For the week of Tuesday, May 27 to Friday, May 30, 2003

• The legislature did not meet on Monday, the 26th in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. The legislature returned on Tuesday to begin the task of completing work on the budget and other substantive issues still awaiting final passage before the end of the 2003 session. Among those measures winning approval by the Senate on Tuesday:

- SB 20 by Sen. Mike Morgan and Rep. Bill Mitchell contains an appropriation to the State Board of Career and Technology Education reflecting a 10.6 percent cut compared to the current fiscal year.

- SB 26 by Sen. Mike Morgan and Rep. Bill Mitchell contains an appropriation for the Oklahoma School of Science and Math, reflecting a reduction of 1.8 percent.

- SB 140 by Sen. Mike Morgan and Rep. Bill Mitchell would make an appropriation of $44,101,405 to the Oklahoma Tax Commission, a decrease of $5,059,763.

- SB 184 by Sen. Mike Morgan and Rep. Bill Mitchell would make an appropriation reflecting a reduction of 4.3 percent compared to the current fiscal year.

- HB 1271 by Sen. Keith Leftwich and Rep. Jim Newport would delete the requirement that consumer names be placed on the Telemarketer Restriction Registry and make the registry privileged and confidential and exempt from the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

- HB 1690 by Sen. Sam Helton and Rep. Jari Askins would increase the maximum fine from $500 to $5,000 for cruelty to animals. In addition, a violation could result in the forfeiture and seizure of the mistreated animals.

• Among those measures winning approval in the House on Tuesday:

- SB 288 by Rep. Paul D. Roan and Sen. Jay Paul Gumm which would impose a moratorium on temporary permits to pump groundwater from the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer for “any municipal or public water supply use” outside of any county “that overlays in whole or in part” its basin of origin.

-SB 629 by Rep. Larry Adair and Sen. Ted Fisher creating the Affordable Access to Health Care Act.

-SB 621 by Rep. Susan Winchester and Sen. Angela Monson would modify method trauma facility and licensed ambulance service reimbursement and creates the Task Force on Hospital Emergency Services and Trauma Care.

-HB 1353 by Rep. Carolyn Coleman and Sen. Rick Littlefield which would allow the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission to charge park entrance fees for day users.

-SB 625 by Rep. Barbara Staggs and Sen. Daisy Lawler which would mandate that a person who throws or drops any object from a bridge or overpass onto any highway or road resulting in damage to property or injury to a person would be guilty of a felony.

Wednesday, May 28th

• The Senate continued working through conference committee reports on Wednesday. Those bills approved included:

- SJR 21 by Sen. Cal Hobson and Rep. Larry Adair mandates a three-year phase-in on prohibitions against smoking in public places.

- SB 73 by Sen. Mike Morgan and Rep. Bill Mitchell which would authorize the Capital Improvement Authority to issue obligations to provide funding for completion of a Native American Cultural Center Museum.

-SB 439 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols and Rep. Bill Mitchell which enables creation of an International Trade Processing Center.

-SB 80 by Sen. Mike Morgan and Rep. Bill Mitchell makes an appropriation of $40,897,067 to the District Courts.

-SB 84 by Sen. Mike Morgan and Rep. Bill Mitchell makes an appropriation of $11,962,341 to the Supreme Court.

-SB 93 makes an appropriation of $14,243, 912 to the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System.
-HB 1158 by Sen. Mike Morgan and Rep. Bill Mitchell makes an appropriation of $3,864,077 to the Oklahoma Arts Council.

-HB 1161 by Sen. Mike Morgan and Rep. Bill Mitchell would make an appropriation of $3,448,064 to the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority.

• The following were among the measures approved by the full House on Wednesday:

-HB 1237 by Rep. Bill Mitchell and Sen. Mike Morgan which imposes a $2 per vehicle tag increase for two years. Funds generated by the fee increase would be earmarked for the Department of Public safety to prevent Highway Patrol Trooper furloughs.

-HB 1467 by Rep. William Paulk and Sen. Angela Monson which would create the Oklahoma Catastrophic Health Emergency Planning Task Force.

-SB 589 by Rep. Paul Roan and Sen. Jeff Rabon which directs the Department of Human Services to provide government surplus food to senior nutrition sites.

-SB 216 by Rep. Carolyn Coleman and Sen. Owen Laughlin which would authorize two or more district boards of education to enter into mutual contracts with superintendents, administrators, teachers, or support personnel.

Thursday, May 29th

• The Senate continued working toward the Friday deadline for Sine Die adjournment. Among those measures approved on Thursday:

-SB 553 by Sen. Cal Hobson and Rep. Larry Adair creating the State-Tribal Gaming Act. The compact would authorize specific electronic gaming machines at the state’s horse racing tracks and designate payments from tribal gaming revenues to the state.

-HB 1467 by Sen. Angela Monson and Rep. William Paulk creating the Oklahoma Catastrophic Health Emergency Planning Task Force.

-HB 1635 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm and Rep. Jari Askins which would create the “Uniform Child Witness Testimony by Alternative Methods Act.” The measure would allow judges in certain proceedings to determine whether to have a child testify by alternative method, proposes to set forth the procedure for such an act, and proposes the circumstances under which alternative methods would be permitted.

-HB 1237 by Rep. Bill Mitchell and Sen. Mike Morgan which imposes a $2 per vehicle tag increase for two years. Funds generated by the fee increase would be earmarked for the Department of Public Safety to prevent Highway Patrol Trooper furloughs.

-SB 322 by Sen. Cal Hobson and Rep. Larry Rice would transfer the leaky underground storage tank fund from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to the Department of Environmental Quality.

• On Thursday, the House approved the following measures:

-SJR 21 by Rep. Larry Adair and Sen. Cal Hobson which would prohibit smoking in most public and work places by the year 2006.

-SB 353 by Rep. Joe Dorman and Sen. Charles Ford would allow the manufacture, wholesale and retail of low-point beer and the brewing and wholesale of beer above 3.2 in Oklahoma.

-SB 643 by Rep. Larry Ferguson and Sen. Kenneth Corn would provide an option for members of the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System to elect to increase the retirement benefit multiplier. Such employees who make the election will have to pay an increased employee contribution. The higher multiplier shall only be credited to complete years of service for which the increased contributions have been made.

-SB 73 by Rep. Bill Mitchell and Sen. Mike Morgan would authorize the Capitol Improvement Authority to issue obligations to provide funding for completion of the Native American Cultural Center.

Friday, May 30th

• The Senate continued working through measures awaiting action, concluding work by the Constitutional Sine Die deadline of 5 p.m. on the last Friday in May.

Other News

During the final week of the session, Governor Henry signed several measures into law, including HB 1256 by Representative Bill Mitchell and Senator Mike Morgan requiring zero-based budgeting for all entities receiving state appropriations.