A consumer archive of news sent from Oklahoma Policy Institute
A bill that passes both chambers in its final form is enrolled. It is then sent to the Governor. To find the engrossed version of a bill, go to the Legislature’s website, click on Legislation, select Basic Bill Search, enter the bill number, and choose the “Versions” tab.
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Thousands of Oklahoma parents need our state's Medicaid program, called SoonerCare, just to fill a prescription or go to the doctor. But now, lawmakers are rushing to require these parents to work a certain number of hours per week or lose their health care.
As our video series shows, these new requirements are bad for Oklahoma. Work requirements will endanger families by taking needed health care from parents trying to make a better life for their children. They'll even put working families at risk by threatening health care for those who can't control the hours they're scheduled for. And they won't help to move more Oklahomans into the workforce. Please contact Governor Fallin and ask her to stop the push for Medicaid work requirements. You can watch all the videos below or learn more here.
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The post Video series tells real-life stories of Oklahomans threatened by push to restrict SoonerCare appeared first on Oklahoma Policy Institute.
Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol.
When Republicans took full control of the legislature, both House and Senate, they began a process of dismantling the use of line items in state appropriations measures. The policy took full root in 2010 when Republican governor Mary Fallin was elected. The new legislative majority felt it was not their place to dictate to the executive department, particularity through line-item budgeting, how to spend the appropriated dollars. They also accused Democrats of using line items to promote favored programs over others. In sum the mantra was to give the executive agencies flexibility in the use of funds in the name of efficiency.
Over the years legislators were burned on occasion when agencies chose to eliminate or substantially reduce programs that members felt were high priority. As time went on, more line items began to appear in appropriations measures, and this year a substantial increase in directed spending has occurred. This is likely the result of a realization of the need for legislative oversight of spending and the obligation of the legislature to determine the policy on how appropriated dollars will be used. After all, legislators catch the blame when the public is unhappy about program cuts or wasteful spending.
Social service agencies are a prime example of the more stringent legislative direction. The Department of Mental Health was directed to provide a 3 percent increase in psychiatric inpatient, substance abuse residential, psychologist, and agency-based therapy provider rates. DMH was also directed to use $4 million of its funding increase for needs assessments that I believe is related to criminal justice reform. Legislators also directed any federal funding increases to be used for maintaining current levels of services, addressing as needed the above rate increases and "addressing caps in therapy and case management services imposed during the preceding twenty-four-month period."
The Department of Human Services, with its $34 million increase was told to use $4.6 million to restore adoption subsidy payments and foster care rates to the levels authorized by the Legislature in 2017, but later cut, and to use $960,000 to increase the salaries of child welfare specialist positions to fulfill the obligations of year five of the Pinnacle Plan; $2 million was directed for services for persons with developmental disabilities to reduce the size of the DDSD waiting list -- an important start to a tragically longstanding problem. In addition legislators mandated a 5 percent increase in foster care provider rates, a 7 percent increase in provider rates for child welfare contract group homes, a 5 percent increase in therapeutic foster care provider rates, a 7 percent rate increase in provider rates for the Advantage program and a 7 percent increase for Developmental Disabilities services in-home supports for adults and children and state-funded group home, state-funded assisted living and all state-funded employment and vocational services direct care provider rates.
The Oklahoma Health Care Authority was directed to grant a 3 percent increase to long-term care facilities (nursing homes) and a 2 percent increase to all other Sooner Care providers. It is doubtful that all these funding decisions are the same as would have been made by the agencies if the decisions were left to them as in the past few years. The priorities reflect the pressures and input from interested parties and the judgment of legislators as produced by a legislative as opposed to an agency process. I'm biased, but I think that's as it should be. Legislators are elected to make the budget decisions.
The post New budget marks a return of line-item appropriations (Capitol Update) appeared first on Oklahoma Policy Institute.
With the FY 2019 budget now passed, lawmakers are moving to finish all other legislative work and adjourn by the end of the week. Just a few significant bills remain alive to be reconciled between House and Senate versions.
