Monday, April 4 to Thursday, April 7, 2011

 

Monday, April 4

• The Senate approved the following measures on Monday:

-HB 2128 by Rep. Kris Steele, lowers the cap on noneconomic damages for bodily injury from $400,000 to $350,000.

-HB 1377 by Rep. Corey Holland, directs the Board of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to promulgate rules and standards to certify a facility or organization as a mental illness service program.

-HB 2017 by Rep. Doug Cox, modifies language relating to the Physician Manpower Training Commission’s Oklahoma Medical Loan Repayment Program.


• Senate committees approved the following measures on Monday:

-HB 1227 by Rep. Pat Ownbey, changes the name of the Ardmore Higher Education Program operated by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to the University Center of Southern Oklahoma.

-HB 1970 by Rep. Randy Grau, requires any physician giving or prescribing mifepristone or any abortion-inducing drug to first examine the woman and document the gestational age and intrauterine location of the pregnancy in the woman’s medical chart.

-HB 1282 by Rep. David Dank, clarifies language related to the definition of long-term care administrator.

-HB 1658 by Rep. John Enns, creates a certification as a chiropractic assistant.

-HB 1715 by Rep. Pam Peterson, adds definitions under the Social Worker’s Licensing Act.

-HB 1826 by Rep. John Trebilcock, requires a consultant pharmacist to visit an ambulatory surgical center no more than one time per month.

-HB 2136 by Rep. Kris Steele, requires that the Department of Human Services’ safety analysis include a criminal background check that will include inquiries into the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation files of any adult known to be in the home of the child for whom a report of abuse or neglect has been received.

-HB 1957 by Rep. Skye McNiel, requires any new swine feeding operation established after Nov. 1, 2011, with more than 100 animal units to be licensed under the Oklahoma Swine Feeding Operations Act.

-HB 1473 by Rep. Don Armes, removes a requirement that exported cervidae, originating from an Oklahoma county where chronic wasting disease exists in free-ranging native herds, be double fenced.

-HB 1310 by Rep. Phil Richardson, requires the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to certify individuals providing nonveterinary reproductive services.

-HB 1327 by Rep. R.C. Pruett, authorizes the Oklahoma Forestry Division to plan and conduct prescribed burning at the request and expense of landowners on public or private lands for the purpose of controlling Eastern Red Cedar and other invasive species.

-HB 1471 by Rep. Don Armes, directs the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to consist of five licensed veterinarian members, the state veterinarian, one lay person representing the general public and a registered veterinarian technician.

-HB 1472 by Rep. Don Armes, increases from 1 and one-half cents to 2 cents the per-bushel fee on wheat marketed by wheat producers in the state and sold through commercial channels.

-HB 1456 by Rep. Lee Denney, directs the State Board of Education to prepare annual reports of the results of the Oklahoma School Testing Program that describe student achievement in the state.

-HB 1550 by Rep. Sally Kern, requires a third-grade student to be asked to participate in a summer academy or other program designed to assist the student in attaining grade-level reading skills if the student is not reading at grade level by the end of the school year.

-HB 1269 by Rep. Ann Coody, requires all public school reading teachers who teach kindergarten through third grade to incorporate into instruction the five elements of reading instruction.

-HB 1274 by Rep. Emily Virgin, allows any special education teacher who becomes certified to teach through the completion of an accredited teacher preparation program to be certified in early childhood or elementary education upon meeting the requirements provided in law.

-HB 1372 by Rep. Corey Holland, modifies language related to the maximum prescribed amount a school district may spend on administrative services.

-HB 1373 by Rep. Corey Holland, modifies penalties for a parent, guardian, custodian, child or other person who fails to compel a child to attend school.

-HB 1418 by Rep. Dennis Casey, allows a board of education to request a national criminal history record check from a private company qualified to conduct such record checks that is approved by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

-HB 1421 by Rep. Dennis Casey, requires Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program award recipients to maintain satisfactory academic progress as required for federal Title IV student financial aid programs in order to retain eligibility.

-HB 1854 by Rep. Jabar Shumate, states legislative intent that the State Regents for Higher Education adopt a policy for each institution within the State Regents for Higher Education that has a teacher education program that will require equal access for statewide professional educators’ associations to students enrolled in programs.

-HB 1465 by Rep. Dennis Johnson, states that children who reach age 5 on or before July 1 and who are under age 21 on or before July 1 are entitled to attend school free of charge in the residential district.



