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.
Identical bills allowing execution by nitrogen hypoxia should the US Supreme Court find Oklahoma’s current three-drug cocktail method unconstitutional passed legislative panels on Tuesday. The Oklahoman’s Editorial Board wrote that a recent court dispute highlights Oklahoma’s mental health crisis. A judge threatened to jail state mental health commissioner Terri White because an inmate hadn’t received treatment six months after it was court ordered, although White noted that the inmate’s treatment had been deferred because no treatment beds were available. A Senate panel passed a measure that would allow property owners to shoot down drones without being held liable for monetary damages, although lawmakers questioned its necessity.
The US Department of Education has approved a waiver to eliminate a requirement for grade-level math assessments for middle school students who take end-of-instruction exams in algebra, algebra II or geometry. The waiver eliminates double-testing for some students. State educators are supporting a measure that increases funding for classroom instruction and teacher pay, although lawmakers say the state’s $300 million shortfall makes additional funds hard to find. Speaking at OK Policy’s 2015 State Budget Summit, state auditor Gary Jones made the case for evaluating the state’s tax credits and business incentives. The State Chamber of Commerce released a study on the economic benefits of the state’s ad valorum tax exemption for wind farms and manufacturers.
A town hall forum hosted by the Oklahoma Assets Network will examine predatory lending in Oklahoma. The event is free and open to the public. Proposed legislation would increase the penalties for the thefts of livestock and equipment, and ban the sale of ivory in the state. A Prague earthquake victim is seeking class-action status against two energy companies on behalf of people in nine counties whose homes have allegedly been damaged by frequent earthquakes. Ginnie Graham wrote in the Tulsa World that foster youth still need support, even though Tulsa’s Laura Dester Shelter is closing. We’ve written about the need for more support for foster youth before.
Voters have approved bond measures in Edmond, and the Tulsa-area Broken Arrow, Jenks and Union school districts. A newly-proposed tax incentive district to spark residential growth south of downtown Oklahoma City could force OKCPS to build a new school in the area. The Number of the Day is the percentage of women incarcerated in Oklahoma in 2013 who had a history of or were currently being treated for a mental disorder. In today’s Policy Note, The New York Times shares the Obama administration’s new rules discouraging nonprofit hospitals from using aggressive tactics to collect payments from low-income patients.
In The News
Bills advance in Oklahoma that would allow executions by nitrogen hypoxia
Two separate legislative panels on Tuesday approved an alternative for execution should the current practice of lethal injection be tossed by a court. Senate Bill 794, by Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, calls for the use of nitrogen hypoxia, or gassing death by nitrogen, in the event lethal injection is held unconstitutional.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Recent court dispute highlights Oklahoma’s mental health crisis
The mental health crisis facing Oklahoma was made crystal clear last week in an Oklahoma County courtroom. With any luck, policymakers were paying attention. District Judge Ray C. Elliott threatened to have Terri White, the head of Oklahoma’s mental health agency, thrown in jail because an inmate who needed treatment hadn’t received it six months after it was ordered.
Bill would allow property owners to shoot down drones without civil liability
A Senate panel on Tuesday passed a measure that would let property owners shoot down drones and not be held civilly liable for monetary damages. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed Senate Bill 492 by a vote of 6-4. The measure heads to the full Senate for consideration.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Feds approve Oklahoma waiver on middle school math exams, eliminating double-testing
The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday approved a request by state education officials to waive the requirement for grade-level math assessments for middle school students who take end-of-instruction exams in algebra I, algebra II or geometry. State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister said the decision, which applies to the 2014-15 school year, eliminates double-testing for some students.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Educators Support Education, Teacher Funding Bills
Oklahoma’s top educators are throwing their support behind legislation that increases funding for classroom instruction and teacher pay. A proposal by Republican House Speaker Pro Tem Lee Denney of Cushing would boost education funding by $600 million over the next 10 years.
Read more from Public Radio Tulsa.
Business Incentives Review Legislation Must Answer Who, What and When
In her state of the state address, Gov. Mary Fallin asked Oklahoma lawmakers to send her a bill to regularly evaluate dozens of tax credits and business incentives. State Auditor Gary Jones knows all about the problems posed by Oklahoma’s 70-plus business incentives.
Hear more from Public Radio Tulsa.
Oklahoma legislators debate property tax exemption for manufacturing, wind farms
Responding to proposed legislation to rein in the incentive, The State Chamber released a study Monday on the economic benefits of the ad valorem tax exemption used by Oklahoma wind farms and manufacturers. The study, by economic consulting firm RegionTrack Inc., said the incentive is especially beneficial to rural communities.
