LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Higher Education Appropriated $10.6 Million; Rainy Day Funds Still on Hold: On Wednesday, the House and Senate passed HB 3039, a bill appropriating $10.6 million in "new" money to higher education from the state general revenue fund. The bill passed both houses easily on votes of 97-3 and 46-0. The Governor has until next Wednesday, May 27, to act on the bill.

Legislative leaders have expressed support for appropriating an additional $40 million in "new" money to higher education from the state's "Rainy Day Fund". However, such action can only be accomplished under two scenarios: (1) the Governor must declare an "emergency" and two-thirds of both the House and Senate must vote in favor of the appropriation; or (2) if the Governor does not declare an "emergency", the House Speaker and Senate ProTempore may jointly declare an "emergency", but the appropriation must be approved by a three-fourths vote of both houses.

At this point, final agreements between legislative leaders and the Governor concerning the use of the Rainy Day Fund have not been reached.

Senate Clears Four Nominations: The full Senate gave final consent this week to the following gubernatorial nominations:

• Jerry Dansby, of Valliant, to the McCurtain County Higher Education Program Board of Trustees
• Bill O'Conner, of Ponca City, to the Northern Oklahoma College Board of Regents
• Georgia Tate, of Heavener, to the Eastern Oklahoma College Board of Regents
• Martin Van Meter, of Durant, to the Murray State College Board of Regents

Technology Transfer Bill Signed by Governor: On Monday, Governor signed HB 2863, a bill that could allow higher education institutions in Oklahoma to benefit financially from commercially successful products developed from university research. A companion resolution, HJR 1073, has also passed the Legislature. The resolution calls for a statewide vote to amend Oklahoma's constitution allowing university facilities to be used for this purpose. HJR 1073 does not require the Governor's approval.

Senate Committee to Hear More Nominations: The Senate Education Committee will meet at 2:00 p.m. next Tuesday, May 26, in room 534 at the Capitol to consider eighteen executive nominations, including the following twelve higher education nominees (name of the sponsoring senator is in parentheses):

• Stephen Bentley, Lawton, to the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma, to serve a seven-year term ending March 21, 2005, succeeding himself. (Maddox)
• G. David Casper, Oklahoma City, to the Board of Regents for Oklahoma City Community College, to serve a seven-year term ending April 22, 2005, succeeding Rebecca Hamilton. (Leftwich)
• Dale Covington, McAlester, to the Board of Regents of Eastern Oklahoma State College, to serve an unexpired term ending June 1, 2000, succeeding Kenneth Sherrill. (Stipe)
• Chuck Darby, Broken Bow, to the Board of Trustees for the McCurtain County Higher Education Program, to serve a nine-year term ending June 30, 2007, succeeding Carla Stauter. (Rabon)
• Robert J. Hays, Chickasha, to the Board of Regents of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, to serve a seven-year term ending June 30, 2005, succeeding Harbour Whitaker. (Price)
• Jerry Heatherington, Sallisaw, to the Board of Regents of Carl Albert State College, to serve a seven-year term ending July 1, 2005, succeeding himself. (Dickerson)
• Lynne Saunders, Midwest City, to the Board of Regents of Rose State College, to serve an unexpired term ending July 1, 2002, succeeding Marie Jordan. (Herbert)
• Randall Sheets, Altus, to the Board of Regents of Western Oklahoma State College, to serve a seven-year term ending March 24, 2005, succeeding himself. (Kerr)
• Cindy Ward, El Reno, to the Board of Regents for Redlands Community College, to serve a seven-year term ending April 22, 2005, succeeding Donna Van Tungeln. (Gustafson)
• Sylvia Weedman, Shawnee, to the Oklahoma Student Loan Authority, to serve a five-year term ending April 6, 2002, succeeding herself. (Henry)
• Thomas Sterling Wetzel, Stillwater, to the Oklahoma Student Loan Authority, to serve a five-year term ending April 6, 2003, succeeding himself. (Morgan)
• Betty Wright, Del City, to the Board of Regents for Rose State College, to serve a seven-year term ending July 1, 2005, succeeding herself. (Brown)

May 29, Friday Sine Die Adjournment

Actions on Bills This Week:

• SB 832 - Telemedicine Advisory Council
• SB 873 - health insurance; prostate cancer coverage
• SB 903 - appropriations; Ok. Commission for Teacher Preparation
• SB 923 - appropriations; programs at OUHSC
• SB 934 - appropriations; asbestos abatement
• SB 940 - appropriations; tourism internship
• SB 996 - open meeting/open records; "public body"
• SB 1250 - dual office holding
• SB 1406 - high school diploma with distinction
• SCR 63 - authorizing revenue bonds for Univ. of Science and Arts of Ok.
• SCR 69 - honoring Oklahoma Poet Laureate Betty Lou Shipley
• HB 2802 - deleting certain statutorily-required reports
• HB 2855 - reduction-in-force; retirement, health insurance
• HB 2860 - disclosure of employee information
• HB 3010 - appropriations; Ok. Center for Advancement of Science & Tech.
• HB 3039 - appropriations; higher education funding
• HB 3160 - public safety officers; educational incentive
• HB 3171 - health insurance; reimbursement of claims
• HB 3189 - administrative procedures; exemption for governing boards
• HB 3213 - smoke detectors for the hard of hearing
• HB 3287 - electronic signature technology
• HCR 1081 - website complaint/comment forms

Bills Failed on Senate Floor:

• none

Bills Passed on House Floor:

• SB 873 - health insurance; prostate cancer coverage
• SB 903 - appropriations; Ok. Commission for Teacher Preparation
• SB 923 - appropriations; programs at OUHSC
• SB 934 - appropriations; asbestos abatement
• SB 940 - appropriations; tourism internship
• SB 996 - open meeting/open records; "public body"
• SB 1250 - dual office holding
• SB 1355 - inventors assistance program
• SB 1406 - high school diploma with distinction
• SCR 66 - honoring memory of Frank Best Thompson
• SCR 69 - honoring Oklahoma Poet Laureate Betty Lou Shipley
• HB 1720 - privatization of state services
• HB 2277 - thistle eradication
• HB 2279 - licensed professional counselors
• HB 2290 - health insurance
• HB 2802 - deleting certain statutorily-required reports
• HB 2855 - reduction-in-force; retirement, health insurance
• HB 2860 - disclosure of employee information
• HB 3010 - appropriations; Ok. Center for Advancement of Science & Tech.
• HB 3039 - appropriations; higher education funding
• HB 3160 - public safety officers; educational incentive
• HB 3213 - smoke detectors for the hard of hearing
• HB 3287 - electronic signature technology
• HJR 1112 - disapproving rules for NWOSU and NSU