• The House met Monday approving the following measures:

-SB 10 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, exempts county treasurers who also serve as school district treasurers from a requirement that school district encumbrance clerks and treasurers complete at least 12 hours of instruction on school finance laws.

-SB 100 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, exempts county treasurers who also serve as school district treasurers from a requirement that school district encumbrance clerks and treasurers complete at least 12 hours of instruction on school finance laws.

-SB 145 by Sen. Mike Schulz, clarifies language related to the Oklahoma Energy Independence Act.

-SB 214 by Sen. Sean Burrage, requires any person disqualified as a member of a county election board or absentee voting board due to candidacy or employment by a candidate to resign the office no later than 10 days after the date on which the candidacy was filed.

-SB 253 by Sen. Bill Brown, designates Aug. 7 as Purple Heart Day.

-SB 445 by Sen. John Ford, modifies language related to charter schools, clarifying that students may be transferred to charter schools on an emergency basis.

-SB 498 by Sen. Rob Johnson, requires court reporters temporarily employed by the district court, Workers’ Compensation Court or Corporation Commission to be compensated at a rate to be set by the court.

-SB 666 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, establishes that state employees who are reserve municipal police officers or reserve deputy sheriffs and who miss work in the performance of their duties in cases of emergency will not have to use any accrued leave or need to make up any time.


• House committees met Monday and approved the following legislation:

-SB 763 by Sen. Clark Jolley, creates within the Office of the Attorney General and Office of Civil Rights Enforcement to assume all functions of the Oklahoma Human Rights Commission.

-SB 567 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, requires the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training to establish and include evidence-based domestic violence and stalking investigation training.

-SB 939 by Sen. Clark Jolley, makes the Oklahoma School for the Blind and the Oklahoma School for the Deaf school districts for the purposes of the state aid formula.

-SB 251 by Sen. Steve Russell, creates the Armed Services Tuition Fairness Act.

-SB 260 by Sen. John Ford, prohibits a charter school from charging tuition or fees unless a school district is authorized to charge such tuition or fees.

-SB 837 by Sen. Clark Jolley, modifies language related to discriminatory practices in employment, housing and public accommodations.

-SB 722 by Sen. Clark Jolley, asserts state control in the regulation of health care.

-SB 124 by Sen. Ron Justice, prohibits eminent domain from being used for the development of wind farms or wind turbines on private property.

-SB 272 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, prohibits a vehicle manufacturer to charge back a vehicle dealer upon audit or otherwise for failure of the dealer to substantiate that a purchaser completed title and vehicle registration following taking possession of a new vehicle upon sale if the dealer has written proof of sale of the vehicle.

-SB 446 by Sen. Charles Wyrick, exempts public urination from the list of offenses for which the violator is subject to registration under the Sex Offender Registration Act.

-SB 530 by Sen. Sean Burrage, allows a person who has a lien upon a domestic animal to foreclose upon the lien while lawfully in possession of the animal.

-SB 633 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, changes from classified to unclassified personnel appointed as state employees in the Military Department.

-SB 740 by Sen. Mike Schulz, creates the Airspace Severance Restriction Act.

-SB 828 by Sen. John Sparks, increases from a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $300 to a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $1,500 the penalty for hunting, pursuing game or discharging firearms within 440 yards of any church.

-SB 875 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, provides that an owner, employee or participant at a gun range who is acting in good faith pursuant to the standards of the firearm industry and the duty of care under common law and gun club rules will not be liable for injuries to any person engaged in firearm activities on the range.
 

Tuesday, April 5

• The Senate approved the following bills on Monday:

-HB 1888 by Rep. Pam Peterson, creates the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.

-HB 1249 by Rep. Wade Rousselot, removes language allowing persons in the sole process of retrieving their domestic livestock or other animals to enter land of another.

-HB 1194 by Rep. Jeannie McDaniel, modifies language related to Department of Human Services’ medical and social history reports on minors to be adopted.


• Senate committees approved the following bills on Tuesday:

-SB 1953 by Rep. Skye McNiel, creates the Oklahoma Quick Action Closing Fund.

-HB 1979 by Rep. Anastasia Pittman, creates the Oklahoma Freedom Trail Act.

-HB 1339 by Rep. Brian Renegar, requires game and fish license dealers to issue every license after Jan. 1, 2013, via an electronic point of sale system.

-HB 1314 by Rep. Phil Richardson, repeals language related to a prohibition placed on possessing, hunting, taking or trapping a white deer not regulated by the Oklahoma Farmed Cervidae Act without specific permission of the director of wildlife conservation.

