Oklahoma ranks number one in female incarceration of women in the world, and second in incarceration of men, per capita.
These numbers are the result of the War on Drugs and “tough on crime” sentencing schemes such as the death penalty, life without parole for drugs, three strikes/mandatory minimum sentences, and consecutive/concurrent sentencing legislation.
These policies separate families and destroy neighborhoods and communities across Oklahoma and the country. As an Oklahoma State Senator, Connie introduced a variety of sentencing reform measures, including eliminating “life without parole” as a possible punishment for drug offenses; eliminating habitual offender enhancement (three-strikes type sentencing, mandatory minimums) for non-violent offenses; creating structured sentencing guidelines; and establishing post-incarceration grace periods for court fees and restitution.
As a Senator she created a multi-year task force to examine the reasons Oklahoma leads the nation in female incarceration.
Marijuana/Cannabis Decriminalization
Connie has authored and advocated for marijuana policy reform to address the over-criminalization of simple possession and to address its health benefits for suffering Oklahomans—including children who suffer from seizures, veterans who suffer from PTSD, and chronically and terminally ill citizens in our great state.
Connie introduced legislation calling for a moratorium on Oklahoma executions, pending establishment and findings of an independent, out-of-state investigation. The resolution also sought to examine the cost of the death penalty versus “life without parole.”
As former chair of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, and as a family member of a murdered child, Connie ardently advocates abolishing the death penalty.
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