Bills Failed on the House Floor:

• none

Bills Sent to the Governor:

• SB 873 - health insurance; prostate cancer coverage
• SB 903 - appropriations; Ok. Commission for Teacher Preparation
• SB 923 - appropriations; programs at OUHSC
• SB 934 - appropriations; asbestos abatement
• SB 940 - appropriations; tourism internship
• SB 996 - open meeting/open records; "public body"
• SB 1355 - inventors assistance program
• SB 1406 - high school diploma with distinction
• HB 2855 - reduction-in-force; retirement, health insurance
• HB 2860 - disclosure of employee information
• HB 3039 - appropriations; higher education funding
• HB 3010 - appropriations; Ok. Center for Advancement of Science & Tech.
• HB 3160 - public safety officers; educational incentive
• HB 3171 - health insurance; reimbursement of claims
• HB 3189 - administrative procedures; exemption for institutions
• HB 3213 - smoke detectors for the hard of hearing
• HB 3287 - electronic signature technology

Bills Signed By the Governor:

• SB 901 - appropriations; common education
• SB 1170 - poultry feeding operations/waste management
• HB 2405 - landscape architects; licensing requirements
• HB 2578 - breast cancer; research project funding
• HB 2860 - disclosure of employee information
• HB 2863 - technology transfer
• HB 3171 - health insurance; reimbursement of claims

Bills Vetoed By the Governor:

• none

CHANGES TO THE LIST

Bills Added to the List:

• SB 903 - appropriations; Ok. Commission for Teacher Preparation
• SB 940 - appropriation bill; tourism internship
• SB 1342 - child support; health insurance coverage
• SCR 68 - recognizing philanthropy of Lynn and Charles Shusterman
• SCR 69 - honoring Oklahoma Poet Laureate Betty Lou Shipley
• SCR 72 - aeronautics industry; spaceport
• SCR 75 - authorizing revenue bonds for the University of Oklahoma
• SR 75 - recognizing Marvin Stokes; ECU Distinguished Alumnus
• HB 1065 - workers compensation
• HB 1720 - privatization of state services
• HCR 1104 - use of temporary employees
• HR 1055 - recognizing Marvin Stokes; ECU Distinguished Alumnus

Bills Deleted from the List:

• none

May 22, 1998

Academic Scholars, HB 2860

Administrative procedures, HB 2963, HB 3189

Advanced placement, SB 1427

Agriculture cooperatives task force, HB 2823

Aircraft, state, HB 3226

Albert, Carl, Internship, HB 2860

Animal feeding operations, SB 1175

Annuity contracts, HB 2326

Appropriations

Asbestos abatement, SB 934

Atkinson, H. B., SR 49

Audits, internal, HB 3086

Bids, HB 2909

Biennial report, HB 2802

Bond issue, HJR 1077

Breast cancer research, HB 2578

Brisch, Hans, HR 1043

Budget and program oversight, HB 3058

Campus safety, SB 1104

Capital improvement bonds, HJR 1077

Certified Public Accountants’ education requirements, SB 1310

Child abuse prevention, HB 2837, HCR 1087

Child care facilities, HB 2837, HB 3144

Children First Program, SB 923

Civil discovery, HB 2423

College savings plan, SB 1430, HB 2934, HB 3152

Complaint form, HCR 1081

Contracts, SB 1050, HB 2693, HB 2802, HB 2909, HB 3070

Credit card

Data processing, SB 862, HB 2219, HB 2228

Dental Board, SB 448

Diploma with distinction, SB 1406

Dual-office holding, SB 1250

East Central University distinguished alumnus, SR 75, HR 1055

Economic development, SB 798, HB 1162

Educational Indicators Program, HB 2897

Electronic signature technology, HB 3287

Employee

Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History, SB 1137

Faculty personnel policies, HCR 1099

Family Savings Initiative, SB 1350

Fees, HB 3189, HJR 1112

Fire ant research, HB 2914

4-H Day, HCR 1068

Future Teachers Scholarship, SB 1432

Garnishment, HB 2568

Genetic nondiscrimination, HB 3169

Governmental Tort Claims, SB 1250

Hauptman, Herbert, SR 52

Holidays, HB 2607, HB 2822

Income assignment, SB 1342

Individual retirement accounts, SB 1167

Insurance, health, HB 2290

Insurance, life, HB 2290

International students, HCR 1075

Inventors assistance program, SB 1355

Inventory, reusable, HB 2909

Job training, HB 2363, HB 2638

Juvenile Sex Offenders, HB 2219, HB 2230

Landscape architects, HB 2405

Langston University, SB 1426, HB 2361, HB 3213

Leave sharing, HB 2566

License plates, SB 1183

Long-Range Capital Planning, SB 981

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

Mouton, Eric, SCR 61

Nigh, George, SCR 40

Northeastern Oklahoma University

Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), SB 1355, HB 2578, HB 2863, HB 3010, HB 3012

Oklahoma Colleges, Board of Regents, HJR 1112

Oklahoma Hope Scholarship, HJR 1084

Oklahoma Native American Day, HB 2822

Oklahoma State University

OneNet, SB 820

Open Meeting, SB 996

Open Records, SB 996

Optometry, SB 1192

OU/OSU Tulsa, SB 1426

Partnership schools, HB 3186

Payroll reports, SJR 19

Poultry

Privatization of state functions, HB 1720, HB 2532

Publications, HB 2802

Public

Purchasing, SB 820, SB 1174, HB 1822, HB 2693, HB 2802, HR 1043

Reading proficiency tests, HB 2889

Real estate courses, HB 2563

Recycling, HB 2802, HB 2952

Redlands Community College, SB 1270

Reduction in force, HB 2855

Remediation, SB 1349, HB 2897

Reports, SJR 19, HB 2802

Research (see also Technology transfer)

