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Week In Review

Mon, Mar. 10 - Thurs. Mar. 13, 2014

Monday, March 10

• The Senate met Monday, approving numerous measures including the following.

-SB 1445 by Sen. Susan Paddack, modifies the definition of “primary place of use” for mobile communications service under the Nine-One-One Wireless Emergency Number Act.

-SB 1023 by Sen. Dan Newberry, establishes that the Legislature occupies and preempts the entire field of legislation touching certain mandated minimum wage and employee benefits.

-SB 1228 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, modifies language related to withholding or collection and remittance of sales taxes, withheld income taxes or motor fuel taxes.

-SB 1433 by Sen. Dan Newberry, adds human trafficking to the list of crimes for which a person convicted is required to serve 85 percent of their sentence.

-SB 1604 by Sen. Mark Allen, creates the Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Recovery Revolving Fund.

-SB 1703 by Sen. Clark Jolley, amends the Oklahoma Ridesharing Act.

-SB 1668 by Sen. Dan Newberry, modifies the Roofing Contractor Registration Act.


• Senate committees did not meet Monday.


• The House approved several measures Monday including the following.

-HB 2329 by Rep. Sally Kern, permits a handgun on any property set aside for the use of parking any vehicle, by a public or private elementary or secondary school.

-HB 2444 by Rep. Wade Rousselot, adds city-county health departments as those that may establish a Wellness Council.

-HB 2377 by Rep. Steve Vaughan, allows a $300 per month allowance for various items for all commissioned law enforcement officers of the Department of Public Safety.

-HB 2873 by Rep. Tom Newell, amends the definition of “exercise of religion” in the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act.

-HB 3024 by Rep. T.W. Shannon, repeals the Cigarette and Tobacco Tax Advisory Committee.

-HB 3294 by Rep. Leslie Osborn, renames the Oklahoma Personnel Act the Oklahoma Career Service Act.

-HB 2684 by Rep. Randy Grau, modifies language relating to certain abortion-inducing drugs.

-HB 2686 by Rep. Randy Grau, requires any claim or challenge to the constitutionality of a state statute be considered and ruled upon by a panel of at least three district judges of the judicial district in which the case is pending.


• House committees took no action on bills Monday.

Tuesday, March 11

• The Senate met Tuesday, approving a number of measures including the following.

-SB 1047 by Sen. Ralph Shortey, creates the Oklahoma Work Program.

-SB 1223 by Sens. Frank Simpson and Tom Ivester, creates the Oklahoma 9/11 G.I. Bill.

-SB 1591 by Sen. Kyle Loveless, changes certain references to dog kennel in to commercial pet breeder.

-SB 1639 by Sen. Brian Bingman, creates the Quality Workforce Act.

-SB 1720 by Sen. Josh Brecheen, provides an explanation to imposing a $40 per month fee for a suspended or deferred sentence for any offense that does not order supervision by the Department of Corrections.

-SB 1816 by Sen. Brian Crain, modifies when counties, school districts, technology center school districts, municipalities or other entities authorized to fill a vacancy may hold elections.

-SB 1828 by Sen. John Ford, exempts data collected for the Oklahoma Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluation System from the Oklahoma Open Meeting and Oklahoma Open Records acts.

-SB 1310 by Sen. Eddie Fields, creates the Curricular Standards Task Force.

-SB 1513 by Sen. David Holt, removes audio or video recordings of the Department of Public Safety from exclusions from the term “record” under the Open Records Act.

-SB 1870 by Sen. John Sparks, defines Professional Employer Organization, as an organization subject to the Oklahoma Professional Employer Organization Recognition and Registration Act.

-SB 1187 by Sen. Rob Standridge, modifies language relating to water conservation and reuse.

-SB 1310 by Sen. Eddie Fields, creates the Curricular Standards Task Force.

-SB 1497 by Sen. David Holt, states that any person denied access to meetings of a public body, other than executive sessions may bring a civil suit for declarative or injunctive relief.

-SB 1513 by Sen. David Holt, removes audio of video recordings of the Department of Public Safety from exclusions from the term “record” under the Open Records Act.

-SB 1704 by Sen. Dan Newberry, authorizes public trust and public agencies to provide local bid preferences of not more than 5 percent under certain circumstances.

-SB 1729 by Sen. David Holt, removes carbon monoxide chambers from the list of specified euthanasia methods.

-SB 1870 by Sen. John Sparks, defines Professional Employer Organization.

-SB 1993 by Sen. Kim David, modifies language relating to child support.

-SB 1472 by Sen. Kim David, authorizes DMHSAS to make direct payments not to exceed $10,000 on any 12 month period on behalf of an eligible employee to any private or public entity for which a qualified education loan expense is owed by the employee.

