Jan 12, 2025 Story by: Editor
A long-time advocate for reparations stemming from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, Goodwin has introduced legislation seeking $300 million to compensate families affected by the tragic event.
Goodwin is also pushing for an increase in compensation for school board members, who currently earn just $25 per meeting.
Both issues were part of her efforts during the 59th Oklahoma Legislature, where they failed to gain traction. Undeterred, Goodwin is reintroducing these initiatives in the 60th Legislature, set to commence on February 3.
To address reparations, Goodwin has filed Senate Bill 74, which proposes allocating $300 million to a fund managed by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. The fund would be overseen by two lawmakers representing Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District and six community members.
The funds would be distributed to individuals who can prove their families suffered losses during the race massacre. Historical records estimate property damages between $1 million and $4 million, while the number of fatalities remains unknown. Most losses were uninsured, and attempts to recover damages in court were unsuccessful.
Senate Bill 74 closely resembles House Bill 1627, which Goodwin introduced in the 59th Legislature as a state representative. That bill failed to advance to a committee hearing.
Whether the 60th Legislature will be more open to the proposal remains uncertain, as the political landscape has not significantly shifted. However, Goodwin remains steadfast.
“I think it’s reasonable, and I think it’s right,” she stated.
Goodwin further argued that if the state could offer $800 million in incentives to Panasonic in a failed bid to build an electric vehicle battery plant, then allocating $300 million for families who lost everything, including lives, is justified.
“We were in the red when I first came to the Legislature,” Goodwin explained. “I didn’t even ask for anything that cost money. Now we have more money in our coffers.”
She also indicated plans to file at least one additional bill related to reparations this winter.
Another proposal, though less controversial, seeks to raise stipends for school board members. Goodwin’s Senate Bill 63 suggests increasing the stipend from $25 to $190 per meeting for board members in the state’s largest school districts.
“It’s ridiculous for people to serve on these school boards, with all that’s going on, and not even earn enough to cover their gasoline,” she said.
Goodwin noted that $190 today is equivalent to $25 in 1972, when the current cap on school board compensation was established.
SB 63 limits the stipend increase to districts with an average daily attendance exceeding 15,000 or those encompassing a population of over 100,000 people.
According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education, eight districts meet the 15,000-student threshold, including Tulsa and Broken Arrow. Union Public Schools narrowly misses this mark. Source: Tulsa World