Residential care home administrator certification, SB 1013

Retirement, HB 2668

Rogers University, SB 1426, HB 2361

Rose State College, SR 49

School testing, SB 1349, SB 1406, HB 2889, HB 2897

Schusterman, Lynn and Charles, SCR 68

Science and Technology Month, HR 1046

Section 13 lands, HB 3213

Shipley, Betty Lou, SCR 69

Smoke detectors, HB 3213

Sole source contracts, HB 1822, HB 2693, HB 3070, HB 3312

Southwestern Oklahoma State University, SCR 61, SCR 66

Spaceport, SCR 72

Speech pathologists/audiologists education requirements, HB 3244

State agency reform, HB 2740

State Regents, SB 955, HR 1043

Stephens, Chris M., SR 68

Stokes, Marvin, SR 75, HR 1055

Student loans, SB 798

Tax

Teacher

Technology

Telecommunications, SB 832, SB 862, HB 2219, HB 2228, HB 2868

Telemedicine, SB 832, HB 2868

Temporary personnel, HB 1822, HCR 1104

Therapists, marital and family, HB 2279

Thistle eradication, HB 2277

Thompson, Frank Best, SCR 66

Tourism management internship, SB 940

Travel, SB 1246

Trust institutions, HB 2894

Tuition trust, HB 2934

Tulsa, university in, SB 1426, HB 2361, HB 2399

Tulsa State University, HB 2399

Unemployment, SB 793, HB 2792

University Center at Tulsa, SB 1426

University of Central Oklahoma, SCR 40, SR 52

University of Oklahoma

University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma revenue bonds, SCR 63

Veterinary college/university, SB 1236

Vietnam Veterans Day, HB 2255

Violence prevention, SJR 16

Workers’ Compensation, SB 1185, HB 1065

Status Reported as of May 21, 1998

• SB 448 (Robinson/Stanley) – DENTAL BOARD. Clarifies language relating to the State Dental Board; provides that the Board of Dentistry shall provide by emergency rule that a licensed dentist who meets the educational requirements as required by the State Dental Act may transport any necessary monitoring equipment and anesthesia supplies to additional office locations. (59 § 328.15)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (26-17) 02/25/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 04/13/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 05/07/98

• SB 776 (Roberts/Begley) – TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Requires that a graduated amount equal to a portion of a teacher’s annual salary be credited against the employee contribution amount to the Teachers’ Retirement System for FY’99. (70 §17-108.2)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (100-0) 04/08/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

• 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; 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; provides that an employer’s benefit wages shall not include wages paid by the employer to any employee or former employee who was discharged by an employer for unsatisfactory performance during an initial employment probationary period; 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)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (43-0) 03/09/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (96-0) 04/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/29/98

• SB 798 (Stipe/Mass) – INCOME TAX CREDIT/STUDENT LOANS. Creates 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.); provides for an income tax credit for student loan payments for loans made after the effective date of this act, covering the cost of attendance at a state higher education institution, with which the taxpayer must have obtained a degree from such an institution; limits credit to the amount of loan repayments made in the tax year; provides for a 10-year carry-forward. (68 § 2357.71)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (96-0) 04/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/28/98

• SB 820 (Robinson/Adair) – 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. The conference committee substitute no longer includes language relating to OneNet; adds language stating legislative intent that the act be considered a constitutional amendment. (74 § 85.9E)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 03/04/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (100-0) 03/31/98

CCR SUBMITTED TO SENATE 05/11/98

CCR READ - SENATE 05/13/98

LAID OVER - SENATE 05/13/98

• SB 832 (Robinson/Ervin) – TELEMEDICINE/TECHNOLOGY. 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; states duties of the Council; creates an Office of Technology, to be managed by an executive director appointed by the Governor, to provide leadership and direction for information and communications technology to encourage the development of a technology-literate population and to ensure sufficient access to and efficient delivery of government services; makes the executive director of the office the state’s chief information officer and technology advisor; creates a nine-member Governmental Technology Policy Board as a policy board to oversee the functions of the office; establishes as advisory councils the State Agency Advisory Council, the Education Advisory Council, the Local Government Advisory Council, the Telehealth Advisory Council and the Geographic Information Systems Advisory Council; requires the executive director to submit an annual technology report to the Governor and the Legislature; transfers the Information Services Division of the Office of State Finance to the Office of Technology. The conference committee substitute creates a Telemedicine Advisory Council until July 1, 2004, with four members appointed by the Governor, three each appointed by the Senate president pro tempore and House speaker and six ex officio voting members, one of whom would be the Chancellor; authorizes the Council to appoint five additional members; requires the Council to advise the Governor and Legislature regarding improvement of public policy relating to telemedicine. (36 § 6805)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 03/11/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (70-30) 04/08/98

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/18/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE 05/18/98

CCR SUBMITTED TO HOUSE 05/18/98

CCR READ - HOUSE 05/18/98

• SB 862 (Harrison/Askins) – TEACHER PREPARATION. Removes from the 2004 sunset list the State Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee and the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation. (74 § 3905)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 03/09/98

TITLE STRICKEN 03/30/98

ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN - HOUSE 03/30/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (101-0) 03/30/98

• SB 873 (Helton/Glover) – HEALTH INSURANCE/PROSTATE CANCER. Provides that unless the Board has otherwise contracted with an out-of-state hospital, the Board shall pay for medical services and treatment rendered by an out-of-state hospital at the same level paid to an in-state hospital if the insured employee was referred to the out-of-state hospital by a physician and the out-of-state hospital is the closest hospital to the employee’s residence; requires health benefit plans offered by the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board and the State Employee Benefits Council to provide coverage for side effects commonly associated with radical retropubic prostatectomy surgery, including impotence and incontinence, and for other prostate-related conditions; requires the Board and Council to notify insureds regarding the coverage. (74 §§ 1324, 1373)

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/19/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE 05/19/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/21/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE 05/21/98

ENROLLED - SENATE 05/21/98

• SB 901 (Haney/Hamilton) – APPROPRIATIONS. Appropriates to the State Board of Education. Section 11 allocates $4.2 million for Advanced Placement Incentives; Section 11 specifies how the $4.2 million allocated in Section 11 is to be used; Section 19 provides that $500,000 shall be allocated by the State Department of Education for scholarships to the Great Expectations Summer Institutes for Teachers offered by a State System institution; designates funds for Professional Development Institutes; Section 20 apportions $280,344 to be expended on a competitive application basis to a State System institution for implementing telecommunications curriculum statewide; Section 21 provides that of the funds allocated for Community Education Grants, $25,000 be expended on a contractual basis to a community education consortium group which is associated with a State System institution; Section 22 designates certain funds in the Education Leadership Oklahoma Revolving Fund for program development and evaluation by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation and curriculum enhancement and monitoring programs for teacher applicants on a contract basis with a State System institution; Section 28 designates $48,000 of funds allocated to the State Department of Education to ensure participation in the National Assessment of Educational Progress; Section 29 designates that $48,105 of funds allocated to the State Department of Education be available for contracting with the Oklahoma Alliance for Geographic Education to provide in-service training and material for geography instruction.

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/13/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 05/13/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/13/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (97-1) 05/13/98

• SB 903 (Haney/Hamilton) – APPROPRIATIONS/TEACHER PREPARATION. The conference committee substitute appropriates to various education entities, including $72,496 to the Commission for Teacher Preparation.

