LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Governor Introduces Budget Proposals: On Monday the Governor released his state budget recommendations, including those for higher education. The Governor proposed a total of $43.1 million in new funding initiatives for higher education, including an increase in state appropriations of about $30.1 million, $7.2 million in additional remedial course fee revenue, and $5.9 million in state income tax credits for individuals.

The table below summarizes the Governor’s proposed funding adjustments.

The Governor’s budget also proposes a 5% state income tax credit for individuals who contribute to new Education IRA’s authorized by federal law. The estimated benefit to eligible contributors is projected at $5.9 million per year. When this amount is added to the $37.2 million shown above, the total of new funding initiatives for higher education is $43.1 million.

Anti-Tenure Bill Dies Without a Hearing: HB 3128, by Rep. Bill Graves (R – Oklahoma City) called for an end to the practice of granting of tenure on July 1, 1998. The bill would have allowed faculty already holding tenure to retain their tenured status. However, the granting of tenure after that date would have been prohibited.

The bill was on the meeting agenda of the Higher Education Subcommittee of the House Education Committee for Tuesday morning. A number of faculty representatives attended the meeting. However, due to a scheduling conflict, Rep. Graves was unable to attend and the bill was not heard.

On Thursday, the Chair of the Higher Education Subcommittee, Rep. Barbara Staggs (D – Muskogee) confirmed that HB 3128 would not be rescheduled for hearing at a future date, essentially killing the bill for the 1998 session.

• Regents’ Education Program, "Financial Aid Wheel of Fortune: Dispelling the Myths", Tulsa Community College, Southeast Campus Auditorium, Monday, February 9, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Oklahoma Teachers’ Retirement System Task Force, Friday, February 27, 9:30 a.m., State Capitol (room number not available at this time).

Legislative Meetings Next Week:

• Monday, February 9, 9:30 a.m., room 432-A, Capitol, Education Subcommittee of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee

• HB 2906 – Ok. Tuition Savings Account Act

• Monday, February 9, 9:30 a.m., room 511-A, Capitol, Senate Business and Labor Committee

• SB 793 – unemployment benefits
• SB 820 – telecommunications; technology training
• SB 829 – telecommunications; OneNet
• SB 830 – right-of-way; statewide contracts
• SB 832 – telemedicine

• Monday, February 9, 10:00 a.m., room 534, Capitol, Senate Education Committee

• SB 1372 – higher education; updating archaic language
• SB 1432 – creating Ok. Higher Learning Access Program for Teacher Preparation scholarship

• Monday, February 9, 1:30 p.m., room 412-B, Capitol, House Science and Technology Committee

• HB 2600 – technology training
• HB 2651 – defining technology terms
• HB 2868 – telemedicine
• HB 3287 – digital signatures

• Tuesday, February 10, 9:00 a.m., room 412-C, State Capitol, House Retirement Committee.

• HB 2287 – defined benefit plan amendments
• HB 2288 – benefit enhancement account
• HB 2688 – Teachers Retirement System Funding Improvement Act
• HB 2695 – COLA Feasibility Analysis Act

• Tuesday, February 10, 10:30 a.m., room 432-A, State Capitol, Common Education Subcommittee of the House Education Committee.

• HB 2479 – alternative teacher certification
• HB 3177 – high school core curriculum ("4 X 4")

February 19, Thursday -- Bills from Committee of House of Origin

March 12, Thursday -- Bills from Floor of House of Origin

March 26, Thursday -- Bills from Committee of Opposite House

April 16, Thursday -- Bills from Floor of Opposite House

May 29, Friday -- Sine Die Adjournment

A&M Board of Regents, HB 2802

Administrative procedures, HB 2963, HB 3132, HB 3189

Advanced placement, SB 774, SB 1384, SB 1427

Ad valorem tax oversight, SB 1212, HB 2697

Airplane travel, HB 3226

Anatomical gifts, SB 1109

Appropriations, HJR 1094

Asbestos abatement, SB 934

Attorneys, employing, SB 1290

Audits, internal, HB 3086

Bids, HB 2802

Board certification for teachers, SB 780

Bond issue, SB 1428, HB 2760, HJR 1067, HJR 1077

Budget and program oversight, HB 3058

Capital improvements, SJR 30, HJR 1067, HJR 1077

Campaign fundraising, HB 2756

Change orders, HB 2992

Child care facilities, HB 2980, HB 3144

Children First Program, SB 923

College savings plan, SB 1430

Computer software games, HB 2242

Contracts, SB 860, SB 1050, HB 2693, HB 2802, HB 3070

Credit card agreements/merchandising, SB 785, HB 2430

Credits, transfer of, SB 1195, SB 1383, HB 2516

Curriculum standards, HB 3174, HB 3177

Data processing, HB 2228

Dentists/hygienists/assistants, HB 2465

Dual-office holding, SB 1250

Economic development, SB 798, HB 3284

Educational Indicators Program, HB 2897, HB 3100

Education Leadership Oklahoma, SB 780

Employee

Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History, SB 1137

Engineers/land surveyors, professional, SB 1093

English language, HB 2207

Facilities, higher education, for research, HJR 1088

Faculty research, HB 2904

Federal block grants, HB 2469

Fee

Fellowships, SB 1414, SB 1415, SB 1418, HB 2761

Financial aid, HB 3263

Fire ant research, HB 2914

Flexible benefits, HB 3168

Foundations, SB 1098

Genetic nondiscrimination, HB 3169

Graduation rate, SB 1000

Higher Education Code, SB 1411

Hiring freeze, HB 3318

Holidays, HB 2607, HB 2822

Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) Act, SB 1403

Individual retirement accounts, SB 1146

Insurance, health, SB 807, SB 837, SB 873, SB 1059, SB 1089, SB 1130, SB 1161, SB 1211, SB 1301, SB 1316, SB 1319, HB 2280, HB 2313, HB 2431, HB 2528, HB 2590, HB 2684, HB 2758, HB 2789, HB 2790, HB 2803, HB 2808, HB 2947, HB 2981, HB 3168, HB 3171, HB 3175

Insurance, life, HB 2290

Juvenile Sex Offenders, HB 2230

Learning communities, SB 1380

Legislative session, HJR 1094

Librarians, HB 3087

Library funding, HB 2759

License plates, SB 1183

Livestock activities liability, SB 795, HB 2356

Long-Range Capital Planning, SB 981

Massage therapy, HB 2241

Medical licensure, SB 1191

Military equipment, HB 2816

Minority Teacher Recruitment, HB 2219, HB 2229, HB 2557

Motor vehicles, state-owned, HB 2781

Nigh, George, SCR 40

Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), HB 3012, HJR 1073, HJR 1074, HJR 1087

Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP), SB 1432, HB 2374, HB 2788

Oklahoma Hope Scholarship, HJR 1084

Oklahoma State University

OneNet, SB 820, SB 829, SB 830

Open Meeting, SB 853, SB 996, HB 2777

Open Records, SB 853, SB 996, HB 2339, HB 2776

OU/OSU Tulsa, SB 1426

Pathfinder schools, HB 3179

Payroll reports, SJR 19

Physical education, SB 1315

Privatization of state functions, HB 2532

Professional development, SB 1060

Program review, HB 2824

Publications, HB 2802

Public

Purchasing, HB 2802

Real estate courses, HB 2563

Records, SB 1287

Recycling, HB 2952

Reduction in force, HB 2590, HB 2855

Remedial courses, HB 2854

Reports, HB 2802

Research, HB 2799

Residential care home administrator certification, SB 1013

Retirement, SB 773, SB 776, SB 1033, SB 1039, SB 1159, SB 1169, SB 1286, HB 2213, HB 2286, HB 2287, HB 2288, HB 2439, HB 2500, HB 2513, HB 2523, HB 2568, HB 2643, HB 2645, HB 2657, HB 2662, HB 2668, HB 2679, HB 2695, HB 2953, HB 3111, HB 3231, HB 3234, HB 3236, HJR 1064, HJR 1090