-HB 1338 by Rep. Brian Renegar, lowers from age 35 to 30 the minimum age at which a person may purchase or receive a hunting license or license tag unless he or she possesses or can exhibit a certificate of competency and safety in the use of handling firearms from the Department of Wildlife Conservation.

-HB 1347 by Rep. Tom Newell, creates the Wildlife Bail Procedure Act.

-HB 1348 by Rep. Tom Newell, allows a taxidermy specimen to be sold at an estate sale only if it is part of the personal property of an owner whose estate is being liquidated and the director of wildlife conservation grants written permission prior to the sale.

-HB 1474 by Rep. Don Armes, increases from $250 to $1,500 the penalty for willfully entering a facility licensed under the Oklahoma Farmed Cervidae Act or a commercial hunting area.

-HB 1488 by Rep. David Brumbaugh, extends from July 1, 2012, to July 1, 2014, the gross production tax exemption on any incremental production of tertiary recovery projects attributable to the working interest owners.

-HB 1202 by Rep. Scott Inman, modifies exemptions provided to registration requirements under the Oklahoma Business Opportunity Sales Act.

-HB 1284 by Rep. David Dank, requires any tax credit to be reported to the Oklahoma Tax Commission and the Oklahoma Insurance Department on or before the 20th day of the month after the calendar quarter in which an act occurs that allows the tax credit to eventually be claimed.

-HB 1362 by Rep. Ron Peters, modifies language related to property that is omitted from assessment in any prior year or years and assessed and entered on the assessment and tax rolls, directing that they are subject to interest but not penalties.

-HB 1815 by Rep. Danny Morgan, states legislative findings regarding compressed natural gas.

-HB 1852 by Rep. Jabar Shumate, directs the Oklahoma Tax Commission to include on state, individual and corporate tax return forms an opportunity for a taxpayer to donate to the Public School Classroom Support Revolving Fund.

-HB 1903 by Rep. Mike Jackson, requires the date of the postmark stamped on the cover in which a return, claim, statement or other document or payment filed with a county assessor to be the date of delivery or the date of payment.

-HB 1998 by Rep. Joe Dorman, creates an income tax checkoff on state, individual and corporate tax returns to allow a donation from a tax refund for the benefit of domestic violence and sexual assault services in Oklahoma that have been certified by the attorney general.

-HJR 1002 by Rep. David Dank, proposes a constitutional amendment reducing from 5 percent to 3 percent the maximum amount by which the fair cash value of any locally assessed real property may increase in any taxable year.

-HB 1607 by Rep. Aaron Stiles, modifies language related to court determinations of child custody, stating that there is a rebuttable presumption that a child who is age 12 or older is of sufficient age to form an intelligent preference.

-HB 2023 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, directs the actual amount paid for doctor, hospital, ambulance service, drug and similar bills incurred in treatment to be the amount admissible at trial in any civil case involving personal injury, not the amounts billed for expenses incurred in treatment.

-HB 1360 by Rep. Ron Peters, modifies language related to attorney representation of children in emergency custody hearings, directing attorney to substitute his or her judgment for that of a child when the child is unable to express an interest, either because the child is preverbal, very young or for any reason is incapable of judgment and meaningful communication.

-HB 1559 by Rep. Fred Jordan, modifies the exceptions to attorney-client privilege communication.

-HB 1586 by Rep. Todd Thomsen, modifies the Uniform Athlete Agents Act.

-HB 1603 by Rep. Aaron Stiles, directs a court to determine custody and visitation under the Military Custody and Visitation Act.

-HB 1604 by Rep. Aaron Stiles, clarifies that any commissioned peace officer of the state is authorized to seize any equipment, airplane, vessel or other conveyance used in the commission of an armed robbery offense, used to facilitate the intentional discharge of any kind of firearm, used in violation of the Trademark Anti-Counterfieting Act, used to commit first or second-degree burglary, motor vehicle theft and other offenses.

-HB 1672 by Rep. Lisa Billy, requires the time period set in the order by the Department of Public Safety for the suspension or revocation of a driver license to run during the stay when a judge of a drug court enters a stay against an order by the Department of Public Safety suspending or revoking the driving privileges of an offender.

-HB 1995 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, requires a hospital operated by a public trust to maintain health care malpractice liability insurance coverage with available limits of at least $1 million per claim with an annual aggregate of at least $3 million.

-HB 2024 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, modifies language applicable to actions in which the present value of the award of future damages equals or exceeds $100,000.