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/19/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (42-0) 05/19/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/20/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (90-5) 05/20/98

• SB 906 (Haney/Hamilton) – APPROPRIATIONS. Provides budgetary limitations for the Commission for Teacher Preparation.

BILL PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 02/10/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (70-29) 03/11/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/28/98

• 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. The conference committee substitute states legislative intent that $4,922,333 be used for perinatal, women’s and children’s services for low-income persons statewide; requires the Health Department to transfer $10,450,013 to the Children First fund; specifies budgetary limitations for the University Hospitals Authority.

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/20/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE 05/20/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/21/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE 05/21/98

ENROLLED - SENATE 05/21/98

• SB 928 (Haney/Hamilton) - APPROPRIATIONS. Provides budgetary limitations for the University Hospitals.

BILL PASSED - SENATE (45-1) 02/10/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (87-11) 03/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/28/98

• SB 934 (Haney/Hamilton) – APPROPRIATIONS/ASBESTOS ABATEMENT. Section 17 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 29 requires the State Regents to cooperate with the Department of Labor to provide information required concerning asbestos abatement.

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/21/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE 05/21/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/21/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE 05/21/98

ENROLLED - SENATE 05/21/98

• SB 940 (Haney/Hamilton) – APPROPRIATIONS/TOURISM MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIP. Appropriates to the Tourism and Recreation Department; authorizes the State Regents to establish an internship program in conjunction with the Department for students enrolled in a State System institution who are pursuing an associate or business administration degree in the area of tourism management.

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/21/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE 05/21/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/21/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE 05/21/98

ENROLLED - SENATE 05/21/98

• SB 955 (Haney/Hamilton) – STATE REGENTS. This is a shell bill relating to the powers and duties of the State Regents. (70 § 3206)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (43-3) 02/10/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (92-6) 03/17/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/28/98

• 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.

BILL PASSED - SENATE (38-0) 03/11/98

BILL PASSED HOUSE (94-1) 04/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/29/98

• SB 962 (Haney/Hamilton) - APPROPRIATIONS. Modifies certain budgetary limitations for the Physician Manpower Training Commission.

BILL PASSED - SENATE (46-0) 02/10/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (92-8) 03/23/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/28/98

• SB 963 (Haney/Hamilton) – APPROPRIATIONS/ONENET. Makes supplemental appropriations to various state agencies. Section 5 appropriates $189,000 to the State Regents to reimburse OneNet for providing a telemedicine program for a rural hospital consortium.

• SB 973 (Haney/Hamilton) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Deletes authority of the Health Care Authority to purchase health care benefits for state and education employees and transfers such authority to the Employee Benefits Council; requires the authority to assist the Council in development of the bid process used to secure bids by health care insurers to provide health care coverage to such employees; requires the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board (OSEEGIB) with the assistance and the approval of the Joint Liaison Committee on State and Employee Group Insurance Benefits to design an additional health benefit plan as a preferred provider organization (PPO) designed plan that would be available as an option for participants by the FY’00 plan year; prohibits the Employee Benefits Council from establishing excessive benefit pricing as bidding criteria; authorizes the Council to negotiate with an HMO that submits a bid the Council determines exceeds industry-claims-expense-trends and the benefit price does not reflect acceptable loss ratios; authorizes the Council if after negotiations the HMO does not revise the bid to lower the benefit price to reject the bid, restrict enrollment in that HMO or prepare and distribute information in the annual enrollment guide and by other means that communicates to participants that the benefit price exceeds acceptable criteria established by the Council; requires all HMOs offering a plan to participants to submit to the Council information regarding utilization data and loss ratios; provides for the confidentiality of proprietary information; limits restrictions on enrollment in HMOs; states legislative intent to appropriate $25 million to the Board from the Rainy Day Fund, all of which shall be used only for decreasing the monthly premiums of the health plan adopted by the board on Dec. 19, 1997, for the FY’99 plan year, which shall be allocated equally throughout the entire plan year; requires benefit plan contracts with OSEEGIB, HMOs and other third-party insurance vendors to provide for a risk adjustment factor for adverse selection that may occur based on generally accepted actuarial principles; requires the exploration of feasibility of privatizing ownership of the state plan; provides that all monies in excess of the adequate plan reserve amount for the self-insured health and dental plans, life insurance and disability insurance administered by OSEEGIB shall be transferred to a Rate Adjustment Pool Fund, with the investment growth to be used to subsidize the premium rates for health plan coverage.

VETO OVERRIDDEN - SENATE 05/04/98

VETO PREVAILED - HOUSE 05/06/98

• SB 981 (Haney/Hamilton) – LONG-RANGE CAPITAL PLANNING. Clarifies language relating to the Long-Range Capital Planning Commission. (62 § 901)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (46-0) 02/10/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (94-5) 04/08/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/29/98

• 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. The conference committee substitute also extends authorization for executive sessions to nonprofit foundations, boards, bureaus, commissions, agencies, trusteeships, authorities, councils, committees, public trusts, task forces and study groups supported in whole or part by public funds or entrusted with the expenditure of funds for purposes of conferring on matters pertaining to economic development, including the transfer of property, financing or the creation of a proposal to entice a business to locate within their jurisdiction if public disclosure of the matter discussed would interfere with development of products or services or if public disclosure would violate the confidentiality of the business. (25 § 304, 51 § 24A.3)

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/20/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE 05/20/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/21/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE 05/21/98

ENROLLED - SENATE 05/21/98

• SB 1013 (Rabon/Ervin) – 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 1033 (Monson/Roberts) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Appropriates $50 million from the constitutional reserve fund to the Teachers’ Retirement System (OTRS) to reduce the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the system; reapportions 2 percent of the natural gas tax currently going to the General Revenue Fund to OTRS; increases from 5 percent to five-sevenths the gross production tax revenue that is required to be apportioned by the Oklahoma Tax Commission; decreases from 21 percent to two-sevenths the amount received from the remaining revenue that is deposited in the General Revenue Fund for direct appropriation by the Legislature; requires that, of the two-sevenths deposited in the General Fund, 33 1/3 percent be apportioned to OTRS for FY’99, 66 2/3 percent for FY’00 and 100 percent for FY’01. (68 §§ 1004, 1004a)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 03/02/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (87-8) 04/01/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/29/98

• SB 1037 (Monson/Roberts) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Relates to benefit increases for certain public retirement systems; Section 6 states that a system for providing a fiscally sound method to provide a periodic cost-of-living increase in benefits for retired members and beneficiaries of Teachers’ Retirement is a matter of high priority and an issue requiring careful analysis. (70 § 17-116.2C)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (37-0) 03/03/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (88-10) 04/07/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

