Houses Passes Anti-Gang Measure

Rep. Paul Wesselhöft said he applauds his fellow House member for passing his legislation to crack down on gang activity.

House Bill 2080, by Wesselhöft, would make committing a crime as a member of an organized gang in attempts to benefit that gang a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for up to 90 days, or by a fine of up to $1,000 or both.

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Wesselhoft Addresses Gang Membership

Rep. Paul Wesselhoft has filed a bill that seeks to crack down on gang members.

“Organized gangs are involved in knifings, shootings, robberies, home invasions, car thefts, drug deals gone bad and bloody street killings and these gangs threaten our very peace,” said Wesselhöft, R-Moore. “It is past time to outlaw gangs; I am going to do it.”

House Bill 2080, by Wesselhöft, will make being a member of an organized gang that has demonstrated a pattern of delinquent or criminal activity a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for up to 90 days, or by a fine of up to $1,000 or both.

The legislation defines “gang member” and “organized gangs” and identifies the names of existing gangs that have demonstrated a pattern of criminal activity.

Currently, there are more than 5,000 gang members in Oklahoma. On May 31, 2008 six Oklahoma teens were shot in random drive-by shootings by gang members.
In 1999, there were some 50 drive-by shootings. In 2005, drive-by shootings rose to 260.

“Hardly a week passes without the media reporting a drive-by shooting,” Wesselhöft said.

The Moore lawmaker said officials need to start cracking down on gangs before Oklahoma’s youth are recruited and before the problem escalates beyond control.

HB 2080 would penalize a participant or member of a street gang who is 18 years of age or older and is aware that juveniles are members of his or her gang or are participants in the gang. Those convicted would face up to 180 days in the county jail, a fine of up to $2,000, or both.

“We are also dealing with an increase in ‘baby gangsters’ in Oklahoma who are eight years of age and spreading graffiti to mark gang territory. At age 13, these kids can become full gang members,” said Wesselhöft. “Many of the gangs are also involved in racial rivalries that could escalate into race wars. Oklahoma must outlaw organized gangs and prevent them from intimidating citizens, killing each other and killing innocent bystanders.”

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Wesselhoft Rips Coates, Leftwich

Rep. Paul Wesselhöft, R-Moore, issued the following statement today in response to calls for the firing of Jerry Regier, interim director of the Oklahoma Construction Industry:

“It has been appalling to read the recent attacks on one of Oklahoma’s most honorable sons, Jerry Regier. State Senators Debbe Leftwich (D) Oklahoma City, and Harry Coates (R) Seminole have called into question the merits of the Oklahoma Construction Industry Board’s (CIB) hiring of Regier as its interim director.

“Jerry Regier has an impressive history of success and accomplishment guiding and resurrecting countless programs and agencies. Amongst his accomplishments, Mr. Regier was the founding President and driving force behind the Family Research Council; an early Washington, DC watchdog organization. In Oklahoma, he took the reigns of the Department of Health and Human Services at a time of crisis, righted the ship, and uncovered numerous ghost employees. He appointed me to head Oklahoma’s new abstinence initiative, in which we successfully lowered the teen and out of wedlock birth rates.

“For the State of Florida, he restructured the Department of Children and Families, successfully reducing a backlog of 30,000 social services cases and increasing adoptions by some 150 percent. He put in place a new foster care system which had literally lost children in the past.

“One must wonder why Senators Leftwich and Coates would call for the ouster of the man who in 2001 was named Administrator of the Year in Oklahoma by the American Society of Public Administration (Oklahoma Chapter). They had not said one word about the CIB for the past 8 months since Boyd West had been fired as the Administrator…so why now? Clearly it seems to be politically motivated.

“As the Chairman of the Industry and Labor Committee, in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, I understand the critical need for quality leadership within our construction industry at this point in time. Jerry Regier is the right man, at the right time for this post. He has been a problem solver in a wide range of administrative posts, from local government up to multiple Federal posts under three different Presidents. Many of these agencies were in states of crisis, and Jerry succeeded in bringing each situation encountered to a positive and productive resolution. There should be no doubt that a similar result will occur for the CIB should Mr. Regier be allowed to continue in his capacity as Interim Director. The Board should not allow these Senators to now become Administrators of an Executive branch agency, but should do what is right for the good of the CIB.”