Last week the Legislature disposed of its main order of business as it heads toward adjournment by approving SB 1600, the FY 2019 General Appropriations bill, which increases state funding by $601 million, or 7.9 percent, for the upcoming year. The bill now awaits action by the Governor, who has the authority to veto individual sections of the bill.
Several additional budget measures await final consideration this week. Of particular note, SB 1583 raises the threshold on how much money must be collected by the General Revenue Fund before deposits can be made into the Revenue Stabilization Fund from $5.7 billion to $6.6 billion. Without this change, it is likely that a deposit of several hundred million dollars would be made to the reserve fund in FY 2020, as we discussed.
The Legislature may also take action on one of two measures that would cap tax credits for wind producers. SB 888 does away with the refundable portion of the zero emission tax credit, while HB 3716 would allow wind credits that exceed tax liability in a given year to be used against future tax liability over a twenty-year period.
Under the new FY 2019 budget, Oklahoma schools should receive enough funding to pay for a significant teacher salary increase. However, outside of what is dedicated for teacher pay, the budget provides only a small amount of added revenue for restoring programs, reducing class sizes, and making up for years of cuts to schools.
A resolution that's near final passage in the Legislature, SJR 70, would put a state question on that ballot that could give local schools more flexibility in how they use their funding -- but at the potential cost of delaying necessary maintenance and building repairs. Another bill that would impact school finances, SB 929, is on the Senate agenda to be heard as soon as today. This bill would update Oklahoma's language and definitions for students with disabilities to reflect modern understanding of these conditions. The bill for the first time adds language and funding formula weights for the conditions of autism, traumatic brain injury, and other health impairments. Oklahoma's current state aid definitions are outdated, so this is a necessary change, though it is likely to create winners and losers when aid is distributed among districts using the new definitions.
HB 2932, which would kick low-income parents off Medicaid for failing to work a prescribed number of hours per week, and HB 3036, which would give the Governor authority to hire and fire the head of the state Department of Health, are waiting for the House to approve Senate amendments. If approved, both bills next advance to Governor Fallin for her signature or veto.
A handful of bills directing key state health agencies in spending their appropriations were introduced late last week. SB 1605 and HB 3707 direct the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to increase payment rates to specified providers. HB 3708 instructs the Department of Human Services to direct $2 million towards reducing the developmental disabilities services waiting list, boost provider rates, and establish a respite care waiver. It also orders the agency to reverse previous cuts to the foster and adoption subsidy, increase child welfare workers' salaries, increase child abuse funding, and direct additional federal matching funds to specific priorities.
After two sessions of back and forth, Governor Fallin signed seven major criminal justice reform bills this week. Though the bills were passed in a weakened form, they are a critical first step toward slowing the growth in our prison population.
Unfortunately, another bill that's near passage in the Legislature would be a big step back. SB 1221, a bill intended to improve the Pardon and Parole Board by requiring two members have experience in mental health or substance abuse services, was amended to include a process by which juvenile offenders can be sentenced to life in prison. The bill plainly ignores a 2012 Supreme Court decision that declared life sentences for juveniles unconstitutional, as well as an abundance of research into the effects of aging on the minds of juvenile offenders.
Lawmakers are also considering a bill that could set the stage for undoing the hard work of criminal justice reformers. SB 1098, a bill to create a commission on sentencing laws, made up mostly of District Attorneys and law enforcement officials, passed the House but must pass the Senate again after being amended. Without any stated goals of considering data or reducing incarceration, the commission would likely move the debate around criminal justice reform in the wrong direction.
Paid family and medical leave may soon be available for most state workers. SB 1581, creating a paid leave bank for state workers has been passed by the legislature and sent to Governor Fallin.
In efforts to reform occupational licensing, outcomes are mixed. HB 2771, which would have created an online database of all occupational licensing requirements in the state, was not taken up in the Senate last week before the deadline and is now dead for this session. But SB 1475, creating a commission to review licensing requirements, is still alive. The bill was amended by the House during it's consideration, and is now back on the Senate's agenda this week.
