OPINION/COLUMN
Every single day, Oklahomans are facing big challenges, like kids who feel lost learning in the classroom, caregivers who can’t work, and people in prison trying to turn their lives around. We wanted to hear directly from regular citizens, and we’ve heard hundreds of personal stories just this year. As lawmakers, we can take those personal stories and turn them into real change that helps all in the state: a parole review system that needs reform; new career opportunities for people with disabilities; additional supports for kids with special education needs. As legislators, we need to hear from citizens, not just lobbyists and special interests, to identify these challenges.
But our state Capitol doesn’t include public testimony in official meetings, unlike many states. Our current system discourages regular Oklahomans from being involved. The speed and confusing process make it very hard to stay informed, much less talk to legislators face to face about their views on bills, funding priorities, and about their personal experiences. Republican leadership could allow testimony and public input, but they’ve chosen not to.
So, in 2025, Senate Democrats launched our Capitol Conversations series to create a public forum at the Capitol for all Oklahomans to share their views and concerns. I’m grateful to the hundreds of Oklahomans who have joined us at the Capitol and to the many Democratic Senators and Representatives who have shown up to give updates and listen to what people have to say. It’s important for us to have that direct input, and for citizens to know they are being heard.
We’ve had folks from all walks of life, and every age, and we’ve heard incredible stories shining light on the biggest challenges we can address to help Oklahoma be the best it can be. Some of the most compelling speakers this spring were elementary school students asking specifically for more adults in their school to assist children with special needs. They talked about getting in trouble and how misunderstood they feel. It was moving and enlightening to hear about this need directly from kids who are impacted by these large class sizes and staffing shortages. We know we don’t have enough educators and teaching assistants in our classrooms but hearing it from the students themselves gave me more insight than the numbers alone ever had. Their testimony was compelling, and the entire room (of mostly adults) was quiet as these young Oklahomans spoke about their experiences.
Through Capitol Conversations, I got to hear the testimony of a man who had been convicted of murder at age 17. He’s always taken responsibility for his actions and spent decades becoming a better person and succeeded by every measure; he was released on parole at 58. But he came to testify about the many people who have the same level of commitment to restoration, who’ve completed degrees and certifications and never had any behavioral issues, but who are consistently rejected for parole. Our parole system is clearly broken when people convicted as children aren’t given a chance to grow and change and rebuild their lives. And once released on parole, Oklahomans still face huge problems. The man who testified about his parole experience said that he saved every penny he earned while incarcerated, but after being paroled for only two months he had gone through nearly all his savings and still hadn’t found a place that would hire him. This story was echoed by many family members. They all emphasized that the current rules make it extremely difficult to get a parole hearing and move forward, even after doing all that society and the criminal justice system has demanded. It made us want to learn more about how the parole system is working and if it’s effective for our state.
We also had a virtual meeting for those who couldn’t come in person to the Capitol, including people with chronic medical conditions and caregivers. Those situations can make it very hard to get up to the Capitol to speak with your elected officials, but the virtual meeting we held gave people that opportunity. I’m so grateful people were open about how hard it is to see a doctor, how challenging it is to get an in-home nurse with a Medicaid waiver, and the threat to these basic supports if the state cut Medicaid eligibility or funding for disability services.
These stories have stayed with me, and we’ve heard many more – everything from data centers to domestic violence, to employment barriers and medical costs. The voices of the public matter, and Senate Democrats are committed to listening and addressing the real problems that have been raised. We’ll keep listening to you and I hope you will demand the same of your elected officials at all levels.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact me at 405-521-5636 or Julia.Kirt@oksenate.gov. We want to hear from you. Onward!