Rogers University, SB 1426, HB 2399, HB 1426

Savings, deferred, HB 2523

School testing, SB 1373, SB 1399, HB 2329, HB 2897

Smoke detectors, HB 3213

Smoking, HB 3271

Sole source contracts, HB 2693, HB 2912, HB 3070

State agency reform, HB 2740

State Insurance Fund, HB 2719

State Regents, SB 955, SB 1372, HB 2361

Statewide Temporary Assistance Responsibility System (STARS), HB 2469

Student loans, SB 798, SB 1403, HB 3263

Supervisor training programs, HB 2495

Surplus property, SB 1270

Tax

Teacher

Technology, SJR 25, SJR 29

Telecommunications, HB 2228, HB 3340

Telemedicine, SB 832, HB 2651

Tenure, HB 3128

Therapists, Marital & Family, HB 2279

Travel, SB 1246, HB 2602, HB 2741

Tuition/fees, HB 2244, HB 2376, HB 2425, HB 2562, HB 2951

Tulsa State University, SB 1027

Unemployment, SB 793, HB 2792, HB 3141

University Hospitals, HB 2688, HB 2739, HB 2748

University of Oklahoma

Veterinary college/university, SB 1236

Violence prevention, SJR 16

Website complaint form, HB 2682

Workers’ Compensation, SB 1185, SB 1186, SB 1188, HB 2964, HB 3078, HB 3124

• SB 772 (Roberts) – TEACHER DEVELOPMENT. This is a shell bill relating to teacher professional development. (70 § 6-192)
• SB 773 (Roberts) – TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Requires the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) Board to offer its deferred compensation program to members of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma (OTRS); requires the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board to communicate such program to OTRS members. (74 § 1701)
• SB 774 (Roberts) – ADVANCED PLACEMENT. This is a shell bill relating to the Oklahoma Advanced Placement Incentive Program. (70 § 1210.701)
• SB 776 (Roberts) – TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Deletes obsolete language relating to retirement benefits and contributions for members of OTRS. (70 §17-116.2)
• SB 780 (Roberts) – TEACHER PREPARATION/EDUCATION LEADERSHIP. Removes the authority of the Teacher Preparation Commission to work with the State Board of Education in establishment of the Education Leadership Oklahoma program; specifies membership of the applicant review committee that identifies scholarship recipients; specifies that three members will be selected by the State Regents; removes the limit on the number of scholarships; states legislative intent that the education board work with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to establish Education Leadership Oklahoma program training in higher education teacher preparation programs in the state to assist teachers in meeting the requirements to obtain national board certification; sets the salary bonus amount for board certification at $5,000 annually; creates an Education Leadership Oklahoma scholarship revolving fund for the education board for expenditure to provide assistance and scholarships for candidates seeking board certification. (70 § 6-204.2)
• SB 785 (Milacek) – CREDIT CARD MERCHANDISING AT INSTITUTIONS. Prohibits a State System institution from entering into an agreement for the merchandising of credit cards through such institutions to any enrolled student thereof who is under 21 years of age.
• SB 793 (Long/Fields) – UNEMPLOYMENT. Modifies filing requirements for the Employment Security Commission to provide for electronic filing; requires persons claiming benefits to report all wages, regardless of the source or amount; modifies the maximum benefit amount computation to provide for increases in the applicable percentage determined by the conditional factor; makes benefits subject to federal income tax; provides for disqualification of an individual from receiving unemployment benefits for each week benefits were paid as a result of a false statement or representation or a failure to disclose a material fact and requires that such individual be deemed overpaid for the entire amounts of benefits paid as a result of claimant fraud; modifies conditions constituting good cause for voluntarily leaving work to include when a physician found that it was medically necessary for a claimant to stop working or change occupations due to diagnosis or treatment of a medically verifiable illness or medical condition of the claimant or the minor child of the claimant; exempts from an employer’s benefit wage calculations any wages paid to an employee or former employee who was discharged from employment within 90 days of the original hiring date; provides for a 50-percent-reduction in employers’ contribution rates; requires that employers with a 5.5-percent-earned rate be reduced to 5.4 percent and those whose earned rate is 0.1 percent be reduced to 0 percent; modifies filings requirements for appeals; requires that monies credited to the unemployment trust fund, with respect to federal fiscal years 1999 through 2001, be used solely for administration of the unemployment compensation program and not subject to legislative appropriation; repeals sections relating to filing of notices, protests or appeals and to notice of intention to appeal. (40 § 1-224)
• SB 795 (Laughlin) – LIVESTOCK LIABILITY. Limits civil liability of livestock activity sponsors and livestock professionals involved in such activities; requires livestock professionals and livestock activity sponsors to post and maintain signs stating that such person is not liable for an injury to or the death of a participant in livestock activities resulting from the inherent risks of livestock activities. (76 §§ 50.1/50.4)
• SB 798 (Stipe) – STUDENT LOANS/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Provides for the "Economic Development Through Education Act" to provide an incentive for Oklahoma college graduates to stay in Oklahoma and work in "basic industry" companies (in particular, the semiconductor manufacturing industry, such as Intel Corp.); requires the Oklahoma Student Loan Authority to establish a Tuition Loan Program for students attending a State System institution; provides that no interest would be charged while a student is still in school and making satisfactory progress; provides that a qualified graduate would be eligible for loan repayment "credits" equal to the amount of Oklahoma income tax they paid; expresses legislative intent to appropriate sufficient monies to cover the forgiven repayments; eliminates statutory limits on higher education tuition and fees and allows them to be set by the State Regents. (70 § 695.30)
• SB 807 (Stipe) – HEALTH INSURANCE. This is a shell bill relating to the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board. (74 § 1306)
• SB 820 (Robinson) – ONENET. Section 2 modifies language relating to OneNet to delete authorization for state agencies to make certain purchases that are not on a statewide contract but are available from a General Services Administration schedule or contract or are on a GSA schedule at a lesser price. (74 § 85.9E)
• SB 821 (Wilcoxson) – INCOME TAX CREDIT/TUITION. Provides an income tax credit for certified teachers for amounts paid for certain advanced courses. (68 § 2357)
• SB 829 (Robinson) – ONENET. Prohibits agencies from filing for reimbursement for transmission services requiring a circuit of T-1 or greater capacity unless OneNet is shown as the circuit aggregator and as the entity regarded by the state as eligible for reimbursement; requires a telecommunications provider receiving reimbursement from the U.S. government for the provision of circuits to pay the reimbursement to OneNet; includes the Oklahoma School for the Blind and the Oklahoma School for the deaf as eligible schools. (17 § 139.108)
• SB 830 (Roberts) – ONENET. Requires contracts and agreements for the use of state highway or turnpike rights-of-way by telecommunications providers to provide for all public school districts that have a telecommunications point of service or collection point situated, within the public school district, within one mile of the nearest boundary of the right-of-way to be afforded one point of access to the telecommunications line or system in the right-of-way at a place to be designated in the contract or agreement; requires the state purchasing director to establish restricted statewide contracts for equipment, software and services required by schools and other users eligible for use of the services of OneNet. (69 § 1241, 74 § 85.9G)
• SB 832 (Robinson) – TELEMEDICINE ADVISORY COUNCIL. Creates a Telemedicine Advisory Council until July 1, 2004, to advise the governor and legislature regarding improvement of public policy relating to telemedicine; includes the Chancellor or his designee as member of the council. (36 § 6805)
• SB 837 (Brown) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires individual or group health insurance plans that provide for payment of or reimbursement for pregnancy-related services, to provide contraceptive services for the subscriber or covered dependent. (36 § 6060.6)
• SB 853 (Martin) – OPEN MEETING/OPEN RECORDS. Modifies the definition of "public body" in the Open Meeting Act to exclude the legislature but include legislative caucuses; deletes the legislative exemption from the Open Records Act. (25 § 304, 51 § 24A.3)
• SB 860 (Stipe) – PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION. This is a shell bill relating to retainage on public construction contracts. (61 § 113.1)
• SB 862 (Harrison/Askins) – TEACHER PREPARATION. Removes from the 1998 sunset list the Commission for Teacher Preparation. (74 § 3905)
• SB 873 (Helton) – HEALTH INSURANCE/PROSTATE CANCER. Creates the "Oklahoma Prostate Cancer Patient Protection Act;" requires health benefit plans that provide medical and surgical benefits for treatment of prostate cancer and other related conditions to also provide coverage for side effects commonly associated with radical retropubic prostatectomy surgery, including impotence and incontinence, except as prohibited by federal laws or regulations pertinent to Medicaid. (36 § 6060.6)
• SB 877 (Stipe) - PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION. Provides that change orders to public construction contracts with a lesser unit price or basis shall not be required to be approved by the governing body of the public agency involved. (61 § 121)
• SB 901 (Haney/Hamilton) – APPROPRIATIONS. Appropriates to the various educational entities. Section 14 provides for the expenditure of $500,000 for scholarships to the Great Expectations Summer Institutes for Teachers, provides for the establishment of an elementary level Great Expectations Demonstration Project, provides $3.35 million for the Professional Development Institutes in Reading; provides for the expenditure of $1 million on a competitive application basis to the State Vo-Tech Board and to State System institutions for implementing technology training for teachers. Section 15 apportions $280,344 to be expended on a competitive application basis to a State System institution for implementing telecommunications curriculum statewide. Section 16 provides for $25,000 to be expended on a contractual basis to a community education consortium group which is associated with a State System institution. Section 17 provides that certain funds in the Education Leadership Oklahoma Revolving Fund be used to provide program development and evaluation by the Teacher Preparation Commission and curriculum enhancement and monitoring programs for teacher applicants on a contract basis with a State System institution. Section 23 provides for $48,000 to be used to ensure school district participation in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Sections 38 through 40 appropriate to the Commission for Teacher Preparation.
• SB 906 (Haney/Hamilton) – APPROPRIATIONS. Provides budgetary limitations for the Commission for Teacher Preparation.
• SB 923 (Haney/Hamilton) - APPROPRIATIONS. Relates to various health services agencies. Section 17 provides funds for contractual services with the Perinatal Continuing Education Program within the OB/GYN department of the OU College of Medicine; provides funds to be allocated to the OUHSC for health services programs for uninsured or underinsured women and children. Section 19 states intent that certain funds be used to establish the Children First Program and that the Health Department contract with a university-related program for a performance-based evaluation of the program. Section 28 appropriates to the University Hospitals Authority.
• SB 928 (Haney/Hamilton) - APPROPRIATIONS. Provides budgetary limitations for the University Hospitals.
• SB 934 (Haney/Hamilton) - APPROPRIATIONS. Section 9 appropriates to the Department of Agriculture and provides for expenditures for contracts for statewide dissemination of intensive financial management technical assistance by Oklahoma State University’s extension service; Section 21 requires the State Regents to cooperate with the Department of Labor to provide information required concerning asbestos abatement.
• SB 955 (Haney/Hamilton) – STATE REGENTS. This is a shell bill relating to the powers and duties of the State Regents. (70 § 3206)
• SB 960 (Haney/Hamilton) - APPROPRIATIONS. This is a general appropriations bill. Sections 11 through 13 appropriate to the State Regents; Sections 16 and 17 appropriate to the Physician Manpower Training Commission; Section 20 appropriates to the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST); Section 22 appropriates to the Teacher Preparation Commission; Section 75 appropriates to the University Hospitals Authority.
• SB 962 (Haney/Hamilton) - APPROPRIATIONS. Modifies certain budgetary limitations for the Physician Manpower Training Commission.
• SB 981 (Haney/Hamilton) – LONG-RANGE CAPITAL PLANNING. Clarifies language relating to the Long-Range Capital Planning Commission. (62 § 901)
• SB 996 (Herbert/Seikel) – OPEN MEETING/OPEN RECORDS. Adds entities created by public trusts to the definition of "public body" in the Open Meeting Act and the Open Records Act. (25 § 304, 51 § 24A.3)
• SB 1000 (Hendrick) – GRADUATION RATE. Creates the "Higher Education Completion Incentive Revolving Fund; provides for allocation by the State Regents to four-year institutions who have achieved a 50-percent six-year graduation rate and to two-year institutions with a 30-percent three-year graduation rate. (70 § 3211.2)
• SB 1013 (Rabon) – RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME ADMINISTRATOR CERTIFICATION. Modifies requirements for residential care home administrator certification to allow applicants at any time to present an institution of higher education with documentation of prior education and work experience for consideration for possible credit toward certification; authorizes a certified administrator to make a written request to the commissioner of health to be placed in an inactive status for up to five subsequent calendar years and to waive educational requirements during that time. (63 § 1-836)
• SB 1027 (Long) –TULSA STATE UNIVERSITY. Creates a Tulsa State University as a regional university within the State System; creates a seven-member board of regents for the university. (70 §§ 3201.1, 3202.2)
• SB 1033 (Monson) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. This is a shell bill relating to contributions to the Teachers’ Retirement System (OTRS). (70 § 17-108.1)
• SB 1039 (Herbert) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Modifies apportionment of gross production tax revenues; requires that revenue from five-sevenths of gross value of oil and natural gas and casinghead gas be apportioned monthly by the Tax Commission and the two-sevenths currently deposited to the general revenue fund be paid to OTRS; limits the cap on employer contributions to 13 percent of the regular annual compensation of a member not in excess of any applicable maximum compensation level of the member; requires annual lump-sum payments to retirees. (68 § 1004a; 70 §§ 17-108.1, 17-121)
• SB 1050 (Dunlap) – PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION. Increases from $13,500 to $25,000 the value of a contract requiring a bond or irrevocable letter of credit; modifies language relating to requirements for public building construction to include construction management services; modifies notice and filing requirements. (61 §§ 1, 62, 102, 107)
• SB 1059 (Monson/Seikel) – HEALTH INSURANCE/MENTAL ILLNESS. Requires individual and group health insurance and health benefit plans to include coverage for treatment of adults, adolescents and children with severe mental illness; requires that such benefits be equal to benefits for treatment of and subject to the same preauthorization and utilization review mechanisms and other terms and conditions as all other physical diseases and disorders; provides an exception for policies that provide coverage for a specified disease or other limited benefit coverage and for groups with 50 or fewer employees. (36 § 6060.10)
• SB 1060 (Snyder) – PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Creates a higher education professional development revolving fund for the State Regents to finance faculty who are attending professional meetings to present research papers and to fund sabbaticals for the purpose of professional development; requires that sabbaticals be funded at 50 percent of the faculty member’s regular salary for a full academic year or 85 percent of the faculty member’s regular salary for one semester. (70 § 3211.1)
• SB 1089 (Monson) – HEALTH INSURANCE/BIDDING CRITERIA. Prohibits the State Employees Benefits Council from establishing any bidding criteria relating to excessive benefit pricing; prohibits the council from rejecting bids or restricting enrollment based on excessive benefit pricing. (74 § 1371)
