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For Immediate Release: April 25, 2012

Statement from Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman on passage of statewide public safety proposal

Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman today issued the following statement regarding the passage of House Bill 3052. The measure was developed through the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, and is intended to reduce crime while controlling the growth of the state’s prison population.

"Oklahoma's criminal justice system is broken. Our prisons are on an unsustainable fiscal path, and police in our communities simply do not have the resources they need to fight crime effectively," said Bingman, R-Sapulpa. "Today, the state Senate moved to adopt a historic justice reform, one that is tough on crime and fiscally conservative. Together, we will reduce our violent crime rates, give our crime fighters the tools to do their job, and put the state of Oklahoma on a path toward a criminal justice system that keeps our families and communities safe. I want to commend Senator Nichols for shepherding this important bill to success in the Senate, and I applaud House Speaker Kris Steele for his hard work and leadership on this issue."