A&A Advocates, an Oklahoma government relations firm and NASL member, shares the latest legislative news below:
As of Monday, several bills from the 58th and 59th Legislative Sessions are now in effect:
HB 1029 creates a family caregiver tax credit to cover eligible expenditures related to providing care to an eligible family member based on criteria outlined in the bill.
SB 513 states that any health benefit plan, including the Oklahoma Employees Insurance Plan, that is offered, issued, or renewed in this state on or after Jan. 1 will provide coverage for biomarker testing.
HB 3971 authorizes the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) to use secret shoppers to conduct compliance tests at licensed medical marijuana dispensaries.
HB 3929 outlines the OMMA’s standards and requirements for process validation, which is meant to ensure product quality at medical marijuana testing labs. The bill also outlines penalties for violating those requirements.
View a complete list of bills from previous legislative sessions here. The Second Session of the 59th Legislature is scheduled to begin on Feb. 5, 2024.
After conducting a pilot program in which hundreds of Oklahomans tracked and reported their mileage to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, theOklahoma Transportation Department’s Road User Charge Task Force recommended state lawmakers pass legislation to create a voluntary statewide program whereby drivers are taxed per mile driven rather than at the gas pump. View the report here.
Oklahoma has announced it will not participate in anew federal summer food program for children. While the Summer EBT program would have doled out $40 per month this summer for children who get free or reduced price meals during the school year, Gov. Kevin Stitt’s office cited uncertainty about how the federal government will administer the program. Only 36 states, tribes and territories agreed to participate—with Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Texas among those that publicly criticized the program or its cost.
What We’re Watching
The Department of Corrections is working on plans to completely revamp the antiquated security technology in all of its correctional facilities in an effort to improve safety behind bars for inmates and correctional employees.