• SB 1093 (Brown) – PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS/LAND SURVEYORS. Modifies requirements for engineers and land surveyors and changes the process of registration to licensure. (59 §475.10)
• SB 1098 (Morgan) – FOUNDATIONS. Excludes foundations for the benefit of public institutions of higher education from provisions of the Uniform Management of Institutional Endowment Funds Act. (60 § 300.3)
• SB 1109 (Wright) – ANATOMICAL GIFTS. Creates the "Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act"; provides that donees of anatomical gifts may include an accredited medical or dental school, college, or university for education, research, advancement of medical or dental science. (63 § 2226)
• SB 1130 (Monson) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires that the benefit price of a health maintenance organization reasonably and equitably reflect the cost of the benefits provided and be determined on a basis consistent with the lowest schedule of basic rates generally charged for new benefit plans issued to large employers. (74 § 1371)
• SB 1137 (Littlefield/Beutler) - ENCYCLOPEDIA OF OKLAHOMA HISTORY. Requires the Oklahoma Historical Society to establish and administer an Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History which would include entries on different institutions, organizations, historic sites, and geographical features that have affected the development of Oklahoma. (53 § 1.4a)
• SB 1146 (Ford) – TAX CREDIT/EDUCATION IRAS. Provides an income tax credit of 5 percent of eligible contributions to education individual retirement accounts (IRAs) established in financial institutions located in the state pursuant to the federal Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997; allows unused credits to be carried over for up to four years following the year of qualification; requires the Tax Commission, by Jan. 31 of each year, to submit a report to the legislature regarding the credit, to include the total amount of credits claimed during the preceding calendar year. (68 § 2357.33)
• SB 1159 (Hendrick) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. This is a shell bill relating to the Board of Trustees of the Teachers’ Retirement System (OTRS). (70 § 17-106.1)
• SB 1161 (Herbert) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires that a health insurance policy holder’s premium and the corresponding benefits be correlated in order to maintain the equity of premiums assessed and benefits provided to each member enrolled in a health plan policy; requires any health insurer that provides a health insurance policy to persons residing in Oklahoma to base the policy holder’s premium in accordance with the benefits that are offered or denied to the plan member; requires that health insurance benefit restrictions be reflected in an adjusted premium based on the percentage of premium that is charged for coverage of a specific condition; prohibits an insurer charging the same premium to two separate policy holders if one has a more comprehensive health benefit plan. (36 § 4405)
• SB 1169 (Shurden) – TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Clarifies language relating to the Teacher’s Retirement System of Oklahoma (OTRS). (70 § 17-105)
• SB 1170 (Muegge) – POULTRY FEEDING OPERATIONS/OSU COOP EXTENSION. Creates the "Oklahoma Licensed Poultry Feeding Operations Act." Section 6 requires operators of licensed poultry feeding operations and all litter handlers to attend education training on poultry waste management as provided by Oklahoma State University (OSU) through the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service (OCES). (2 § 10-9.6)
• SB 1175 (Muegge) – ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS/OSU COOP EXTENSION. Modifies the Oklahoma Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) Act; requires managing owners and managing operators of a proposed CAFO to provide certification of satisfactory completion of formal education or training in the areas of waste management and odor control; directs the Agriculture Department to require at least four hours of annual refresher training for such persons; requires that appropriate curricula and course content be developed under the supervision of the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service.
• SB 1183 (Wilkerson/Langmacher) – SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES. Recodifies provisions authorizing special license plates, including those for university or college supporters, Heart of the Heartland scholarships, and for Oklahoma City bombing victims and survivors. (47 § 1136)
• SB 1185 (Long) – WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. Prohibits discriminatory or retaliatory actions against an employee who has filed a workers’ compensation claim or taken certain related action; prohibits employers who have continued an employee’s regular compensation during a period of temporary total disability or voluntarily commenced the furnishing of medical benefits from terminating compensation or medical benefits as a result of an employee filing a claim or taking related action. (85 § 5)
• SB 1186 (Long) – WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. Deletes penalty reduction for employers who obtain workers’ compensation insurance within 30 days of notice of violations. (85 § 63.1)
• SB 1188 (Maddox) – WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. Deletes requirement that before a physically impaired person can proceed against the Special Indemnity Fund the preexisting permanent partial disability and permanent partial disability from the last injury must exceed a total amount equal to 40 percent to the body; deletes the requirement that all weekly payment for permanent partial disability be paid before any claim for benefits against the Special Indemnity Fund may be paid. (85 § 172)
• SB 1195 (Milacek) – TRANSFER OF CREDITS. Expresses legislative intent that the State Regents collaborate with private higher education institutions to facilitate transfer of credits between public and private institutions; requires submission of a progress report to the respective education committees by Jan. 1, 2000. (70 § 3207.2)
• SB 1211 (Monson) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Clarifies language relating to the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Act. (74 § 1303)
• SB 1212 (Williamson) – AD VALOREM. Expands purpose of the Ad Valorem Reimbursement Fund to include reimbursement of counties for loss of revenue for school district and county purposes due to additional homestead exemption; repeals sections relating to the reimbursement fund. (62 § 193)
• SB 1236 (Muegge) – VETERINARY COLLEGE. Relates to criminal investigation by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners; modifies the definition of "School of Veterinary Medicine" to mean "any veterinary college or division of a university or college that offers the degree of doctor of veterinary medicine or its equivalent, which conforms to the standards required for accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association and which is recognized and approved by the Board." (59 § 698.2)
• SB 1240 (Hobson) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. Creates the "Oklahoma Technology Transfer Act"; directs the State Regents to study the feasibility of establishing an Office of Technology Transfer to identify areas of academic research in Oklahoma that have potential for commercial development and to develop plans for marketing such areas to venture capitalists to promote economic development in the state. (70 §§ 7001, 7002)
• SB 1246 (Weedn) – TRAVEL/CONFERENCE REGISTRATION. Authorizes state agencies to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of conference registration expenses; deletes the provision allowing such expenses to be paid only if a meeting qualifies for overnight travel. (74 §500.2)
• SB 1250 (Easley) – DUAL OFFICE HOLDING. This is a shell bill pertaining to dual-office holding. (51 § 6)
• SB 1270 (Gustafson) – SURPLUS PROPERTY. Clarifies language relating to transfer of surplus property of a state agency. (74 § 62.4)
• SB 1286 (Hendrick) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Clarifies language relating to the Board of Trustees of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma (OTRS). (70 § 17-106)
• SB 1287 (Martin) – RECORDS. Requires the state records administrator to establish definitions and rules concerning non-permanent state records and establish guidelines for agencies to store and maintain such records; prohibits agencies from sending non-permanent records to a facility under the control of the Archives and Records Commission. (67 §§ 205, 206, 217)
• SB 1290 (Williamson) – ATTORNEYS/STATE AGENCIES. Clarifies language relating to executive-branch entities authorized to employ attorneys. (74 § 20i)
• SB 1301 (Williamson) – HEALTH INSURANCE. This is a comprehensive bill creating the "Oklahoma Health Maintenance Organization Act". (36 §§ 2699.1/2699.32)
• SB 1302 (Kerr) – ADMINISTRATIVE FINES. Prohibits state departments, agencies, boards or commissions from assessing administrative fines or penalties. (75 §§ 303, 324)
• SB 1315 (Helton) – PHYSICAL EDUCATION. Creates the "Oklahoma Physical Education Act"; requires that public schools provide physical education for students; mandates at least 60 minutes per week for students in kindergarten through sixth grade; requires that for grades seven through 12, a minimum of one year must be offered, providing for the opportunity for all students to participate. (70 § 11-111)
• SB 1316 (Monson) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Clarifies language relating to the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Program. (74 § 1304)
• SB 1319 (Horner) - HEALTH INSURANCE/SICKLE CELL DISEASE. Provides that a health maintenance organization or prepaid health plan must require a primary care physician to refer in a timely fashion a patient with a diagnosis of sickle cell disease to a specialist with knowledge of health maintenance issues related to sickle cell disease. (63 § 2505)
• SB 1372 (Cain) – STATE REGENTS. Clarifies language relating to the State Regents. (70 § 3205)
• SB 1373 (Williams) – SCHOOL TESTING. Clarifies language relating to the Oklahoma School Testing Program Act. (70 § 1210.507)
• SB 1380 (Cain) – LEARNING COMMUNITIES. This is a shell bill creating the "Oklahoma Learning Communities Partnership Act." (70 § 1210.900)
• SB 1383 (Dickerson) – TRANSFER OF CREDITS. Clarifies language relating to institutions of higher learning and transfer of credits. (70 § 3207.1)
• SB 1384 (Williams) – ADVANCED PLACEMENT INCENTIVES. This is a shell bill relating to the administration of the Oklahoma Advanced Placement Incentive Program. (70 § 1210.701)
• SB 1397 (Mickle) – TEACHERS/ENTRY-YEAR/STUDENT. Provides that for purposes of laws relating to the state aid to schools which apportion funds on the basis of teaching units or numbers of teachers, all persons holding proper certificates or licenses and connected in any capacity with the instruction of pupils shall be designated as teachers; adds to definitions of school system positions "entry-year teacher" and "student teacher." (70 § 1-116)
• SB 1399 (Williams) – SCHOOL TESTING. This is a shell bill relating to low-performing and high-challenge schools. (70 § 1210.541)
• SB 1403 (Hendrick) – HOPE SCHOLARSHIP. Creates the "Oklahoma Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) Act;" provides for payment of higher education and vocational-technical general enrollment fees, special fees, tuition and book grants for Oklahoma resident students who graduate from high school with a 3.0 grade point average and meet certain other requirements; requires that students remain in good standing and maintain a 3.0 GPA; provides for payment of such fees out of the Oklahoma HOPE trust fund created by this act; creates the Oklahoma HOPE Teacher Scholarship Program to provide forgivable loans to students who graduated in the top 15 percent of their high school graduating class or, if seeking a graduate degree, who graduated from college with a cumulative GPA of 3.0; limits loans to $3,000 per year for undergraduate work, a total of $10,000 for graduate work; requires undergraduate students to agree to teach in the public schools for a minimum of three consecutive years upon graduation; requires each graduate student to teach in the public schools for a minimum of one year for each $2,500 received. (70 §§ 2701, 3953.2)
• SB 1405 (Fisher) - TECHNOLOGY. Provides that in accordance with SJR 29, institutions within the State System may have an ownership interest in a technology or other intellectual property or in a business enterprise commercializing a technology or other intellectual property, when such technology or other intellectual property is the result of research conducted by such institutions or involving the authorized use of facilities, equipment or services of the institutions, subject to certain conditions; exempts higher education employees receiving income from such an ownership interest from prohibitions against state officers and employees receiving compensation other than salary. (70 § 3231)
• SB 1410 (Hobson) – APPROPRIATIONS/RESEARCH. Expresses legislative intent that $500,000 be appropriated to the State Regents to establish an annual pool of $250,000 each at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University to fund research professors who are between research grants.
• SB 1411 (Wright) – HIGHER EDUCATION CODE. This is a shell bill relating to certain definitions in the Oklahoma Higher Education Code. (70 § 3102)
• SB 1414 (Wright) – GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS. Expresses legislative intent that $250,000 be appropriated to the State Regents for the purpose of providing 50 supplements of $5,000 each to graduate fellowships offered by Oklahoma colleges and universities targeted to certain areas of excellence under plans approved by the State Regents.
• SB 1415 (Hobson) - GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS. Expresses legislative intent that $250,000 be appropriated to the State Regents for the purpose of providing 50 supplements of $5,000 each to graduate fellowships offered by Oklahoma colleges and universities targeted to certain areas of excellence under plans approved by the State Regents.
• SB 1418 (Williams) - GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS. Authorizes the State Regents to establish fellowships for doctoral or research studies. (70 § 693.8
• SB 1424 (Williams) – ALTERNATIVE TEACHER CERTIFICATION. Provides for alternative certification and licensure of teachers who meet certain educational and experience requirements, pass required subject matter examinations and have taken the Oklahoma Professional Teaching Examination; requires that teacher education programs include an alternative preparation plan approved by the Teacher Preparation Commission; repeals section relating to alternative placement teaching certification. (70 §§ 6-122.4/6-122.6)
• SB 1426 – OU/OSU TULSA. Creates a unified single campus of the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University to be known as OU/OSU Tulsa; provides that OU and OSU shall offer upper-division and graduate courses for the campus and contract with Northeastern State University and Langston University to offer courses and programs; authorizes contracting with other institutions; creates Rogers University in Claremore; dissolves existing Board of Regents of Rogers University; transfers assets and obligations to certain entities; establishes a Tulsa Higher Education Oversight Board to develop academic programs and services; creates the Board of Regents of Rogers University; requires the State Regents to make annual reports on the change in function of Rogers University to a regionally accredited four-year institution; requires OU and OSU to establish a research and graduate education center in Tulsa; repeals sections relating to Rogers University. (70 §§ 466l/4665).
• SB 1427 (Wilcoxson) – ADVANCED PLACEMENT. Requires school districts to implement advanced placement courses in English, math, social studies and science subject to a phasing-in schedule. (70 § 1210.701)
• SB 1428 (Hobson) – HIGHER EDUCATION BONDS. Creates the "Oklahoma Higher Education Bonds Act;" states purpose to vitalize SJR 30, if and when approved by a vote of the people. (62 §§ 57.400, 57.401)
• SB 1430 (Henry) – COLLEGE SAVINGS PLAN. Creates the "Oklahoma College Savings Plan Act;" creates a five-member board of trustees to administer the program; requires the board to determine financial institutions to act as depositories and managers of Oklahoma college savings plan accounts; makes the state treasurer the program manager; allows an account to be opened by any person who desires to save to pay for qualified higher education expenses; provides for withdrawals; requires reports to the legislature and the governor by February 1 of each year summarizing the status of the program. (70 §§ 3970.1/3970.7)
• SB 1432 (Horner) - OKLAHOMA HIGHER LEARNING ACCESS PROGRAM (OHLAP). Authorizes the State Regents to establish and maintain an Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP) for Teacher Preparation as an incentive program to encourage the preparation of teachers, including minority teachers, in critical shortage areas for the public schools at one or more of the Oklahoma public or private higher education institutions; requires that priority consideration be given to prospective teachers from under-represented minority groups and prospective teachers who meet the same need requirements as OHLAP; provides for scholarships and states qualifications; requires a teaching commitment from scholarship recipients. (70 § 698.3)

