A. Upon November 1, 2007, a Reentry Policy Council shall be created, and shall continue until July 1, 2020, pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Sunset Law, for the purpose of providing oversight of the reentry policies and programs operated by the Department of Corrections. The Council shall consist of eleven (11) members and shall be appointed as follows:

1. Three members shall be appointed by the Governor as follows:

a.one member shall be a law enforcement officer,

b.one member shall be a corrections official, and

c.one member shall be a crime victim;

2. Four members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives as follows:

a.one member shall be a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives,

b.one member shall be a representative of a faith-based organization involved with the reintegration of inmates,

c.one member shall be a person who has been previously convicted of a criminal offense in Oklahoma, and

d.one member shall be a mental health and substance abuse official; and

3. Four members shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma State Senate as follows:

a.one member shall be a member of the Oklahoma State Senate,

b.one member shall be a representative from a for-profit half-way house who specializes in reintegration of inmates,

c.one member shall be a representative from a nonprofit entity involved with the reintegration of inmates, and

d.one member shall be a district attorney, or his or her designee.

B. The Council shall:

1. Review corrections policies, programs and procedures to ensure that the primary purpose of each is public safety during imprisonment and after release;

2. Identify gaps in reentry programs and services as well as overlapping efforts, and recommend changes to address those issues;

3. Review policies to ensure that corrections facilities recruit and welcome volunteers;

4. Review the licensing procedures within this state to eliminate barriers to employment that are unrelated to the conduct underlying the conviction; and

5. Report annually to the Legislature and the Governor on the progress of the reentry initiative, including the impact on recidivism, effectiveness of agency coordination and communications, and the implementation of reentry plans and use of funding.

C. 1. Legislative members of the Council shall be reimbursed for their necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with Section 456 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes from the legislative body in which they serve.

2. State agency employees who are members of the Council shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties by their respective agencies in accordance with the State Travel Reimbursement Act.

3. All other Council members shall be reimbursed by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties on the Council in accordance with the State Travel Reimbursement Act.

Added by Laws 2007, c. 274, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2007. Amended by Laws 2008, c. 211, § 1, emerg. eff. May 20, 2008; Laws 2012, c. 304, § 248; Laws 2019, c. 429, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2019.