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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. 
A consumer archive of news sent from Oklahoma Policy Institute
Sunday, March 3, 2019
[The Weekly Wonk] Money bail; scholarship tax credits; bills that died; & more
The Weekly Wonk:
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.
This Week from OK Policy
This week, a new study by Open Justice Oklahoma Director Ryan Gentzler analyzed the impact of money bail on vulnerable communities and how passing Senate Bill 252 could change that. You can read the full report on OJO’s website. Education Policy Analyst Rebecca Fine informed us that increasing the scholarship tax credit hurts public schools. Policy Director Carly Putnam explained why implementation of Medicaid work requirements in Oklahoma is unlikely to happen quickly – and why that’s a good thing.
In this week’s Bill Watch, we shared important updates on some of the key bills that have died this session after they failed to pass out of committee. We also shared the second part of our Bill Watch series on the OK PolicyCast, where Criminal Justice Analyst Damion Shade, Education Analyst Rebecca Fine, and Economic Opportunity Analyst Courtney Cullison discussed bills we’re following this year.
In his weekly Capitol Update, Steve Lewis discussed the likelihood of active bills to continue to move forward in the legislature. In Executive Director David Blatt’s Journal Record column, he discusses what Medicaid expansion would mean for Oklahomans.
OK Policy in the News
KTUL and FOX25 published stories on the OJO report showing how Oklahoma’s cash bail system costs local governments millions. You can read the full report on OJO’s website. Policy analyst Damion Shade spoke with AP News on Governor Stitt’s appointment of advocates for changes to Oklahoma’s pardon and parole system. In her Tulsa World column, Ginnie Graham cited OK Policy data on the significant decrease in parole.
Blatt spoke with The Ada News about a bill that would expand health coverage to uninsured Oklahomans. Putnam spoke to the Tulsa World and AP News regarding a bill that would have eliminated Oklahoma’s Soon-to-Be-Sooners program providing health care to pregnant moms. The Enid News & Eagle published Rebecca Fine’s piece on the importance of investing in support staff to improve Oklahoma’s schools.
Upcoming Opportunities
Generation Citizen: The Power of Youth in Politics: Local action is key to creating lasting change. Thanks to our friends at Generation Citizen, thousands of students have the tools to serve as changemakers in their community. Want to learn more? Check out their founder and CEO, Scott Warren‘s new book, Generation Citizen: The Power of Youth in Our Politics, where he dives into the importance of youth voice in politics, and how we all have the power to take charge wherever we are, no matter our age. Warren will be speaking and signing books in Tulsa on Thursday, March 14 and in Oklahoma City on Saturday, March 16. Visit the Facebook event pages for Tulsa and Oklahoma City full details.
Weekly What’s That
Striking title is a common procedural maneuver in the Oklahoma Legislature. It is used especially on bills that impact the state budget or bills that are considered to be works-in-progress. Striking the title allows the bill to move forward in the legislative process while recognizing that it needs further changes before it gets final approval and can allow some lawmakers to cast a provisional vote in favor of a bill that they have strong concerns about. Read more in our What’s That Glossary.
Look up more key terms to understand Oklahoma politics and government here.
Quote of the Week
“By refusing Medicaid expansion, the Oklahoma Legislature has essentially cut funding for rural hospitals and reduced competition in our state’s insurance market. … The excuse that the money would dry up with a change at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue did not materialize. What sense is there in paying taxes to support expanded health care services nationally and getting zilch in return?”
-Enid News & Eagle Editorial Board [Source: Enid News & Eagle]
Editorial of the Week
Susan Esco: Building a better future through criminal justice reform
Most Oklahomans have heard by now that we incarcerate more men and women than any other state in the country. That means more than 27,000 men and women are sitting behind bars today, or 113 percent of our state’s prison capacity. What is unknown is how many children that has placed in our foster care system, or how many students are sitting at their desks concerned about when they will see their parent again instead of learning how to read. [Source: Susan Esco / Journal Record]
Numbers of the Day
- 7th – Oklahoma City’s ranking among the 100 largest metros for friendliness to remote workers, based on average Internet speed and median home cost.
- More than 6,800 – Number of Oklahomans who died from an unintentional overdose (2007-2016).
- 26.6% – Percentage of Oklahoma women ages 25 and over who have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 24.4% of men.
- 43.2 years – Life expectancy for Oklahomans with an untreated substance use disorder
- -8.5% – How much Oklahoma’s Q2 2018 tax revenue remains below the state’s peak revenue quarter in Q4 2008.