The post Bill Watch: This week in #okleg | April 30, 2018 appeared first on Oklahoma Policy Institute.
In 2016, the Legislature created a new budget reserve fund, the Revenue Stabilization Fund (RSF), which is designed to grow in years when collections from the state’s most volatile revenue sources are coming in above recent averages.
Under the new law, the Board of Equalization every February compares the amount of money to be apportioned to the General Revenue Fund (GR) for the upcoming year with the average collection of the last five years for the gross production tax on oil and gas and the corporate income tax. Once actual General Revenue collections for the preceding fiscal year exceeded $5.7 billion, if collections for the upcoming year for each of the three taxes are projected to be above the five-year average, 100 percent of the difference from each tax is to be deposited in reserve funds. For the gross production taxes, the entire amount goes to the Revenue Stabilization Fund; for the corporate income tax, 25 percent goes the Rainy Day Fund and the remainder to the Revenue Stabilization Fund. Similarly to the Rainy Day Fund, the Legislature could withdraw from the RSF only in the case of a mid-year revenue failure or declining total revenue for the upcoming year.
The $5.7 billion threshold was not met in 2017 or 2018 but will likely be met in 2019 and affect FY 2020 appropriations unless the Legislature amends the law. SB 1583 would raise the threshold to $6.6 billion
The post Revenue Stabilization Fund appeared first on Oklahoma Policy Institute.
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Homeownership rate for Hispanic Oklahomans in 2017, above the national average for Hispanic homeownership of 46.2%.
The post 50.3% appeared first on Oklahoma Policy Institute.
“Are the issues new? No. Newly reported? No. Ignored? No, not by those who have the responsibility to fight the issues. They have been passed over if not ignored by those controlling the agency’s purse strings. That must change today.”
-Oklahoma Department of Corrections Director Joe Allbaugh, who said that Oklahoma’s deep understaffing and overcrowding of prisons risks a deadly riot [Source].
The post Quote of the Day | April 30, 2018 appeared first on Oklahoma Policy Institute.
In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and see past editions.
State Budget Headed to Governor: The Oklahoma Legislature made history on Friday. For the first time in decades, the state budget was adopted weeks ahead of the constitutional deadline. And for the first time in several years, lawmakers passed a budget that makes no cuts to agencies. The $7.6 billion spending bill passed the House 63-31 Friday afternoon, essentially along party lines. Senate Bill 1600 now heads to the desk of Gov. Mary Fallin [Journal Record].
With Budget Hammered Out, Legislature Barrels Toward Early Adjournment: The Oklahoma Legislature is barreling toward an early adjournment well before the May 25 deadline. Lawmakers last week sent Gov. Mary Fallin a $7.6 billion budget that provides for teacher and state employee pay raises, clearing the path for campaign season. The budget provides an average increase of 10.92 percent for state agencies. Normally, the budget agreement is not announced until later in May. “I think realistically we are probably looking at (ending session on) Thursday,” said Senate President Pro Tem Mike Schulz, R-Altus. [Tulsa World].
After the budget, not much work left for lawmakers: One of the most significant bills still waiting on a vote in the Oklahoma Legislature this year would create a regulatory framework for new alcohol modernization laws adopted almost two years ago in a statewide vote. As the end of session looms, Senate Bill 1173 is one of the few bills considered must-pass that haven't received a final vote. After lawmakers gave approval to the state budget last week, their to-do list nearly emptied [NewsOK].
Budget Shortfalls Stir Talk Among Oklahoma Gubernatorial Candidates About Tax Breaks: As Oklahoma's budget problems have brought more scrutiny to various tax breaks, gubernatorial candidates have been talking about whether subsidies are worth the loss of revenue. At forums last week, candidates were asked about tax incentives in general and about ones for wind energy in particular. Candidates from the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties expressed skepticism about the value of trying to lure businesses with the promise of taxpayer subsidies, though some conceded it may at times be necessary [NewsOK].
