Representative Tim Turner

R

District 15

Hi, I'm Tim Turner and I represent the people of Oklahoma's 15th District.

representative

News & Announcements

Oct 22, 2026
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Hardin, Turner Study Department of Corrections' Employee Pay

OKLAHOMA CITY – Reps. David Hardin, R-Stilwell, and Tim Turner, R-Kinta, held an interim study before the House Public Safety Committee examining pay for correctional officers, support staff and administrators at the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Hardin chairs the committee and had an almost 40-year career in law enforcement.  "Having a strong and dependable corrections workforce is an important part of maintaining public safety across our state," Hardin said. "We need to understand the challenges the Department of Corrections faces in recruiting and retaining employees, as well as what is working in Oklahoma and elsewhere. The information gathered through this study gives us a clearer understanding of those challenges and a stronger foundation for considering how we address them moving forward." Turner, a member of the committee, spent more than two decades in law enforcement. "Every day, our correctional officers walk into an environment that most Oklahomans will never experience," Turner said . "They face dangerous situations, unpredictable behaviors and tremendous responsibility. Yet far too often, their compensation does not reflect the risks they take or the sacrifices their families make. And we cannot forget our support staff. From medical personnel and administrative employees to maintenance workers, food service staff, and everyone who keeps these facilities operating, they are essential to our mission. Adequate pay is not simply about rewarding employees. It’s about recruitment, retention, safety and accountability." The lawmakers invited Justin Farris, director of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC), to give an overview of the department, current pay and challenges to recruiting and retaining correctional officers, administrators and support staff. "Staffing levels at ODOC are critical," Farris said . "We have recognized this for a long time" Farris said when he began as a correctional officer in 1999, each prison had two to three correctional officers per housing unit. Now, there is one officer per unit, traditionally. "This is not at all how we want to operate, which is why I'm here today. I'm here not only to highlight our dedicated and hard-working staff but also to advocate for them. They are an integral part of public safety, and really the thankless part that often goes unnoticed. Yet they are no less dedicated to protecting public safety and building a stronger Oklahoma than any other law enforcement agency in our state." Farris said over the last several years the department has worked to improve the culture of the work environment, and they are seeing the result of that. "Retention rates are up, but we need a pay raise for all of our employees to keep up with this," he said. "We're not only losing our security staff to other states and entities that pay more, we're also losing experienced support and administrative staff to other state agencies that offer higher salaries for positions with less supervisory responsibility." Farris said a pay raise would help stabilize the workforce and undergird the improvement efforts the department has undertaken. Since 2023, the department hired over 3,300 employees agencywide. However, they lost more than 3,100 during the same period. That leaves the department with a gain of just 194 employees. Currently, agencywide, the department has 641 open positions. Jeannine Morton-Brown, director of Human Resources with the department, showed the disparity of pay between Oklahoma and surrounding states. Correctional officers between tiers two and four earn on average between 18% and 21.7% less than peers in surrounding states including Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico and Texas. Only in tier two is the state higher in pay than Arkansas. It is less in all the additional surrounding states. She also discussed the gap in DOC pay versus other state agencies. Donald Thurmond, who serves as the chief of security at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary and Jackie Brannon Minimum Security Unit in McAlester, asked study attendees to ask themselves what $21.48 an hour – the starting pay for most Oklahoma correctional officers – would purchase in today's economy. He then graphically explained what an officer is asked to do for that wage. "We ask them to supervise individuals convicted of violent crimes," he said . "We ask them to intervene in fights. We ask them to confront individuals armed with homemade weapons. We ask them to respond when an inmate attempts to take their own life. We ask them to remain professional when they're threatened, cursed at, spit on or assaulted, and we ask them to protect the lives of the very people who may have just attempted to hurt them for approximately twenty-one dollars and forty-eight cents an hour." Thurmond said he's watched good, experienced correctional officers walk away from careers they love because they could not afford to stay. Additional presenters included Mike Thompson, director of the nonprofit Safe Inside Project, who discussed improving life and work behind prison walls, and Mary Babcock, director of Human Resources for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. She described efforts the department has pursued that has resulted in better compensation, better retention of staff and an overall safer environment for officers and inmates. Turner closed the study saying , "Respect must reflect in our actions, our budgets and ultimately in our paychecks of those that are serving behind those walls. These employees aren't asking to become wealthy. They're asking to earn a fair wage and provide for their families and know the state they serve values their sacrifices. As we move forward to the next legislative session, I hope we remember the testimony that we've heard today and we recognize that adequate compensation isn't just an employee issue, it's a public safety issue, it's a retention issue and a responsibility that we have as state leaders." The entire study can be viewed on the House website under News & Media, live proceedings, then search the calendar for Oct. 21 Public Safety starting at 1:02 p.m.