• SJR 16 (Monson) – VIOLENCE PREVENTION. Re-creates the Oklahoma Council on Violence Prevention until Jan. 1, 2003. The Chancellor of Higher Education is included in the membership of the Council.
• SJR 19 (Henry) – PAYROLL/EMPLOYEE REPORTS. Directs the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission and the Oklahoma Tax Commission to study requirements imposed on employers to report payroll and other employee information to federal and state agencies and to make recommendations for consolidating these reporting requirements.
• SJR 25 (Fisher) – TECHNOLOGY. This is a proposed constitutional amendment providing that use of public facilities at State System institutions in connection with a project involving the research or development of a technology or other intellectual property, the results of which have potential economic value for a private enterprise involved in the project with the institution, shall be considered to be a public purpose for purposes of collection of tax revenues.
• SJR 29 (Fisher) - TECHNOLOGY. This is a proposed constitutional amendment permitting the legislature to enact laws authorizing State System institutions to have an ownership interest in a technology or other intellectual property or in a business enterprise commercializing a technology or other intellectual property that is the result of research conducted by the institutions or involving the authorized use of facilities, equipment or services of such institutions.
• SJR 30 (Hobson) – CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BONDS. This is a proposed constitutional amendment authorizing the state to issue a maximum $200 million in revenue bonds for constructing new buildings, remodeling, modernizing and repairing all existing buildings and providing other capital improvements and for the purchase of land, equipment and furnishings necessary for such new construction, remodeling or other capital improvements for public higher education institutions.

• SCR 40 (Taylor/Benson) – GEORGE NIGH. Praises the career of George Nigh as President of the University of Central Oklahoma.

HB 2207 (Kirby) – ENGLISH LANGUAGE. Requires that English be designated as the language of official public documents and records and official public meetings; provides exceptions; prohibits denial of employment with the state or a political subdivision based solely upon a person’s lack of facility in a foreign language except where related to bona fide job needs; provides that the right of Native Americans to express themselves through the use of Native American languages shall not be restricted in any public supported education programs. (25 §§ 300, 301)

SECOND READING - REFERRED TO HOUSE COMMITTEE 02/03/98

EDUCATION

HOUSE COMMITTEE - DO PASS 02/03/98

HB 2213 (Gray) – RETIREMENT BENEFITS. This a shell bill cited as the "Retired Employee Benefit Adjustment Act."

