Legislation requiring a racial impact statement for criminal justice reform bills

Sen. George Young, D-Oklahoma City, says minority communities are
disproportionately impacted by the state’s criminal justice system, and
Oklahoma’s state leaders need to reform how criminal justice decisions are made
by analyzing the impact of proposed legislation on minorities through racial
impact statements. 

Young has filed Senate Bill 1184, which would require a racial impact statement for
any Senate or House bill that creates a new offense; significantly changes an
existing offense; changes the penalty for an existing offense; or changes
existing sentencing, parole or probation procedures. Under SB 1184, in order
for a criminal justice bill to be heard in committee, a racial impact statement
would have to be filed with the chairman. If the bill is amended, a new racial
impact statement would need to be prepared.

“Incarceration disparities lead to generational cycles of trauma and economic disadvantage,”
Young said. “A racial impact statement would allow lawmakers a chance to
identify any discriminatory impact toward minority groups. The goal is to
reduce the gap of racial and ethnic disparities.”

SB 1184 directs that each racial impact statement would be drafted by the Oklahoma
Statistical Analysis Center at the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation with
help from the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and the
Office of Juvenile Affairs. Each racial impact statement would be required to
include the estimated number of criminal cases per year the legislation would
affect; the impact of the bill on a minority; and the impact of the bill upon
correctional facilities and services.

Five states – Iowa, Connecticut, Florida, Oregon and New Jersey – have implemented
racial impact statements. Similar legislation has been introduced in eight
other states.

“Oklahoma has the highest rate of black incarceration in the country,” Young said.
“Hispanics and Native Americans are also overrepresented in our Oklahoma
prisons. Adding racial impact statements is vital to addressing these disparities
in our criminal justice system.”