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Governor’s office not taking questions on the reasons for his veto of a public safety bill

Justice

TULSA — In Oklahoma, the Department of Public Safety gathers data on traffic-related convictions from any number of jurisidictions, including cities, counties, and even other states.

But while it gathers that same information from tribal courts in this state, those convictions can not be used to revoke or suspend a driver license.

Oklahoma House Bill 3501 would have closed that loophole, allowing those convictions to count against a driver in the ten-point system used by DPS.

The bill’s author, District 86 Rep. David Hardin, saw the bill pass 69-3 in the House and 44-1 in the Senate.

It also had support from a number of law enforcement agencies, so he didn’t understand the governor’s veto - even after reading the veto message, which he says was sent to him Monday evening just before the veto was announced.

“I do have 40 years in law enforcement. I retired from the Oklahoma City Police Department and I was Sheriff in Adair County before I ever became a legislator,” he told KRMG Tuesday. “I understand the bill. Somebody that’s not in law enforcement, doesn’t have any law enforcement experience, it may be confusing to them. Obviously he (Stitt) has a different opinion on that.”

KRMG reached out to Governor Stitt’s Communications Director, Carly Atchison, and asked her to provide a spokesperson to answer questions about the veto.

“What do you need explained?” she replied. “The veto message is pretty clear...not sure we have much else to say.”

After agreeing to speak with us off the record, she again declined to answer any questions.

We later received an email which read in part “that signing House Bill 3501 would have amounted to a concession of tribal court jurisdiction despite significant uncertainty about the jurisdictional reach of tribal courts.”

The nature of that uncertainty is unclear, as well as whether that opinion is that of Gov. Stitt or his legal advisors, as the opinion was offered without attribution or citation.

Both House Speaker Charles McCall and Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat voted “aye” on the bill, but neither has thus far spoken publicly about a possible veto override attempt.

Several tribal governments and officials have responded to the governor’s veto.

That includes Choctaw Nation Principal Chief Gary Batton, whose nation first approached Hardin about drafting the bill.

In a statement quoted by OKC television statement KFOR, he said: “Once again, Gov. Stitt has chosen division and his personal political ambitions over doing what is best for Oklahoma. Tribal courts and law enforcement agencies have a long history of cooperation with state and local governments, including 75 cross-deputization agreements between the Choctaw Nation and other governments. HB 3501 strengthens those relationships by requiring the state Department of Public Safety to recognize convictions for traffic offenses in tribal courts. Under this bill, drivers who violate the law and put others in jeopardy will be kept off the road.”

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