Oklahoma City's legislative proposals for 2017 will include granting municipal court judges authority to require indigent defendants to perform community service.

Advocates of the idea say giving judges an additional sentencing option for defendants in the city's criminal courts could relieve some financial pressure on the poor.

Judges who find a defendant to be indigent now have limited recourse to collect fines.

Fines and costs may be suspended if a judge determines the defendant's financial circumstances are unlikely to improve or are insufficient to order a payment plan.