DOC Director: Oklahoma Prisons in Precarious Spot: I dread the day when I will have to attend the funeral of one of our correctional officers or nonuniformed staff or account for the loss of life of inmates we are charged to protect. Recent history of hauntingly similar situations indicates it's only a matter of time [Joe Albaugh/NewsOK]. Passing revised justice reform measures is necessary but not nearly enough [OKPolicy].
'Not Going to Be Enough for Our Circumstances': School Finances Have Changed Little Despite Walkout: The Oklahoma teacher walkout has been hailed as a historic victory for education and credited for raising public awareness of the state’s revenue problems. But what did it change for school districts’ finances? Superintendents and chief financial officers say not much. Districts will receive about $50 million statewide — $33 million for textbooks and $17 million for operations. Depending on the district’s size, they project they’ll see increased funding to the tune of a few million or a few hundred thousand dollars — not enough to materially change their already strained finances [Tulsa World].
New Funding Has OK Mental Health Agency in Better Spot: There have been many times in recent years that Oklahoma lawmakers have touted the budget they approved, and state mental health Commissioner Terri White has wondered what they were talking about. This year, “It really is a good budget,” White says. She's grateful, because like so many other state agencies, hers has been hard hit by cuts. In recent years the Department of Mental Health and Substances Abuse Services has had to reduce its payments to providers by tens of millions of dollars. This year, the agency is getting $2 million in new money to begin the restoration process [NewsOK].
Oklahoma Child Abuse Prevention Programs Worry About Funding: Parent Promise made it through this year's budget cuts without leaving the high-risk families it works with in the lurch. Executive Director Sherry Fair said she isn't sure it can pull off the same trick for another year, though. Oklahoma City-based Parent Promise and eight other organizations had $2 million in state contracts to perform home visits with families at a higher-than-average risk of child abuse or neglect. The Oklahoma State Department of Health cut the contracts in October to deal with a budget shortfall caused by years of overspending [NewsOK].
Tulsa World Editorial: Gross Production Tax Effort Takes the Initiative and Forces a Better Compromise on Education Funding: Organizers of an initiative petition to raise the state gross production tax to 7 percent level have dropped their campaign. Instead, Mickey Thompson, executive director of Restore Oklahoma Now Inc., said his group will concentrate on defending school-funding tax increases recently passed by the Oklahoma Legislature against a promised repeal effort [Tulsa World]. Will the history of SQ 640 repeat itself? [OKPolicy].
Reform of SQ 640 Dead for Session, Supporters Say: The legislative push to give voters a chance to re-examine a controversial tax law is dead for this session, supporters say. There’s not enough legislative support to place the measure on the November ballot, said state Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee. Such legislation would give voters the chance to decide whether to modernize the law — known as State Question 640 — requiring approval of three-quarters of lawmakers to raise new taxes [The Norman Transcript]. SQ 640 has made Oklahoma ungovernable [OK Policy].
Lawmakers Take Aim at Wind Energy Subsidy: A high stakes battle is being waged in the state Capitol over a bill that would kill a wind industry subsidy that currently is costing Oklahoma taxpayers about $70 million a year. The Oklahoma House voted 51-46 Wednesday to kill the refundable aspect of the zero emissions tax credit. Senate Bill 888 is now awaiting further action in the Senate [NewsOK].
Wildlife Director Lashes out at Legislation: The state wildlife director said Friday that a bill headed for a vote in the Oklahoma Senate and House of Representatives is “a dangerous step to privatizing our wildlife.” J.D. Strong, director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, said if passed in its present form, the bill would “benefit some wealthy landowners to the detriment of most of Oklahoma's hunters and fishermen” [NewsOK].
Hindu Prayer to Be Offered in Oklahoma Senate: A spiritual leader from Nevada will deliver the Oklahoma Senate's first Hindu prayer, part of an interfaith movement in a Legislature in the Bible Belt that has faced criticism its lack of religious diversity. Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, will visit Oklahoma on Monday as part of his effort to pray before lawmakers in state Capitols across the country. He is the guest of state Sen. Stephanie Bice, an Oklahoma City Republican who also has invited a local rabbi and people from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and African Methodist Episcopal Church to pray before the body this week [Public Radio Tulsa].