• SB 1050 (Dunlap/Askins) – 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)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (34-13) 03/09/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (93-6) 04/02/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 05/04/98

• SB 1059 (Monson/Seikel) – HEALTH INSURANCE/MENTAL ILLNESS. Requires 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)

VETO OVERRIDDEN - SENATE (35-13) 05/05/98

VETO PREVAILED - HOUSE (54-42) 05/13/98

• SB 1088 (Monson/Askins) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Deletes provisions relating to the Health Care Authority duties relating to health care benefits for state and education employees. (74 § 1365)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 03/11/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 04/06/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/30/98

• SB 1089 (Monson/Askins) – HEALTH INSURANCE/BIDDING CRITERIA. Provides that the Health Care Authority may not modify but may only approve or disapprove the selection of benefits made by the Oklahoma State Employees Benefits Council pursuant to the Oklahoma State Employees Benefits Act; requires the council to purchase health care benefits for participants, develop health care plans for participants and develop a standard basic health care benefits package or packages to be offered by health care providers for participants; requires the council to retain as confidential information the initial bid offers, as well as any subsequent bid offers, made by health plans prior to final contract awards as part of the best and final offer negotiations process for the benefit plan; prohibits the council from establishing any biding criteria relating to excessive benefit pricing; requires HMOs offering a plan to participants, beginning Sept. 1, 1998, and each year thereafter, to submit to the council information regarding utilization data and loss ratios on the state plan business; requires that the council retain as confidential any proprietary information submitted by HMOs; requires the council to promulgate rules that establish the type, form and means by which information collected on utilization data and loss ratios will be communicated to participating employers and participants; requires the council and the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board to begin preparation and distribution of information communicating and explaining the plans available for the FY’99 plan year to participating employers and participants; prohibits such information from including any reference to frozen or limited enrollment in any plan; requires the board to design and make available for enrollment during the next enrollment period a health benefit plan for the FY’99 plan year, in addition to the health benefit plan currently offered by the board; requires that the new plan offer the same range of services and scope of benefits contained in the plan that was offered during the 1998 plan year and the premium rates for the new plan be the same as for the 1998 plan year; requires that the plan contain the same plan design elements as the 1998 plan year but permits the price, ratio or level of each element to be adjusted by the board as necessary to meet the required premium levels; provides that the plan design elements specified in the section include in-network and out-of-network prices, co-insurance, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums and co-pays; authorizes eligible participants for fiscal 1999 to choose as their health care provider any HMO available in their area that submitted a bid to the council during the period; provides for review of expenditure and revenue data to determine whether rates need to be lowered to an actuarially sound level on or before March 1, 1998; expresses legislative intent to appropriate $35.7 million from the Constitutional Reserve Fund for the purpose of subsidizing health insurance plan premium rates.

VETO PREVAILED - SENATE 02/26/98

• SB 1104 (Mickle/Benson) – CAMPUS SAFETY. Relates to "stalking" and "harassment"; authorizes the chief administrative officer of an institution of learning to direct any person to leave the institution who is not a student, officer or employee thereof, who enters the institution without any purpose reasonably connected with any activity conducted at the institution, if the officer determines in good faith that the person substantially interferes with or poses a reasonably foreseeable threat to activities and purposes of the institution, proper maintenance of the institution or the safety of persons lawfully present; authorizes peace officers to seize any weapon when the officer has probable cause to believe it has been used to commit the crime of stalking or harassment, provided an arrest is made, if possible, at the same time; authorizes peace officers to take into custody a person the officer has reasonable cause to believe may have violated such an order or been served such an order. (21 § 1376)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 03/11/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (95-0) 04/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/30/98

• 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)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 03/04/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (100-0) 04/06/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/23/98

• SB 1167 (Wilkerson/Longmacher) – TAX CREDIT/TUITION/EDUCATION IRAS. Provides an income tax credit for tuition and fees for teachers; limits such tax to $25 per credit hour; provides a 5-percent income tax credit for eligible educational individual retirement accounts. (68 §§ 2357, 2357.33)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (41-3) 02/24/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (96-0) 04/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/27/98

• SB 1170 (Muegge/Leist) – POULTRY FEEDING OPERATIONS/OSU COOP EXTENSION. Creates the "Oklahoma Registered Poultry Feeding Operations Act." Section 5 requires operators of registered 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). The conference committee substitute requires integrators to contract with OSU through the Cooperative Service to provide educational training courses and certification of poultry feeding operations and land applicators of poultry waste; directs that such contract require that integrators provide $150,000 during FY’99 and a maximum $50,000 for each of the three subsequent fiscal years; requires that extension service provide to the Secretary of the Environment by Jan. 31 of each year a written report of educational activities involving poultry operators and waste applicators. (2 § 10-9.5)

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/11/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 05/11/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/13/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (100-1) 05/13/98

• SB 1174 (Dickerson/Askins) – PURCHASING. Requires the state purchasing director to delegate to the using agencies procurement actions from statewide contracts, authoring the using agency to determine the product, service or solution; requires the purchasing director to undertake a pilot project to allow selected state agencies to use state purchase cards for purchases less than $25,000; increases from $2,500 to $25,000 the acquisition or contract amounts exempt from competitive bidding procedures. (74 §§ 85.2, 85.5, 85.7, 85.41, 85.33, 85.39, 85.43)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (39-5) 02/23/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (77-17) 04/08/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 05/04/98

• SB 1175 (Muegge/Leist) – ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS/OSU COOP EXTENSION. Modifies the Oklahoma Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) Act; Section 6 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; requires that appropriate curricula and course content be developed under the supervision of the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service.