-SB 1715 by Sen. David Holt, creates public event licenses for for-profit events.

-SB 1505 by Sen. David Holt, authorizes state agencies to offer employees an option to voluntarily elect to be paid, one time annually, for a certain number of hours of unused accrued annual leave.


• Senate committees advanced no legislation Tuesday.


• The House approved several measures Tuesday, including the following.

-HB 2796 by Rep. Mark McCullough, requires the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to support and reinforce intact families in the state.

-HB 2630 by Rep. Randy McDaniel, creates the Retirement Security and Freedom Act.

-HB 3293 by Rep. Leslie Osborn, creates the State Employee Pay Program within the executive branch.

-HB 2249 by Rep. Jason Nelson, amends language relating to divorce proceedings.

-HB 1378 by Rep. Emily Virgin, amends the Dustin Rhodes and Lindsay Steed CPR Training Act.

-HB 2402 by Rep. Arthur Hulbert, requires the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to file and enforce a lien against the homestead of a recipient for payments of medical assistance made by the Authority to the recipient who has declared the intent not to return home or cannot reasonably be expected to be discharged.

-HB 2778 by Rep. Jadine Nollan, modifies language related to the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program.

-HB 2903 by Rep. Randy Grau, modifies language relating to statutes and reports in the Oklahoma Constitution.

-HB 2951 by Rep. Marty Quinn, requires candidates for county office to complete a training program and seminars through the Cooperative Extension Service at Oklahoma State University.

-HB 3099 by Rep. Mike Jackson, creates the Oklahoma Affordable Housing Tax Incentive Act.

• House committees took no action on bills Tuesday.

Wednesday, March 12

• The Senate met Wednesday, approving a number of bills including the following.

-SB 1278 by Sen. Kim David, creates the Pay for Success Contract Revolving Fund for the Office of Management and Enterprise Services.

-SB 1706 by Sen. Rob Standridge, creates a reduction in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits under certain circumstances.

-SB 1851 by Sen. Ron Justice, provides that vendors at farmer’s markets in Oklahoma and Tulsa counties will only be subject to licensing and inspection by the Department of Agriculture.

-SB 1902 by Sen. A.J. Griffin, permits OJA to establish a governing body to implement a charter school for juveniles in its custody and permits it to promulgate rules.

-SB 1925 by Sen. A.J. Griffin, requires physicians to inform the patient of their right to have the symptom or purpose for which the drug is being prescribed to appear on the prescription label.

-SB 1988 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, modifies composition of the Judicial Nominating Commission.

-SB 1915 by Sen. Ron Justice, establishes certain record keeping requirements for home food establishments.

-SB 1848 by Sen. Greg Treat, allows the State Board of Health to establish abortion facility, supplies and equipment standards.

-SB 1440 by Sen. Brian Bingman, establishes a moratorium on wind energy facility development in eastern Oklahoma.

-SB 1892 by Sen. Rob Johnson, exempts vapor products from taxes assessed on tobacco products.


• Senate committees took no action on bills Wednesday.


• The House met Wednesday, approving a number of bills including the following.

-HB 2887 by Rep. Jon Enns, would allow colleges and universities to develop their own policy to allow handguns on campus.

-HB 3399 by Rep. Jeff Hickman, calls for a new set of standards to be implemented by the 2016-2017 school year.

-HJR 1027 by Rep. Randy McDaniel, proposes a constitutional amendment to create requirements for state public retirement systems.

-HJR 1026 by Rep. Dan Fisher, proposes a constitutional amendment to amend language relating to the right of a citizen to keep and bear arms.

-HB 2367 by Rep. John Trebilcock, increases the monthly travel allowance county commissioners and sheriffs may receive.

-HB 2462 by Rep. Mike Turner, creates the Oklahoma Student Loan Public University Compensation Act.

-HB 2609 by Rep. Cory Williams, amends requirements for filing a motion for expungement.

-HJR 1009 by Rep. David Dank, would freeze property taxes for heads of household over the age of 65.

-HB 2414 by Rep. Jason Nelson, modifies language relating to the SoonerStart program.

-HB 2956 by Rep. Josh Cockroft, modifies the definition of establishment under the Small Employer Quality Jobs Incentive Act.


• House committees advanced no measures Wednesday.


Thursday, March 13

• The Senate met Thursday, approving several bills including the following.

-SB 1812 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, clarifies references relating to certification of county road mileage.

-SB 1495 by Sen. Kim David, directs the Health Care Authority to implement a managed care model for provision of services.

-SB 1859 by Sen. Josh Brecheen, states that the Tourism and Recreation Commission will conserve and protect the parkland under their own control.