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Oklahoma
Legislature For Immediate Release:
July 20, 2007 The leaders of the Oklahoma State Senate announced their approval today of 35 interim legislative studies on issues ranging from Oklahoma’s graduation dropout rates to accountability measures at the Department of Human Services.
The study requests were approved by Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, and Co-President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater, who share the responsibility of running the evenly-divided Senate.
The leaders said each study will be assigned to the Senate committee with jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in the request.
“Interim studies offer a unique opportunity for legislators to take an in-depth look at an issue in a manner that is almost impossible within the Constitutional constraints of the legislative session,” said Morgan.
Coffee stated, “These studies provide legislators an opportunity to extensively study an issue or a problem, and then develop ideas for legislation to address it. Interim studies are a critical part of the legislative process in Oklahoma.”
APPROVED SENATE INTERIM STUDIES INCLUDE:
1 - SUBJECT: Tobacco Tax Enforcement REQUESTED BY: Senator Patrick Anderson COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Finance
2 - SUBJECT: Graduation and drop out rates; GED requirements and rules; Thunderbird Youth Academy REQUESTED BY: Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Education
3 - SUBJECT: Academic Performance Index REQUESTED BY: Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Education
4 - SUBJECT: “Weighted” students, “at risk” students, and the proportion of funding schools receive REQUESTED BY: Senator Judy Eason-McIntyre COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Education
5 - SUBJECT: Restructuring of Department of Human Services to include a Department of Aging REQUESTED BY: Senator Debbe Leftwich COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Health and Human Resources
6 - SUBJECT: Department of Human Services review to explore and determine appropriate accountability measures and to examine the feasibility of mandatory show cause hearings REQUESTED BY: Senator Debbe Leftwich COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Health and Human Resources
7 - SUBJECT: Review of Williams Company Employee Recruitment Incentives REQUESTED BY: Senator Tom Adelson COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Finance Committee
8 - SUBJECT: Department of Human Services’ Children First Program and Oklahoma Child Abuse Prevention Fund REQUESTED BY: Senator Tom Adelson COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Health and Human Resources
9 - SUBJECT: Hormone herbicides REQUESTED BY: Senator Mike Schulz COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Agriculture and Rural Development
10 - SUBJECT: Eye care in the state of Oklahoma REQUESTED BY: Senators Branan, Bass, Brogdon, Nichols, Rice and Sparks COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Business and Labor
11 - SUBJECT: Study of health care providers (other than M.D.’s and D.O.’S) who perform invasive procedures and the impact this has on the delivery of health in Oklahoma REQUESTED BY: Senator Brian Bingman COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Business and Labor
12 - SUBJECT: Study of the construction management delivery system in the state, and the cost/benefit of construction management delivery versus design/bid/build delivery. REQUESTED BY: Senator Harry Coates COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Pending
13 - SUBJECT: Certification process for homes, motel rooms, and structures used as a meth lab to be occupied again REQUESTED BY: Senators Ballenger and Barrington COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Public Safety and Homeland Security
14 - SUBJECT: Current state of oil and gas reserves in Oklahoma and the economic impact that depleting reserves may have on future state budgets. REQUESTED BY: Senator Patrick Anderson COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Energy and Environment
15 - SUBJECT: Funding mechanism for Extension Services REQUESTED BY: Senator Jeff Rabon COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Appropriations
16 - SUBJECT: Water usage and availability REQUESTED BY: Senator Jeff Rabon COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Energy and Environment
17 - SUBJECT: Health care industry's billing and collection practices REQUESTED BY: Senator Jim Wilson COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Health and Human Resources
18 - SUBJECT: Oklahoma's legal process for dealing with child welfare matters that involve needy children. REQUESTED BY: Senator Patrick Anderson COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Health and Human Resources
19 - SUBJECT: ATV safety issues REQUESTED BY: Senator David Myers COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Public Safety and Homeland Security
20 - SUBJECT: Problems faced by HIV/AIDS patients accessing medical care and the increase of HIV/AIDS among certain demographics in Oklahoma REQUESTED BY: Senator Judy Eason-McIntyre COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Health and Human Resources
21 - SUBJECT: Review of procedures, efficiency, and collections at DHS Child Support Division. REQUESTED BY: Senator Kenneth Corn COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Health and Human Resources
22 - SUBJECT: Review of the higher education funding formula as it relates to two year and regional institutions REQUESTED BY: Senator Kenneth Corn COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Appropriations
23 - SUBJECT: Review of gross production revenues – averages, expenditures and future trends REQUESTED BY: Senator Kenneth Corn COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Finance
24 - SUBJECT: Transportation funding; creating a lock box for gasoline taxes REQUESTED BY: Senator Kenneth Corn COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Transportation
25 - SUBJECT: Funding for Skills Centers; number of programs and effectiveness on recidivism rates REQUESTED BY: Senator Kenneth Corn COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Appropriations
26 - SUBJECT: Funding for the office of Juvenile Affairs for preventative and penal programs REQUESTED BY: Senator Kenneth Corn COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Appropriations
27 - SUBJECT: Management of surface and ground water systems and how to increase the water supply REQUESTED BY: Senator Susan Paddack COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Energy and Environment
28 - SUBJECT: Higher Education funding formula with respect to institutional peer groupings REQUESTED BY: Senator Susan Paddack COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Appropriations
29 - SUBJECT: Process for small towns and cities to hire part time city managers REQUESTED BY: Senator Brian Bingman COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: General Government
30 - SUBJECT: Whitetail Deer and Elk industry in Oklahoma REQUESTED BY: Senator John Sparks COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Wildlife and Tourism
31 - SUBJECT: Environmental laws as they affect construction permitted during building of state projects REQUESTED BY: Senator Sean Burrage COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Energy and Environment
32 - SUBJECT: Funding options for the OSU Division of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension Services and Experiment Stations REQUESTED BY: Senator Ron Justice COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Appropriations
33 - SUBJECT: Review the constitutional and statutory requirements for serving on the Oklahoma State Board of Regents for the Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges REQUESTED BY: Senator Patrick Anderson COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Education
34 - SUBJECT: Balanced energy use REQUESTED BY: Senator David Myers COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Energy and Environment
35 - SUBJECT: Insurance premium reform REQUESTED BY: Senator Charles Laster COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT: Retirement and Insurance
Contact for Senator Coffee: Paul Ziriax (405) 521-5654
Contact for Senator Morgan: Robin Maxey (405) 521-5605
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