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-1) 03/10/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (93-6) 03/19/98

• SB 1183 (Wilkerson/Langmacher) – SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES. Provides that if fewer than fifty of any type of special license plate are issued prior to July 1, 2003, or, for any type of special license plate authorized after July 1, 1998, within five years after first being offered, the Tax Commission shall discontinue issuance of that type of special license plate; 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)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (43-1) 02/23/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 04/15/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/30/98

• SB 1185 (Long/Toure) – WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. Prohibits discriminatory or retaliatory actions against an employee who has filed a workers’ compensation claim or taken certain related action; provides that an employee’s decision regarding enrollment in an employer’s workplace medical plan shall be made on an election form; outlines content of form.(85 § 5)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (46-1) 03/04/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (51-47) 04/15/

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/30/98

• SB 1192 (Morgan/Wells) – OPTOMETRY. Adds low-vision rehabilitation, certain types of laser surgery and cosmetic lid surgery to the definition of the practice of optometry; requires certification by the State Board of Examiners in Optometry. (59 § 581)

• SB 1198 (Monson/Askins) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Authorizes the State Employees Benefits Council to retain as confidential information the initial bid offers and subsequent bid offers made by health plans prior to final contract awards as a part of the best and final offer negotiation process for the benefit plan; provides that after the bid is awarded, all information contained in the bid shall be open to the public. (74 § 1365)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 03/09/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/30/98

• SB 1210 (Robinson/Bastin) – INSURANCE. Defines "mandated health benefit"; requires the state insurance commissioner, health commissioner and administrators of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board to submit a report on the social and financial impact of any such benefit in any bill affecting an insurance policy to the governor, House speaker and Senate president pro tempore. (63 § 5023)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (42-4) 03/11/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 04/07/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/28/98

• SB 1236 (Muegge/Wells) – 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 1246 (Weedn/Weaver) – TRAVEL/CREDIT CARDS. Makes all state employees subject to the Travel Reimbursement Act; provides that any provision of the statutes that provides for the payment or reimbursement for the travel expenses, costs or fees of state officers and employees or other persons authorized by law to receive reimbursement for travel expenses, or is inconsistent with the provisions of the act, shall be deemed to provide for reimbursement in accordance with the act, unless a contrary intent is explicitly expressed by law; prohibits the travel expenses of any political subdivision or other state entity not subject to the act from exceeding the travel reimbursement rates; removes certain exclusions from provisions of the act; authorizes the director of the Department of Central Services to exempt any single activity or position from compliance if the director determines that such compliance is not economically feasible or if the health and safety of an individual warrants the noncompliance; prohibits any exemption from exceeding one year; authorizes state agencies to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of conference registration expenses; authorizes payment of such expenses directly to the contracting agency or business establishment; provides for reimbursement for emergency travel by commercial airplane on a first-class basis; provides that reimbursement for a rental automobile used on official business in-state in lieu of a privately owned vehicle shall not exceed the rate provided for the use of a privately owned automobile; provides for reimbursement for in-state airplane travel; requires the legislature and all agencies to submit biannual travel expenditure reports; requires a review of the reports; requires the State Travel Division to establish a uniform credit card system to determine, process, account for, review and audit purchases for food, lodging, transportation, vehicles and other authorized travel expenses; requires that the system be used by all state employees for authorized travel expenses and for purchasing tickets for any authorized mode of transportation; requires that the system be implemented by Jan. 1, 1999, upon the awarding of a contract to a vendor or vendors selected by competitive bid; requires that the system provide that no liability shall inure to the state for fraud, fraudulent practices or lost or stolen cards; 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; repeals sections relating to certain motor vehicles and airplanes. (74 §500.2)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (46-0) 03/02/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (95-0) 04/01/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 05/18/98

• SB 1250 (Easley/Settle) – DUAL OFFICE HOLDING/GOVERNMENTAL TORT CLAIMS. This is a shell bill pertaining to dual-office holding. The conference committee substitute states public policy that the state or a political subdivision may indemnify its employees for punitive or exemplary damages, fees and costs in certain cases filed pursuant to the Governmental Tort Claims Act. (51 § 162)

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/19/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (25-16) 05/19/98

EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (33-8) 05/19/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/20/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (94-3) 05/20/98

SIGNED & TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR 05/21/98

• SB 1270 (Gustafson/Pettigrew) – STATE PROPERTY/REDLANDS. Transfers the authority to use certain property in Canadian County from the Wildlife Conservation Commission to Redlands Community College to be used for agricultural and equine educational purposes; transfers adjacent property to the Oklahoma Historical Society. (74 § 129.8)

• SB 1310 (Fisher/Askins) – CPA REQUIREMENTS. Requires certified public accountant (CPA) applicants, beginning July 1, 2003, to have at least 150 semester hours of college education including a baccalaureate or higher degree conferred by a college or university acceptable to the Accountancy Board from an accredited four-year college or university in the state or any other accredited four-year college or university recognized by the board; requires that a minimum 76 semester hours be earned at the upper-division level; requires that such education requirement be completed prior to submitting an application to the board; requires that the total educational program include an accounting concentration with at least 36 semester hours in accounting courses above principles of accounting or introductory accounting, with at least one course in auditing; requires that the remaining accounting courses be selected from financial accounting, accounting theory, cost/managerial accounting, federal income tax, governmental or not-for-profit accounting, accounting information systems, accounting history and other accounting electives; requires that at least nine semester hours be from among the subjects of economics, statistics, business law, finance, business management, marketing, business communication, management information systems or computer science at the upper-division level; requires that any remaining semester hours be elective at the upper-division level or above. (59 § 15.8)

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/20/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE 05/20/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/21/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE 05/21/98

ENROLLED - SENATE 05/21/98

• SB 1349 (Williams/Betty Boyd) – SCHOOL TESTING/REMEDIATION. Requires that a nationally normed-referenced test be administered to every third-grade student of the Oklahoma public schools; provides that beginning with the 1999-2000 school year a nationally normed norm-referenced test will be administered with criterion-referenced supplements to students in grades five, eight and eleven; requires the tests to consist of both a norm-referenced and criterion-referenced evaluation component that measure specific skills; provides that the criterion-referenced test in Oklahoma history will be administered to students upon completion of the required instruction at the secondary level; provides that for students graduating from high school, beginning with the 1998-99 graduating class, the results of their eleventh-grade criterion-referenced tests be reported on their final transcripts; provides specifications for remediation; authorizes the State Board of Education, contingent upon availability of funds appropriated by the legislature for the Remediation Assistance Grants, to award grants for remediation assistance programs to school districts, nonprofit organizations, or entities formed by interlocal cooperative agreements; provides that priority consideration will be given to applications from schools that have been declared high challenge schools and that emphasize classes required for high school graduation and college admission; requires that grant funding be spent for instruction-related personnel, equipment, transportation, materials and telecommunications, including but not limited to telecommunication equipment, instruction and other materials; provides that any new law in Sections 2 and 3 shall be effective contingent only upon availability of funds. (70 § 1210.508.1)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 03/11/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (93-4) 04/02/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/28/98

• SB 1350 (Brown/Toure) – FAMILY SAVINGS INITIATIVE. Creates the "Family Savings Initiative Act" for the purpose of establishing individual development accounts to help individuals and families with limited means to acquire the means for economic well-being; requires the Commerce Department to enter into contracts with at least four fiduciary organizations in order to allow every qualified state resident access to one fiduciary organization for the purpose of opening an individual development account; provides requirements for proposals; specifies purposes for which such accounts may be used; provides that accounts may be used for postsecondary educational expenses paid directly to an eligible educational institution. (68 § 2357.33)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (36-11) 03/11/988

