Dahm Comments on fiscal impact of HB3694

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, released the following statement concerning House Bill 3694.

“Much has been made of the recent effort of the Senate to provide more transparency in the state budget process,” Dahm said. “I applaud these efforts. Transparency in government is always a good thing. Unfortunately, the massive cost of some non-budget bills is falling through the cracks, and HB3694 is one of the worst offenders. Not only are legislators in the dark concerning the cost of this bill, the entire premise is based on a lie. Those in favor of the bill claim that it is desperately needed because of a 300% increase in shoplifting. However, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, shoplifting has decreased by 17.6% – making this bill costly and unnecessary.”

HB3694 amends Section 1731 of Title 21 by lowering the felony threshold for larceny from $1,000 to $500.

“According to information provided upon request by the Department of Corrections, this bill would lead to an increase of approximately one hundred inmates per year, year over year,” Dahm said. “Given that it costs $24,647 per year to incarcerate an inmate, that puts the cost of this bill between $2.4 and $7.4 million per year – not including costs to counties or inflation. The bill would also eliminate $17.9 million in funds going to counties for mental health and substance abuse services because those funds are calculated based on cost savings in reduced incarceration. This bill will increase incarceration and therefore eliminate those treatment dollars. That's a price tag of over $25 million.

“Those in favor of the bill are quick to point out that they don't think a judge will incarcerate a lot of people for a $500 felony. However, all we have to do is look at the insane legal battles of former President Trump. He is fighting out-of-control district attorneys and attorney generals. Is it good policy to pass bills focused on low-level criminals with half promises that a District Attorney really won't pursue felony charges and jail time? No one should ever run a bill they hope and even promise will not be enforced. If they do it to a former president, they will have no problem doing it to anyone.

“It is ridiculous that hundreds of millions of dollars of legislation are passed each year that are deemed to have ‘no fiscal impact’ or that it ‘cannot be determined.’ There is nothing Republican or Conservative about politicians blindly spending millions of dollars. Republicans spent too much time and money to get supermajorities to now vote like Democrats. Republicans should be smart on crime, i.e. the punishment should fit the crime. Rather than forcing the taxpayer to foot the bill for incarceration, those convicted should be required to pay restitution.”

As of the date of this release, there is no fiscal impact statement associated with HB3694 from either the House or the Senate.

“This bill will drive up incarceration rates, increase the number of Oklahomans with felonies, and increase costs for Oklahoma prisons and county jails,” Dahm said. “Still, the bill has no fiscal impact statement attached. Regardless of how you feel about the policy, asking legislators to vote for and the citizens to pay for this bill without knowing the cost is not what I would call transparency. Any bill based on misleading information, hidden costs, and promises that it will not be enforced as it is written is the worst of the worst. This is a complete lack of respect for taxpayers.”

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For more information, contact: 

Sen. Nathan Dahm at 405-521-5551, or email Nathan.Dahm@oksenate.gov