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GOP Caucus Could Be Contentious, Tension-Filled As Speaker-Designate Elected, Blackwell Discussed

Monday's House Republican Caucus, at which a new speaker-designate will be elected, could be a contentious, tension-filled meeting, several insiders say today.

At issue will be the election of a new speaker-designate to replace Lance Cargill. It is believed Rep. Chris Benge is the favorite going in, with Rep. Susan Winchester in second place. Some believe that as of Sunday afternoon, Benge has a one- or two-vote lead, but that could change. If Benge doesn't win on a first ballot, several believe, Winchester could benefit. Reps. Dale DeWitt and John Wright also are candidates and given the fluidity of opinion as of Sunday afternoon, it appears either one also could be a contender given the right circumstances even though that seems unlikely.

But contributing most to the tension some feel today is whether Speaker Pro Tem Gus Blackwell, who withdrew as a speaker candidate almost certain to win when his tardy property tax payments were reported, should remain as the No. 2 Republican in the House. Only one House Republican, Paul Wesselhoft, has spoken publicly and he says Blackwell should not remain in that position. Others say privately they are not comfortable with him remaining and in the privacy of the Caucus, they will say so if necessary.

"We need a clean sweep," one GOP House member said Sunday. "The whole state is watching us and how we perform is going to be criticized and second-guessed til the cows come home." He added that Democrat hopes of electing Danny Morgan as speaker if enough Republicans unhappy with their own selection defect when the final vote comes on the House floor "are foolish...a pipe dream."

Said a second: "If we continue with flawed leadership...we'll pay a price come November." He added, "However, it's a tough deal, real tough."

A third, however, defends Blackwell: "He's done nothing illegal. He shouldn't have to pay an even greater price than he already has."

Asked if Blackwell should have withdrawn as a candidate for speaker, the member hesitated, then said, "Well...I don't think he had any choice given what Lance did (resign as speaker over late tax payments)."

The Caucus is scheduled first thing Monday. The entire House will vote on the new speaker in the afternoon.

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Wesselhoft Questions Blackwell's Future Role

Republican Rep. Paul Wesselhoft (pictured) told KFOR-TV Thursday night that the next question GOP legislators face is, "Should Gus Blackwell remain our speaker pro tem? I think not."

Wesselhoft joined other, although less public, GOP House members in questioning whether Blackwell, Goodwell Republican, should retain his leadership post after it was revealed he was late paying his Texas County property taxes for 13 years in a row.

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Wesselhoft Wants DNA Sample Expansion

Legislation filed by state Rep. Paul Wesselhöft could help police solve many currently unresolved crimes, he said today.

Wesselhöft has filed House Bill 2603, which would require all individuals arrested on felony charges to provide a DNA sample for a state database. The legislation will be called, "Katie's Law," in honor of a New Mexico crime victim. In August 2003, 22-year-old Katie Sepich was brutally attacked outside her home in New Mexico. She was raped and strangled, and her body was set on fire and abandoned at an old dump site. No suspects were immediately identified, but skin and blood samples were found under her fingernails, leaving the attacker's DNA sample. The DNA samples were sent to the national DNA database system (CODIS).

However, most states do not allow law enforcement to take DNA samples for felony arrests, making it more difficult to identify suspects through the national database.

"If there was a swab of the person who killed Katie, they would now be in prison and unable to harm someone else," said Wesselhöft, R-Moore. "By expanding the DNA database, we can catch more bad guys who would otherwise remain free."

Currently, all states require DNA for felony convictions, but 26 states have considered bills to require DNA samples from individuals arrested on felony charges, including Texas and Kansas."DNA profiles generated by crime labs contain no private medical or genetic information. This protects privacy," said Wesselhöft. "There has been no instance of misuse of the DNA database. But there is evidence of its success--already the data has been used to solve nearly 50,000 crimes nationwide, according to the FBI."

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation supports Wesselhöft's bill.