• The House convened Tuesday, approving the following bills:

-SB 162 by Sen. Ron Justice, allows a retired district attorney who receives a statement from the appropriate retirement system to carry a firearm on his or her person anywhere in the state for personal protection if he or she has completed approved firearm training.

-SB 42 by Sen. Earl Garrison, prohibits Oklahoma Lottery Commission advertisements and promotions from involving children in any manner.

-SB 96 by Sen. Harry Coates, modifies the Public Competitive Bidding Act, increasing from $2,500 to $5,000 the maximum construction contract amount that may be negotiated with a qualified contractor.


• House committees met Tuesday and approved the following measures:


-SB 348 by Sen. Clark Jolley, directs the State Board of Education to prepare annual reports of the results of the Oklahoma School Testing Program that describe student achievement in the state.

-SB 346 by Sen. Clark Jolley, states legislative intent that each district school board’s policies facilitate that each student’s academic progression be determined, in part, by reading proficiency and that each student and their parents be informed of the student’s academic progress.

-SB 280 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, eliminates the requirement of ongoing weekly telephonic communication between teacher and student and monthly telephonic communication between teacher and parent from the rules the State Board of Education is required to adopt for the implementation of online courses.

-SB 595 by Sen. Rick Brinkley, directs the secretary of transportation to complete a feasibility study of alternative highway advertising programs.

-SB 95 by Sen. Eddie Fields, modifies the exemption given persons transporting horses or livestock from being detained for weighing purposes.

-SB 193 by Sen. Mike Schulz, modifies reference from the Interstate Commerce Commission to the Surface Transportation Board.

-SB 200 by Sen. Jim Halligan, authorizes the Oklahoma Tax Commission to design and issue an ovarian cancer awareness license plate.

-SB 274 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, modifies language related to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.

-SB 630 by Sen. Clark Jolley, requires any vehicle used for public transportation, including buses, vans, trolley cars and similar vehicles, to utilize headlamps, tail lamps and other appropriate lighting equipment at all times, except for parked vehicles.

-SB 742 by Sen. Don Barrington, prohibits golf carts and utility vehicles to be operated on the streets and highways of Oklahoma.

-SB 816 by Sen. Dan Newberry, prohibits a board of county commissioners and or the Department of Transportation from opening a section of highway on land crossed by the segment of section line located within the boundaries of property proposed for construction of a new or expanded business facility.

-SB 738 by Sen. Mike Schulz, allows the Oklahoma Liquefied Petroleum Gas Research Marketing and Safety Commission to contract for services necessary to carry out the purpose and provisions of the Oklahoma Liquefied Petroleum Gas Research, Marketing and Safety Act.

-SB 598 by Sen. Brian Bingman, creates the Oklahoma Municipal Energy Independence Act.

-SB 885 by Sen. Cliff Branan, establishes that the production of oil and gas from certain horizontally drilled wells established after July 1, 2011, shall be taxed at a rate of 1 percent for the first 48 months of production.

 

Wednesday, April 6

• The Senate approved the following measures on Wednesday:

-HB 1909 by Rep. Mike Jackson, creates the 2011 Shale Reservoir Development Act.

-HB 1285 by Rep. David Dank, creates a Task Force to Study State Tax Credits and Economic Incentives.

-HB 1954 by Rep. Skye McNiel, provides a sales tax exemption on the sales of goods, wares, merchandise, tangible personal property, machinery and equipment to any person making purchases on behalf of a manufacturer for use in a manufacturing operation.

-HB 1015 by Rep. George Faught, recreates the Polygraph Examiners Board.

-HB 1026 by Rep. George Faught, recreates the Oklahoma State Committee of Plumbing Examiners.

-HB 1323 by Rep. Harold Wright, directs a county energy district authority to consist of the board of directors of a circuit engineering district.

-HB 1564 by Rep. Fred Jordan, creates the Airspace Severance Restriction Act.

-HB 1606 by Rep. Aaron Stiles, states that the mother of a child born out of wedlock has custody of the child until determined otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction.

-HB 1669 by Rep. Leslie Osborn, modifies language related to the requirement from preventing a municipality from abating a dilapidated building as a nuisance.

-HB 1685 by Rep. Pam Peterson, allows the quarterly report for consumable road or bridge items or materials for counties to be prepared and kept electronically by the consuming department.

-HB 2117 by Rep. Jeff Hickman, modifies the definition of “increment” in the Local Development Act.


• Senate committees passed numerous bills on Wednesday, including the following:

-HB 1446 by Rep. George Faught, carries recommendations from the reform committee, including provisions requiring verification by employers and authorizing local law enforcement to request proof of identification if they have reasonable suspicion that someone might be in the country illegally.