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 04/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 05/11/98

• SB 1355 (Kerr/Bonny) – Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST). Transfers powers and duties for the inventors assistance program from the Department of Commerce to the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST); requires transfer of funds in the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Program Fund to the credit of the OCAST Research Support Revolving Fund; modifies the information that is to be included in an annual report on the program. (74 § 5064.4)

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/14/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (42-0) 05/14/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/19/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (99-0) 05/19/98

SIGNED & TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR 05/20/98

• SB 1405 (Fisher/Wells) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. Provides that in accordance with SJR 29, boards of regents on behalf of State System institutions may have an ownership interest 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; provides that the effective date is upon certification of election returns favoring approval of the constitutional amendment proposed in SJR 29. (70 § 3231)

BILL PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 02/24/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (96-3) 03/30/98

• SB 1406 (Morgan/Ostrander) – DIPLOMA WITH DISTINCTION. Permits district boards of education to develop and issue a certificate with distinction to high school students who graduate after successfully completing four units each in English, math, social studies and science, two additional units in technology, humanities or the arts, two units of foreign language and achieve a satisfactory score on all 11^th grade criterion-referenced tests; allows applicable vocational classes offered by comprehensive high school vo-tech programs to qualify for technology and math credits; allows advanced placement classes in certain subject areas to be substituted on a course-by-course basis to satisfy the academic units required for a certificate of distinction; prohibits colleges and universities from using a certificate of distinction in their admission standards. The conference committee substitute requires a satisfactory score on all 12^th grade criterion-referenced tests. (70 § 11-103.2c)

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/18/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE 05/18/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/19/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (86-7) 05/19/98

SIGNED & TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR 05/20/98

• SB 1409 (Roberts/Begley) – TEACHERS Preparation Commission. Recreates the Teacher Preparation Commission until July 1, 1999. (70 § 6-199)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (91-6) 04/15/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/27/98

• SB 1424 (Williams/Betty Boyd) – ALTERNATIVE TEACHER CERTIFICATION. Relates to Alternative Placement teaching certificates; modifies examination and subject matter requirements for alternative teaching certification; increases from 90 clock hours to 180 clock hours the time adjunct teachers may teach per semester. (70 §§ 6-122.3)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (38-9) 03/11/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (100-0) 04/06/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 05/04/98

• SB 1426 (Ford/Betty Boyd) – OU/OSU TULSA/UCT/ROGERS. Re-creates the University Center at Tulsa which would contract for upper-division and graduate classes with OU, OSU, Northeastern State University and Langston University; creates a Board of Trustees of UCT; dissolves Rogers University and designates the campus in Claremore as Rogers State College. (70 §§ 466l/4665).

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (34-13) 03/10/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (93-6) 04/08/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

• SB 1427 (Wilcoxson/Betty Boyd) – ADVANCED PLACEMENT. Requires school districts, contingent on available funding, to implement advanced placement courses in English, math, social studies and science subject to a phasing-in schedule; provides that mentor teachers shall be selected by the principal from the certified teachers at a school. (70 § 1210.701)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (41-5) 03/10/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (99-0) 04/07/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

• SB 1430 (Henry/Blackburn) – COLLEGE SAVINGS PLAN. Creates the "Oklahoma College Savings Plan Act;" creates a seven-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 board’s findings and recommendations concerning the program; provides that interest from an account shall be exempt from taxable income until the tax year in which such interest is withdrawn. (70 §§ 3970.1/3970.12)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (46-0) 03/10/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 04/16/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/29/98

• SB 1432 (Horner/Staggs) – FUTURE TEACHERS SCHOLARSHIP. Amends language referring to Future Teachers Scholarships to increase the authorized teachers’ scholarship from $1,500 to $3,000 for junior, senior and graduate level students; requires annual renewal; increases the performance requirement for participants from a 2.5 to a 3.0 GPA. (70 § 698.1)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 03/02/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (96-3) 04/14/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 05/18/98

• SJR 16 (Monson/Laura Boyd) – 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/Weaver) – 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/Wells) – TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. 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.

BILL PASSED - SENATE (37-0) 03/12/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (92-3) 04/01/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/29/98

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

ADOPTED - SENATE 02/04/98

HOUSE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/05/98

• SCR 49 (Morgan/Wells) – OSU/REVENUE BONDS. Authorizes the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges to issue $48 million in revenue bonds for renovating and refurbishing existing athletic facilities and constructing certain new athletic facilities on the OSU campus in Stillwater and to refund certain existing OSU Athletic Department System obligations.

ADOPTED - SENATE 04/27/98

HOUSE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 04/27/98

• SCR 63 (Price/Ramsey) – USAO/REVENUE BONDS. Authorizes the Board of Regents of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma to issue $4.8 million in revenue bonds for construction of a new residential hall and to improve an existing residential facility and other facilities on the Chickasha campus.

ADOPTED - SENATE 05/19/98

HOUSE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 05/20/98

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE 05/20/98

• SCR 66 (Rozell/Culver) – FRANK BEST THOMPSON/DIVING PROGRAMS. Honors the memory of Frank Best Thompson, SCUBA diving legend who helped develop diving programs at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State University; requests that island No. 744 on Lake Tenkiller be named after him.

ADOPTED - SENATE 05/12/98

ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/18/98

• SCR 68 (Taylor/Rice) – LYNN & CHARLES SCHUSTERMAN. Honors Lynn and Charles Shusterman for receiving the National Conference for Community and Justice (NJJC) annual award and the Outstanding Philanthropists of the Year award. The University of Oklahoma is among the causes that have benefited from the generosity of the Schustermans.

ADOPTED - SENATE 05/18/98

HOUSE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 05/19/98

• SCR 69 (Snyder/Paulk) – BETTY LOU SHIPLEY. Praises the career of Oklahoma Poet Laureate Betty Lou Shipley who was an associate professor of English at the University of Oklahoma; expresses condolences upon her death.

ADOPTED - SENATE 05/18/98

ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/20/98

• SCR 72 (Taylor/Benson) – SPACEPORT. Supports the selection of the former Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base at Burns Flat, Oklahoma, as a site for the spaceport; recognizes the expertise possessed by the aerospace and mechanical engineering programs at OU and OSU.

ADOPTED - SENATE 05/19/98

HOUSE COMMITTEE - DO PASS 05/20/98

ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/20/98

• SCR 75 (Monson/Toure) – OU/REVENUE BONDS. Authorizes the OU Board of Regents to issue $4.2 million in revenue bonds to finance a portion of the Utility System Revenue bonds, Series 1977 and 1979.