"We have a state-wide DNA database and the more people and samples we have in it the more crimes we can solve," said Jessica Brown, OSBI public information officer. "Many states have already done this-it's a good situation for everyone. It will help us solve more crimes and prevent other crimes from happening, and it will help victims' families find closure."

Supporters of the legislation note that many criminals fall through the cracks and would not be captured if not for DNA databases. For example (according to www.katieslaw.org), California native Chester Turner was first arrested for assault with a deadly weapon in 1987 but was not convicted. Through the years, Turner was arrested a total of 21 times before he was ever formally convicted of any crime. But in 2002, when he was convicted of rape, his DNA was taken and found to match 12 other unsolved rape and murder cases. The first of these victims was raped in March 1987. Had DNA been taken upon Turner's first felony arrest, officials could have potentially saved 11 lives.

"This should be an easy measure to pass," said Wesselhöft. "It is a measure that could prevent what happened to Katie from happening again by identifying criminals based on DNA before they are able to strike again."Wesselhöft said he has had conversations with Katie's mother; and she expressed her gratitude toward Oklahoma in considering her crusade to protect people.

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Office Of Disability Concerns Marks Name Change

In an attempt to cast Oklahoma's disabled community in a more positive light, legislation that changed a state agency's name has now gone into effect.

House Bill 1084, by Rep. Paul Wesselhöft, renamed the Oklahoma Office of Handicapped Concerns as the Office of Disability Concerns. This week new signage reflecting the name change was added to the agency's headquarters.

"It was a wonderful sight to see," said Wesselhöft, R-Moore. "It is important that we be sensitive to the disabled community, making sure they are viewed as people with disabilities and not 'handicapped.' We need to do whatever we can to show our support and this is just one more step in that direction."

Steve Stokes, ODC Director, said the word handicap comes from the expression "cap in hand," a reference to beggars that many people with disabilities think is inappropriate and belittles their ability to function as everyday citizens."It was time we utilize more appropriate language and get rid of a derogatory term," Wesselhöft said.

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Majority Dislike Wesselhoft Phone Proposal

Only 19 percent of those who've voted in TMRO's online poll thus far agree with Rep. Paul Wesselhoft that cell phone usage while driving should be restricted or banned by law. If you've not yet let your vote be counted, do so today. The poll is posted on the right side of this page.

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Wesselhoft Moves To Restrict Cell Phone Usage

People need to stop using cell phones and keep both hands on the wheel when driving, says Rep. Paul Wesselhöft. The Moore Republican plans to file legislation to increase punishments for cell-phone-using drivers.

Under Wesselhöft's bill if an automobile accident can be attributed to cell-phone use, the penalty will be a mandatory $1,000 fine and a mandatory 20 days in jail along with any other penalties for other crimes associated with the accident.

"I hope a result of passing a bill like this will be to strongly encourage drivers to pull off the road to a safe area if they must use their cell phones," said Wesselhöft. "This will save people from serious injuries or death. There's no reason for more innocent lives to be lost because a phone call or text 'couldn't wait.'"

Wesselhöft noted that recently in New York a 17-year-old driver slammed head-on to a truck, killing her and four other recent high school graduates. The driver was text messaging friends at the time of the accident.

A research study by the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) showed drivers looked at the road less while dialing manually (just 40 percent of the time) than when using hands-free dialing (50 percent). "I hope my bill is taken seriously because I think saving people's lives is a serious issue," said Wesselhöft. "If my bill passes the public will be amazed to see how many accidents can be attributed to cell phone use."

Wesselhöft said his bill would not prohibit the use of cell phones when driving but will have penalties for those who cause accidents due to their lack of paying attention to the road.

Citing the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, Wesselhöft said cell phones have been a contributing factor in hundreds of automobile accidents in recent years:1998-98 accidents; 1999-107 accidents; 2000-93 accidents; 2001-134 accidents; 2002-235 accidents; 2003-337 accidents; 2004-567 accidents; 2005-775 accidents; 2006-802 accidents.

The OHSO also reported that in 2006 there were 3 fatalities and 36 individuals incapacitated in accidents where cells phones were a major factor.