-HB 2140 by Rep. Kris Steele, creates the State Government Administrative Process Consolidation and Reorganization Reform Act of 2011.

-HB 1652 by Rep. John Enns, exempts technology center school property from the places in which it is unlawful to carry a handgun.

-HB 1664 by Rep. Leslie Osborn, removes language requiring the ballot title of an initiative petition to the Legislature to be written on the eighth grade reading comprehension level.

-HB 1381 by Rep. Doug Cox, creates the Supplemental Hospital Offset Payment Program Act.

-HB 1802 by Rep. Sue Tibbs, requires a nonviolent offender to be confined in his or her home and supervised by electronic monitoring administered by the sheriff of the county if all correctional facility reach maximum capacity, is designed to help the department save money and open bed space for violent offenders who are awaiting adjudication.

-HB 1086 by Rep. Jason Murphey, creates the Transparency, Accountability and Innovation in Oklahoma State Government 2.0 Act of 2011.

-HB 1211 by Rep. Dan Kirby, creates Cody’s Law.

-HB 1319 by Rep. Harold Wright, creates the Mark McGee Act of 2011.

-HB 1343 by Rep. Eric Proctor, sets the requirements for a student to be eligible to participate in the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program.

-HB 1744 by Rep. Jason Nelson, modifies the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program.

-HB 1776 by Rep. Sean Roberts, requires all candidates allowed to receive the maximum contribution of $5,000 pursuant to certain conditions to file a contribution report with the Ethics Commission.

-HB 1797 by Rep. Sue Tibbs, prohibits any person from duplicating any record of the Department of Motor Vehicles open to public inspection during office hours.

-HB 1798 by Rep. Sue Tibbs, prohibits the manufacture or attempt to manufacture any controlled substance by cooking, burning or extracting and converting or attempting to extract and convert marihuana or marihuana oil into hashish, hashish oil or hashish powder.

-HB 2115 by Rep. Jeff Hickman, adds school districts that have entered into a mutual contract with a superintendent to the districts to which the Oklahoma School Consolidation and Annexation Act applies.

-HB 2116 by Rep. Jeff Hickman, requires the State Board of Education to develop a funding mechanism for the disbursement of federal funds to reimburse local education agencies for the excessive costs of high-need students who have an individual education program.

-HB 1363 by Rep. Ron Peters, creates the Oklahoma Choices for Long Term Care Act.

-HB 1512 by Rep. Guy Liebmann, creates the Deferred Maintenance Revolving Fund.

-HB 1035 by Rep. Jason Murphey, requires state agencies to use the Trip Optimizer system for vehicles used by state employees when the travel exceeds 100 miles per day and the employee is not driving a state-owned or state-leased dedicated vehicle.

-HB 1207 by Rep. Jason Murphey, creates the Oklahoma Innovation, Efficiency and Accountability Act of 2011.

-HB 1223 by Rep. Mark McCullough, creates the Legal Service Reform Act.

-HB 1267 by Rep. Earl Sears, requires the State Board of Education to transfer $35,311,375 from its fiscal year 2011 appropriation to the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma to fund the Teachers’ Retirement Credit.

-HB 1275 by Rep. Pat Ownbey, modifies language related to the Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act.

-HB 1304 by Rep. David Derby, directs all information technology assets of all state-appropriated agencies to be transferred to the Information Services Division of the Office of State Finance and the chief information officer.

-HB 1388 by Rep. Paul Roan, allows products and services provided by the Prison Industries Program of the Department of corrections to be purchased by any office without issuance of a solicitation or competitive bid.

-HB 1397 by Rep. Doug Cox, directs the Department of Health to perform any and all health-related services within the scope of practice and as prescribed by state law, the Board of Health or other standards.

-HB 1414 by Rep. Gus Blackwell, creates the Council on Judicial Complaints Revolving Fund.

-HB 1415 by Rep. Gus Blackwell, modifies language related to the Legal Services Revolving Fund.

-HB 1438 by Rep. T.W. Shannon, establishes the Oklahoma State Government Asset Reduction Cost Savings Programs.

-HB 1489 by Rep. David Brumbaugh, modifies the Taxpayer Transparency Act.

-HB 1494 by Rep. David Brumbaugh, repeals language relating to the Health Carrier Access Payment Revolving Fund.

-HB 1554 by Rep. Sally Kern, creates the Oklahoma Options Counseling for Long Term Care Program Act.

