Senate Approves Measure to Keep Sex Offenders Out of Ice Cream Trucks

Legislation that would prohibit convicted sex offenders from operating ice cream vending trucks has been approved by the Oklahoma Senate.

Senate Bill 1147 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm would criminalize the operation of ice cream trucks by registered sex offenders. The bill was suggested by a constituent concerned about how close the vendors get to children in communities across the state.

“When we were children, our parents didn’t have to worry about the ice cream man,” said Gumm, a Democrat from Durant. “Now, we have to worry about the unthinkable. This bill, if it becomes law, will mean there is one less thing about which parents must worry.”

According to news reports, convicted sex offenders operating ice cream trucks have been convicted of harming children in both New York and Florida. Just last summer, a convicted sex offender was discovered operating an ice cream truck in a California community.

“That should never happen,” Gumm said. “Ice cream trucks are an important part of childhood; they should not be ways for predators to lure children.”

Any sex offender found to be operating an ice cream delivery truck would be punished by as much as a 2½ year prison sentence and/or a $1,000 fine. The bill also would allow law enforcement to arrest anyone they believe is violating the law.

Further, every company operating ice cream vending trucks would be required to conduct an annual name search against the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry for each operator, and maintain the results of that search. If a company discovers a sex offender, they would be required to report that information to the district attorney.

The measure drew support from the ice cream vending industry. In a letter to Senator Gumm, Chris T. Long, legislative chairperson with the International Association of Ice Cream Vendors, said the measure should be considered a national model for the issue.

“In the end, I believe your final draft of Senate Bill 1147 should be presented as a model bill on this issue in the future,” he wrote. “With your permission, I will be archiving this bill so that it can be presented to other states, cities, or municipalities in the future.”

Gumm, who championed the death penalty for repeat child molesters, said with this bill, Oklahoma continues to be a national leader in efforts to protect children from predators.

“Nothing on this Earth is more precious than a child,” he said. “Our greatest responsibility as a state and as parents is to ensure every child has a chance to grow up safe and healthy.”

The measure will now advance to the House of Representatives where Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs, will sponsor it.

2008 Mouth of the House (Oklahoma State House)

Campaign coffers for May 13 Norman Election

Marshall For Norman

Contributions made since the primary of more than $25: Robin Allen, $100; R.G. Chambers, $50; Donald Pape, $250; Margret Anne Pape, $250; Michael Cole, $50; Joe Dorman, $75; Amber England, $50; Gregory Lebel, $50; Ray Quintero, $100; Peter Rosenstein, $100; Doug Sterk, $100; Joseph Sudbay, $50; Cassidy Waskowicz, $100; Chris Aubrey Purcell, $50; Bradley Purcell, $50; Tom Sherman, $100; Leslie Blair, $100; Neal Joseph Sparks, $50; Rebecca Sparks, $50; James Meiller, $40; George Krumme, $250; Craig Knutson, $100; Loyd Benson, $50; Juanita King, $200; Samonia Meredith, $200; Diane Wiley, $50; Julie Carson, $500; Charles Weddle, $250; Chuck Thompson, $250; Ben Graves, $200; Deberah Cain, $100; Anil Gollahalli, $250; Jim McCauley, $100; Steven Mohr, $200; Mona Nelson, $100; Doug Sterk, $50; Bob Thompson, $100; Jim Wade, $100; Brad Benson, $100; Dorothy Kugler, $50; Cindy Nashert, $50; Vince Orza, $100; Robert Vince, $500; Jennifer Shaw, $100; Michael Bergey, $250; Michael Duncan, $150; Subramanyam Gollahalli, $50; Gary Clinton, $100; Sandra Longcrier, $35; John Ward, $50; Tom Sherman, $200. Total: $13,587

Tom Kovach

Contributions since the primary of more than $25: Francis and Phoebe Schmitz, $110; Fred Bieler, $500; Viola Weir, $75; James Long, $200; Barney Gibbs, $100; Daniel Darvay, $30; Mack and Sandra Rose, $50; Walter and Pat Reif, $100; Kay Holladay, $50; Mary Katherine Long, $50; Larry Edmison, $50; Larry and Carol Dillingham, $100; O. Gail Poole, $50; Steve Presson and Jean Giles, $100; Loretta Bass and John Kmetz, $50; Larry Allin, $200; Karin Schutjer and Ben Alpers, $50; Gerald Baker, $100; Charles Schindler, $150; Larry Edmison, $50; Marion Hutchison, $200; Rick Poland, $50; Sandra Rose, $200; Walter Kelley, $75; Suzette McDowell, $100; Mrs. James Yoch Jr., $50; Dr. Harold Haralson II, $100; Roswitha Allin, $100; T.H and Kathleen Milby, $75; Peter Cahn, $50; Stanley Grossman, $200; Richard and Lois Hilbert, $40; Henry Roberson, $100; Susan Bumgarner and Billie Hensley, $30; Jayne Crumpley, $50; Sidney Brown, $100; Delores Crockett, $50; Alison Gilliland, $30; Akos Kovach, $50; Anne and Randolph Marsh, $500; Steve VanHook, $100; Jim Stanley, $150; Bette Mafucci, $100; June Tyhurst, $50; John Hancock, $100; David Morgan, $100; Colleen Allen, $49; Keith Kerr, $70; Tommy Karns, $50; Norman Professional Firefighters, $300; Rachel Carlson, $50. Total: $8,929.

