Coffee Awaits Governor's Signature to Streamline Criminal Justice Functions

Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee’s House Bill 1676 that aids in streamlining government received final passage and is on its way to Governor Henry for his consideration.

Senator Coffee’s legislation moves the Oklahoma Criminal Justice Resource Center (CJRC) out of the Legislative Service Bureau, reassigning its functions and staff to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) and the Attorney General, in an effort to improve efficiency and accountability at the CJRC.

“When we began looking for ways to streamline government and save taxpayers’ dollars, moving the statistical and research functions of the Criminal Justice Resource Center to OSBI seemed a natural fit to help achieve that end and improve the overall efficiency and accountability of the Resource Center,” stated Coffee. “In his review of the bill, it is my hope the Governor will realize the better service and greater savings to the taxpayers of Oklahoma and sign this legislation into law.”

If signed by the Governor, House Bill 1676 will send most of the Resource Center’s functions and employees to the OSBI, including the Resource Center’s statistics and research division and the Offender Data Information System (ODIS) that provides computer equipment and software to local law enforcement. The bill creates an Office of Criminal Justice Statistics at the OSBI.