-HB 1601 by Rep. Aaron Stiles, establishes the Oklahoma State Government Business Learning One-Stop Program.

-HB 1649 by Rep. Pat Ownbey, removes language directing the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to include a program resources unit.

-HB 1655 by Rep. John Enns, requires the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to study and recommend coverage for prosthetic devices and orthotic devices for Medicaid eligible individuals.

-HB 1665 by Rep. Leslie Osborn, prohibits state agencies from allocating 1.5 percent of their budgets to fund the Oklahoma Art in Public Places Act during fiscal years 2012, 2013 and 2014.

-HB 1676 by Rep. Lisa Billy, prohibits the Board of Environmental Quality from promulgating rules regarding the use of sources of radiation by public safety bomb squads within law enforcement agencies of the state.

-HB 1736 by Rep. Pam Peterson, authorizes the director of the Department of Human Services to investigate cases of Medicaid recipient eligibility fraud.



• The House met Wednesday, approving the following legislation:

-SB 435 by Sen. Brian Bingman, modifies the membership of the State Board of Education.

-SB 347 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, requires that any municipal officer or employee forfeit their retirement benefits upon final conviction of or pleading guilty or nolo contendere to a felony for bribery, corruption, forgery or perjury or any other crime related to their office or employment.

-HB 1374 by Rep. Corey Holland, allows the State Textbook Committee to suspend any currently pending selection process of textbooks and extend by at least two years the six-year adoption period of those textbooks currently on the state adopted list.

-SB 92 by Sen. Ron Justice, modifies requirements for poultry waste applicators to attend educational courses on poultry waste handling and management.

-SB 117 by Sen. Roger Ballenger, requires a candidate for the office of county commissioner to have been registered voter within the county commissioner district and a resident in such district at least six months prior to the first day of the candidate filing period.

-SB 657 by Sen. Clark Jolley, eliminates the requirement that real estate transactions use a registered certification authority.

-SB 701 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, states that any person that has been a patient of a doctor, hospital or other medical institution is entitled, upon request, to a pathology slide.

-SB 921 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, authorizes the director of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control to appoint reserve special agents who shall not be considered employees of the state and shall serve at the will of the director.

-SB 190 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, requires the Payment Rate Review Task Force to submit to the Joint Liaison Committee on State and Education Employees Group Insurance Benefits a final report by Dec. 31, 2011.

-SB 867 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, repeals language creating the Oklahoma Integrated Justice Information Systems Steering Committee.

-SB 929 by Sen. Dan Newberry, creates a task force to study the consolidation of professional and occupational licensing functions.

-SB 942 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, modifies language related to the grounds for dismissal of court actions and court orders.



• House committees approved the following measures on Wednesday:

-SB 46 by Sen. Don Barrington, exempts the surviving and un-remarried spouse of a deceased 100 percent disabled veteran from sales tax on tangible personal property.

-HJR 1045 by Rep. Brian Renegar, disapproves the Oklahoma State Board of Commercial Pet Breeder’s permanent rules pertaining to licensing applications for commercial pet breeders.

-SB 379 by Sen. Frank Simpson, prohibits any owner or operator of a homemade amusement ride operating or offering to operate the ride in a public or group setting.

-SB 324 by Sen. Bill Brown, prohibits anyone from allowing a child under age 12 to operate any personal watercraft, regardless of whether he or she is accompanied by someone age 16 or older.

-SB 495 by Sen. Roger Ballenger, repeals language relating to contracting for jail facilities with the county commissioners of an adjoining county when a county jail is not in a condition to be used.

-SB 805 by Sen. Ralph Shortey, removes language allowing a waiver from disqualification of an applicant for a security guard license, armed security guard license, private investigator license, armed private investigator license or combination thereof when the applicant has, more than five years prior in an incident deemed by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training to be an isolated incident, committed a felony with a handgun.

-SB 895 by Sen. Ralph Shortey, permits the director of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to appoint special officers that have enforcement authority related to the larceny of oil field equipment.

-SJR 37 by Sen. Mike Schulz, proposes a constitutional amendment to modify the requirements for initiative petitions and referenda by requiring the percentage of legal voters in a congressional district, rather than statewide.

-SJR 15 by Sen. Rob Johnson, proposes a constitutional amendment stating that the state shall grant no preferential treatment to or discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of race, color, sex, ethnicity or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education or public contracting.

-SB 91 by Sen. Rick Brinkley, requires candidates filing declaration of candidacy documents for federal, state, county, municipal or judicial offices or for the nomination of a recognized political party in any general or special election to provide proof of identity and U.S. citizenship.