Committee to Rescue Norman

Contributions of more than $25: IAFF Norman Chapter, $500; Traw Investment Account, $10,000. Total: $10,500.

Campaign Committee for a New Norman Public Library

Unlisted contributions less than $25: $1,770. Total: $1,770

Partnership For Norman's Progress

Contributions of more than $25: 329 Partners II Limited Partnership, $100; James Adair, $1,000; Lawrence Allin, $50; Lawrence Allin, $50; American First Abstract Company, $250; Architects in Partnership P.C., $1,000; Architectual Design Group Inc., $200; Joel Barbour, $500; R. Beavers, $25; Benedum and Benedum, $1,000; Billy E. Fowler Living Trust, $500; Blake Virgin, $1,000; Rachel Butler, $60; Castleberry and Associates P.C., $250; Cleveland County Abstract, $1,000; Colony Homes Inc., $1,000; D--H Utilities, $1,000; Larry Dillingham, $50; Don Cies Real Estate, $1,000; Farzaneh Properties, $1,000; First American Bank, $500; First Fidelity Bank, $500; Michael Fowler, $500; H--H Plumbing, $500; Harold Heipel Attorney at Law, $1,000; S. Anne Harris, $50; Ideal Homes of Norman, $3,000; McClain Bank, $500; Michael A. Tower, $100; Sassan Moghadam, $500; Peak Property LLC, $500; Andrew Peters, $50; Bennie Peterson, $1,000; Rick Poland, $60; Republic Bank and Trust, $1,000; R.L. Reynolds, $1,000; Don Sherman, $250; Mary Sherman, $250; Silver Star Construction Company, $1,000; SMC Consulting Engineers P.C., $1,000; Don R. Symcox, $200; The Mile of Cars Association, $10,000; John Traw, $2,000; James J. Yoch, $50. Total: $36,545.

Campaign coffers support
new Norman library, public safety

The Norman Transcript
Published May 10, 2008

The "Yes" campaign for a new library, public safety sales tax, senior citizens center, municipal court and library millage increase kicked into overdrive just before Tuesday's municipal and countywide special election, fueled by strong contributions to three committees. Yard signs appeared in lawns throughout town and mailers stuffed area mail boxes in the past week.

Contributions and expenditures for the campaigns were due into City Clerk Brenda Hall's office at noon Friday.

Partnership for Norman's Progress led the way raising $36,545 for the campaigns. The largest donors to the campaign are the Mile of Cars Association LLC at $10,000; Ideal Homes of Norman, $3,000; John Traw, $2,000; and 15 $1,000 donors that ranged from attorneys to builders to banks.

Traw owns one of the buildings on a site mentioned frequently for a location for the new library at Main Street and Porter Avenue.

The Committee to Rescue Norman is promoting the seven-year, half-cent sales tax that would fund 41 additional police officers and 30 firefighters, raising an estimated $49.2 million in sales tax. It would provide the equipment and training necessary and build two new fire stations in the northwest and southeast parts of Norman.

CRN raised $10,500 with only two donors: John Traw giving $10,000 and the International Association of Fire Fighters or IAFF, $500.

And the Campaign Committee for a New Norman Library raised $1,770, all with contributions of $200 or less that don't have to be itemized.

No organized opposition was evident from the contributions and expenditures regarding the bond projects or public safety sales tax.

The $31 million new library is proposed as a 118,000-square-foot facility, with a 360-space parking garage that would cost $5.8 million. The balance of the $49.2 million bond package, if fully utilized, would fund a purchase of the site, contingencies and construction inflation.

The $11.2 million bond issue would fund renovation and reconstruction of the current library and Building A in the Municipal Complex. The current library would house the Norman Senior Citizens Center, doubling its size, and city offices. Renovation of Building A would provide about 15,000-square-feet for the municipal court, that currently has about 4,000-square-feet shared within Building B that houses the Norman Police Department.

The Pioneer Library System has asked for a millage increase of 2 mills to double the size of the collection and triple the computer stations, expand hours and establish book stations on the east and west sides of Norman. PLS operates, staffs and provides the collections for libraries in Cleveland, Pottawatomie and McClain counties.

In the Ward 2 runoff for the seat being vacated by vice mayor Richard Stawicki, Chebon Marshall has raised $13,587 to Tom Kovach's $8,929.

Kovach's donors since the campaign began are mostly from the Norman area, with the majority of Marshall's contributors coming from outside of Norman. But since the primary, most of Kovach's and Marshall's contributions have come from local sources.

Marshall's largest contributors since the primary are Norman environmental engineer Robert Craig at $500 and Claremore attorney Julie Carson at $500. Former gubernatorial candidate Vince Orza donated $100 to Marshall.

Marshall was chief of staff for former Congressman Brad Carson before returning to Oklahoma and becoming half of the Carrier and Marshall marketing firm that ran campaigns for many Democratic candidates in Oklahoma and other states.

