Author: Steve Lewis

Checking status of major Senate education bills (Capitol Update)

Sen. Adam Pugh worked with educators during the interim on an ambitious common education proposal that was introduced in the form of 16 separate bills. With passage of the deadline for Senate bills to clear House committees, it would be a good time to see how his proposals are faring.  [More...]

Adding penalties to felony reclassification efforts is vital (Capitol Update)

Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, for the second year, is trying to enact a felony criminal reclassification system based on recommendations by the Criminal Justice Reclassification Coordination Council. The proposal is contained in House Bill 1792 by Rep. Mike Osburn, R-Edmond.… Read more [More...]

A closer look at House, Senate proposals to spend public dollars for private schools (Capitol Update)

With just under $1 billion in new recurring revenue potentially on the table for appropriation this session, the leaders of the House and Senate have directed their attention to increased education funding. But the conversation has taken unexpected twists and… Read more [More...]

Change requires patience and persistence: SB 706 provides great example of representative government (Capitol Update)

With last week’s deadline for passage of legislation by the house of origin, there was an onslaught of floor action on both sides of the Capitol. One bill, Senate Bill 706 by Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington, caught my attention because… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma would be better served by investing in programs that improve our state, not tax cuts (Capitol Update)

The legislature, after the February meeting of the State Board of Equalization, has a whopping $967 million in recurring revenue available this session to appropriate for state services for Fiscal Year 2024, which begins July 1, 2023. Recurring revenue means… Read more [More...]

Child leave bill (SB 193) could mark progress for maternity, childcare for state employees (Capitol Update)

Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, appears to be making some progress on her goal to make Oklahoma a “top 10 state for women.” She obtained passage last week of her Senate Bill 193 that would grant a six-week maternity leave to… Read more [More...]

Two bills that could be valuable justice reform measures (Capitol Update)

Continuing the criminal justice work he began last session, Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, last week filed committee substitutes in the House Rules Committee for House Bill 2477 and HB 2490 that were introduced earlier as shell bills. The two bills… Read more [More...]

SB 844 would help calculate SQ 781’s overdue investments in mental health, substance use disorders (Capitol Update)

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed Senate Bill 844 by Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, which is his latest effort to implement State Question 781 that was passed by vote of the people in 2016. Its companion measure, SQ780, changed… Read more [More...]

A look at the education plans proposed in the House and Senate (Capitol Update)

There are two legislative plans now for funding Oklahoma common education. Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, announced and passed through the House Common Education Committee last week his $500 million funding proposal for schools. His proposal would give all teachers a… Read more [More...]

New session could be pivotal year for Oklahoma (Capitol Update)

The legislative session began Monday with the governor’s state of the state address to a joint session. Committee work will begin in earnest on Tuesday with at least two Senate committees — Judiciary and Retirement and Insurance — hearing bills… Read more [More...]