OKPOLICY.ORG
In The Know is a daily synopsis of Oklahoma policy-related news and blogs. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
A bill that would ban school districts from automatically deducting union dues from teachers’ paychecks (HB 1749) passed the Senate on Thursday and will next go before the Governor. We’ve previously argued that the bill is a funny way to support education. Because Tulsa Public Schools cancelled classes on Thursday following severe weather, the district has reversed its decision to cancel classes on Monday to allow faculty and staff to attend Monday’s education rally at the Capitol, although TPS Superintendent Keith Ballard said that principals will work with staff members to allow a few per school to attend. School leaders are bracing for possible budget cuts this year, which they warn could lead to larger class sizes and fewer programs. We’ve shown before that Oklahoma’s school funding situation is even worse than you thought.
A guest post on the OK Policy Blog argues that voter fraud in American elections is a myth, and that the real threat to elections is that the myth of voter fraud is used to make voting more restrictive. A bill that would ban texting while driving has passed out of committee and is headed for the full Senate. A Senate panel also approved a bill that would prevent insurance companies from making it harder for patients to access proton radiation cancer therapy. A bill that would regulate homebuilders and commercial contractors passed a Senate committee, but some lawmakers complain that it invites government intrusion into business, even though the Oklahoma State Home Builders Association wants the bill. Morton Comprehensive Health Services has reversed a January decision and will now accept new uninsured patients, although the state funding problem that had prompted the January decision has not yet been solved. You can read more about how funding cuts threaten the state’s community health centers.
State officials have expanded the number of counties included in earthquake “areas of interest” and are now requiring companies to prove that their disposal wells are not too steep. StateImpact reports that a major oil storage hub in Cushing is nearly full, because the oil industry is storing crude oil rather than selling it at low prices. Experts estimate that a record 54 million barrels of oil are stored at the Cushing hub. Samson Resource Co., a Tulsa oil and gas giant, is laying off nearly 200 Tulsa workers and 270 company-wide.
OU journalism students and Oklahoma Watch, have launched “Talk With Us: Poverty in Oklahoma City Neighborhoods,” a mobile video project. The project is available at talkwithus.net. The Number of the Day is the percentage of 25-34 years olds in the Oklahoma City metro area with a 4-year degree in 2012, up from 24.4% in 2000. In today’s Policy Note, NPR reports that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is preparing to unveil new rules to regulate payday lenders.
In The News
Bill Targeting Teachers Union Dues Goes to Gov. Fallin
A bill prohibiting school districts from automatically deducting union dues from teachers’ paychecks passed the Oklahoma Senate Thursday, setting the stage for a legal showdown between the state and at least one teachers union. The bill passed 27-16, but created a division within the Republican ranks after several conservative lawmakers said it focused too narrowly on teachers unions.
Read more from Oklahoma Watch.
See also: Oklahoma Legislature has a funny way of supporting education from the OK Policy Blog.
Tulsa school district cancels ‘snow day’ for rally, will hold classes Monday
Tulsa Public Schools will hold classes Monday, reversing the decision to cancel school to allow teachers, parents and students to attend an education rally at the state Capitol, Superintendent Keith Ballard announced Thursday. Principals will work to identify two to three teachers from each site who want to take leave to attend rally on Monday, officials said.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Oklahoma schools brace for expected budget cuts
School leaders are bracing for another round of budget cuts, which they warn will likely lead to larger class sizes and a fewer programs. Educators in two of the state’s largest districts say no one knows how bad the damage will be until legislators set the budget in May. But lawmakers are facing a $611 million deficit, and in a presentation to state senators last week, state Superintendent Joy Hofmeister revealed that her department is braced for a 2 to 4 percent cut from its nearly $2.5 billion budget.
Read more from the Norman Transcript.
See also: Oklahoma school funding: Even worse than you thought from the OK Policy Blog.