SECOND READING - REFERRED TO HOUSE COMMITTEE 02/03/98

RETIREMENT LAWS

• HB 2219 (Askins/Harrison) – MINORITY TEACHER RECRUITMENT/TEACHER PREPARATION. Extends the sunset date to 2004 for several entities including the Minority Teacher Recruitment Advisory Committee; removes the Teacher Preparation Commission from the list. (74 § 3905)
• HB 2228 (Askins/Harrison) – DATA PROCESSING/TELECOMMUNICATIONS. Recreates the State Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee until July 1, 2004. (62 § 41.5n)
• HB 2229 (Askins/Harrison) – MINORITY TEACHER RECRUITMENT. Recreates the Minority Teacher Recruitment Advisory Committee, which has oversight for implementation of the Minority Teacher Recruitment Center, until July 1, 2004. (70 § 6-130)
• HB 2230 (Askins/Harrison) – JUVENILE SEX OFFENDERS. Recreates until 2004 the Interdisciplinary Council on the Prevention of Juvenile Sex Offenses; included in the membership of the Council are the Dean of the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and the Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine of Oklahoma State University. (10 § 1507.28)
• HB 2242 (Graves) – COMPUTER SOFTWARE GAMES. Prohibits computer software purchased by a state agency from containing software games; requires that such software be removed from any existing network containing such software. (74 § 85.9D)
• HB 2244 (Leist) – TUITION AT TWO-YEAR COLLEGES. Provides an exemption from general enrollment fees or tuition for Oklahoma residents for courses at any two-year State System college or at the OSU Technical Branches in Okmulgee and Oklahoma City; repeals a section relating to general enrollment fees and tuition for certain technical branch institutions. (19 §§ 165, 180.27, 526, 1507)
• HB 2279 (Stanley) – MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPISTS. Clarifies language relating to the Marital and Family Therapist Licensure Act and the Licensed Professional Counselors Act. (59 §§ 1925.1, 1925.2)
• HB 2280 (Stanley) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Prohibits managed care plans from placing certain conditions upon coverage of emergency services; provides that a determination as to whether an emergency medical condition exists shall be made by medical personnel; requires notification of an enrollee’s primary care physician; provides for calculation of reimbursement of services provided to a plan enrollee by a non-contract provider. (63 § 2528)
• HB 2286 (Roberts) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT/GROSS PRODUCTION TAX. Modifies apportionment of gross production tax revenues; requires that revenue from five-sevenths of gross value be apportioned monthly by the Oklahoma Tax Commission, with two-sevenths to be deposited to the general revenue fund; provides for apportionment of general revenue portion to the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma (OTRS) on a graduated basis, with the result that by fiscal year 2003, 100 percent shall be apportioned to OTRS. (68 § 1004a)
• HB 2287 (Roberts) – RETIREMENT. Enacts the "Defined Benefit Plan Amendments Act of 1998."
• HB 2288 (Roberts) – RETIREMENT. Enacts the "Benefit Enhancement Account for Retirees (BEAR) Act."
• HB 2290 (Roberts) – LIFE INSURANCE. Provides that the basic life insurance amount under the life insurance plan of state and education employees group insurance shall be $50,000. (74 § 1307)
• HB 2313 (Eddins) – HEALTH INSURANCE/DENTAL CARE. Requires health benefit plans that provide hospitalization benefits to provide coverage for anesthesia expenses and for hospital expenses associated with an inpatient or outpatient hospital dental procedure when provided to a covered person who is severely disabled, under age nine or under age nine and having a medical or emotional condition that requires hospitalization or general anesthesia for dental care treatment. The committee substitute requires coverage for covered person who is severely disabled or a minor under age nine who has a medical or emotional condition that requires hospitalization or general anesthesia for dental care treatment; allows such plans to require prior authorization for either inpatient or outpatient hospitalization or for dental care procedures in the same manner that prior authorization is required for hospitalization for other covered diseases or medical conditions. (36 § 6060.6)
• HB 2320 (Roach) – PATIENT INFORMATION/OU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER/OSU COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE. Authorizes health care entities or physicians to provide certain patient information for use in the course of studies for the purpose of reducing morbidity or mortality to several entities including the OU Health Sciences Center and the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine and their constituent committees or allied societies. (76 § 32)
• HB 2329 (Beutler) – SCHOOL TESTING. Removes culture and the arts from the state criterion-referenced tests required by the Oklahoma State Testing Program that were scheduled to be implemented for the 1998-99 school year. (70 §§ 11-103.6, 1210.508)
• HB 2339 (Paulk) – OPEN RECORDS. Clarifies language relating to the Open Records Act. (51 § 24A.1)
• HB 2356 (Clay Pope) – LIVESTOCK ACTIVITIES LIABILITY. Enacts the "Oklahoma Livestock Activities Liability Limitation Act;" limits civil liability of livestock activity sponsors and livestock professionals involved in such activities; requires livestock professionals and livestock activity sponsors to post and maintain signs stating that such person is not liable for an injury to or the death of a participant in livestock activities resulting from the inherent risks of livestock activities. (76 §§ 50.1/50.4)
• HB 2361 (Ross) – STATE REGENTS. Clarifies language relating to the State Regents. (70 § 3206)
• HB 2374 (Ramsey) – OKLAHOMA HIGHER LEARNING ACCESS PROGRAM (OHLAP). Modifies financial need eligibility requirements in the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP) to delete the prohibition against later denial of participation, based on financial need criteria, of a student who satisfies such criteria during the ninth or tenth grade when he or she begins participating in the program; provides for annual reevaluation to determine if the student still satisfies such criteria. (70 § 2603)
• HB 2376 (Ramsey) – INCOME TAX/TUITION. Provides an income tax deduction for tuition paid to a state four-year public college or university; prohibits deduction for any amount of tuition paid by or through any grant, scholarship or stipend or any amount subjected to a tuition waiver; prohibits deduction until the tax year following the year in which the course or courses for which the tuition was paid are satisfactorily completed. (68 § 2358)
• HB 2399 (Steidley) – ROGERS UNIVERSITY. This is a shell bill relating to Rogers University. (70 § 4654)
• HB 2425 (Maddux) – INCOME TAX CREDIT/TUITION. Provides an income tax credit for tuition paid by certified teachers seeking advanced degrees. (68 § 2357.26)
• HB 2430 (Askins/Hobson) – CREDIT CARD AGREEMENTS. Authorizes state agencies to enter into agreements with the state treasurer to participate in credit card processing agreements and to pay the credit card vendor directly for any fees owed on transactions associated with that agency. (62 § 71)
• HB 2431 (Askins) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Modifies language relating to the Oklahoma State Employees Benefits council; requires that rates or premiums charged by health maintenance organizations for heath benefits reasonably and equitably reflect the cost of the benefits provided; requires that rates or premiums changed by health maintenance organizations for health benefits be determined on a basis which, in the judgment of the council, is consistent with the lowest schedule of basic rates generally charged for new group health benefit plans issued to large employers. (74 § 1365)
• HB 2439 (Vaughn) – RETIREMENT. Enacts the "Public Employees’ Portable Retirement Option (PRO) Act"; declares that public employees may find it advantageous to cease participation in an existing public defined benefit retirement plan in order to take advantage of investment opportunities using a defined contribution retirement plan; authorizes portable retirement options to provide a framework under which the state and local public agencies may create retirement plans for their respective employees that are tailored to each employer’s individual needs and that provide the opportunity for retirement savings and for the orderly administration of the plans; creates a public employees portable retirement option revolving fund for the Office of State Finance; authorizes employers, or the entities which they have contracted, to purchase group annuity contracts, individual retirement annuities, disability insurance investment contracts, securities, mutual funds, interest in trust and other financial instruments, health care benefit plans and group insurance as necessary for the plan to provide retirement and related benefits comparable to those provided under an existing retirement system; requires a competitive selection process for selections of plan administrators, annuities and insurance products; requires preparation of a statement of each member’s individual account at least quarterly. (62 §§ 1101/1111)
• HB 2465 (Stanley) – DENTISTS. Authorizes the Board of Dentistry to enter into cooperative contracts or agreements with another state or combination of states for formulating and conducting simultaneous regional examinations of applicants for a license to practice dentistry or for a certificate of ability to practice dental hygiene; modifies testing requirements; specifies grounds for imposition of penalties; specifies tasks to which a dental assistant may not be assigned. (59 § 328.3)
• HB 2467 (Seikel) –EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATION. Modifies qualification of a regularly enrolled student for purposes of designating employees included in unclassified service. (74 § 840-5.5)
• HB 2469 (Seikel) – STATEWIDE TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE RESPONSIBILITY SYSTEM (STARS). Clarifies language relating to Statewide Temporary Assistance Responsibility System (STARS) and expenditure of federal block grants. (56 § 230.50, 62 § 41.13a)
• HB 2479 (Begley) – TEACHER CERTIFICATION/PREPARATION. Requires the State Board of Education to grant a standard teaching certificate to a person who first obtains a teaching license pursuant to certain criteria and satisfactorily completes an alternative preparation program; provides requirements for an alternative preparation plan; requires certain persons to receive mentor training; directs the Board to promulgate rules relating to adjunct teachers; repeals sections relating to exceptional child course requirements and alternative placement teaching certification. (70 § 6-122.4)
• HB 2494 (Askins) – EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. This is a shell bill relating to employee benefits. (74 § 1362)
• HB 2495 (Askins) – SUPERVISOR TRAINING. This is a shell bill relating to training programs for supervisory personnel. (74 § 840-3.1)
• HB 2498 (Askins) – EMPLOYEE PROTECTION. Enacts the "Oklahoma Workplace and Employee Protection Act." (22 § 70)
• HB 2500 (Roberts) – TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Increases the death benefit for beneficiaries of various retirement systems including the Teachers’ Retirement System (OTRS) from $4,900 to $5,000; provides a $5,000 income tax exemption for such benefits. (68 § 2358)
• HB 2512 (Clay Pope) – TAX CREDIT/AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION. Provides for an income tax credit of $500 for agricultural producers producing agricultural commodities and using new or modified agricultural production or marketing methods demonstrated by or acquired from "an accredited agricultural college or university, adult agricultural education program provided by a secondary school", or agricultural producing or farming associations; allows excess credit to be carried forward for up to five years. (68 § 2357.26)
• HB 2513 (Coleman) – RETIREMENT/GARNISHMENT. Provides for that for purposes of the various state retirement systems, benefit payments shall not be subject to attachment or garnishment, with the exception of qualified domestic orders; outlines requirements for such orders. (70 § 17-109)
• HB 2516 (O’Neal) – TRANSFER OF CREDITS. Expresses legislative intent that core curriculum credits be transferable from one State System institution to another. (70 § 3207.1)
• HB 2523 (Staggs) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT/DEFERRED SAVINGS. Requires that for each active contributing member of the Teachers’ Retirement System (OTRS) who is making contributions of at least $25 per month to a plan account maintained by the system pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 403(b), the system shall pay each month from appropriated funds $25 to a plan established pursuant to § 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code for the benefit of the participant; creates the Oklahoma Teachers’ Deferred Savings Incentive Plan Fund. (70 § 17-121)
• HB 2528 (Mitchell) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Creates the "Oklahoma Health Care Authority Act"; Article V concerns the State and Education Employees Health Care Benefits. (63 §§ 5000-5001)
• HB 2532 (Mitchell) – PRIVATIZATION OF STATE FUNCTIONS. Enacts the "Oklahoma Privatization of State Functions Act;" requires state agencies to allow their employees to submit proposals for improving agency operations, efficiency or organization of the agency before contracting to privatize a function, program, service, unit or division; requires notification of employees and the director of state finance of intent to privatize; provides for solicitation of bids; prohibits contracting with persons who have been convicted of certain crimes. (74 §§ 595.1/595.7)
• HB 2557 (Staggs) - Minority Teacher Recruitment. Re-creates the Minority Teacher Recruitment Advisory Committee until July 1, 2004; designates membership; modifies minority teacher recruitment responsibilities of the State Regents. (70 §§ 6-129.1, 6-130)
• HB 2562 (Bastin) – TUITION/FEES. This is a shell bill relating the State Regents’ authority to establish special fees. (70 § 3219.1)
• HB 2563 (Bastin) – REAL ESTATE COURSES. Modifies instruction requirement for licensure of real estate licensees; requires a certified transcript from an institution of higher education, accredited by the State Regents or the corresponding accrediting agency of another state, certifying to the successful completion of certain real estate courses as a post-license requirement. The committee substitute changes the effective date to Jan. 1, 1999. (59 § 858-304)