Alcohol Regulators, Distillers Get Ready for Liquor Law Changes: The Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission is preparing for a historic change in the state’s liquor laws. Now Executive Director Keith A. Burt can finally hire people to help with the transition and to oversee all the new licensees. With the state’s fiscal year 2019 budget on Gov. Mary Fallin’s desk, Burt’s agency is slated to get a 22.5 percent increase in its budget. This equates to an additional $500,000 for the year. The 2019 budget would be about $3 million [Journal Record].
In Fire-Scorched Oklahoma, Help Comes One Bale at a Time: The hay began arriving before the fires were out. It came stacked on pickup trucks and strapped onto semis. From a few counties away. From halfway across the country. For ranchers whose grazing land was destroyed by wildfires that tore across western Oklahoma this month, the cylindrical bales were an economic lifeline, a way to feed cattle marooned on grassless patches of charred red soil. The hay was also free, provided not by lawmakers in Washington or Oklahoma City, but mostly by strangers in other corners of rural America [The New York Times].
Seven Oklahoma Highway Patrol Chases Resulted in Eight Deaths. All Were Within Policy That OHP Keeps Secret: In a 14-month span, state troopers led seven vehicle chases that resulted in eight deaths — two were uninvolved motorists, and the latest was one of their own lieutenants. No discipline was handed down in any of the seven pursuits as all troopers’ actions were deemed to be within policy by the Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, according to records [Tulsa World].
Latest Chickasaw ‘Land Fix’ Attempt Came in Federal Measure, and Fell Barely Short of Passage: A long-anticipated attempt to “fix” dubious federal trust land decisions, advocated for by the Chickasaw Nation’s leadership, fell barely short of passage this past month. With both of the Sooner State’s U.S. Senators in support of a procedural move, the “Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act” was only five votes short of the 60 needed to advance toward enactment [CapitolBeatOK].
"Are the issues new? No. Newly reported? No. Ignored? No, not by those who have the responsibility to fight the issues. They have been passed over if not ignored by those controlling the agency's purse strings. That must change today.”
-Oklahoma Department of Corrections Director Joe Allbaugh, who said that Oklahoma's deep understaffing and overcrowding of prisons risks a deadly riot [Source].
50.3%
Homeownership rate for Hispanic Oklahomans in 2017, above the national average for Hispanic homeownership of 46.2%.
Source: 2017 State of Hispanic Homeownership Report
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
The Restaurant Industry Ran a Private Poll on the Minimum Wage. It Did Not Go Well for Them: The poll — which was presented on a slide deck obtained by The Intercept and Documented — found that seven in 10 Americans want to see the minimum wage raised even if it means that they’d have to pay more for meals. It also found that the industry’s various talking points against raising the wage are mostly falling flat with the general public [The Intercept].
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What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk shares our most recent publications and other resources to help you stay informed about Oklahoma. Numbers of the Day and Policy Notes are from our daily news briefing, In The Know. Click here to subscribe to In The Know.
Strategy & Communications Director Gene Perry argued that a bill purporting to create funding flexibility for school districts will lead to some very tough choices. Executive Director David Blatt's Journal Record column warned that the effort to overturn the funding package for teacher pay raises and education funding is politically perilous. Steve Lewis's Capitol Update wondered if the history of SQ 640 is about to repeat itself with the referendum to veto the funding package. Blatt explained what needs to happen next in order to continue the push for increased education funding.
Blatt spoke with The Oklahoman about increased funding for most state agencies in next year's budget. OK Policy data and analysis made an appearance in stories from NonDoc, Shareblue Media, the New York City Food Policy Center, and Dan Boyd's editorial in the Journal Record.