-SB 232 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, creates a Task Force on Healthier Neighborhood Living.

-SB 783 by Sen. Josh Brecheen, creates a Drug Court and Community Sentencing Reform Task Force.

-SB 73 by Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre, designates “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” as the state’s official gospel song.

-SB 60 by Sen. Kim David, requires the Joint Legislative Task Force on the Grand River Dam Authority to meet at least once biennially during the first session of each new legislature.

-SB 115 by Sen. Tom Ivester, creates the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act.

-SB 264 by Sen. Clark Jolley, recreates the Quality Assessment and Accountability Task Force.

-SB 328 by Sen. John Ford, states legislative intent that the current Oklahoma Election Management System be replaced with a new system consistent with the federal Help America Vote Act.

-SB 808 by Sen. David Holt, moves the date of presidential primary elections from the first Tuesday of February to the first Tuesday of March.

-SJR 5 by Sen. Jim Reynolds, proposes a constitutional amendment that would change the maximum taxable fair cash value for locally assessed real property that has qualified for the homestead exemption or is classified as agricultural land from 5 to 3 percent per year or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.

-SB 259 by Sen. Harry Coates, increases from $5 million to $10 million the maximum amount of negotiable bonds the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission is authorized to issue to construct, improve, better or extend any properties which it is authorized to maintain or operate.

-SB 789 by Sen. Josh Brecheen, creates the Fair Practices of Equipment Manufacturers, Distributors, Wholesalers and Dealers Act.

-SB 928 by Sen. Don Newberry, requires an applicant for a roofing contractor registration certificate to pay a fee of $75.

-SB 708 by Sen. Clark Jolley, sets forth the requirements for all municipal and county development fees that are established and collected to fund public infrastructure system improvements.

-SB 684 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, exempts those managing or leasing affordable housing development projects in accordance with federal guidelines from licensing requirements under the Oklahoma Real Estate License Code.

-SB 110 by Sen. David Myers, removes the sunset date for the Waterworks and Wastewater Works Advisory Council.

-SB 19 by Sen. Roger Ballenger, requires owners and operators of solid waste landfills to ensure that all exterior slopes are maintained at all times to be no steeper than four horizontal to one vertical and that all other construction slopes are three horizontal to one vertical.

-SB 109 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, requires principals and assistant principals to develop professional development programs and submit plans to the school district superintendent for approval.

-SB 969 by Sen. Dan Newberry, creates the Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship Act.

-SB 13 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, modifies language related to the ad valorem tax exemption for manufacturing facilities.

-SB 104 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, allows a county treasurer to send ad valorem tax statements to a taxpayer by electronic mail if the taxpayer submitted a written request for such delivery.

-SB 105 by Sen. Ron Justice, directs the State Board of Equalization to set a fee or schedule of fees to be used by county assessors for the search, production and copying assessors for the search, production and copying in electronic or digital format of property data, administration files, sketches and pictures of real property maintained within the assessors’ computer systems.

-SB 132 by Sen. Ron Justice, provides a tax exemption for retirement income derived from any component of the U.S. Armed Forces in an amount not to exceed the greater of 100 percent of such benefits or $12,000.

-SB 141 by Sen. Clark Jolley, provides the same criteria in evaluating transferred students enrolled in online courses as students regularly enrolled at school when calculating funding.

-SB 169 by Sen. David Myers, increases from 1.5 cents to 2 cents the per-bushel fee on all wheat marketed by wheat producers in the state and sold through commercial channels.

-SB 175 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, allows the Oklahoma Homeland Security Director to employ a state 911 coordinator to oversee the 911 systems of Oklahoma.

-SB 180 by Sen. Susan Paddack, allows the Department of Corrections to contract with physicians and other providers of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services.

-SB 185 by Sen. Harry Coates, requires the Properties Division of the Department of Central Services to award contracts under the Public Building Construction and Planning Act on a best value basis.

-SB 241 by Sen. Cliff Branan, modifies the County Bridge and Road Improvement Act to require costs associated with county bridges or roads to be payable rather than reimbursable.

-SB 247 by Sen. Kim David, requires the Office of Juvenile Affairs to certify all foster family homes by meeting standards for certification promulgated by the Board of Juvenile Affairs.

-SB 252 by Sen. Eddie Fields, allows a school district to reimburse employees for cost of a criminal history search.

-SB 256 by Sen. John Ford, allows any charter school that chooses to lease property to be eligible to receive current government lease rates.

