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Wednesday, March 7, 2018 REACHING MORE THAN 475,000 PEOPLE EACH DAY NEWSOK.COM • OKLAHOMAN.COM
$1.50
BARN BURNER
Church
‘Stand
Your
Ground’
bill OK’d
BY DALE DENWALT
Capitol Bureau
ddenwalt@oklahoman.com
House lawmakers on
Tuesday approved legis-
lation that would expand
civil lawsuit immunity to
Oklahoma churches when
someone uses a gun or
other deadly force in self-
defense.
State law— known as the
“Stand Your Ground Law”
— already shields busi-
nesses and property from
lawsuits stemming from an
accidental injury or death
by someone who was act-
ing in self-defense on that
property. House Bill 2632
adds “place of worship” to
the list.
“This is necessary to
protect the place of wor-
ship from basically being
sued out of existence,” said
state Rep. Greg Babinec,
R-Cushing. “It’s proac-
tive, and I think it’s neces-
sary based on what we’ve
seen in the past.”
Jordan Odell, 16, rakes as she prepares the bedding area for her animals in a barn at State Fair Park on Tuesday. The event culminates next week with Democrats, however,
the Sale of Champions. [PHOTOS BY JIM BECKEL, THE OKLAHOMAN] criticized the bill by alleg-
ing that its wording would
Competition will be fierce at Oklahoma Youth Expo give the same immunity to
the person responding to
a threat. State Rep. Collin
BY JOSH WALLACE Walke called it an unin-
Staff Writer tended consequence.
jwallace@oklahoman.com “If you vote for this bill,
you are foreclosing any
In the days and hours lead- possibility of seeking jus-
ing up to showtime, students at tice in a court of law for
the Oklahoma Youth Expo are the death of one of your
friendly with one another. loved ones,” said Walke,
But when it comes time to D-Oklahoma City. “If you
show in the ring, the key word is love guns more than you
"competition." love your family, vote for
“It gets way competitive. It’s this bill.”
a whole other world," said Kaleb Achangeaddedtothebill
Noyes, 18, of Sentinel. "You go on the House floor would
out there and you can help people allow churches to imple-
out there … but when we’re in the ment a policy banning
ring, we’re two different people.” guns from the premises.
Scheduled to run through In the bill, a place of wor-
March 16 at State Fair Park, the ship means any building,
expo is expected to draw more structure or office space
than 50,000 people, said Tyler owned, leased, rented or
Norvell, the expo's executive borrowed and used for
director. The show has grown so worship services and reli-
large in recent years that they’ve gious activities. Babinec
had to add more time just to pre- said that could include
pare for the 19,500 head of live- areas outside a church.
stock that will be shown, he said. State Rep. David Perry-
Larry Peck, left, and Stone Baldonado load a wooden cutout of a goat onto a trailer in front of show barns at man, D-Chickasha, said he
SEE EXPO, 2A State Fair Park Tuesday afternoon as the Oklahoma Youth Expo gets underway.
SEE GUNS, 4A
TODAY’S PRAYER Business 1C Deaths 7A Weather, 6C CUSTOMER SERVICE Volume 127, 66 | 5 Sections
Classified 1E Opinion 10A Copyright 2018
Heavenly Father, may all chil-
dren know the joy and comfort
Comics
Life
10E
1D
Sports
Stocks
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4A WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018 THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
together to take care of lies in our state to take plating a walkout. tion set an April 23 dead- monthly pay increase of
BOARD our kids if it comes to the
point that our teachers
swift and meaningful
action to develop a viable
“I implore you to do
everything that you can
line for the Legislature to
act on a teacher pay raise.
$5,000. Kaye was named
interim superintendent
CONTINUED FROM 1A feel like they have to walk plan to pay teachers the to support your teach- The board, after meet- after Aurora Lora’s res-
out in order to convince professional salaries they ers,” Knapp said. “We ing privately Monday ignation in January. The
teachers. the Legislature to do deserve.” know that it is not your night, approved about $2 board appointed her act-
“We will support the the right thing and fund Board member Glo- fault that we are in this million in tentative pay ing superintendent Feb.
voices of our teachers public education in our ria Torres, who read the position. But we are here increases for certified 1.
and we will support our state.” resolution, said there is a to support the teachers, teachers for this fiscal Board Chairwoman
teachers in what they The resolution offers need “for us as a commu- not just for teacher pay — year and next. The step Paula Lewis said Kaye
need to do to advocate “full support of our nity to join in and support that’s a huge issue — but increases, which need “has demonstrated her
for themselves at the teachers and stands ready our public schools and that’s not the only issue. teacher union approval, commitment to our Dis-
Capitol,” Kaye said. “Our to take any steps neces- our public school teach- “We need to be able to would be retroactive trict with her ability to
teachers don’t make sary to improve condi- ers and all of our public have the funding to do the from July 1, 2017, for FY continue to move us for-
enough money to take tions for our teachers — school staff.” things that we’re talking 2018 and July 1, 2018, for ward seamlessly through
care of their families and including a districtwide Cleveland Elementary about. To be able to have FY 2019. this period of transi-
something has to change. suspension of classes.” parent Amber Knapp, the teachers. So what are tion.”
“At this point I really In the resolution, the speaking to the board we doing as a board, as Other developments With the increase,
believe our teachers don’t board “urges the Okla- Monday night before the administration, to Kaye’s total salary
know what else to do. I homa State Legislature to the resolution was read, support these teachers?” Panel members also through June will be
am hopeful that our com- work urgently on behalf urged members to stand On Tuesday, the Okla- voted to give Kaye a $170,000, officials said.
munity is going to come of the children and fami- behind teachers contem- homa Education Associa-