• HB 2568 (Laura Boyd/Monson) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT/GARNISHMENT. Provides that for purposes of the various state retirement systems, benefit payments shall not be subject to attachment or garnishment, with the exception of qualified domestic orders; outlines requirements for such orders. The committee substitute deletes the prohibition against attachment of benefits in the firefighters and police pension funds. (70 § 17-109)
• HB 2590 (Ervin) – REDUCTION IN FORCE/HEALTH INSURANCE. Provides that any affected employee who has a vested benefit in a state public retirement system, is separated from state service as a result of a reduction-in-force and is provided severance benefits pursuant to the State Government Reduction-in-Force and Severance Benefits Act may reinstate health insurance coverage any time within three years following the date of separation from the state; makes such provisions apply to affected employees who either initially elected other health insurance coverage or who initially selected the state health insurance plan and later cancels that coverage; requires an employee who reinstates health insurance coverage to pay the full cost of the insurance premium at the rate and pursuant to the terms and conditions established by the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board (OSEEGIB). (74 §§ 840-2.27D, 1316.2, 1316.3)
• HB 2602 (Roach) – TRAVEL. Requires all agencies to submit biannual travel expenditure reports to the House speaker, Senate president pro tempore and the chairs of the House and Senate appropriations committees; requires the State Travel Division to establish a uniform credit-card system "to expediently and accurately determine, process, account for, review and audit" purchases for food, lodging, transportation, vehicles and other travel costs; requires that the system be used by all state employees for authorized travel expenses and for purchasing tickets for any authorized mode of transportation; makes frequent flyer credits earned by state employees while on official state business the property of the state; authorizes redemption of the credits only for future official travel or as directed by the State Travel Division; specifies requirements for invoices for purchase of commercial airline tickets. (74 § 85.40)
• HB 2605 (Coleman) – TEACHERS/PHONEMIC AWARENESS. Requires that elementary education, reading specialists, special education and early childhood education teacher candidates or teachers understand and demonstrate phonemic awareness, have a working knowledge of the speech sound system, know how orthography represents spoken English, study basic linguistics and understand the application of the concepts in clinical teaching practice, understand sound-symbol correspondences for both spelling and reading, understand syllable patterns and syllabication and understand the effect of word meaning and word origin on spelling. (70 § 6-185)
• HB 2607 (Rice) – HOLIDAYS. Expands the list of days designated as state holidays to include the Monday before Christmas if Christmas is on a Tuesday or the Friday after Christmas if Christmas is on a Thursday; authorizes the governor, if the President declares as a holiday any day other than those listed as state holiday, to issue an executive order declaring such day a state holiday. (25 § 82.1)
• HB 2643 (Wells) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Clarifies language relating to establishment of the Oklahoma Teachers’ Retirement System (OTRS). (70 § 17-102)
• HB 2645 (Reese) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Requires that the 2 percent of the gross production tax on natural gas and casinghead gas currently placed in the general revenue fund be allocated to OTRS; modifies apportionment of gross production tax revenues; requires that revenue from five-sevenths of gross value of oil and natural gas and casinghead gas be apportioned monthly by the Tax Commission, with two-sevenths to be deposited to the general revenue fund; provides for apportionment of the general revenue portion to OTRS on a graduated basis, with the result that by FY2001, 100 percent shall be apportioned to OTRS. (68 §§ 1004, 1004a)
• HB 2651 (Turner) – TECHNOLOGY. Provides that, unless otherwise specifically defined, educational technology shall include both information technology and telecommunications technology; specifies examples of information technology and telecommunications technology. (70 § 1-107.1)
• HB 2652 (Turner) – TEACHER PREPARATION. Re-creates the Commission for Teacher Preparation until July 1, 2004. (70 § 6-199)
• HB 2653 (Turner) – ALTERNATE PLACEMENT TEACHER CERTIFICATION. Modifies qualifications for alternate placement teaching certification. (70 § 6-122.3)
• HB 2657 (Ostrander) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT/BENEFIT ADJUSTMENT. Enacts the "Benefit Adjustment Act of 1998" relating to OTRS.
• HB 2662 (Rice) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Requires that teachers employed by school districts or by vo-tech school districts who qualify for a minimum salary, and any non-classified optional personnel, have credited against the employee contribution amount, as applicable to the amount of compensation required to be paid to the teacher as a minimum salary or, for non-classified optional personnel, against the employee contribution otherwise required. (70 § 17-108.3)
• HB 2668 (Roberts) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Enacts the "Teachers’ Retirement System Funding Improvement Act."
• HB 2678 (Turner) – TEACHER PREPARATION. Deletes professional education from the competency examination required by the Teacher Preparation Act; prohibits skill in a language other than English from being required of teacher candidates for successful completion of a teacher education program unless the candidate seeks licensure and certification to teach a foreign language. (70 §§ 6-182, 6-185, 6-187, 6-188)
• HB 2679 (Deutschendorf) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT/COST OF LIVING. Enacts the "Cost-of-Living Funding Act of 1998".
• HB 2681 (Deutschendorf) – UNCLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES/PROGRAMMERS. Authorizes agencies needing to convert and test databases to accommodate the change of the millennium to appoint unclassified programmers, programmer analysts, systems analysts and network analysts; authorizes permanent classified employees to request a leave of absence and accept an unclassified appointment and compensation with the same agency, and provides for reinstatement to the employee’s former job classification and compensation, plus any adjustments and increases in salary or benefits the employee would have received. (74 § 840-5.5)
• HB 2682 (Deutschendorf) – WEBSITE COMPLAINT FORMS. Requires state agencies, by Jan. 1, 1999, or within six months of establishment of an Internet website, whichever is later, to make available on such site a plain-language form through which individuals can register complaints or comments relating to the performance of that agency. (74 § 3106.2)
• HB 2684 (Deutschendorf) – HEALTH INSURANCE/EMERGENCY SERVICES. Prohibits managed care plans from requiring certain conditions for coverage of emergency services and care; requires that a physician or medical personnel make the determination as to whether an emergency medical condition exists; requires the hospital to notify the primary care physician or managed care plans; provides for documentation of notification attempts; prohibits managed care plans from denying payments for failure to notify; provides for the transfer of patients to certain hospitals; provides for emergency room use co-payment charge and for reimbursement for services to certain providers. (63 § 2528)
• HB 2688 (Ervin) – UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS. This is a shell bill relating to the University Hospitals Authority. (63 § 3203)
• HB 2693 (Cox) – SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS. This is a shell bill enacting the "Sole Source Contract Review Act."
• HB 2695 (Roberts) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT/COST OF LIVING. Enacts the "Cost-of-Living Adjustment Feasibility Analysis Act" relating to OTRS.
• HB 2697 (Seikel) – AD VALOREM. Creates the Ad Valorem Tax Oversight Committee. (68 § 2950)
• HB 2704 (Sadler) – FEES. Prohibits agencies from establishing or increasing fees, except when the legislature is in session, when specifically mandated by the legislature or when failure to do so would have an adverse effect on a federally administered program or would conflict with a court order. (74 § 3117)
• HB 2719 (Settle) – STATE INSURANCE FUND. This is a shell bill relating to records which must be kept by insureds of the State Insurance Fund. (85 § 145)
• HB 2739 (Hamilton) – UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS. Clarifies language relating to the University Hospitals Authority Act. (63 § 3203)
• HB 2740 (Hamilton) – STATE AGENCY REFORM. Enacts the "State Agency Reform and Improvement Act."
• HB 2741 (Hamilton) –TRAVEL. This is a shell bill relating to overnight lodging for purposes of the State Travel Reimbursement Act. (74 § 500.9)
• HB 2748 (Ervin) – UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS/CAMPUS POLICE. Transfers University Hospitals Authority employees who are campus police officers and guards to the Medical Technology and Research Authority. (74 § 7068)
• HB 2756 (Laura Boyd) – CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISING. Prohibits the use of public funds, property or time to participate or assist in the organization of or preparation for a political fundraiser or in solicitation of funds for or against a candidate for state office or a ballot measure, with certain exceptions; prohibits the use for such purposes of state officers or employees while in uniform or during work hours; prohibits solicitation of contributions from state employees in state government facilities; prohibits the distribution or posting of campaign materials in state facilities. (74 § 4261)
• HB 2758 (Laura Boyd) – HEALTH INSURANCE/DEPENDENTS. Requires that in setting health insurance premiums for active employees and their dependents, the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board shall set the monthly premium for dependents at a minimum of 50 percent less than the monthly premium for the active employee. (74 § 1371)
• HB 2759 ((Laura Boyd) – LIBRARY/TECHNOLOGY FUNDING. Expresses legislative intent that more funding be allocated to higher education general support, compensation and library resources; states importance of universities receiving more monies for technology.
• HB 2760 (Laura Boyd) – BOND ISSUE. Provides for a new higher education bond issue for new laboratories and research facilities.
• HB 2761 (Laura Boyd) – FELLOWSHIP MONIES. Expresses legislative intent to increase higher education fellowship monies to $5,000 more per graduate student.
• HB 2762 (Laura Boyd) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. Expresses legislative intent that funding be allocated to OU and OSU for development of an Office of Technology Transfer.
• HB 2776 (Morgan) – OPEN RECORDS. Deletes legislative exemption from the Open Records Act. (51 § 24A.3)
• HB 2777 (Morgan) – OPEN MEETINGS. Deletes legislative exemption from the Open Meeting act. (25 § 304)
• HB 2781 (Morgan) – MOTOR VEHICLES/TELEPHONE NUMBER. Requires signs on state-owned vehicles to include a toll-free telephone number for reporting negligent or reckless driving. (47 § 156.3)
• HB 2788 (Coleman) – OKLAHOMA HIGHER LEARNING ACCESS PROGRAM (OHLAP). Modifies financial need eligibility requirements in the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP) to delete prohibition against later denial of participation, based on financial need criteria of a student who satisfies such criteria during the ninth or tenth grade when he or she begins participating in the program; provides for annual reevaluation to determine if the student still satisfies such criteria; provides that satisfaction of general enrollment fees or tuition shall not be allowed for remedial courses or units; requires students to pay 50 percent of the enrollment fees or tuition for courses taken more than five years after the student’s first semester of post-secondary enrollment in hardship circumstances. (70 §§ 2603, 2604)
• HB 2789 (Coleman) – HEALTH INSURANCE/MAMMOGRAMS. Requires group health insurance policies to provide coverage for low-dose mammography screening when ordered by a physician for any female considered at risk. (36 § 6060)
• HB 2790 (Fields) – INSURANCE REPORTS/CONFIDENTIAL. This is a shell bill relating to certain confidential information obtained by the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Program. (74 § 1322)
• HB 2792 (Fields) – UNEMPLOYMENT. Modifies the definition of "taxable wages" for purposes of the Oklahoma Employment Security Act of 1980 to mean the first $7,000 of wages paid to an individual with respect to employment during a calendar year for services covered by the act; modifies the maximum benefit amount computation to provide for increases in the applicable percentage determined by the conditional factor; modifies conditions constituting good cause for voluntarily leaving work to include when a physician found that it was medically necessary for a claimant to stop working or change occupations due to diagnosis or treatment of medically verifiable illness or medical condition of the claimant or the minor child of the claimant and when the spouse of the claimant was transferred or obtained employment in another city or state and the family is required to move to that location and the job is more than 50 miles from the prior work location of the claimant; exempts from an employer’s benefit wage calculations any wages paid to an employee or former employee who was discharged from employment for unsatisfactory performance within 90 days of the original hiring date; provides for a 50-percent reduction in employers’ contribution rates; requires that employers with a 5.5-percent-earned rate be reduced to 5.4 percent and those whose earned rate is 0.1 percent be reduced to 0 percent; makes such rate reductions ineffective if the amount of money in the unemployment trust fund falls below the level of the high cost multiple of 1.25. (40 § 1-223)
• HB 2799 (John Sullivan) – SALES TAX/SCIENCE RESEARCH. Provides a sales tax exemption for sales of tangible personal property or services to private organizations or academies that are exempt from federal tax and that are organized to stimulate scientific research in the state, to promote relationships between those engaged in scientific work in the state and to educate state citizens in the sciences. (68 § 1356)