Upcoming Event: Who Pays More? A Town Hall Forum on Predatory Lending in Oklahoma
Oklahoma Assets Network (OAN) is pleased to invite you to save the date for a town hall forum on predatory lending. This event is free and open to the public. The forum will feature remarks from Dr. Haydar Kurban, the author of new research on payday lending patterns in the state, ‘The Demographics of Payday Lending in Oklahoma.‘
Read more from Oklahoma Assets Network.
Oklahoma proposes penalties for thefts of livestock, equipment
Top Oklahoma political leaders have been searching for ways to divert more non-violent offenders away from the state’s massively overcrowded correctional system, but two lawmakers are backing legislation to send cattle rustlers to prison for years.Senate Bill 299 would mandate a prison sentence ranging from five to 15 years for the theft of a farm animal or farm machine, and a fine equal to three times the value of what was stolen, cleared a committee Monday and was sent to the state Senate.
Oklahoma bill would ban ivory sales in state
It would be illegal to sell ivory or rhinoceros horns under a bill that brought Oklahoma City and Tulsa zoo officials to the Capitol on Tuesday, packing a tusk that would be worth tens of thousands of dollars on the black market. Rep. Mike Shelton, D-Oklahoma City, said he introduced House Bill 1787 at the request of zoo leaders and out of concern for threatened elephants and rhinos.
Attorney sues energy companies seeking class-action status for earthquake victims in nine counties
A Prague earthquake victim has filed a lawsuit against two energy companies seeking class-action status for people in nine Oklahoma counties whose homes have allegedly been damaged by frequent earthquakes. Jennifer Lin Cooper filed the suit in Lincoln County District Court Tuesday against New Dominion LLC, a Tulsa-based energy company, and Spess Oil Company, based in Cleveland, Oklahoma.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Community support for foster kids remains needed despite shelter’s pending closure
With less than a month until the annual fundraiser, members of the nonprofit Tulsa Advocates for the Protection of Children are worried. The group is closely associated with providing services to the Laura Dester Shelter. With the recent announcement of the shelter’s closure in the next six to nine months, some donors are asking whether the charity event is necessary.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
See also: Too many foster youth enter the adult world without a safety net from the OK Policy Blog.
Oklahoma elections: $88 million Edmond school bond passes
Edmond voters passed an $88 million school bond issue that will add several storm shelters, classrooms and a new high school football stadium, among other upgrades and renovations, to facilities in the district. The city has been leasing Wantland Stadium at the University of Central Oklahoma for varsity football games for each of its three high schools, and the passage of the bond begins the process of building a new stadium for students at Edmond Santa Fe High School.
Voters approve school bond issues in Broken Arrow, Jenks and Union districts
Tulsa-area voters overwhelmingly approved three school bond issues worth more than $500 million in Tuesday’s elections. Both propositions in Broken Arrow Public Schools’ $370 million package were approved. Proposition 1, for $361 million, was approved by 74.5 percent of the vote.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Oklahoma City Tax District Could Prompt New School
A newly proposed downtown tax incentive district could force the Oklahoma City Public Schools district to find funding to build a new school. Bart Binning, a real estate broker invited to the board’s special meeting Tuesday, said one of two proposed tax increment financing districts would spark residential growth in the area south of downtown.
Read more from Oklahoma Watch.
Quote of the Day
“We can’t estimate corporate income tax because there’s so many tax credits. And we can’t tell you who has a tax credit, how much they have and when they’re going to cash that in.”
– State auditor Gary Jones, explaining the need for business incentives review in Oklahoma at OK Policy’s 2015 State Budget Summit (Source: bit.ly/1zJI9jw)
Number of the Day
75.1
Percentage of women incarcerated in Oklahoma in 2013 who had a history of or were currently being treated for a mental disorder
Source: Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
New Rules to Limit Tactics on Hospitals’ Fee Collections
The Obama administration has adopted sweeping new rules to discourage nonprofit hospitals from using aggressive tactics to collect payments from low-income patients. Under the rules, nonprofit hospitals must now offer discounts, free care or other financial assistance to certain needy patients. Additionally, hospitals must try to determine whether a patient is eligible for assistance before they refer a case to a debt collector, send negative information to a credit agency, place a lien on a patient’s home, file a lawsuit or seek a court order to seize a patient’s earnings.
Read more from The New York Times.
You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
