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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.
Bills that would prohibit cities and counties from banning oil and gas drilling within their borders and regulate release of police body camera footage have been sent to the Governor. The Senate approved a $25 million bond plan to complete the Native American Cultural Center and Museum and sent it to the Governor for her signature, although a similar bill to fund an Oklahoma pop culture museum failed hours later. The bill may still be revived on reconsideration before the legislative session ends. The Tulsa World’s Editorial Board urged the Legislature to pass a bill that would treat the operation of watercraft under the influence much like driving under the influence. Oklahoma Watch discussed a bill that would cut the number of end-of-instruction tests from seven to four without reducing the requirement that students pass four tests in order to graduate.
Some health care providers are speaking out against a recommendation from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to cut the reimbursement rate for nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other midlevel providers treating Medicaid patients. The Health Care Authority had few other options to cope with the funding it will receive in next year’s budget, which is below what the agency said it would need to maintain existing services. The CDC reports that Oklahoma has seen a significant decline in the number of adults who smoke cigarettes since 2011. The full report is available here. DHS is moving forward with plans to close the emergency shelter for children in state custody, although advocates are concerned that there aren’t enough foster homes available to house the children removed from the shelter.
High water from recent heavy rains has stopped barge traffic at the Port of Catoosa. Climate scientists report that those same rains, along with predictions for a wet summer, could spell the end of the state’s four-year drought. The Number of the Day is 62 percent – the percentage of female inmates at Eddie Warrior Correctional Center who currently have a mental illness. In today’s Policy Note, The Los Angeles Times reports on new research showing that at least 17 million more people in the US have gained health insurance since the Affordable Care Act’s major coverage expansion began.
In The News
Senate sends Fallin legislation to prohibit cities from banning drilling
The Oklahoma Senate on Thursday passed a bill prohibiting cities and counties from banning drilling within their boundaries. Senate Bill 809 by Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, heads to Gov. Mary Fallin for consideration.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Bill addressing release of police body camera video sent to governor
The Oklahoma Senate on Thursday passed a bill governing the public release of video from body cameras worn by law enforcement officers. House Bill 1037 passed by a vote of 44-2 and heads to Gov. Mary Fallin for consideration. The final legislation was considered a compromise among the media, law enforcement and prosecutors.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Senate OKs $25M bond plan to complete Oklahoma Indian museum
The Oklahoma Senate has given its approval to a $25 million bond proposal to complete the unfinished Native American Cultural Center and Museum near downtown Oklahoma City. With a 27-17 vote on Thursday, the Senate passed the bill that ultimately will transfer ownership of the museum and surrounding property to the city of Oklahoma City.
Funding bill for proposed Tulsa OKPOP museum fails House vote
Opposition to state-owned museums in general and suspicions about the Oklahoma Popular Culture Museum in particular sent state financing for the proposed Tulsa facility crashing to defeat on Thursday. Senate Bill 839 by Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, failed 44-49 in the House of Representatives two days after narrowly passing in the Senate.
Boating while drinking bill needs to be passed
A bill to set reasonable regulations for “boating under the influence” isn’t going to get handled by the Legislature before lawmakers go home for the year. That’s too bad. House Bill 1714, sponsored by Rep. Doug Cox, R-Grove, and Sen. Wayne Shaw, R-Grove, would treat the operation of a watercraft “propelled by machinery” while under the influence of alcohol or other substances much like that of driving a vehicle on land while under the influence.
Bill Amendment Would Cut Tests, But Not Requirements
A last-minute push is being made to revive legislation that cuts back testing in Oklahoma, but the results may not be what many parents and educators have called for. Rep. Jason Nelson, R-Oklahoma City, said an amendment was made to appropriations bill HB 2232 Wednesday night to replace language dealing with state Supreme Court funds with language that reduces end-of-instruction testing.
Read more from Oklahoma Watch.
Oklahoma health care providers speak out on proposed SoonerCare cuts
Oklahoma’s Medicaid agency is practicing “horrible public policy” by recommending that nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other midlevel providers receive less money for the services they provide to SoonerCare patients, a medical professional and board member said Thursday.
Medicaid back on the chopping block from the OK Policy Blog.
Oklahoma sees significant decline in adults smoking cigarettes, CDC reports
Oklahoma has seen a significant decrease in the number of adults who smoke cigarettes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday. In 2011, 26 percent of Oklahoma adults 18 and older smoked cigarettes. By 2013, that number decreased to about 24 percent.
Report: DHS short foster homes, despite plans to close shelter
The state is closing the emergency shelter for kids in state custody: the Laura Dester Shelter. Just last week, the director of DHS, Ed Lake, said 63 kids were staying at the shelter. Lake says closing the shelter is not about saving. He said children do better when they’re in more permanent homes, like foster homes.
Swift Currents Stop Barge Traffic At Port Of Catoosa
High water has stopped all barge traffic on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. The system runs from the Port of Catoosa to the Mississippi River. Port director Bob Portiss says no barges are moving in or out of the Port of Catoosa because of swift river currents.
Long-lasting drought is all but over in Oklahoma, climate scientists say
More than four years after it began, the drought that has played havoc across Oklahoma and Texas is all but over, federal climate scientists said Thursday. Heavy rains across the southern Great Plains have refilled reservoirs and replenished soil moisture over the past month.
Quote of the Day
“It’s not a matter of not being able to see these patients. We will close.”
– Lindsay Flaming, a nurse practitioner at an independent practice in Norman, speaking out against recommended reimbursement cuts for health care provided by nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other midlevel providers for Medicaid patients. Flaming said their office saw almost 4,000 Medicaid patients last year. (Source)
Number of the Day
62%
Percentage of female inmates at Eddie Warrior Correctional Center who currently have a mental illness.
Source: Department of Corrections via Oklahoma Watch.
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
New study gives more evidence of Obamacare gains for millions
As congressional Republicans move toward another vote on repealing the Affordable Care Act, new evidence was published Wednesday about the dramatic expansion of insurance coverage made possible by the law. Nearly 17 million more people in the U.S. have gained health insurance since the law’s major coverage expansion began, according to a study from the Rand Corp., a Santa Monica nonprofit research firm. That tally takes into account 22.8 million newly insured people and 5.9 million who lost coverage in the last year and a half.
Read more from The Los Angeles Times.
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