Quotes of the Day

“If you turn off the existing system, we might leave as many as 32 million people without insurance. If we turn it off instantly, you don’t have a way to protect those people.”

– U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Cheyenne), speaking against repealing the Affordable Care Act without replacing it at a town hall meeting in Sapulpa on Wednesday (Source). Repealing the Affordable Care Act without a replacement in place would spell chaos for Oklahomans’ health care [OK Policy]

“If our legislature isn’t willing to solve some of these problems and prioritize our service, invest in some of our services, there may just come a time at the end of session where I just veto the appropriations until we get a deal worked that works for the state of Oklahoma.”

-Governor Mary Fallin, threatening to veto a budget that doesn’t include sufficient new revenue to fund services (Source)

“[Downing’s] bill is written in a way that causes a large geographic portion of the state to be a felony drug possession zone that turns addicts into felony prisoners instead of patients – exactly the opposite of what voters wanted.”

-Former House Speaker Kris Steele, criticizing a bill, HB 1482, which would make drug possession a felony if committed within 1,000 feet of a school, park, day care, or church, or in the presence of a child. This would make drug possession a felony over a large majority of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, as well as large portions of other Oklahoma cities and towns. Voters approved SQ 780 in 2016, making drug possession a misdemeanor rather than a felony when the law takes effect in July (Source)

“What the Legislature has long needed is more men and women willing to entertain new ideas instead of simply shouting ‘No!’ and moving on. This is especially true when times are tough, as they have been in recent years.”

-The Oklahoman Editorial Board, writing that lawmakers need to come up with their own revenue ideas to close Oklahoma’s structural deficit if they reject Governor Fallin’s proposals (Source).

“Usurious rates of lending in payday lending are not for the purpose of helping people lift themselves out of poverty. It perpetuates poverty.”

-Rep. Kevin Calvey (R-Edmond), who is sponsoring HB 1596 to improve monitoring and regulation of payday lenders (Source).

“I believe we need to be talking about a $10,000 raise, because we let this fester so long, because we are so far behind, and because it will take years to implement. Not many private businesses would go a decade without providing even a cost-of-living increase.”

-Sen. David Holt, explaining the reasoning behind his bill to provide teachers a $10,000 raise over four years (Source)

“What these January numbers are showing us is that we are a ways from any significant recovery. There will be little recovery to state coffers without an infusion of recurring revenue.”

-Finance Secretary Preston Doerflinger, announcing that general revenue collections for January were 3.4 percent below projections (Source)

“[Schools] are looking for any way possible to be efficient. What we would like to see is a long-term funding plan for education and improved funding for schools so they can add instructional time. We believe our students need more instructional time, but schools can’t offer the more instructional time without having the resources needed.”

– Shawn Hime, executive director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association, on SB 37, which would have required schools to have five-day weeks. The bill failed in committee on Monday (Source)

“When you say it’s a national problem, it only proves our point. Our teachers are going to Texas and Arkansas and Kansas because they’ve got shortages, too. To me, when the politician stands up and says this is a national problem, my response is, ‘well duh, why do you think our teachers are going to other states for?’”

-Jason James, superintendent of Alex Public Schools, speaking about teacher shortages in Oklahoma and other states (Source).

“We realize there are many compelling voices and requests for state funding this year. If there is a core function of state government and a basic value in Oklahoma, it is to care for those who are least able to care for themselves.”

– Pam Richardson of Volunteers for America, urging the Legislature to provide the supplemental funding the state Department of Human Services needs to continue home- and community-based services for seniors and people with disabilities. With its current budget, DHS will be unable to pay providers after March (Source)