oklahoma Survivors’ Act, would change how criminal courts weigh domestic violence during sentencing. If defendants experienced abuse, that could be considered as a mitigating factor.
In his veto message, Stitt said the bill would allow people convicted of crimes to resist justice.
“Let me give you a hypothetical that captures the essence of this bill,” he wrote. “Y abuses X. Years later, X is convicted of committing crimes against A, B and C. This bill would allow X to present evidence of Y’s abuse as mitigation in sentencing for crimes A, B and C. That is a bridge too far.”
The Senate voted 46-1 Wednesday to override Stitt’s veto. The House must do the same in order for it to become law.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma domestic violence law expands to cover tribes