The misleading myth of voter fraud in American elections
Are fraudulent voters undermining U.S. elections? The simple answer is no. Rather, the threat comes from the myth of voter fraud used to justify rules that restrict full and equal voting rights.
Read more from the OK Policy Blog.
See also: Repairing Oklahoma’s Broken Democracy from OK Policy.
Anti-texting bill heads to the Senate floor
A measure that would ban texting while driving is headed to the Senate floor. The Senate Public Safety Committee on Thursday passed House Bill 1965 that prohibits texting and emailing while driving.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Oklahoma Senate panel approves proton therapy treatment bill
A state Senate committee has approved legislation to prohibit health insurers from holding proton radiation cancer therapy to a higher standard of clinical effectiveness than other cancer-related radiation therapies. The Senate Committee on Insurance voted 6-0 Thursday for the bill and sent it to the full Senate for a vote. The Oklahoma House passed the bill 97-0 earlier this month.
Oklahoma Senate committee passes builder registration bill despite doubts
Builder registration made it out of a state Senate committee Thursday, but it probably won’t get much further without some remodeling. The measure, which started in the House, would regulate homebuilders and commercial contractors.
Morton Comprehensive Health Services will once again accept new uninsured patients
Morton Comprehensive Health Services will once again be accepting new medically uninsured patients starting April 1, CEO John Silva said this week. Morton, a federally qualified health center, has not been accepting new uninsured patients since Jan. 1 because of a reduction in uncompensated care support and the state’s refusal to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
See also: Flatline: Funding cuts threaten Oklahoma’s community health centers from the OK Policy Blog.
State adds new earthquake zones, requirements for well operators
State officials are expanding the number of counties included in earthquake “areas of interest” and have told nearly 100 companies to prove that their oil and gas waste-water disposal wells are not too deep. Officials with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission detailed the new requirements during a town hall meeting in Medford on Wednesday evening.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Oklahoma Running Out of Room for Oil as U.S. Hoards Crude in Cushing Hub
A booming U.S. oil industry has led to near-record amounts of oil production, which has helped drive down oil prices. The energy industry has responded by storing crude instead of selling it at discount rates. That has created a unique situation in Oklahoma, where a major oil storage hub is on track to fill up — completely.
Samson Resources laying off 196 local workers
Samson Resource Co., the privately held Tulsa oil and gas giant beset by huge debt leverage and falling crude oil prices, is laying off one-third of its Tulsa workforce, the company confirmed Thursday. Samson is letting go 196 employees at the Tulsa headquarters and 270 companywide.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Talk With Us: Poverty in Oklahoma City Neigborhoods
Students at the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication and staff at nonprofit news organization Oklahoma Watch have launched a mobile-video project entitled, “Talk With Us: Poverty in Oklahoma City Neighborhoods,” at talkwithus.net.
Read more from Oklahoma Watch.
Quote of the Day
“Any cuts at this point are going to be monumental simply because education has not been funded at an adequate rate for many years. There’s only so many hits that a group can take and continue to sustain.”
– Moore Public Schools Superintendent Robert Romines, on reports that the State Department of Education may receive a 2 – 4 percent budget cut this year. Oklahoma has made the deepest cuts to school funding in the US since 2008. (Source)
Number of the Day
31.9%
Percentage of 25-34 years olds in the Oklahoma City metro area with a 4-year degree in 2012, up from 24.4% in 2000.
Source: City Observatory.
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
Payday Loans — And Endless Cycles Of Debt — Targeted By Federal Watchdog
For millions of cash-strapped consumers, short-term loans offer the means to cover purchases or pressing needs. But these deals, typically called payday loans, also pack triple-digit interest rates — and critics say that borrowers often end up trapped in a cycle of high-cost debt as a result. Now, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is preparing to unveil a framework of proposed rules to regulate payday lenders and other costly forms of credit. The federal watchdog agency is showcasing those proposals Thursday, the same day that President Obama spoke in Alabama, defending the agency and its work.
You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
