Oklahoma Senate Bill SB185

Oklahoma 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/1/21
• Refer: 2/2/21

Caption

Oklahoma Smart Justice Reform Act; requiring certain findings be provided. Effective date.

Impact

This legislation is significant as it formalizes a procedure for evaluating the fiscal benefits of the Oklahoma Smart Justice Reform Act. By instituting a requirement for annual reports, the state aims to better assess how the reform has potentially reduced costs associated with the criminal justice system, such as incarceration and legal expenses. This process is expected to influence future legislative decisions by providing tangible data on the effectiveness of the reform, which may encourage sustained support for similar initiatives in the future.

Summary

Senate Bill 185, introduced in the Oklahoma Legislature, amends the Oklahoma Smart Justice Reform Act by requiring specific annual calculations and findings regarding the savings accrued from its implementation. The bill mandates that the Office of Management and Enterprise Services calculate the financial savings and averted costs resulting from the criminal justice reform and report these findings annually to key legislative figures by a set deadline. This aims to enhance transparency and ensure accountability in how the reform impacts state finances.

Contention

While the bill is primarily focused on savings calculations and fiscal oversight, there may be points of contention regarding the accuracy of the data collected and reported. Critics may voice concerns about the potential for misinterpretation of data or the assumption that savings should always be realized each year after implementing reforms. Furthermore, the implications of these savings calculations could establish a precedent for how other reforms are measured, impacting diverse areas of state finance and public policy.