See previous Numbers of the Day and sources here.
What We’re Reading
- Many older Americans are food insecure but less likely to seek help. [PBS]
- They’re rich and they’re mad about taxes (too low!). [New York Times]
- The jail health-care crisis. [New Yorker]
- If the economy is so great, why are car loan defaults at a record high? [City Lab]
- State of working America wages 2018. [Economic Policy Institute]
The Weekly Wonk was published with contributions from Lindsay Myers, Communications Intern.
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Friday, March 1, 2019
Bill Watch: You’re all dead to me!
Oklahoma’s legislative session speeds forward at a punishing pace; bills that don’t move forward are left behind and, quickly, left for dead. Yesterday we arrived at the deadline for all bills to be heard and passed out of committee in their chamber of origin. Any bill that did not pass out of committee is now dead for this session (for various exceptions to this rule, see our 2019 Legislative Primer, especially slide #15). Bills that have passed out of committee will now have two more weeks, until March 14th, to pass out of their chamber of origin.
As of today, 1,020 bills and resolutions remain active out of the 2,836 total measures introduced thus far this session. This translates to a 37 percent survival rate. We should note, however, that very few bills are truly dead. Bills that were not heard in 2019 remain eligible for consideration in 2020. Also, it is always possible that bills that are not heard early in session can reemerge as committee substitutes for other bills or as leadership bills later in session.
At the start of session, our policy staff spotlighted some of the key bills we would be following most closely in the areas of taxes and budget, health care, education, criminal justice, and economic opportunity. In this update, we stop to mourn or celebrate some of the key pieces of legislation that missed the deadline and have been relegated to the sidelines, if not the graveyard, this session. In coming weeks, our updates will focus on bills that remain in play.
Education
Two bills that would have adjusted funding allocations for various charter schools failed to make it through committee. SB 153 (Sen. Stanislawski) would have given additional funding to brick and mortar charter schools for building improvements. In contrast, SB 212 (Sen. Stanislawski) would have decreased the formula weight used to calculate state aid for virtual charter schools after their first year in operation. Meanwhile, a slew of bills (HB 2522, SB 82, SB 52, SB761) that would have increased oversight and transparency for virtual charter schools have died.
SB 360 (Sen. Daniels) would have expanded vouchers used to pay for private school tuition to children with an incarcerated parent, but it did not pass committee. However, a similar bill authored by Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat (SB 901) to expand vouchers for homeless students passed narrowly out of committee and advanced to the Senate floor. Economic Security
Higher wages and paid leave time won’t be coming to working Oklahomans this session. Neither of the bills that would have raised Oklahoma’s minimum wage (SB 102 and SB 788) was heard by the Senate Business, Commerce, and Tourism Committee. All five bills (HB 1131, HB 2466, SB 713, SB 753, and SB 789) that would have removed the state preemption on local governments raising their own minimum wage were also passed over by committees. Workers also won’t be getting paid sick leave (HB 2463) or paid family leave (HB 2464 and SB 478) as all three of these bills failed to be heard by their assigned committees.
In better news, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will continue to serve low-income families that struggle to put food on the table – all four bills that would have imposed new restrictions on SNAP participation failed the committee deadline. HB 1994 (Rep. Nollan) would have required electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards have a photo on them. Two bills (HB 1960 and SB 1025) would have required SNAP members who aren’t already working – a minority of adults on SNAP – to participate in expensive new “workfare” programs. HB 1960 and SB 1028 would have required SNAP participants to cooperate with child support enforcement in order to continue in the program, potentially placing some participants in danger of emotional or physical abuse.
Criminal Justice
Criminal justice reform maintains positive momentum after the first few weeks of the legislative session, but most criminal justice bills had their titles stricken in passing out of committee. This means that the language in the bills will likely change before any of these measures becomes law.
SB 276 (Sen. Young), a bill to apply retroactively the lesser sentences for drug possession and minor property crimes of SQ 780, failed to be brought up for a vote by the Judiciary committee, but two other retroactivity bills, HB 1269 (Rep. Dunnington and Rep. Echols) and SB 357 (Sen. Bice) moved forward.
Two bail reform measures, SB 974 (Sen. Young) and HB 2083 (Rep. Dollens), also were denied a hearing in committee. However, SB 252 (Sen. Thompson and Sen. Kannady) and HB 1037 (Rep. Walke) were successfully voted out of committee. HB 2188 (Rep. Brewer) would have prohibited incarceration simply for a failure to pay fines and fees, but the bill wasn’t taken up by committee. The language from the court fines and fees reform measure HB 2279 (Rep. West) was incorporated into HB 2218 (Rep. May) and the new bill passed out of committee.
