Pubdate: Sun, 16 Feb 2014
Source: Dallas Morning News (TX)
Copyright: 2014 The Dallas Morning News, Inc.
Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/send-a-letter/
Website: http://www.dallasnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117
Author: Sean Murphy, The Associated Press
Page: 2A

OKLAHOMA LAWMAKERS NOT HIGH ON LEGALIZING POT

They're Standing Firm Despite State's Growing Prison Population

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Despite last week's largest pro marijuana rally
at the Oklahoma Capitol in recent history, there is little appetite in
the conservative Oklahoma Legislature to join other states in
legalizing cannabis, even for medicinal purposes.

Legislators from both sides of the aisle say that while attitudes may
slowly be shifting toward loosening laws that prohibit Oklahomans from
smoking pot, the idea isn't worth the potential political fallout in a
state with a tough-on-crime reputation, especially during an election
year.

But with a growing prison system that consumes more of the state's
budget each year, along with the societal costs of locking up a
greater share of its residents than nearly every other state, even
conservative politicians in Oklahoma have expressed a willingness to
look at options other than just longer prison sentences.

"If there are things we can do with treatment to address the problem
. anything we can do to keep people out of prison would be
cost-effective," said Republican state Sen. Brian Bingman.

Gov. Mary Fallin touted being "smart on crime" in her State of the
State address and promised to continue pushing the Justice
Reinvestment Initiative, a plan to divert some nonviolent offenders
from prison and slow the explosive growth of inmate ranks. Under
current law, a second conviction of simple marijuana possession can
result in a felony conviction and up to 10 years in prison.

The temptation for Oklahoma legislators to impose tough new penalties
for the latest high-profile crime proves irresistible every year. Of
more than 300 crime-and-punishment bills active in the Legislature,
many create new crimes or add prison time to existing ones. Last year,
lawmakers created several new felonies, including the cutting of
someone's fence.

This year, there are harsh new penalties being proposed for a variety
of crimes, including influencing jurors, assaulting a teacher or
removing objects from a disaster area.
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