(OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, 8/22/2019) – The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK) today released the first CAIR-OK Government Affairs Report detailing the work of its Government Affairs Department during the 2019 State Legislative Session.

“This report details the important work the Oklahoma Muslim community is doing to become more deeply engaged in the political process. Our community cares about the issues that are important to all Oklahomans and we are doing the work to make this state better for all of us,” said CAIR-OK Government Affairs Director Lani R. Habrock.

CAIR-OK’s Government Affairs Report covers the 2019 Legislative Priorities the department tracked. Each year, CAIR-OK develops policy priorities in advance of the legislative session, based on research, community interest and the CAIR-OK mission. Using these priorities, the Government Affairs Department tracks legislation in these policy areas to report on how bills are proposed, advanced, argued, and either rejected or signed into law. 2019 Policy Priorities included criminal justice reform, responsible firearms regulations, voting rights, and education.

The Government Affairs Department also produced a series of candidate guides to educate Muslim voters on the many candidates running for a variety of public offices, focused on the districts with higher concentrations of Muslim voters. Each candidate was approached with a series of questions to collect their statements on issues such as immigration, budgeting, bullying, hate crimes, and education. Over 500 of these guides were distributed in advance of the 2018 midterm elections.

Established in 2018, CAIR-OK’s Government Affairs Department has helped increase civic engagement among the Oklahoma Muslim community by connecting Oklahoma lawmakers with their diverse constituents. The 5th Annual Muslim Day at the State Capitol, held in March 2019, brought over 200 participants to the state capitol building to meet with over a dozen elected officials, including Governor Kevin Stitt, who visited to the Senate Chamber to welcome the Muslim community to the capitol.

Other Government Affairs events covered in the report include the 2019 Ramadan Iftar with Elected Leaders, which for the first time in CAIR-OK history featured elected officials from the city, state, and federal level to speak to a crowd of over 200. The Young Professionals Iftar, aimed at young Muslims aged 18-35, brought Basheer Jones, the first Muslim elected to city council in Cleveland, Ohio, to Oklahoma City as part of CAIR-OK’s Young Professionals Network. In addition, dozens of Meet and Greet events were held across the state to bring lawmakers to mosques and Islamic centers in their districts, including Stillwater, Ardmore, Tulsa, Edmond, Norman, and Oklahoma City.

For a copy of the CAIR Oklahoma 2018-2019 Government Affairs Report, please visit https://www.cairoklahoma.com/resource/2018-2019-government-affairs-report/ or email Government Affairs Director Lani R. Habrock at LHabrock@cair.com.

CAIR-OK is a chapter of America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.