Oklahoma lawmakers are attempting to limit the public's access to information with several bills to add numerous exemptions to the open record laws.

At least a half dozen bills still alive in the Oklahoma Legislature this session would prevent the public from learning about things like autopsy reports, birth dates of public employees, municipal court information and records from the Oklahoma Film and Music Office.

"It seems like it's a battle every year in the Legislature to protect the public's right to know what its government is doing," said Joey Senat, a media law expert at Oklahoma State University and board member for Freedom of Information Oklahoma. "I guess it's not a battle that will ever end."

Last week, a bill by state Sen. Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City that would keep birth dates of public employees private, sailed through the Senate 44-0 with no discussion or debate.

The Oklahoma Public Employees Association has endorsed the proposal, saying state employees shouldn't give up the right to privacy when they go to work for the government, but open records proponents say it would hinder the public's ability to identify potential criminals working for state or local governments.

Other information on public workers, like social security numbers, addresses and telephone numbers, already is kept private.

"We as citizens need to know some basic things about people who work in government," said Mark Thomas, the director of the Oklahoma Press Association who works with lawmakers to minimize exemptions to the state's Open Records and Open Meetings acts. "There are a lot of great public employees, and I certainly don't think every government worker is a crook. But there are some, and we need to weed them out of positions of governance.

"The only way we can do that is to be able to accurately identify who they are and where they work."

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, who initially voted for the bill, said he now has second thoughts.

"Upon further review, I think I would have changed my vote," said Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. "I think that you have to have access to that information, and the First Amendment matters, like all of the Constitution does, and we need to preciously guard that."

State Rep. Randy Terrill, who is carrying Leftwich's bill in the House, said he believes a compromise might be reached where birth dates of public employees could be obtained in cases involving criminal activity, corruption or wrongdoing.

"The public has a right to know in certain circumstances, but in other cases they may not," said Terrill, R-Moore. "It's our duty to strike the appropriate balance, while erring on the side of openness and transparency, if possible."

Another bill currently alive would allow district attorneys to shut off access to autopsy reports, including details about how a person was killed and injuries the victim may have suffered.

Jessica Brown, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, said such information often is critical to an investigation and allows detectives to determine if tips or leads are credible.

"Is it more important to know the bloody, gory details or is it more important for law enforcement to have all the tools they need to solve the crime and keep other people from becoming victims?" Brown said.

But Senat discounted Brown's position as a "bumper-sticker argument."

"I don't think anyone has any specifics to show it would prevent crimes from being solved," Senat said. "It seems just as reasonable that providing more information to the public would help you catch the criminal."

Ultimately, Thomas said the necessity for people in positions of power in government to be responsible to the citizens is one of the founding principles of the country.

"That's why the United States broke away from the king and started a new country. That principle has not changed," Thomas said. "That's why the people deserve access to records that the government keeps about them.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is shutting down a mobile command center used to support the search for missing 7-year-old Aja Johnson.

The center had been posted at Geronimo City Hall.

OSBI spokesperson Jessica Brown says leads are dwindling but that the investigation remains open.

The U.S. Marshal's Service has added their Sex Offender Investigation Unit to the search because of the possibility that Hobbs is sexually abusing the girl.

OSBI spokesperson Jessica Brown says investigators are still going through leads in the case.

Authorities believe Hobbs may have been driving a 1992 Toyota Paseo sedan, white in color.

According to court records, Hobbs has faced numerous charges in the past, including Assualt with a Deadly Weapon, Violating a Protective Order and Resisting Arrest.

Hobbs has a sister in Davenport, Oklahoma, but may be headed to Houston or Bakersfield, California.

If you believe you've spotted Hobbs, Johnson, or the vehicle call 911 immediately.

In his eighth and final State of the State address to the Oklahoma Legislature, Gov. Brad Henry outlined his plans for tackling the state’s $1.3 billion revenue shortfall through a combination of surgically precise budget cuts and use of the state’s emergency reserves fund.

