151 Band

Thursday, January 13, 2011

What We've Got Here Is A Failure To Communicate

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission and the State Legislature has worked hard to ensure much of the state has high speed Internet access.  That, my friends, is a good thing.  The Oklahoma County Assessor's Office has one of the most aggressive, pro-active websites in the country and is the envy of other assessors.  This also is a good thing.  The Secretary of State has a world-class website, possessing amazing technology to file for your new business in Oklahoma.  That too is a very good thing. 

But there is also a huge problem that exists in Oklahoma and it revolves around local municipalities and their lack of communication with District Courts.  Or rather, that certain infractions are never reported and one of the most dangerous is not often being reported - driving under the influence.

According to state statutes, municipalities have the discretion to reduce the charge of DUI to something like reckless driving and the DUI would never be reported to the District Courts.

Now you understand how it is some people can have as many as a dozen DUIs and no one know about them.

At present, there are legislators working on language of a bill that will rectify the problem - to ensure that first-time recipients of a DUI in rural municipalities undergo mandatory reporting.  There is an iron curtain of open dialog that exists in rural municipalities and the close-knit nature of the same creates an environment wherein "circling the wagons" is far too easy in the attempts to protect one of their own.  Public safety is at risk and We The People didn't sign up for this kind of mess.

Support such legislation to keep our roads safer and to eliminate this failure to communicate.