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Cannaday Questions Longer School Year Idea, Wesselhoft Wants To Add 15 Days

State Rep. Ed Cannaday (D-Porum), a former school administrator, today questioned State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sandy Garrett’s call to expand Oklahoma’s school day and academic year.

“State Superintendent of Public School Sandy Garrett’s 'State of Education' speech on July 10 focused on the challenges facing Oklahoma education. She concluded that we could fix some problems by adding an extra hour per day and an extra week per year. This proposal also includes conducting extracurricular programs after school hours.

“She failed to mention the frequent interruptions to instructional time required by state mandates and required staff development schedules.

“Her recommended expansion would constitute a 20-percent increase in instructional time. However, the educational community learned in their 'block schedule' strategies that this expansion in time does not correlate to additional learning if a teacher does not add at least two different teaching strategies to the extended class period. Some mistakenly approached this as additional time to do assignments in the form of an unofficial study hall. This leads me to be concerned that we are merely adding to our schools another responsibility that should be handled by the family. I and other school officials have found there are long-range negative effects on schools when we isolate the family from participation in their child’s education.

“Many parents will gladly approve the greater time that schools extend their care and nurturing because it frees parents to pursue individual interests and concerns. We must realize that this is the precise difference between the US and the countries mentioned in the Superintendent Garrett’s speech: the families in the nations of Japan and China are intimately involved in their children’s education.

“There are three basic areas that this legislator must have addressed before I will join this parade of 'let’s try something new' led by those wishing to look like real problem-solvers. First, what specific problem are we attempting to solve or minimize by extending the school day/year? I do not mean some glib generality like 'getting students to learn more.' Are we talking about reducing remediation rates as students go to college? Do we want to improve the number of students going to college? What about ACT scores? What about CRT scores? And the list goes on. Each of these will require different strategies to address desired improvements and not just expansion of the school day/year.

“Second, what research based data is available that shows the extension of our school calendar results in a high positive correlation between the desired change and the action taken? We often say, well they are doing it in Kansas and Texas so it must be good. We must focus our plan on a specific problem and see if the school calendar of these other states resulted in the change we desire.

“Third, are the Legislature and state of Oklahoma ready and willing to increase the common education budget by 20 percent (giving schools 45 percent of the total state budget) to attempt this unproven technique to solve an unidentified problem? I believe that the state government will be more responsible than this. We will expect specific problems to be identified with specific proposed research based solution before we commit to such a large increase in expenditures.”

However, State Rep. Paul Wesselhöft drafted a bill last week to extend the number of student class days each school year from 175 to 190. He said today that a recent report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that gave Oklahoma's public school system two "F" grades is evidence that such a change is needed.

"Oklahoma has the lowest number of mandatory school days in the nation, and that's one of the reasons why our students are not as well educated as students in other states and in other nations around the world," said Wesselhöft, R-Moore. "Whether we like it or not, our children will have to compete in a global economy when they enter the workforce, and we must make sure they have every reasonable advantage possible."

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It's A Stinky Award

State Rep. Paul Wesselhoft today awarded his second annual "skunk master award" to House Bill 1278, the "stinkiest bill of the session."

Wesselhoft said even though HB 1278 funded the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, the bill was full of senatorial pork such as $150,000 for the Pollard Theater, a privately owned business; $150,000 for the Greenwood Cultural Center and $200,000 for "A Pocket Full of Hope," a community project in Tulsa. "There was strong debate arguing that the bill ought to be returned to the Senate in order to remove obvious pork, but the bill passed 55-15 with the large number of 31 representatives not voting at all," said Wesselhoft, R-Moore.

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Spending Database Bill Goes To Henry

Senate Bill 1, the Taxpayer Transparency Act establishing an online database of state spending, is on its way to Governor Brad Henry's desk after final legislative approval.

The measure, by Senator Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, and Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, R-Oklahoma City, follows passage of a federal act to do the same thing at that level.

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Wesselhoft Salary Reform Bill Moves In House

Having given the "skunk master" award last year to a bill tying statewide office holders' salaries to judicial pay, Rep. Paul Wesselhoft today said it was time to sever the salary relationship.