Finally, SB 253 (Sen. Young), and HB 1097, (Sen. Osburn) were designed to add racial or community impact statements to criminal justice legislation, but both failed to get out of committee this week. However, HB 1855 (Rep. Hill), which will also provide lawmakers evidence of the impact of criminal justice legislation on different communities in Oklahoma, will move forward.
Health Care
Taxes and Budget
As noted in our overview, this is looking like a quiet year on the tax front, with little appetite among lawmakers to consider outright tax cuts or tax increases. For example, neither of two bills to scrap the sales tax on motor vehicles, SB 2 and SB 6 was heard in the Senate Fiance committee, even though SB 2 was authored by Kim David, the second-highest ranking member in the Senate. Very few measures to change tax rates were even introduced, with one bill by House Democratic leader Emily Virgin to restore a higher top marginal tax rate not heard.
Unfortunately, various measures that would have improved tax fairness fell by the wayside, including two bills to repeal or narrow the exemption for capital gains income, three bills to adopt combined corporate reporting, and all nine bills to restore the refundable state earned income tax credit that lawmakers eliminated in 2016. Nor did any of the measures to revisit the three-quarters supermajority requirement on revenue bills get a hearing. Interestingly, while Governor Stitt has emphasized his interest in increasing how much the state sets aside in savings, a measure to raise the cap on the State Rainy Day Fund (HJR 1005) was not heard, while an effort to set aside a portion of gross production revenues in a new permanent fund (SJR 11) was defeated by a Senate committee.
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[In The Know] Legislation would let eye doctors practice in big box stores, Oklahoma House passes medical marijuana 'Unity Bill'
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-8.5%
How much Oklahoma’s Q2 2018 tax revenue remains below the state’s peak revenue quarter in Q4 2008.
[Source: Pew Charitable Trusts]
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Quote of the Day | March 1, 2019
“We do things to try to retain teachers. We wanted a way to entice them because we do a great job of getting good teachers and training them. Some do leave for other districts, so we wanted our teachers to have a reason to stay that would benefit them in other ways.”
-Kelly Suchy, who oversees the child care center for teachers in the Putnam City school district. [Soure: The Oklahoman]
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In The Know: Legislation would let eye doctors practice in big box stores, Oklahoma House passes medical marijuana ‘Unity Bill’, Revamped grade cards are better but don’t fully accomplish goal
New from OK Policy
Oklahoma’s SoonerCare work requirement is in federal hands. Now what? You’ve heard a lot from us about Oklahoma’s proposal to cut Medicaid coverage for people who don’t meet a work reporting requirement. Now, the state’s efforts have entered a new phase. Here’s what’s happened so far and what to expect going forward. [OK Policy]
Today is the last day to apply for the Mental Health Policy Fellowship: The fellowship’s mission is to equip professionals be passionate, knowledgeable leaders who can advocate for mental health and addiction policy reforms while also working to reduce the stigma surrounding these illnesses. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 1, 2019. Click here to learn more and apply.
In The News
Rejected by voters as a state question, legislation would let eye doctors practice in big box stores: Although voters rejected the idea at the polls last fall, a bill moving through the Legislature would let big box stores open eye care clinics inside. The Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee on Thursday passed Senate Bill 902 by Senate Majority Floor Leader Kim David, R-Porter. The vote was 6-2. [Tulsa World] See our fact sheet on State Question 793
Oklahoma House passes medical marijuana ‘Unity Bill’ after lengthy discussions on firearm ownership, tenant-landlord rights: Despite ongoing concerns over federal drug laws, the Oklahoma House on Thursday easily passed a bill providing a lengthy regulatory framework for medical marijuana. House Bill 2612 by House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, known as the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana and Patient Protection Act, cleared the House on a 93-5 vote. [Tulsa World] Oklahoma House sends medical marijuana unity bill to Senate. [Public Radio Tulsa]
COLA for pensions: Budget chairmen split on funding options: Rep. Avery Frix (R-Muskogee) wants to increase monthly payments to retired teachers, firefighters, peace officers, judges and other state employees. Called a “cost of living adjustment,” a COLA for pensions would be authorized under Frix’s HB 2304, which advanced through committee Wednesday. [NonDoc]
Corporation Commission adopts rule change that will require wind facility operators and developers to pay annual fees: Oklahoma’s Corporation Commission on Thursday adopted updated rules that include a new provision to require wind developers to pay the agency annual fees. The provision requires owners of wind energy facilities to pay the agency $2,000 annually per facility to help compensate it for its oversight responsibilities. [NewsOK 
]
‘No perfect system’: Revamped grade cards are better but don’t fully accomplish goal, school leaders say: The Oklahoma State Department of Education on Thursday released school report cards after a years-long effort to overhaul the controversial A-F grading system. [Tulsa World] 19 Oklahoma City schools receive ‘F’ on new report cards. [NewsOK]
New ImpactTulsa report highlights educational inequities, progress: Fewer than 5 percent of low-income black eighth-graders in the Tulsa area were proficient in math last year, according to a report released Thursday. The ImpactTulsa 2018 Community Impact Report examines systemic barriers affecting minority and low-income students.