OK Policy is hiring TWO new policy analysts! The education analyst position will be OK Policy’s first staffer to be fully dedicated to this issue area. The criminal justice analyst position will build on the work of our current criminal justice analyst, Ryan Gentzler, who will transition to leading a new justice data project within OK Policy. The deadline to apply for these positions is close of business on Thursday, May 17. To learn more about how to apply and see the job responsibilities, qualifications, and salary information on these positions, see our job announcement here.
And don't forget that applications are open for the 2018 Summer Policy Institute - click here to learn more and apply!
The emergency clause is a provision included as part of a bill in the Oklahoma Legislature that allows it to become effective immediately upon the signature of the Governor or at a specified date. Emergency clauses require two-thirds approval by both houses and are voted on separately and subsequently to the vote in favor or against a measure. A law cannot become effective fewer than 90 days after sine die adjournment without an emergency clause. The one exception is the General Appropriations bill, which can take effect on July 1st without an emergency clause and by a simple majority.
Look up more key terms to understand Oklahoma politics and government here.
“This budget in no way makes everyone as complete and whole as we were in 2009.”
– Sen. Kim David (R-Porter), on the budget plan passed by the Senate, acknowledging that almost all agencies continue to be underfunded even with the increases in the budget (Source)
Oklahoma's growing prison population, and the amount spent to support it, threatens our future. In 2015, Oklahoma spent more than $450 million on prisons, or approximately $16,000 per prisoner, yet we spent roughly $8,000 per student in our public schools — and it's getting worse. If we keep incarcerating people at the current pace, Oklahoma's prison population could grow by 25 percent over the next decade, at a cost of nearly $2 billion to taxpayers. Thankfully, legislators have taken action to begin slowing that growth, but more progress is needed. We can't afford to continue sending thousands of people back to prison when it doesn't improve public safety and drains the state's financial resources.
See previous Numbers of the Day and sources here.
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In recent months, lawmakers have taken historic steps to address some of Oklahoma's most serious challenges. Over the years of advocacy and debate leading to this moment, Oklahoma Policy Institute has played an essential role of informing lawmakers, advocates, and the general public. We have steadily increased our audience and our production of useful and trustworthy information. Now we are hiring two new policy analysts to go even deeper in researching and communicating key analyses of education and criminal justice policies.
The education analyst position will be OK Policy's first staffer to be fully dedicated to this issue area. The criminal justice analyst position will build on the work of our current criminal justice analyst, Ryan Gentzler, who will transition to leading a new justice data project within OK Policy.
"These new positions will build on OK Policy's success and enhance our capacity to provide solid research that informs the debate on Oklahoma public policies," said OK Policy Executive Director David Blatt. "We're grateful to everyone who has made this expansion possible, by sharing our information and supporting our work."
The deadline to apply for these positions is close of business on Thursday, May 17. To learn more about how to apply and see the job responsibilities, qualifications, and salary information on these positions, see our job announcement here. Please share this announcement with others who may be interested in this position. If you are currently a student, we encourage you to apply to our Summer Policy Institute.
Oklahoma Policy Institute is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that believes that Oklahoma can be a great state, one that ensures prosperity for all our citizens through good schools, good jobs, good health and strong communities. To make the best policy decisions that lead us to this better future, policymakers and citizens need reliable, factual information. We provide the facts and advocate for fair and responsible public policies. You can learn more about Oklahoma Policy Institute here, see our current staff members here, and see our board of directors here. OK Policy is fully committed to cultural diversity and equal employment opportunity; you can see our full non-discrimination policy here.
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In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and see past editions.
Governor Signs Criminal Justice Reform Measures: After years of delays, fighting with judiciary chairman and public opinion battles, the Oklahoma Legislature passed a slew of criminal justice reform bills. Fallin signed six of them on Thursday. She did so surrounded by women who have benefited from the kind of programs she has pushed for, which address mental health and substance abuse with treatment instead of incarceration. She was also surrounded by policy analysts, national and local, who helped craft the evidence-based policies to decrease the state’s prison overpopulation and the lawmakers who fought to get those policies passed [Journal Record]. Advocates of criminal justice reform are concerned that new laws will disappoint many who have worked for the past decade to change Oklahoma's status as the state with the largest rates of incarceration [CapitolBeatOK]. Though the bills are expected to avert most, but not all, prison growth over the next 10 years, the Department of Corrections (DOC) will still require one new prison [OK Policy].