Sep 22, 2026
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Turner Studies Child-Sensitive Arrest Policies and Practices in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY –The House Criminal Judiciary Committee on Tuesday held an interim study by Rep. Tim Turner, R-Kinta, examining child-sensitive policies and practices when children are present during the arrest of a parent or caregiver. Turner, who served more than two decades in law enforcement, including as a sheriff and narcotics officer, said the intent of the study was to examine current Oklahoma law enforcement policies, practices, training and data collection efforts while identifying practical opportunities to strengthen officer training, cross-system collaboration, and available resources that support public safety and improve outcomes for children and families. "Law enforcement officers are asked to make difficult decisions in rapidly evolving situations where officer and public safety must always remain the highest priority," Turner said. "The purpose of this discussion is not to change that mission. Officers must maintain the ability to do their jobs. But we also must consider children who are present when an arrest takes place and the impact that may have on them." Turner said it was his intent during the study to learn how many Oklahoma children are affected by parental arrest in their presence; what procedures and resources are in place and available to help officers and affected children; what happens to those children after an arrest to make sure they are safe and supported; and ways to make this process better and safer so children are protected while not compromising law enforcement officers and public safety. The study was requested by the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY), through its legislatively mandated Children of Incarcerated Parents (CIP) Advisory Committee. OCCY Executive Director Annette Wisk Jacobi gave an overview of the commission's work to improve services and outcomes for Oklahoma's children, youth and families. She said the commission works across agencies, systems and communities to identify and address issues affecting children and youth and to promote programs that support them. "Our role often places OCCY at the intersection of multiple systems, including child welfare, behavioral health, education and the justice system," Jacobi said. Dr. David McLeod, chair of OCCY's CIP Advisory Committee and a director at the Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work at the University of Oklahoma, spoke about what children may experience when witnessing an arrest of a parent or caregiver. They may feel their safety is threatened, he said, or have caregiver separation anxiety. They'll likely be confused about what happens next. This can create acute or toxic stress and trauma responses. This can later result in emotional and behavioral difficulty, negative family and police perceptions, posttraumatic stress symptoms, physiological stress and can impact school performance and development. McLeod said law enforcement and lawmakers should consider what is preventable, what is already feasible and what data Oklahoma lacks. Some protective factors to consider include having a trusted adult in place to help the child, giving clear information about what is happening now and what will happen next, having a safe caregiver in place who will help the child maintain school and other routine activities, offering follow-up support. Shannon Luper, program director of Girl Scouts Beyond Bars and Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma, shared that more than 26,000 Oklahoma children have a parent in prison, and one in 10 have experienced incarceration of a family member. For many children, a parent's arrest is their first interaction with the justice system. "The question is not only what happens to the parent. It is what happens to the child," she said. "Parental arrest is not a single event for the child. It's a journey." Luper included the perspective shared by youth when they were asked what they remembered about the experience of a parent or caregiver being arrested, what helped them, what could have been different and what they would like policymakers to understand. Child-sensitive arrests are just the beginning of the conversation, Luper said. What organizations such as hers do after an arrest is equally if not more important. This may include making sure the child can visit their incarcerated parent to help maintain healthy family relationships, partnering with caregivers to provide support, mentoring the child, teaching leadership and resilience, and supporting the parent with education and opportunities to reconnect with their children. Other presenters who shared lived experiences included Mikayla Woods, a Haskell County resident; and Daryll Savell on the Parent Partnership Board with OCCY. The study also featured a question-and-answer session with law enforcement, featuring Scott Walton, sheriff of Rogers County; Jon Sappington, former Rogers County undersheriff; and Kevin Branscum, an investigator with the District 25 district attorney's office. This study can be viewed on the House website, https://www.okhouse.gov/ , under live proceedings. Search by calendar day, Sept. 22, then for study IS26-082 Child-Sensitive Arrest Policies and Practices in Oklahoma, under Criminal Judiciary starting at 1 p.m.