Putnam City one of few Oklahoma school districts offering child care to teachers: Conner Andrulonis likes to joke that he wouldn’t leave his teaching job in the Putnam City school district even if he “got mad at everybody.” That’s because Andrulonis, 34, a math teacher at Putnam City West High School, likes the way the district takes care of his daughters Isabel, 3, and Lillian, 7 months, while he’s at work. [NewsOK]
Langston Hughes Academy supporters plead with state Board of Education to save their school: Supporters of a north Tulsa charter school that is facing closure pleaded for the survival of Langston Hughes Academy on Thursday morning. Students, parents and employees urged the Oklahoma State Board of Education during its monthly meeting to reverse its decision to close the school. [Tulsa World]
‘One of the most pro-gun legislators’ worries about permitless carry. Learn what changes are coming Nov. 1: The man who pushed for years to allow concealed carry in Oklahoma said that while he thinks his bill made Oklahomans safer, he’s not a fan of permitless carry. [Tulsa World]
Trump plan to halt HIV hits rough road in rural Oklahoma: One of the goals President Donald Trump announced in his State of the Union address was to stop the spread of HIV in the U.S. within 10 years. In addition to sending extra money to 48 mainly urban counties, Washington, D.C., and San Juan, Puerto Rico, Trump’s plan targets seven states where rural transmission of HIV is especially high. [StateImpact Oklahoma]
As federal background check legislation passes, gun laws in Oklahoma loosen: U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn said on Thursday that she had “concerns” about the gun bill signed into law this week by Gov. Kevin Stitt that would allow for firearms to be carried without a permit or training. [The Frontier]
Lawsuit: Officer who killed fleeing Bixby teen last summer had been fired previously for being ‘unfit for duty’: The Bixby police officer who shot and killed a fleeing teenager in a vehicle last summer had been fired from his previous law enforcement job because “he was unfit for duty” and “repeatedly violated departmental policy,” an amended lawsuit filed Thursday claims. [The Frontier]
Community policing gains ground in Tulsa: It’s unseasonably warm in early January, and there are a lot of people taking advantage of the sunny day in downtown Tulsa. That makes it a busy day for Jason Edwards, a patrol officer for the Tulsa Police Department. He’s part of the Impact Team, a TPD initiative that focuses specifically on downtown issues, including homelessness. [Tulsa People] See our 2017 report on strategies to build trust between police and the communities they serve.
New Bethany council member “just wanted to work for equality”: From her seat at the far end of the Bethany City Council bench, Amanda Sandoval could see that nearly half of the audience in the city hall chamber included her family, friends and members of the local Hispanic community. The importance of her Feb. 12 election to the council had finally set in. [NewsOK ]
Black History Month: Honoring those who helped shape our history: Each day during Black History Month, Tulsa World writer Tim Stanley highlights important people, places and events from black history in Tulsa and Oklahoma. [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“We do things to try to retain teachers. We wanted a way to entice them because we do a great job of getting good teachers and training them. Some do leave for other districts, so we wanted our teachers to have a reason to stay that would benefit them in other ways.”
-Kelly Suchy, who oversees the child care center for teachers in the Putnam City school district. [Soure: The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
-8.5%
How much Oklahoma’s Q2 2018 tax revenue remains below the state’s peak revenue quarter in Q4 2008.
[Source: Pew Charitable Trusts]
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
State of working America wages 2018: Rising wage inequality and sluggish hourly wage growth for the vast majority of workers have been defining features of the American labor market for nearly four decades, despite steady productivity growth. The U.S. economy of the last several years has been no exception. The data show not only rising inequality in general, but also the persistence, and in some cases worsening, of wage gaps by gender and race. [Economic Policy Institute]
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