House GOP: attempted "nonbinary" birth certificate settlement did not follow legal process

Attempted nonbinary birth certificate settlement did not follow process in law

OKLAHOMA CITY - An attempted executive branch legal settlement to authorize nonbinary birth certificates in Oklahoma failed to follow a legal process outlined in state law, House Republican leadership said Thursday.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reportedly entered into a federal lawsuit settlement authorizing a process to add nonbinary to the gender section of Oklahoma birth certificates, but never notified proper authorities as required by law.

"Failure by the executive branch agency to follow the proper legal process means this is not a valid agreement," said House Speaker Pro Tempore Terry O'Donnell, R-Catoosa, an attorney.

Title 74, Section 20f of Oklahoma law requires that a "settlement involving injunctive relief which substantially impacts the operation or programs of a state agency...shall be reviewed prior to its finalization by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate or his designee, the Speaker of the House or his designee, and the Governor or his designee."

Outrage: wOKe Health Dep't adds "nonbinary" birth certificates

As first reported by NonDoc, the Oklahoma State Department of Health has "formalized a process for designating someone’s sex as nonbinary on birth certificates." The move comes after OSDH settled a federal lawsuit filed by a transgender activist who was born in Oklahoma but now lives in Oregon.

More from NonDoc:

Jackie Shawnee, chief of staff for Oklahoma Commissioner of Health Dr. Lance Frye, explained the new process for amending birth certificates in a statement to NonDoc. 

“Requirements for legally changing the sex designation on an Oklahoma birth certificate have changed,” Shawnee said. “In order to legally change the sex designation on an original Oklahoma birth certificate, you must obtain a court order from an Oklahoma court. A certified copy of this court order must be presented to (the) Oklahoma (Office of) Vital Records before an amended birth certificate can be issued.”

This unscientific, illogical, and insane move has sparked sharp criticism this morning. Below are comments from Governor Kevin Stitt, House Speaker Charles McCall, and State Senator Micheal Bergstrom (who has now filed legislation for birth certificates to reflect the scientific fact of either male or female). Updated to add a statement from Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat.

Welcome to the woke spirit of the age. When God is dethroned and truth no longer matters, anything goes.

County Commish Ken Doke to hold reelection campaign kickoff

Muskogee County Commissioner Ken Doke will be holding a reelection campaign kickoff reception on Thursday, October 21st, at 5pm. The event is sponsored, in part, by several local GOP legislators, including Rep. Avery Frix, Sen. Kim David, and Sen. Dwayne Pemberton. 

Doke became the first Republican to win his seat when he won in 2014. Doke has been a great asset and a much-needed conservative leader in Muskogee County government. 

Gov. Stitt appoints Larry Edwards as Muskogee County District Attorney

GOVERNOR STITT APPOINTS LARRY EDWARDS AS DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR MUSKOGEE COUNTY 

OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 13, 2021) – Governor Kevin Stitt announced today the appointment of Larry Edwards to serve as district attorney for District 15 in Muskogee County. Edwards’ appointment fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Orvil Loge on Sept. 30.

“Larry has a proven track record defending the law and I know he will serve Oklahomans well as the district attorney for Muskogee County,” said Gov Stitt. “I look forward to his continued service to Oklahoma in this new role.”

“It is an honor and a privilege to be appointed by the governor,” said Edwards. “I look forward to this new opportunity to help serve the law enforcement and people of Muskogee County.

OCPA: Testing results show need to fund students, not systems

Testing results show need to fund students, not systems

By Jonathan Small

There’s an old Simpsons episode where Bart’s teacher hands out state testing forms and informs her students, “Remember, class, the worse you do on this standardized test the more funding the school gets, so don’t knock yourselves out.”

The reason that joke had teeth was because it was based in reality, as the downward trajectory of academic achievement in Oklahoma public schools demonstrates. When you fund systems instead of students, the benefit never goes to the students.

State tests, administered last spring for the first time in Oklahoma since 2019, showed that academic achievement plunged during the COVID shutdowns that went statewide in spring 2020 and continued in many districts the following school year.

Previously, only about one-third of students performed at grade level in key subjects. Today, things are even worse.

OK Poll: Lankford leads with 62%, slim majority oppose gov't COVID mandates

Quarterly Poll Reveals Oklahoma Voters are More Concerned About COVID, More Negative About State Trajectory

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma-based public affairs firm Amber Integrated has released a recent survey measuring voter attitudes about elected leaders and other political issues and current events. The topline results are available here and the crosstabs are available here. This survey was conducted from September 29-October 3, 2021, and included a pool of 500 registered voters in Oklahoma. This survey has a margin of error of 4.38% at a 95% confidence interval. 

Key findings include: