Official: Signatures for 2 Oklahoma justice petitions valid

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Two proposals designed to control future growth of the Oklahoma prison population are one step closer to placement on the November ballot.

Oklahoma Secretary of State and Native American Affairs Chris Benge on Friday said his office confirmed State Questions 780 and 781 each received more than 110,000 valid signatures – more than the 65,987 the state requires to place each measure on the ballot.

The first proposal would reclassify some drug and property crimes as misdemeanors instead of felonies.

The second requires the state to estimate the cost savings and direct that money toward crime prevention efforts, such as rehabilitation programs, education and job training.

Benge says his office has submitted its findings to the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which will officially determine whether each signature total is sufficient.