Last year Wesselhöft gave the first annual Skunk Master Award to the bill he said most exhibited the smell of waste, greed or hypocrisy. The Moore Republican created the award for the worst (smelliest) legislation of the year because he had grown weary of an ever-increasing state budget. The first bill to receive the award authorized a 21-percent pay raise for all judges of the Supreme Court, Court of Civil Appeals, and District Court Judges, which automatically increased by 21 percent the pay of all state-wide elected office holders such as the governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.

Wesselhöft promised House members and Oklahoma citizens to introduce a bill this year to sever state-wide elected officials' pay from judicial salary increases suggested by the Board on Judicial Compensation, the seven-member panel that advises the governor, House speaker and Senate president pro tempore on pay increases for judges. He did just that with House Bill 1085, which passed the full House unanimously on Monday.

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Anti-Predator Bill Would Protect Kids

Oklahoma children may soon be protected from online sexual predators when they use library computers.

House Bill 1715, by Rep. Paul Wesselhöft, prohibits children 12 and under from accessing the Internet at their local library unless filters have been installed or the child is under adult supervision.

"It may surprise many parents to know how accessible children become to online predators when using the Internet at a local library," said Wesselhöft, R-Moore. "It is often easier for a child to access computer chat rooms at a library because a parent is not in the area overlooking their child's activity. This is very disturbing to me."

According to ProtectKids.com, one in five children who use computer chat rooms have been approached by pedophiles. Eighty-nine percent of sexual solicitations to a minor are made in either chat rooms or instant messages.

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Steve Russell Honored As 'Vet Of The Week'

One of the central players in the hunt for and capture of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was honored by a resolution as the first "Veteran of the Week" on the House floor.

The resolution, authored by Representatives Mike Reynolds and Paul Wesselhoft and Senator Tom Ivester (D-Elk City), honored native Oklahoman and retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Steve Russell for his service to the United States and the protection of freedom.

"Lieutenant Colonel Russell is a hero for his service to America and his sacrifice in the name of freedom, it's as simple as that," said Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City. "He is one of our treasured native sons, and we are all very proud of his commitment to serve our nation. On top of that, he is as fine a man as you will ever meet."

Each Monday during the legislative session, the House will honor an Oklahoma veteran as the "Veteran of the Week." The program is coordinated by state Rep. Gary Banz, chair of the House Veterans Subcommittee. Each honoree will be given a framed citation and a United States flag that has flown of the Oklahoma Capitol building.

"The 'Veteran of the Week' program is just a small way for the state to honor those who have served our nation with distinction," said Banz, R-Midwest City. "It is always so easy for us to forget who provides our freedoms and liberties, and my hope is that the state of Oklahoma will always find a way to remember our troops and thank them for their dedication and sacrifices."

Russell currently resides in Reynolds' House District 101 and travels across the nation speaking at rallies to support the U.S. efforts in Iraq. He retired from the Army after serving 21 years in Airborne, Light and Mechanized assignments in the Arctic, the desert, the Pacific, and in both Europe and the United States. He served more than 7 years overseas and has deployed operationally to Kosovo, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq. During Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Russell commanded the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry 'Regulars' and conducted combat efforts in Tikrit, Iraq from spring 2003 through spring 2004. Russell's unit was heavily involved in the hunt for, and capture of, Hussein and has been featured in both Discovery's 'Ace in the Hole' and BBC Panorama's 'Saddam on the Run' documentaries.

"I am so thankful for men like Lieutenant Colonel Russell and all of our brave Oklahoma military servicemen and women who are willing to serve our country so our ideals, our freedoms and our families are protected," said Wesselhoft, R-Moore, a former U.S. Army Chaplain. "Words certainly cannot express the deepest appreciation we feel toward those who are willing to sacrifice so much. Anytime we are able to bring one of our heroes onto the House floor to just say 'thank you' is one of the greatest highlights of my job in the Legislature."

Russell is highly decorated, and has received the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman's Badge and the Valorous Unit Award during his service.

On Saturday at 10:30 a.m., Russell will speak at the Vets for Victory Rally to support the troops and their mission in Iraq on the south steps of the Oklahoma State Capitol.

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