Toni Hasenbeck (born August 17, 1971) is an American politician who has served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 65th district since 2018.[1][2]
Toni Hasenbeck | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 65th district | |
| Assumed office November 15, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Scooter Park |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 17, 1971 |
| Political party | Republican (2018-present) |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic (2014-2018) |
Oklahoma House of Representatives
editHasenbeck ran in the 2014 state house election to succeed Joe Dorman as a member of the Democratic Party.[3] She was defeated by Scooter Park, who she defeated in the 2018 primary election as a member of the Republican Party. She criticized Park's vote to raise taxes to fund teacher wages.[4]
58th Legislature
editIn April 2021, Rep. Hasenbeck revived a bill by Justin Humphrey that would ban transgender athletes from participating in women's sports.[5] She justified her support using trans exclusionary feminist language saying "this is not an anti-transgender bill at all... this is an absolutely pro-female-athlete bill."[6] Rep. Mauree Turner criticized the legislation saying "denying the existence of trans children is absolutely absurd."[6]
59th Legislature
editAfter a mid-September 2022 Oklahoma House interim study brought by Hasenbeck, where criminalized survivor April Wilkens's story and others were used to explain the need for new legislation that could give second look resentencing to many currently in Oklahoma prisons,[7][8][9][10][11] she authored and filed HB 1639 in January 2023—a failed bill that would have allowed "a survivor to enter into a lesser sentencing range when evidence of abuse has been substantiated."[12] Hasenbeck has said “For whatever reason women have this problem in the court system that they end up with larger prison sentences then typically the men that were producing the acts to lead to the final act."[13] At least 156 women at Mabel Bassett wrote "letters claiming to have experienced intimate partner violence at the time their crime was committed."[14]
Also in 2023, Hasenbeck introduced legislation that would ban trans surgery for children.[15]
2nd session of the 59th Legislature
editIn 2024, Hasenbeck introduced Domestic Abuse Survivorship Act. The bill requires courts to consider physical, sexual, economic, and psychological abuse in cases of homicide She said the bill would allow currently-imprisoned people with similar cases to petition for sentencing relief."[16][17][18]
References
edit- ^ "Local candidates vie for House District 65". Kswo.com. 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ^ "Representative Toni Hasenbeck". Okhouse.gov. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ^ Troxtell, Adam (4 September 2014). "Race for Joe Dorman's State House seat heats up". Chickasha Express Star. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
- ^ Wendler, Emily (9 August 2018). "Education And Tax Vote Winning And Costing Oklahoma Candidates Elections". KGOU. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
- ^ Murphy, Sean (15 April 2021). "GOP Oklahoma lawmaker criticized for transgender comments". AP. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ a b Forman, Carmen (9 April 2021). "Oklahoma lawmakers advance bill to ban transgender athletes from female sports". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ Krehbiel, Randy (14 September 2022). "Fighting back often lands domestic violence targets in jail, legislative panel told". Tulsa World.
- ^ "Interim Study 22-019: Criminalized Domestic Violence Survivors" (PDF). 2022.
- ^ "OK House Studies Criminalized Survivorship". 2022.
- ^ "Advocates seek to stop criminalizing domestic abuse survivors". Enid News & Eagle. 2022.
- ^ "When moms fight back: Stories from the Capitol". VNN. 2022.
- ^ Harlow, Brittany (18 February 2023). "Legislation to help criminalized survivors get justice filed in Oklahoma". VNN.
- ^ Rose, Brenna (4 February 2023). "'It would mean that they finally believe us': New bill targets domestic abuse survivors". KTUL.
- ^ Rose, Brenna (2022). "Survived and Sentenced: Are Oklahoma's laws failing domestic violence survivors?". KTUL.
- ^ "Youth sex-change-surgery ban clears another hurdle". Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
- ^ "Hasenbeck Passes Domestic Abuse Survivorship Act Through Committee". Oklahoma House of Representatives. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- ^ "Bill Information". www.oklegislature.gov. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- ^ Weber, Andy (2024-02-08). "Oklahoma bill to help abuse victims convicted of murder advances at state Capitol". KOCO. Retrieved 2024-03-12.