• HB 2802 (Ostrander) – REPORTS. Relates to various reports required of certain agencies; Section 9 requires that when a governing body of a public agency declares an emergency and does not comply with the provisions of the Public Competitive Bidding Act the reasons for not complying must be entered into the minutes, a copy of which must be submitted to the Central Purchasing Director; requires the Central Purchasing Director to compile an annual report detailing all emergencies declared and submit the report to the Governor and the Legislature; Section 15 deletes the requirement that the Board of Regents for the A&M Colleges file a property inventory report with the Governor and the Secretary of State; Section 17 requires agencies, whether or not said agencies are subject to the Central Purchasing Act, to submit a list of certain contracts to the Department of Central Services within 10 days after the commencement of the legislative session; requires Central Services to compile a report and submit it to the Legislature; Section 22 requires every state agency including all higher education institutions to submit annually a list of its state publications to the Publications Clearinghouse.
• HB 2803 (Davis) – HEALTH INSURANCE/INFERTILITY TREATMENT. Requires health benefit plans that provide pregnancy-related benefits to provide coverage for diagnosis and treatment of infertility; provides an exemption for plans issued to or by religious institutions or organizations or to or by an entity sponsored by a religious institution or organization that finds the procedures to violate their religious and moral teachings and beliefs. (36 § 6060.6)
• HB 2805 (Miller) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. This is a shell bill relating to technology transfer systems. (70 § 4710)
• HB 2808 (Adkins) – HEALTH INSURANCE/CO-PAYMENTS. Prohibits individual and group health insurance and health benefit plans from prohibiting or sanctioning a physician for waiving all or a portion of a co-payment that represents payment or reimbursement to the physician for services provided to a patient, when the waiver is made for charitable purposes or the physician reasonably believes the patient could not otherwise afford the services. (36 § 4505.1)
• HB 2816 (Hefner) – MILITARY EQUIPMENT IN SCHOOLS. This is a shell bill relating to the use of military equipment in schools and educational institutions. (70 § 11-105)
• HB 2822 (Benson/Helton) – HOLIDAYS. Designates the third Monday in November of each year as "Oklahoma Native American Day"; requests that teachers and students observe the day with appropriate activities. (25 § 90.11)
• HB 2824 (Roach) – STATE PROGRAM REVIEW. Enacts the "Office for Oklahoma Government Benefit Evaluation and System Tracking Act" (BEST); requires that all government programs, functions and entities be reviewed by the office to ensure that each is administered in the most effective and efficient manner possible, and to assess the public benefit derived from the program, function or entity; specifies requirements for such reviews. (74 § 3931)
• HB 2852 (Greenwood) – TUITION TRUST. Makes the state treasurer rather than the State Regents responsible for investment of monies in the Oklahoma Tuition Trust; repeals section relating to certain ruling requests. (70 §§ 6003, 6004-6009)
• HB 2854 (Greenwood) – REMEDIATION. Provides for incentive awards to school districts 90 percent of whose students who graduate are not subject to remedial courses in higher education subjects. (70 § 18-107.2)
• HB 2855 (Steidley) – REDUCTION IN FORCE. Requires the appointing authority of an agency with an approved reduction-in-force plan to request that the administrator of the Office of Personnel Management appoint an interagency advisory task force to assist the agency and its employees in implementing the reduction in force. (74 § 840-2.28C)
• HB 2863 (Bonny) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. This is a shell bill enacting the "Oklahoma Technology Transfer Act of 1998."
• HB 2881 (Hopper Smith) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. Enacts the "Technology Transfer Enhancement Act of 1998".
• HB 2897 (Staggs) – SCHOOL TESTING/EDUCATIONAL INDICATORS. Requires the State Board of Education to develop criterion-referenced tests, with norm-referenced components in reading and mathematics, to be administered to students in grades five, eight and 11; requires field testing of tests in grades three and seven; requires tests to gauge mastery of mathematics, science, reading and writing of English, social studies, culture and arts; requires that a portion of the State Testing program consists of a criterion-referenced test in Oklahoma history; provides that students who do not perform satisfactorily on such tests shall be provided opportunities for remediation and shall retake the tests; requires that test results be included in the summary report of the Oklahoma Educational Indicators Program; designates performance levels as the Oklahoma Performance Index; requires the board to implement a program of recognition and incentive for school sites which achieve significant academic gain or performance on such tests; repeals section relating to the School Testing Program. (70 §§ 1210.507A, 1210.541, 1210.508)
• HB 2904 (Laura Boyd) – FACULTY RESEARCH. Requires that research faculties and universities be allowed to take equity ownership in commercial enterprises that are the product of research discoveries made by faculty members.
• HB 2906 (Laura Boyd) – TUITION SAVINGS. Creates the "Oklahoma Tuition Savings Account Act"; permits Oklahoma residents to deposit up to $5,000 each year into one or more tuition savings accounts; exempts such contributions from taxation as adjusted gross income; provides for account custodians; authorizes disbursement of funds no more than three times in a calendar year by check to the beneficiary’s higher education institution or vocational-technical school; provides for unqualified disbursements with a 10-percent penalty to be paid to the Tax Commission; requires that all interest earned on an account during the year in which a withdrawal occurs be considered income for tax purposes; provides for qualified expense disbursements of no more than 20 percent of the interest earned from the account during the year; provides that any remaining balance shall be distributed to the beneficiary no later than 30 days after the 30^th birthday of the beneficiary or graduation of the beneficiary, whichever occurs first; provides for transfer, upon request by the beneficiary, of balance to one or more accounts established for another beneficiary; outlines procedure for distribution if beneficiary does not attend a higher education institution or vo-tech school. (70 §§ 6020/6023)
• HB 2912 (Hamilton) – SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS. This is a shell bill enacting the "Sole Source Contract Review Act of 1998."
• HB 2914 (Dunegan) – FIRE ANT RESEARCH. Creates a seven-member Fire Ant Research and Management Advisory Committee, one member of which would be a university faculty member experienced in entomology who would be appointed by the president of the university. (2 § 3-2)
• HB 2934 (Blackburn) – TUITION PREPAYMENT. Creates the "Oklahoma Tuition Prepayment Program Act;" requires the State Regents to annually determine the weighted average tuition of bachelor’s-degree-granting institutions; provides formula; provides for determination of tuition units; provides that tuition units equal 1 percent of the anticipated weighted average tuition; permits the State Regents to sell tuition units to purchase on behalf of beneficiaries; permits the purchaser to change the named beneficiary; provides that the number of tuition units purchased shall not exceed the number necessary to pay for four years of full-time attendance as a resident undergraduate; permits the beneficiary to enroll at an institution of higher education in the United States; terminates prepaid tuition contracts under certain circumstances; provides for refunds of unused tuition units; requires the State Regents to contract with an actuary to determine whether the Prepaid Tuition Trust Fund is sufficient to meet obligations; creates the Oklahoma Tuition Prepayment Trust; provides nothing in the act shall guaranty admission to any institution of higher education; permits the State Regents to promulgate rules. (70 §§ 6020/6034)
• HB 2947 (Collins) - HEALTH INSURANCE/MENTAL ILLNESS. Requires group health insurance and health benefit plans to offer coverage for severe mental illness equal to benefits for other physical diseases and disorders; provides limitations for preexisting conditions; exempts specified disease policies; defines severe mental illness to mean schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizo-affective disorder. (36 § 6060.10)
• HB 2951 (Collins) – TUTION/FEES. This is a shell bill relating to tuition and fees charged by the State System institutions. (70 § 3218.14)
• HB 2952 (Collins) – RECYCLING. Clarifies language relating to recycling. (74 § 85.53)
• HB 2953 (Ferguson) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Enacts the "Teachers’ Retirement System Funding Modification Act.
• HB 2954 (Deutschendorf) – TECHNOLOGY. Creates the position of Oklahoma State Technology Officer and the Oklahoma Technology Council. (74 §§ 8401, 8402)
• HB 2955 (Deutschendorf) - INCOME TAX DEDUCTION/COLLEGE GRADUATES. Provides that graduates who receive a degree from a four-year college or university accredited by the State Regents shall be eligible for a $2,500 income tax deduction. (68 §§ 2358.4, 2358.5)
• HB 2963 (Glover) – ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. This is a shell bill relating to promulgating emergency rules pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act. (75 § 253)
• HB 2964 (Glover) - WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. Modifies employers’ duty to provide notice of employee rights to participate in a certified workplace medical plan. (85 § 14.2)
• HB 2980 (John Sullivan) – CHILD CARE FACILITIES. Provides an income tax credit for investments in child care facilities; provides qualifications which could include entering into an agreement with one or more local colleges or universities or vo-tech institutes permitting such educational institutions to use the child care facility as a working educational and study program to educate and train students of child care studies, child development studies, and other related studies. (68 § 2357.26)
• HB 2981 (Phillips) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Creates the "Health Care Liability Act"; provides that health care entities have a duty to exercise ordinary care when making health care treatment decisions and are liable for damages for harm to an insured proximately caused by its failure to exercise such care; makes such entities also liable for damages for harm to an insured proximately caused by the health care treatment decisions made by their employees and representatives who are acting on their behalf and over whom they have the right to exercise influence or control which result in the failure to exercise ordinary care; provides grounds for defense against such actions; prohibits such entity from removing a physician or health care provider from its plan or refusing to renew the provider with its plan for advocating on behalf of an enrollee for appropriate and medically necessary health care; prohibits hold harmless clauses; provides an exemption for workers’ compensation insurance coverage. (76 §§ 21.1/21.4)
• HB 2992 (Tyler) – PUBLIC WORKS/CHANGE ORDERS. Modifies change orders exempt from certain requirements to allow for changes based on a lesser unit price or basis. (61 § 121)
• HB 3010 (Hamilton/Haney) – OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHOLOGY (OCAST). This is a shell appropriation bill; Section 2 appropriates to OCAST.
• HB 3011 (Hamilton/Haney) – APPROPRIATIONS. Establishes budgetary limitations for the Department of Commerce; Section 8 designates an allocation to accomplish contractual responsibilities with Southeastern Oklahoma State University for its statewide Small Business Development Centers Network.
• HB 3012 (Hamilton/Haney) – OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHOLOGY (OCAST). This is a shell bill providing for duties and compensation of employees of OCAST.
• HB 3039 (Hamilton/Haney) – APPROPRIATIONS/STATE REGENTS/PHYSICIAN MANPOWER. This is a shell appropriations bill for the State Regents and the Physician Manpower Training Commission.
• HB 3040 (Hamilton/Haney) – APPROPRIATIONS/INSTITUTIONS. This is a shell bill appropriating to the State Regents for allocation to the institutions.
• HB 3041 (Hamilton/Haney) – APPROPRIATIONS/PHYSICIAN MANPOWER. Shell bill providing budgetary limitations for the Physician Manpower Training Commission.
• HB 3050 (Hamilton/Haney) – APPROPRIATIONS. Makes general appropriations to various agencies, including the State Regents, the Physician Manpower Training Commission, OCAST, the Teacher Preparation Commission, and the University Hospitals Authority.
• HB 3058 (Hamilton/Haney) – BUDGET AND PROGRAM OVERSIGHT. Removes the oversight authority of the Joint Legislative Committee on Budget and Program Oversight on executive branch compliance with the legislative intent of appropriation measures.
• HB 3070 (Hamilton/Haney) – SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS. This is a shell bill relating to sole source and professional service contracts. (74 § 85.42)
• HB 3078 (Graves) – WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. This is a shell bill relating to Workers’ Compensation. (85 § 5)
• HB 3086 (Braddock) – INTERNAL AUDITS. Directs boards of regents of State System institutions to require a quality control review of the internal audit function for each institution under its governance; deletes the requirement for the state auditor and inspector to perform quality control reviews of such internal audit functions but requires a copy of the report on the quality control review to be filed with the auditor and inspector. (74 § 213)
• HB 3087 (Graves) – LIBRARIES. Removes the requirement that librarians and library officials have a degree from a school accredited by the American Library Association. (65 § 3-103)
• HB 3100 (Coleman) – EDUCATIONAL INDICATORS. Requires comparison information from the Educational Indicators Program to include information on the total amount of educational and related services expenditures for special education programs by all school districts and the statewide average expenditure per student in a special education program. (70 § 1210.531)
• HB 3111 (Bastin) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Decreases from 10 years to seven years the vesting period required for a member of the Teachers’ Retirement System (OTRS); modifies the period of service required for continuation of health and dental insurance coverage. (70 §§ 17-103, 17-105; 74 § 1316.3)