-SB 275 by Sen. Eddie Fields, permits federal grant money applied for on behalf of a school district to be disbursed directly to an interlocal cooperative with the consent of the school districts that comprise the interlocal agreement.

-SB 278 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, modifies the definition of “textbooks” to include equipment required to make use of technology-based educational materials.

-SB 279 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, expands the list of purposes for which school districts may issue bonds.

-SB 363 by Sen. Ralph Shortey, prohibits the state fire marshal from engaging in other business that may be a conflict of interest.

-SB 487 by Sen. Andrew Rice, creates the Oklahoma Bicycle Safety Awareness Act.

-SB 517 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, allows a one-time credit against the income tax liability of any legal entity engaged in the recycling, reuse or source reduction of hazardous waste.

-SB 563 by Sen. Bill Brown, includes a temporary high risk pool referred to as the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan Program, under the definition of creditable coverage.

-SB 587 by Sen. Brian Bingman, extends the requirement that the Corporation Commission Plugging Fund be maintained at $5 million.

-SB 593 by Sen. Rick Brinkley, grants a port authority full power and authority to apply for the right to establish and maintain foreign trade zones within the limits prescribed by the U.S. Foreign Trade Zones Board.

-SB 664 by Sen. Eddie Fields, decreases from 6 percent to 5 percent the cap on administrative services, less expenditures for legal services, a school district with an average daily attendance of more than 1,500 students may expend.

-SB 728 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, limits the applicability of sales tax exemptions for governmental and non-profit entities to five years after the effective date of such exemption.

-SB 729 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, modifies requirements for applications for certificates of title for salvaged, rebuilt, junked, classic, remanufactured and unrecovered theft vehicles.

-SB 730 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, authorizes the Oklahoma Tax Commission to use available cash funds from the unclassified taxes account to pay income tax refunds if current collections from the same source are insufficient.

-SB 732 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, requires an employee be terminated by a state agency upon the employee’s third notification of noncompliance of state income tax laws.

-SB 733 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, states that all statutes in the Oklahoma Tax Code shall become operational according to the effective date or emergency clause provided in the enacting clause unless the Legislature has expressed the intent they have retroactive operation.

-SB 744 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, allows a purchaser of advertising and promotional direct mail to provide the seller with either a direct pay permit, a certificate of exemption claiming promotional direct mail or information showing the jurisdictions to which the promotional direct mail is to be delivered.

-SB 750 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, modifies language related to the Oklahoma Tax Commission.

-SB 902 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, creates the Oklahoma Recreational Vehicle Franchise Act.

 

Thursday, April 7

• The Senate met Thursday, approving the following measures:


-HB 1917 by Rep. Ann Coody, modifies language adding interventions to services that schools can provide to students in relation to the Achieving Classroom Excellence Act of 2005.

-HB 1812 by Rep. Danny Morgan, raises the threshold for competitive bidding to $100,000 for right-of-way clearance.

-HB 1520 by Rep. Jadine Nollan, modifies penalties and procedure for the violation of the Compulsory Insurance Law.

-HB 1044 by Rep. George Faught, requires the legislature to approve all rules made by agencies to facilitate administration of legislative policy.

-HB 1296 by Rep. David Derby, removes the exception of no consent on informing a property owner of the annexation of his or her land.

-HB 1615 by Rep. Gary Banz, modifies dates for primary and special elections.

-HB 1511 by Rep. Steve Vaughn, new law to commemorate the United States Supreme Court decision in the case of McDonald v. City of Chicago, Illinois.


 

Other News

• A portrait of Oklahoma artist Charles Banks Wilson was dedicated Wednesday in the Senate. The work, by Oklahoma artist Mike Wimmer, was sponsored by Howard and Billie Barnett of Tulsa and commissioned by the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund. Wilson, born in Arkansas in 1918, spent his childhood in Miami, Oklahoma. A painter, printmaker, teacher, lecturer, historian, magazine and book illustrator, Wilson’s work has been shown in over 200 exhibitions in the U.S. and around the world. His works are housed in some of the most renowned museums and art galleries in the world including New York’s Metropolitan Museum, Washington’s Library of Congress, the Corcoran Gallery, the Oklahoma State Capitol, and the Smithsonian.

• Oklahoma’s economy shows evidence of continued gradual improvement. During March, receipts to the State Treasury totaled $923.26 million. That is an increase of $51.56 million or 5.9 percent over March of last year. In the past 12 months, gross collections were $9.898 billion, an increase of $492 million or 5.2 percent over the previous 12 months.