Despite Funding Boost, Budget Fails to Restore Most Cuts: Lawmakers are on their way to passing the largest state budget in Oklahoma history. But that doesn’t mean state agencies have recovered from years of cost-cutting. The House of Representatives is expected to vote Friday on a $7.5 billion appropriations bill that will be $724 million – or 10.9 percent – more than the state’s current fiscal year budget. The bulk of the new funds will be used to boost salaries for teachers, school support staff and state employees. And millions of additional dollars will go into the school funding formula and targeted initiatives for criminal justice, social services and other programs [Oklahoma Watch]. As a benefit to state agencies, lawmakers also significantly cut back on the practice of raiding revolving funds, which are accounts that departments use to save money for large projects [NewsOK].
SJR 70 Could Create Tough Choices for Oklahoma Schools: As the dust settles in the aftermath of Oklahoma’s teacher walkout, advocates are still trying to understand what’s been achieved and what still needs to be done to fully fund the state’s education responsibilities. Now another wrinkle could emerge from a pair of bills — SJR 70 and SB 1398 by Sen. Stephanie Bice and Rep. Elise Hall — that could give local districts more flexibility in how they use their funding, but at the cost of creating some hard choices for schools [OKPolicy].
Adoption bill dubbed 'un-American' by advocacy group passes House, heads to Governor: A bill dubbed "un-American" by an LGBTQ advocacy group now heads to the Oklahoma governor's desk. The Oklahoma House passed SB 1140 60-26. The bill would allow adoption and foster care agencies to cite religion to turn away same-sex couples, single mothers, interfaith couples and children [Fox25]. Rep. Leslie Osborn, R-Mustang, added an amendment during the committee process that nixed the protections for agencies that use public funds [Journal Record].
Hamilton: A Back-Door Scheme, Taxes and Dr. No: For most of the last two decades, former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn was the face of an ascendant Republican Party in Oklahoma. Now he could become its worst nightmare. Dr. No’s vocal support for a veto referendum aimed at nullifying the Legislature’s $400 million funding package for teacher and state employee pay raises is feeding a prairie fire that threatens the GOP’s statehouse supermajority [Arnold Hamilton/Journal Record]. Putting the funding package on the ballot almost guarantees a huge mobilization and strong electoral turnout by teachers and other supporters of public education [OK Policy].
‘They are so underpaid’: School support staff scrape by on meager earnings: Jessica Morales gets to Prairie Queen Elementary before the bell rings. In class, she is a lifeline for recent immigrant students, translating lessons they cannot understand. Last year, when a teacher had to leave school unexpectedly, Morales filled in, decorating the classroom, teaching the class, holding parent-teacher conferences. Her job as a teacher assistant is more fulfilling than the one she held at a meatpacking plant, but it pays far less: $12 an hour [Washington Post].
Bill to Allow 10 Commandments Monuments Passes State Senate: A bill that would allow for the display of the Ten Commandments along with historical documents on public property passed the state Senate on Thursday. House Bill 2177 by Rep. John Bennett, R-Sallisaw, and Sen. Joseph Silk, R-Broken Bow, passed by a 39-3 vote and heads to the House for consideration. An amendment to penalize lawmakers who author unconstitutional bills failed to secure approval [Tulsa World].
Oklahoma states Murphy case could split state into two territories: In U.S. Supreme Court documents filed April 23 in the Royal v. Murphy case, attorneys for the State of Oklahoma argue that allowing the appellate court’s decision to stand will rip the state apart. "Oklahoma stands on the brink of the most radical jurisdictional shift since statehood," the brief states. The attorneys suggest the state would no longer be able to prosecute crimes involving Native Americans in the eastern half of Oklahoma. In the latter half of 2017, the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Congress had not disestablished the Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation created by an 1866 treaty, and therefore the State of Oklahoma lacked the jurisdiction to try and sentence Murphy for murder because he is a Muscogee (Creek) citizen and the crime occurred in Indian Country [Mvskoke Media].
