The Latest in Oklahoma: May 31, 2024
A&A Advocates
Oklahoma lawmakers in both chambers adjourned sine die on Thursday evening. Both House Speaker Charles McCalland Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat released statements at the end of session. While both were pleased with the legislature’s work, McCall said he would’ve liked to have seen an income tax cut pass into law this year. McCall and Treat will be termed out after this session, meaning they will have served for 12 years and will no longer be able to represent their districts. Rep. Kyle Hilbert of Bristow and Sen. Greg McCorntney of Ada are expected to replace them.
The Oklahoma Legislature took up seven veto overrides in the final days of the session that ended Thursday. Six overrides were successful: SB 102 increases benefits from the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System while also raising employee and employer contributions, HB 1712 prohibits insurers from refusing to cover durable medical equipment prescribed by a medical care provider, HB 1979 restricts the conditions placed on vision care providers by insurers, SB 1751 requires guardians of incapacitated adults to receive training specific to the condition of the person for whom they are caring, SB 1438 allows a 1.25% “recovery fee” for heavy equipment, and HB 2687 adds new certified law officers hired by the Attorney General’s Office or the Military Department to the state police pension fund.
The Oklahoma Sentencing Modernization Act of 2024 (HB 1792), a multi-year effort aimed to increase consistency in sentencing and bring Oklahoma’s criminal justice systemin line with national standards, is one-step closer to becoming law. It advanced overwhelmingly out of the House on Wednesday. Rep. Mike Osburn, R-Edmond, the measure’s author, said the effort will ensure “the punishment actually fits the crime.” The passage comes about five years after lawmakers tasked a commission with categorizing nearly 1,100 crimes, and after about two years of continuous research with stakeholders, including law enforcement, prosecutors and criminal justice reform advocates.
The Oklahoma oil and gas industry as it secured $50 millionunder a tax rebate program for methane-reduction equipment upgrades in a budget agreement struck last week by Republican legislative leaders. The budget line item, to be put into a revolving fund at the Oklahoma Tax Commission, would let companies claim up to 25% of their costs to retrofit oil and gas equipment covered under new greenhouse gas emissions rules finalized in March by the Biden administration.
What We’re Watching
Oklahoma House leaders have issued a second legislative subpoena to State Superintendent Ryan Walters, saying Walters failed to provide requested information.
A set of 20 administrative rules from the Oklahoma State Department of Education were sent directly to the governor’s desk for approval.
The state Senate approved several executive nominations on Wednesday, including Gov. Kevin Stitt’s picks for secretary of state, secretary of education and several agency directors.
“Google has proudly called Oklahoma home for more than a decade with a data center in Mayes County. We commend Gov. Stitt and Oklahoma’s leadership for their commitment to helping students and workers access AI training for today and tomorrow’s jobs. To advance these efforts and our collaboration, we are thrilled to offer the new Google AI Essentials course to residents at no cost.” – Mark Isakowitz, Google vice president of government affairs and public policy for the U.S. and Canada, said in the release.