Sarah Stitt Act clears first Senate hurdle

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate Public Safety Committee has approved a measure to better prepare inmates to rejoin society and the workforce.  Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, is the Senate principal author of House Bill 1679, the “Sarah Stitt Act,” by Reps. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, and Brian Hill, R-Mustang.  

Weaver, a career law enforcement officer, said the measure is a compassionate approach for those who have served their time and want to turn a new leaf. The measure would require the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) to identify inmates leaving custody within nine months of release and begin gathering documentation essential to helping them find employment after they leave prison.

“Our First Lady, Sarah Stitt, saw a gap in the process that can impede an individual’s ability to get a job, a place to live or any other number of things most of us take for granted.  This includes things like a four-year state ID card, social security card, birth certificates, vocational training and work records, and resumes,” Weaver said.  “These are basic tools which can reduce recidivism, save taxpayer dollars, and help former inmates successfully transition back into their communities.”

HB 1679 now moves to the Senate Appropriations committee for further consideration.

For more information, contact Sen. Darrell Weaver at 405-521-5569 or email Darrell.Weaver@oksenate.gov.