Bill > HR1025

This resolution honors Kate Barnard, a pioneering Oklahoma public servant who was the first woman elected to statewide office in the United States, serving as Oklahoma Commissioner of Charities beginning in 1907. The resolution highlights her groundbreaking work, including passing over 30 laws that laid the foundation for modern state departments of corrections, human services, and mental health, and her fearless advocacy for working-class people, children's rights, and Native American children's welfare. Despite facing political and industrial retaliation, including having her office defunded, Barnard secured over $1 million for Native American children and worked to improve education, prison systems, and mental health services. The resolution proclaims May 23 as Kate Barnard Day in Oklahoma, commemorating her birthday and celebrating her enduring legacy of justice, integrity, and compassion in public service. It also directs that copies of the resolution be distributed to the Oklahoma Historical Society, the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women, and the Saint Joseph Old Cathedral in Oklahoma City.

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hr1025&Session=2600