Sep 18, 2026
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Turner to Pursue Legislation to Ban Kratom

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Tim Turner, R-Kinta, announced Friday that he intends to pursue legislation during the 61st Oklahoma Legislature addressing dangerous kratom-derived compounds linked to a growing number of deaths in Oklahoma. Turner said his legislation will seek to place dangerous kratom alkaloids and concentrated or synthetically enhanced compounds, including 7 Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl and Dihydro-7-Hydroxymitragynine (MGM-15), under Schedule I of the Oklahoma Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act. Turner, a former sheriff and longtime narcotics officer, said he is particularly concerned that kratom-derived products and highly concentrated compounds are readily available on the counters of convenience stores and other retail locations across Oklahoma. “Our youth are more important than a dollar,” Turner said. “There is no amount of tax revenue, retail sales or industry profit that is worth the life of an Oklahoma child. We have an obligation to protect our kids, and getting these dangerous compounds off store counters is one way we can help save lives. We should not wait until another Oklahoma family receives a devastating phone call before we decide to act.” According to information from the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), from January through June 2026, 38 deaths were reported involving one of the identified compounds alone. Another 73 deaths involved at least one of the compounds in combination with another intoxicating drug or substance. OCME has reported a significant rise in deaths associated with mitragynine alkaloids, both alone and in combination with alcohol or other medications. The agency has identified compounds of concern that include 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl and Dihydro-7-Hydroxymitragynine (MGM-15). According to OCME, these substances can produce potent opioid-like effects and, when taken alone or with other sedating substances, can increase the likelihood of severe respiratory depression and death. OCME has further reported that the increase in associated deaths began during the latter half of 2025 and has escalated in recent months. The agency has cited ease of accessibility, unregulated content, promotion as dietary supplements and vague package labeling as factors that can contribute to misconceptions about product safety. Turner is already working with law enforcement officials and prosecutors to develop the legislation. He intends to work with fellow legislators, medical professionals and affected families as well. Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Director Donnie Anderson said the state’s current law limits his agency’s ability to investigate suppliers of synthetically enhanced kratom products. “I look forward to working with State Representative Tim Turner and the Oklahoma Legislature to enact strict laws that will give my agency the enforcement authority to protect the health and safety of our citizens from these dangerous products,” Anderson said. “Synthetically enhanced Kratom products are contributing to an alarming rise in overdoses and deaths in our state. But, because these products are not listed as Controlled Dangerous Substances in Oklahoma, we currently do not have jurisdiction to investigate and shut down the suppliers.” District 27 District Attorney Jack Thorp also emphasized the need for lawmakers to address product safety. “When kratom, particularly in combination with common medications like Benadryl, contributes to a death, we should take notice,” Thorp said. “Reasonable legislation ensuring these products are safe, properly tested, and clearly labeled can help prevent future tragedies.” Turner said he also wants lawmakers to examine avenues for holding manufacturers and distributors accountable when evidence shows their products contributed to deaths or serious injuries. “It is time to stop treating this like just another product on a convenience store shelf,” Turner said. “If companies knowingly manufacture, market, distribute or sell dangerous products that are killing Oklahomans, there needs to be accountability. That accountability should include both criminal and civil consequences where the facts and law support it.” Turner said his more than two decades in law enforcement, including his experience as a sheriff and narcotics officer, shaped his decision to pursue the legislation. “I didn’t come to the Legislature just to sit in a building and watch problems get worse,” Turner said. “It’s time for me to put my training outside this building to use and fight for the safety of Oklahoma families. If we can prevent one child from becoming addicted, overdosing or losing their life, then this effort is worth it.” The bill introduction deadline for the first session of the 61st Oklahoma Legislature is Jan. 14, 2027. The first day of session is Feb. 1.