Oklahoma Governor Signs Bill That Stops Thing That Wasn’t Happening From Happening
The life of Senate Bill 426 reads a little like Abbott and Costello’s classic routine, “Who’s on First.”
Introduced at the beginning of the 2023 legislative session, the bill would have authorized the secretary of a county election board to utilize global positioning system (GPS) technology to ensure a voter is assigned to the appropriate precinct.
By the time the governor signed it Wednesday, it said nothing about elections or GPS or precincts. But it made clear that Oklahoma didn’t want any part of the World Health Organization telling us what to do.
Here’s the rub: The WHO isn’t trying to tell us what to do.
What? Second base.
In 2021, the WHO said it might be a good idea if the world learned something from the pandemic so we’d handle the next (inevitable) pandemic better. They’re still working on it, but the most recent versions of the two proposals were updated in late May. At a combined 109 pages, they’re not anyone’s idea of a fun bedtime read, but their purpose is clear and simple: When a pandemic threatens the world, the member states agree to share their data with the WHO, which can ensure the left hand knows what the right hand is doing.
The documents say the WHO would make recommendations to member states, which could choose to adopt or ignore them within their own legal framework. It says the WHO would at times offer to collaborate with member states, but only if the country chose to do so.
The documents don’t say that any country is required to do anything. There are no mandates. The idea is that if all member states agree to share information through a centralized source, a clear picture of the pandemic’s movements will emerge faster, as will effective treatments.
The WHO has no authority to dictate U.S. health policy, never has, and no one’s giving it to them now. But some self-proclaimed news outlets, including the Chinese-owned, ultra-conservative Epoch Times, published unfounded claims that the agreements would give the WHO power to dictate health policy worldwide.
What?
He’s the catcher, but that’s correct. Organizations such as Epoch Times spread the rumor, so Oklahoma now has a law to prevent something that wasn’t happening from happening. One might wonder if the governor read the WHO documents before he signed the bill. Remember the cockfighting endorsement video?
I don’t know.
Third base.
More worth reading:
Audit Finds Embezzlement in Braman
State Auditor Cyndi Byrd on Wednesday released an audit revealing that the town clerk in Braman absconded with more than $60,000 over the course of 18 months. [State Auditor]
Judge Declines to Dismiss St. Isidore Case
District Judge Richard Ogden on Wednesday ruled against the defendants’ motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by parents, clergy and civil rights advocates seeking to prevent the state from funding an online Catholic charter school set to open this year. [Oklahoma Voice]
SoonerSelect Criticized
The April 1 transition to a managed care Medicaid model called SoonerSelect has resulted in late payments, billing errors and a loss of patients for some, health care providers and others said. [Oklahoma Voice]
At 7’3″, Hasheem Thabeet is the tallest player ever to play for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
First Watch is taking next week off because I’ll be attending the Institute for Nonprofit News Conference, but it will return to your inbox on June 17.
See you in a week or so,
Ted Streuli
Executive Director, Oklahoma Watch
tstreuli@oklahomawatch.org