• HB 3120 (Begley) – TECHNOLOGY. This is a shell bill creating the "Technology in the Classroom Act." (70 § 1210.901)
• HB 3124 (Askins) – WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. Modifies exemptions from the Workers’ Compensation Act to provide an exemption for an employer with a maximum of five total employees, all of whom are related to the employer by blood or marriage to within the third degree; deletes the restriction on maximum income benefits for death. (85 §§ 2.6, 22)
• HB 3128 (Graves) – TENURE. Eliminates tenure within the State System of Higher Education. (70 § 3102.1)
• HB 3132 (Graves) – ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. Permits agencies with more than 100 pages of rules in the Oklahoma Administrative Code that are unable to meet the Dec. 31, 1998, deadline for review of regulations to have until Dec. 31, 2000, if the agency develops, files and publishes a schedule for compliance. (75 § 403)
• HB 3141 (Phillips) – UNEMPLOYMENT. Provides that if the unemployment compensation fund exceeds a balance of $700 million, all excess monies will be refunded on a pro rata basis to all employers who have maintained an account with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission in any part of the last four completed calendar quarters before the fund exceeded such balance. (40 § 3-611)
• HB 3144 (Paulk) – CHILD CARE/SEX OFFENDERS. Permits a local law enforcement agency to photograph an offender registered with the Corrections Department when such person returns the annual address verification form to the local law enforcement agency; allows copying of the file of sex offender registrations; provides for language on notice sent to any public or private elementary school or child care facility licensed by the state. (57 § 582)
• HB 3160 (Satterfield/Morgan) – PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS/EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVE. Requires that an educational incentive for the completion of degrees of higher education be paid to commissioned Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers; specifies amounts to be paid monthly. (47 § 2-130.2)
• HB 3168 (Laura Boyd) – HEALTH INSURANCE/FLEXIBLE BENEFITS. Provides that a state employee who places his or her dependents on a health insurance plan available through the flexible benefits plan shall have one-half of the premium rate for the dependents paid by the state. (74 § 1371)
• HB 3169 (Betty Boyd) – GENETIC NONDISCRIMINATION. Creates the "Genetic Nondiscrimination Act"; prohibits certain actions by insurers for the purpose of determining eligibility of an individual for any insurance coverage, establishing premiums, limiting coverage, renewing coverage, terminating coverage or any other underwriting decision in connection with the offer, sale or renewal or continuation of a policy for a life or accident and health insurance policy, except to the extent and in the same fashion as an insurer limits coverage or increases premiums for loss caused or contributed to by other medical conditions presenting an increased degree of risk. (36 § 3614.1)
• HB 3171 (Hopper Smith) - HEALTH INSURANCE. The committee substitute requires health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and prepaid health plans to reimburse all claims from an enrollee, an assignee or a health care provider within 60 days after receipt of the claim; requires the insurer, if a claim or a portion of a claim is contested or denied by the insurer, to notify the enrollee, assignee or provider in writing within 45 days after receipt of the claim; requires that the uncontested portion of the claim be paid within 60 days after receipt of the claim; makes overdue payments subject to simple interest at the rate of 10 percent per year. (63 § 2514)
• HB 3174 (Ferguson) – CURRICULUM. This is a shell bill relating to pubic school curriculum standards. (70 § 11-103.6)
• HB 3175 (Hopper Smith) – HEALTH INSURANCE/BONE DENSITY TESTING. This is a shell bill relating to insurance coverage for bond density testing. (36 § 6060.1)
• HB 3177 (John Sullivan) – HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM. Requires graduation requirements, beginning with students graduating from high school at the end of the spring semester of the 2001-02 school year, to include four units of language arts, four units of science, four units of mathematics and four units of social studies. (70 § 11-1036)
• HB 3178 (Ferguson) – TUITION TRUST. This is a shell bill relating to the Oklahoma Tuition Trust. (70 § 6003)
• HB 3179 (Bryant) – PATHFINDER SCHOOLS. Creates the "Oklahoma Pathfinder Schools Act"; defines "pathfinder school" as a public school established by contract with a board of education of a school district to provide learning that will improve student achievement; authorizes a public school, public body, public or private college or university, private person or private organization to contract with a sponsor to establish a pathfinder school. (70 §§ 3-130/3-143)
• HB 3189 (Gray) – ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. Increases the time allowed for the governor to approve a preemptive rule from 14 calendar days to 28 calendar days; requires that the governor’s approval certificate and approved preemptive or emergency rules be retained as official records by the Office of Administrative Rules; extends the time allowed for publication of the Administrative Code from July 31 of each year to August 15 of each year; requires agencies, by Dec. 31, 2002, to maintain and index all final orders that agency intends to rely upon as precedent; provides that, after that date, a written final order shall not be relied upon as a precedent by an agency to the detriment of any person until it has been made available for public inspection and indexed; requires agencies, within 10 days after adoption of a permanent rule, to file one copy with the governor and two copies with the House speaker and Senate president pro tempore all such new rules or amendments, revisions or revocations to an existing rule proposed by an agency and the agency rule report; requires that the text of adopted rules be submitted to the House speaker and Senate president pro tempore; permits agencies with more than 100 pages of rules in the Oklahoma Administrative Code that are unable to meet the Dec. 31, 1998, deadline for review of regulations to have until Dec. 31, 2000, if the agency develops, files and publishes a schedule for compliance. (75 § 250.3)
• HB 3210 (Roach) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. This is a shell bill enacting the "Higher Education Technology Transfer Improvement Act of 1998".
• HB 3211 (Roach) – RESEARCH FACILITY. This is a shell bill enacting the "Higher Education Research and Development Facility Utilization Act."
• HB 3213 (Paulk) – SMOKE DETECTORS FOR DEAF. Changes the words "hearing impaired" to "deaf or hard of hearing" in several section of the Statutes, including one that requires any school or college that provides housing to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to make a visual warning smoke detector available for each such individual’s use. (74 § 324.11b)
• HB 3226 (Benson) – AIRPLANE TRAVEL. This is a shell bill relating to state officers and employees traveling on state business on a privately owned or chartered airplane. (74 § 500.6)
• HB 3231 (Wells) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Enacts the "Teachers’ Retirement System Service Crediting Policy Act of 1998."
• HB 3234 (Morgan) – RETIREMENT. Enacts the "Governmental Defined Benefit Plan Corrections Act of 1998."
• HB 3236 (Settle) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Modifies section limiting retirement benefit increase to exclude the OTRS; modifies the vesting period from 10 to five years; modifies required employer contribution rates; provides for an increase in benefits of annuitants; prescribes dates for additional benefit increases. (62 § 1001)
• HB 3237 (Ingmire) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. States legislative intent that the State System institutions provide funding for the recruitment and hiring of "research stars" in areas of the greatest economic and scholastic promise. (70 § 4710)
• HB 3241 (Ferguson) – EMPLOYEE OATHS. Requires the oath or affirmation subscribed to by every state employee to be filed with the personnel officer of the state entity employing the state employee. (51 § 36.3)
• HB 3256 (Liotta) – INCOME TAX CREDIT/COLLEGE GRADUATES. Provides an income tax credit for Oklahoma employers who hire a state resident who is a new full-time-equivalent employee who has earned a degree from a four-year public college or university in this state within one year previous to employment and who has worked at least one full year for the eligible employer. (68 § 2357.26)
• HB 3263 (Miller) – FINANCIAL AID. This is a shell bill relating to higher education financial assistance such as student loans, grants, fellowships, or teaching fellowships. (70 § 624)
• HB 3271 (Collins) – SMOKING. This is a shell bill relating to smoking in public places. (63 § 1-1523)
• HB 3272 (Hiett) – INCOME TAX DEDUCTION/TUITION. Provides for an income tax deduction limited to $1,000 for tuition paid to a pubic Oklahoma college or university. (68 § 2358)
• HB 3276 (O’Neal) – INCOME TAX CREDIT/TUITION. Provides for an income tax credit in the amount of tuition paid to a four-year pubic Oklahoma college or university for courses successfully completed in pursuit of an advanced degree. (68 § 2357.26)
• HB 3284 (Leist) – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Creates the nine-member Brownfields Economic Development Incentives Council until Dec. 31, 2000, to explore funding strategies and financial incentives to facilitate the use of the Oklahoma Brownfields Voluntary Redevelopment Act. Council membership includes a faculty member from "an institution of higher learning of university status" who "shall be experienced in matters of scientific knowledge in matters of pollution control and evaluation." (27A § 2-15-111)
• HB 3312 (Seikel) – SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS. Authorizes an agency to enter into a sole source or professional services contract with a person who has retired from the state with retirement service credit equal to 80 points, as used by the retirement system to determine whether the person has reached a normal retirement date. (74 § 85.42)
• HB 3318 (Paulk) – HIRING FREEZE. Prohibits the governor from implementing a hiring freeze without declaring a financial emergency; defines "financial emergency" as a period of time when funds available for appropriation by the legislature increase by less than 1 percent from the previous fiscal year or when there is a revenue failure in the general revenue fund causing the funding to agencies to be reduced. (74 S 840-2.14)
• HB 3340 (Perry) – TELECOMMUNICATIONS. Clarifies language relating to the Oklahoma Telecommunications Act of 1997. (17 § 139.104)
• HB 3343 (Ervin) – MEDICAL EDUCATION. This is a shell bill relating to the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine - Tulsa. (70 § 3313)
• HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTIONS
• HJR 1064 (Roberts) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. This is a proposed constitutional amendment requiring deposit of surplus state funds to the credit of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma (OTRS).
• HJR 1067 (Hamilton) - CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. This is a proposed constitutional amendment authorizing issuance of bonds for capital improvement purposes.
• HJR 1073 (Bonny) – OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHOLOGY (OCAST). This is a shell bill proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) to use public funds not exceeding 1 percent of total state appropriations for the applicable, not the current, fiscal year to promote economic development through grants or loans to individuals, companies, corporations, or associations.
• HJR 1074 (Hopper Smith) – OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHOLOGY (OCAST). This is a shell bill proposing a constitutional amendment relating to the authority of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST).
• HJR 1077 (Hamilton/Haney) – CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BONDS. This is a proposed constitutional amendment authorizing the state to issue bonds for capital improvements.
• HJR 1079 (Roach) – PUBLIC PROPERTY. This is a proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting state officials and employees from using public property or resources for any personal or partisan political purposes unless specifically allowed by law.
• HJR 1084 (Roach) – OKLAHOMA HOPE SCHOLARSHIP. A proposed constitutional amendment creating the Oklahoma Hope Scholarship Program to provide eligible Oklahoma students with money for higher education general enrollment fees, supplementary and special fees and up to $100 per semester as a book allowance; requires that students meet certain income eligibility requirements and have completed high school with a "B" average and maintain such an average in college; outlines alternative funding sources.
• HJR 1087 (Roach) - OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHOLOGY (OCAST). This is a proposed constitutional amendment deleting the restriction that public funds may be invested by the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology only in projects involving Oklahoma colleges and universities.
• HJR 1088 (Roach) – HIGHER EDUCATION FACILITIES/PRIVATE RESEARCH. This is a proposed constitutional amendment authorizing the use of facilities located at institutions within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education in connection with a project pursuant to which the results of research have potential economic value in the private sector.
• HJR 1090 (Liotta) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Proposed constitutional amendment requiring the legislature to enact laws to provide for payment of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the OTRS, whether through direct appropriation, dedicated revenue sources or other methods, so that the ratio of assets to actuarial accrued liability of the system equals 50 percent by the end of fiscal year 1999, 60 percent by the end of fiscal 2000, 70 percent by the end of fiscal 2001 and at least 70 percent for all subsequent years.
• HJR 1094 (Hastings) – LEGISLATIVE SESSION/APPROPRIATIONS. Proposed constitutional amendment requiring the legislature to meet in the second regular session from the first Monday in April to the end of May in even numbered years; limits the second regular session to appropriations, capital budget, bonds, taxes, legislation form the previous regular session vetoed by the governor and legislation of an emergency nature.