Oklahoma question to reduce incarceration rate headed to voters

(AP) A group seeking to further reduce Oklahoma’s high prison incarceration rate says its state question has qualified for the November ballot. The “Yes on 805” campaign announced Wednesday the expiration of a 10-day window for final legal challenges to the petition. If approved by voters, the proposal would bar prosecutors from using prior felony convictions to enhance sentences for nonviolent crimes. They argue this practice often leads to excessive sentences for minor, nonviolent offenses. Most district attorneys and Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt oppose the state question. In a statement, the District Attorneys Association says repeated violations of the public trust shouldn’t be tolerated.