Pardon and Parole Board; increasing member compensation. Effective date.
Summary
SB1330 increases the compensation paid to members of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, including the chair, and updates the statutory language governing how that compensation is structured. The bill raises the chair’s annual pay from $24,800 to $46,000 and increases regular board members’ annual pay from $22,800 to $42,000, with corresponding increases in the amounts paid for meeting preparation and monthly board meetings.
The measure also retains and clarifies attendance-related provisions tied to compensation and removal. A board member who misses one meeting in a calendar year without a justifiable excuse loses monthly compensation for that period, and missing two or more meetings without extraordinary circumstances may be treated as official misconduct and grounds for removal under existing state law and constitutional procedures. The bill takes effect November 1, 2026.
Impact
SB1330 amends 57 O.S. 2021, Section 332.4, directly changing the compensation statute for the Pardon and Parole Board. It affects the pay of the board chair and all board members, while leaving in place the existing framework for attendance-based forfeiture of pay and disciplinary/removal consequences. The bill does not alter the board’s core duties, but it increases state expenditures associated with board service and reinforces statutory accountability provisions for attendance and misconduct.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have received generally favorable treatment in the legislative process. It passed the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously, passed the Senate floor 41-0, and advanced through the House Appropriations and Budget Committee with a 21-4 vote. The committee note in the transcript is brief and procedural, suggesting limited public debate in the available record, but the strong vote margins indicate broad support for the compensation increase.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the size of the compensation increase for Pardon and Parole Board members and the resulting cost to the state. While the available transcript does not show extended debate, the 21-4 House committee vote suggests some disagreement, likely over whether the higher pay is justified for a board that also has attendance-based penalties and removal provisions. Another possible issue is whether the bill appropriately balances increased compensation with accountability measures for missed meetings and official misconduct.
Confidential records; requiring certain victim photographs submitted to the Pardon and Parole Board be kept confidential; clemency; Open Records Act; clemency hearing packets; effective date.