CRIMINAL JUSTICE/SENTENCING REFORM The Chamber supports legislation and funding for sentencing reforms and rehabilitation programs to ease the financial drain on Oklahoma’s criminal justice system, lessen the burden on jails and prisons throughout the state and allow nonviolent offenders to enter the workforce more quickly. The Chamber supports full funding for the County Community Safety Investment Fund, managed by the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services pursuant to the terms of SB 844 (2023) and State Questions 780 and 781 (2016). The Chamber also supports: 1) continuing smart sentencing reform; 2) improving bail and jail practices; 3) making reentry and supervision improvements to reduce fines and fees, enhance workforce opportunities and increase public safety; and 4) securing additional treatment funding. CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING REQUESTS/APPROPRIATIONS/FEDERAL GRANTS The Chamber will collaborate with our Congressional delegation to aggressively pursue Congressionally Directed Spending Requests, federal appropriations and federal grants related to the Chamber’s (and its member/partner organizations) economic development, transportation/infrastructure, aerospace/defense, education, healthcare, criminal justice and other priorities. IMMIGRATION REFORM The Chamber supports federal immigration reform to secure the borders and establish reasonable and effective visa policies/procedures to attract essential workers to the United States. EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION Having access to high-quality early childhood care and education programs encourages parental/guardian employment, which creates more economic security and better opportunities for families. The Chamber recognizes that finding solutions to ongoing childcare needs will require collaboration with federal, state and local governments, business and industry, philanthropic and nonprofit community and education providers. The Chamber steadfastly supports early childhood education,
birth to eight years old, and full funding of pre-K and kindergarten programs. Targeted spending on our youngest children is simply a smart investment.
TEACHER PREPARATION, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION Oklahoma has a teacher shortage. Oklahoma needs to improve our teacher preparation pipeline systems to train, attract and retain more high-quality teachers. We support legislation to: • Reward teacher performance and experience. • Support specialized “grow-your-own” training initiatives such as the OKCPS Foundation Bilingual & Diversity Teacher Pipeline program (supported by UCO, OCCC, Rose State and OSU-OKC) and UCO’s Urban Teacher Preparation Academy. • Implement teacher retention and mentor teacher programs. • Support continued investment in the “Inspired to Teach” scholarship and incentive program. • Increase access to STEM education and training opportunities. • Support adjustments to the teacher retirement system and other strategies that help encourage retention and re-entry of experienced teachers and educators. • Encourage development of programs that encourage students to pursue teaching as a profession. This should include increased public relations and advertising campaigns to recruit teachers. It may also include various programs that offer students tutoring experience, such as Oklahoma’s Math Tutoring Corps, Educators Rising and Teach for America’s Ignite Fellowship.
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