'I have nothing to hide' Pruitt tells Congress as he faces ethics controversies: With his job, his reputation and possibly his political future hanging in the balance, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt showed little contrition as he faced nearly six hours of questioning before congressional committees Thursday. “Let me be very clear: I have nothing to hide as it relates to how I've run the agency for the past 16 months,” Pruitt told members of the House Commerce Committee. Pruitt has spent months batting back ethics complaints related to expenses on travel, a soundproof booth and a significant security detail, along with large raises to EPA staffers and a Capitol Hill condo he rented at below market-rates from the wife of an energy lobbyist with business before the EPA [NewsOK].
Oklahoma Supreme Court Vacates Corporation Commission Order Approving OG&E's Plan to Upgrade Its Coal-Fired Sooner Generating Plant: An Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling issued Tuesday won't stop a $500 million project by Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. to install coal scrubbers at its Sooner generating station near Red Rock. But the decision does require the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to vacate a decision it issued in 2016 that determined the proposed project was "reasonable" for the utility to undertake to meet stricter federal environmental rules and regulations [NewsOK].
Oklahoma City Receives $800,000 Grant from Environmental Protection Agency: Just days after Earth Day, city leaders received a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. On Thursday, city officials announced that the $800,000 grant from the EPA will be used to support environmental cleanup in Oklahoma City to promote the redevelopment of under-used property. City leaders say the money will be used across Oklahoma City, including areas in and around downtown [KFOR].
Adam Soltani: High Court Should Strike down Muslim Ban: There come those moments in everyone's life that you envision sharing with your family. Weddings, the birth of your children and other milestone moments in our lives are ones you always dream of celebrating with those closest to you. Embracing one another in moments of joy, comforting one another in moments of sorrow, but most of all being there regardless of whether the sun is shining brightly or the rain is pouring down. That is the amazing thing about family — you get to be there for one another through it all [Adam Soltani/NewsOK]
Law Day to Be Celebrated with Free Legal Advice: Attorneys across Oklahoma will provide free legal advice on May 3, during the 67th annual statewide celebration of Law Day, a news release states. Oklahoma City and Tulsa lawyers will staff the statewide toll-free hotline between 9 a.m.-9 p.m. May 3. Those who speak only Spanish can call the hotline with legal questions from 3-9 p.m., as Spanish-speaking attorneys and translators will be available to take calls. The toll-free number to call is (800) 456-8525 or email AskALawyer@okbar.org or PregunteAUnAbogado@okbar.org [Muskogee Phoenix].
One Idea to Boost Science Education in Oklahoma: Move Classrooms Outside and Way from Textbooks: The state’s market for engineering and technology jobs is growing, but Oklahoma students lag behind national averages on science and math test scores. Researchers say one way to fix this gap is training science educators to do more than teach the facts — and to think beyond the textbook [State Impact Oklahoma].
“I am the nurse. I am the teacher when the teacher is gone. I’m the mom, dad, counselor — you name it. We wear maybe more hats now because of budget issues.”
- Carmon Williams, the secretary at Edwards Elementary in Oklahoma City who dispenses medication to students because the nurse comes in only once a week. She supports herself and four children on about $19,000 a year [Source].
$1.93 billion
How much total annual payroll for all industries decreased in Oklahoma from 2015 to 2016, a 3.2% drop.
Source: U.S. Census County Business Patterns Survey
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
These Volunteers Are Battling Idaho’s Government To Expand Medicaid: State legislators in Idaho have refused to accept federal funding that could help thousands without health insurance get coverage. Meet “Reclaim Idaho,” the group that’s trying to do what elected officials won’t and put Medicaid expansion up for a vote in November [Buzzfeed News].
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