“This budget crisis will test each of us, and it will demand our best,” the Governor told a joint legislative session.

“It will require listening to the needs of our people, not the noise of partisan rancor. It will demand cooperation and collaboration, not confrontation and political calculation. The decisions we make will affect millions of Oklahomans today and in the future.”

The current fiscal challenge, Gov. Henry stressed, requires bipartisanship and the resolve to protect the core services of government. He noted that state agencies have already endured substantial cuts, and that more must follow, but that lawmakers cannot balance the budget on the backs of hardworking Oklahomans.

“I implore you to remember there are very real and human consequences to budget cuts,” said the Governor.

“The men and women who make state government work are not numbers on a spreadsheet. Slashing government spending can make for catchy campaign rhetoric, but rhetoric has ramifications — human ramifications — that demand to be considered.”

Recounting progress the state has made in the arena of education -- from the Achieving Classroom Excellence initiative and a nationally lauded preschool program to higher teacher pay and a $475-million higher education capital bond issue -- the Governor said he will resist any budget-cutting efforts that would undermine those accomplishments.

“Through education, we are building a skilled and creative workforce, forging the strong and diverse economy of tomorrow,” he said.

“We are molding the leaders and citizens who will decide the fate of issues we cannot yet imagine, and we want those citizens to be discerning, thoughtful and well-informed. Most of all, by giving every Oklahoma child a great education, we give that child a chance to pursue his or her dreams. There is nothing greater we can do for our children or our future.”

Gov. Henry pointed out in his 32—minute address that this is not the first time Oklahoma has faced revenue failure. A budget shortfall of nearly $700 million consumed the legislative session when he first took office in 2003.

“The pessimists wrung their hands and panicked,” the Governor said.

“The naysayers braced for huge tax hikes and catastrophic cuts. The cynics predicted rank partisanship would rule the day. But I challenged legislators to put aside partisan differences and work with me for the good of the state. And that’s exactly what happened.”

He said that Oklahoma’s Rainy Day Fund, virtually depleted when he took office in 2003, is at its constitutional limit for the first time ever.

“This budget crisis is precisely the kind of emergency that citizens envisioned 25 years ago when they voted to create the Rainy Day Fund,” said Gov. Henry.

“Now is the time to use our reserve dollars to preserve crucial services.”

Moreover, the Governor urged a change to better enable future Legislatures to confront similar fiscal crises. He advocated raising the cap on Rainy Day Fund deposits from 10 percent to 15 percent of general revenue collections.

Gov. Henry also cautioned that the crisis of the moment cannot blind legislators to preserving and building on successes in economic development, education, energy and healthcare.

He challenged lawmakers to continue adequate funding for Insure Oklahoma, the public-private partnership that helps small businesses provide health insurance for their employees.

In the realm of economic development, the Governor urged lawmakers to ensure a permanent funding source for the EDGE Endowment to nurture high-tech industries and create jobs.

He also highlighted the importance of innovative “Smart on Crime” programs such as drug courts and mental health courts.

“Mental health and substance abuse services impact the lives — in fact, they save the lives — of Oklahomans of all backgrounds,” Gov. Henry said.

“These vital programs keep families together. Just as important, they offer solutions to problems before they escalate to the costly criminal justice system. I urge you to remain tough and smart on crime by investing in mental health and substance abuse services. We can save lives today and taxpayer dollars tomorrow.”

The Governor also reflected on the many successes his administration has had over the past eight years.

“This is a unique and inspiring state,” he said.

“A literal and figurative crossroads of America, we are a fusion of seemingly contradictory traits. We dream big, but with feet planted firmly on the ground. We know self-reliance but revere charity and compassion. We are humble, but boast an unconquerable spirit. We honor our heritage but look to our future with pride.