Marshall garnered support from several former mayors and councilmembers.

Kovach's largest contributors include the owner of Norman-based Astronomics, Fred Bieler, at $500, and Anne and Randolph Marsh of Dallas, $500. Norman Professional Firefighters donated $300 to Kovach's campaign.

Ward 4 councilmember Carol Dillingham donated $100 to Kovach's campaign, with donations coming from the most recent former mayor Harold Haralson and several former councilmembers.

Kovach is employed as the customer service manager for Astronomics.

In-person absentee voting was steady in Friday's voting, with 231 voting in-person absentee.

"It's starting out pretty good," said in-person absentee precinct worker Colleen Allen.

There were 41 who voted in the Ward 2 runoff Friday.

: ) This will not make the 'WHO WHO of Norman Happy' : )

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep.Randy Terrill Capitol: (405) 557-7346
Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman Capitol: (405) 557-7305

TIF Reforms Get House Approval

Legislation that would reform an economic incentive
program has passed out of the Oklahoma House of
Representatives.

House Bill 3352, authored by Reps. Randy Terrill
and Joe Dorman, would clean up provisions of the
Local Development Act, primarily focusing on
revisions to the law regarding Tax Increment
Financing (TIF) Districts.

The legislation is the result of a House interim
study conducted in the past year.

"TIF districts are an excellent economic development tool when used properly," said Terrill, R-Moore. "These districts can be used to spur economic growth through manufacturing or retail establishments in an area that might not otherwise see that business growth."

Tax Increment Financing allows property taxation to be frozen at the level set before the creation of a development project within the TIF district. Once a project is completed and growth occurs in the
surrounding area, increasing property valuations on neighboring land and boosting sales tax collection in the area, the taxes generated through that growth are separated and directed to pay off bonding for the development.

Normally, TIFs are meant to encourage development
funding in economically distressed areas that would
not be available otherwise.

House Bill 3352 establishes within the Oklahoma
Tax Commission and the State Department of
Commerce the responsibility of collecting data on
all TIF Districts within Oklahoma and generating
reports on the successes and failures of each district.
Further language with the legislation is currently being
worked on by a group comprised of economic
development experts, municipal officials and school
administrators.

"I requested the interim study to review suggestions
posed by economic development officers from around
the state," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "These men
and women working to spur economic growth for their
communities saw revisions were needed and I was
absolutely willing to work with them and other
involved parties to make TIFs fairer and more successful."

Currently, there is no data collection point regarding
TIFs, including information on how many TIFs are
currently in effect or being proposed around the state.
Under the provisions of the bill, TIF District data will
be reported to the Tax Commission and reports will be
generated by the Department of Commerce.

House Bill 3352 passed the House of Representatives
by a vote of 98-2. The bill now proceeds to the state Senate.

Oklahoma Legislature Perspective on Speaker Resignation

A Look Back for Lawmakers... (Part 1)

A Look Back for Lawmakers...

Friday, December 28, 2007; Posted 6:11 p.m. (CDT)



Laws are supposed to guide and protect us, but then we come across laws making the watermelon the official vegetable and wonder how next year's session can possibly beat this year's.

It's been a good year for some, like the anti-immigration bill author Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore.

"[House Bill] 1804 has been a tremendous success," says Terrill.

It's been a less than ideal year for others like Rep. Al Lindley, D-Oklahoma City.

"The personal things I filed never made it to the House floor," says Lindley.

Some even managed to have a little fun, like Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs, who authored the bill making watermelon the official state vegetable.

"I swear it is a vegetable," says Dorman.

Like every year, legislators were busy writing, re-writing and arguing. One of the biggest noisemakers of the year for Oklahoma has to be the anti-immigration bill. That bill made it a crime to harbor or employ illegal immigrants and gave law enforcement the ability to detain them until they are deported.

"It's not going to succeed where Mr. Terrill and his people say it will," says Lindley.

"Two to one margin Oklahomans not only support House Bill 1804, but they also by a two to one margin support strengthening the bill, " says Terrill.

Other big laws that affected the state in a less controversial way were the sex-offender laws. That includes Jessica's law, which increased the penalty for sex offenses against children under the age of 12 to at least 25 years in prison. Another one put up a three-tier system to rate sex offenders.

These are only a few of the hundreds of laws put into place this year, and legislators have a lot more planned.

"Our roads still aren't in very good shape. If there's any doubt about that, just drive across the border from Oklahoma to Texas, and it'll be glaringly apparent," says Terrill.

They hope the second year into the centennial is as great as the first.

"The one thing I'm worried about it being an election year is we always see a lot of politics played where people try to one up each other," says Dorman.

"Been a lot of good things in 2007, and hopefully, a lot of good things in 2008," says Terrill.

Rep. Dorman says the watermelon bill helped bring a lot of tourism and promotion to the state's watermelon festival, so it's worth being known as the watermelon guy. He's now working on legislation for this session that will select the state's official rock-and-roll song.

Rep. Dorman isn't just working on that bill, though. He's working on legislation that will give better training to firefighters to keep them safe. He's also working on another bill to help grandparents who are taking care of their grandchildren.