“Oklahoma is emerging as one of the most dynamic stories of America in the 21st century. It is a tale of fortitude and fearlessness, of innovation and ingenuity, of family and unflagging faith. I am proud of the contributions we have been able to make to this incredible state these past seven years. And I am heartened by the certainty that our best days lie ahead.”

Two escapees from a minimum-security prison in northwest Oklahoma have been caught in southeastern Mississippi.

Oklahoma Department of Corrections spokesman Jerry Massie says 44-year-old Daniel Kelly and 48-year-old Ronnie Ray White were arrested Saturday in Brandon - about 10 miles east of Jackson.

Massie said he doesn't have details of the arrest.

Kelly and White escaped from the James Crabtree Correctional Center in Helena on Jan. 24 and are believed to have taken a pickup truck that's missing from the prison. Massie says the truck has not been recovered and the two were in a sport utility vehicle stolen from Lubbock when they were found.

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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- Alice Dunkin, Aja Johnson's grandmother is struggling to not only deal with the news her granddaughter is missing, but also that her daughter, Tonya Hobbs, was found dead early Monday morning.

Dunkin says Tonya was married to Lester Hobbs, the man authorities believe took Aja and the one they would like to question about Tonya's death.

She says the couple had been having some problems, though she didn't know how severe.

According to court records, Hobbs has faced numerous charges in the past, including Assault with a Dangerous/Deadly Weapon, Violating a Protective Order and Resisting Arrest.

Dunkin is now is no begging Lester Hobbs to bring Aja, her granddaughter, home.

Dunkin says, "Just tell us where she is. Call me; let me know where she is. We'll go pick her up. Don't hurt her. Please just bring her home."

Earlier Monday, authorities have issued an Amber Alert for a 7-year-old girl from Geronimo, OK. Police said 47-year-old Lester Hobbs shot and killed his estranged wife, then kidnapped her daughter, Aja Johnson.

The body of the missing girl's mother was found by deputies about 9 p.m. Sunday. She was identified Monday as 37-year-old Tonya Hobbs.

The incident happened around 10 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of Comanche Ave. and Minnesota St.

Geronimo police, the Comanche County Sheriff's Department and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are working the case.

The Amber Alert for Aja Johnson says she is a white female with brown hair and brown eyes; she is bipolar and has other medical conditions.

The murder and kidnapping suspect is a Lester Hobbs.

Police believe he may be headed toward his sister's house in Davenport, Oklahoma.

He may be going to Bakersfield, C.A. or Houston.

He may be driving a 1992 white Toyota with license plate number 577-BPW.

Hobbs is a white male, 6 ft 1 in. tall and 190 lbs.

He has brown hair, brown eyes, a receding hair line and a numerous tattoos.

Hobbs has prior felony charges out of Cleveland County and is carrying the weapon used in the murder.

If you believe you've spotted Hobbs, Johnson or the vehicle call 911 immediately.

State budget cuts of $16 million to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services are beginning to impact services provided by the agency, but as yet, have not affected communties in northwest Oklahoma.

Terri White, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services commissioner, said facilities in northwest Oklahoma will not see job cuts — at least for the time being..

A reduction in force notice was presented last week to 45 employees at state-run mental health facilities in Norman, including Griffin Memorial Hospital, Norman Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center and the Children’s Recovery Center.

Another nine employees were given RIF notices Monday at the state-run Bill Willis Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Center in Tahlequah.

According to the RIF notice, the cuts in Tahlequah will trim about $550,000 from the departments operating budget.

The facilities in Norman, in addition to shedding jobs, also will be reorganized.

Some women receiving treatment at mental facilities in Norman will be moved to other centers with connections to the state, including the Rose Rock Recovery Center in Vinita and the Northwest Center for Behavioral Health in Guthrie.

Over the last several weeks state government officials have been evaluating which government services are considered essential and which are non-essential.

White and other ODMHSAS officials have been fighting to have mental health services defined as essential services.

The state government is expected to make more budget cuts to nearly all state-funded programs, White said, but there will be fewer cuts made to those that are deemed essential.

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