SENATE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 05/21/98

• SR 49 (Herbert) – H. B. ATKINSON. Praises the career of H. B. Atkinson, who was a co-founder of Midwest City and Rose State College.

• SR 69 (Weedn) – PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION WEEK. Declares May 3-9, 1998, as Public Service Recognition Week in the State of Oklahoma; encourages Oklahoma citizens to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of public employees.

• SR 75 (Wilkerson) – MARVIN STOKES. Proclaims May 18, 1998, as Marvin Stokes Day; recognizes him for his educational achievements, including receiving the Distinguished Alumnus Award from East Central University.

ADOPTED - SENATE 05/18/98

• HB 1065 (Ervin/Henry) – WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. Changes the name of the Special Indemnity Fund to the Multiple Injury Trust Fund; authorizes the Board to transfer funds to the Multiple Injury Trust Fund for eliminating delinquent awards and any interest owing on delinquent awards; requires that premium taxes be paid out of the Fund’s excess reserves; prohibits such cost from being passed on to policyholders as long as the Fund is operating within the accepted industry standard of three-to-one premium-to-surplus ratio; provides that Multiple Injury Trust Fund awards shall accrue from the file date of the court order finding the claimant to be permanently and totally disabled; provides that reopening any prior injury claim other than the last employer injury claim shall not give a claimant the right to additional Multiple Injury Trust Fund benefits; deletes the waiting period before certain claims against the Special Indemnity Fund may be paid; requires that awards not claimed within two years of the date on which the award first becomes available be returned to the Multiple Injury Trust Fund; provides that, if the claimant is subsequently found and claims the award, such award shall be paid to the claimant by the Multiple Injury Trust Fund within 60 days of the claim; requires that a copy of permanent disability awards be sent to the insurance commissioner; authorizes the Multiple Injury Trust Fund to receive and expend premium tax monies collected from the State Insurance Fund; modifies allocations from the premium tax. (85 § 3.10)

CCR SUBMITTED TO HOUSE 05/13/98

• HB 1162 (Leist/Shurden) – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Requires the State Department of Agriculture to develop and expand new markets and identify the needs of government entities (including institutions and universities) for Oklahoma-made and Oklahoma-grown agricultural products. (2 § 2-11c, 74 § 85.5)

• HB 1720 (Paulk/Leftwich) – PRIVATIZATION FUNCTIONS. Creates the "Oklahoma Privatization Functions Act"; states purpose is to set guidelines for the privatization of state services and contracts to ensure that, if approved, privatization is cost effective and in the best interest of the citizens of the state; requires such contracts to comply with the Central Purchasing Act; requires agencies considering privatization of some functions to prepare a written estimate of the costs of regular agency employees providing the subject services in the most cost-efficient manner; requires agencies to provide adequate resources to encourage and assist present agency employees to organize and submit a bid to provide the services; requires that agencies allow employees to submit a proposal for cost savings; prohibits certain activities by business entities awarded such contracts; prohibits present and former state officers or employees with discretionary or decision-making authority in awarding privatization contracts from becoming an officer or employee of a business organization which is a party to such a contract with the subject state agency, for a period of two years. The conference committee substitute creates the "Oklahoma Privatization of State Functions Act"; refers to privatizing only state services not contracts; no longer refers to Central Purchasing; no longer requires agencies considering privatization of some functions to prepare a comprehensive written estimate of the costs of regular agency employees providing the subject services. (74 § 595.1/595.7)

CCR REJECTED 05/19/98

SECOND CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/21/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE 05/21/98

SECOND CCR SUBMITTED TO SENATE 05/21/98

SECOND CCR READ - SENATE 05/21/98

• HB 1822 (Askins/Rozell) – PURCHASING. Provides that a "sole source contract" means for state agencies that are not subject to the central purchasing provisions "a contract for a particular acquisition which, by the contract specifications needed by an agency, restricts the contract to one bidder or to one brand name"; Section 8 of the bill provides that certain contracts and acquisitions by State System institutions, the State Regents, and University Centers shall not be included within the purview of the Central Purchasing, but exempt from Purchasing Division processing [Note: The relationship between Section 8 of the bill and the exemptions in 74 § 85.3 is uncertain]; requires agencies to submit a copy of adopted internal purchasing rules or procedures to the State Auditor and Inspector at the time they are adopted by the adopting authority; requires each chief administrative officer of an agency to submit within 10 days after a legislative session commences a report listing all contracts equal to or greater than $2,500 but not in excess of $25,000; deletes section defining "sole source contract"; prohibits state agencies from engaging in contracts for temporary personnel services with private companies; provides certain exceptions. (74 §§ 85.2, 85.12, 85.39, 85.43, 89)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (85-13) 03/04/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/21/98

• 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 State Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee, the Teacher Preparation Commission and the Interdisciplinary Council on the Prevention of Juvenile Sex Offenses from the list; repeals Section 1 of Enr. HB 2229 which is duplicated in HB 2557. (74 § 3905)

• HB 2228 (Askins/Harrison) – DATA PROCESSING/TELECOMMUNICATIONS. Modifies sections relating to the State Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee; deletes the chair of the State Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee from officials to whom state agencies must submit proposals for computer equipment acquisitions for review; deletes language requiring the Office of State Finance to seek the advice of the committee in developing, operating and maintaining the Oklahoma Government Telecommunications Network; repeals a section relating to the State Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee. (62 § 41.5e)

• 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)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 02/25/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (43-0) 04/08/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/21/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE 05/21/98

CCR SUBMITTED TO SENATE 05/21/98

CCR READ - SENATE 05/21/98

• HB 2279 (Stanley/Morgan) – MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPISTS. Revises definitions relating to licensed professional counselors; modifies exceptions to confidentiality requirements; revises definitions relating to marital and family therapists; deletes language relating to temporary permits; deletes language relating to educational requirements for licensed marital and family therapists. The conference committee substitute authorizes licensed professional counselors to disclose information acquired from persons consulting the licensee when failure to disclose presents a danger to the health of any person, or if the counselor is part to a civil, criminal or disciplinary action arising from such therapy; modifies reasons for which a license may be denied, revoked, suspended or placed on probation. (59 §§ 1925.1, 1925.2)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 03/03/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (39-6) 04/15/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/21/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE 05/21/98

CCR SUBMITTED TO SENATE 05/21/98

CCR READ - SENATE 05/21/98

• HB 2287 (Roberts/Monson) – RETIREMENT. Enacts the "Defined Benefit Plan Amendments Act of 1998."

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (90-8) 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED – SENATE (44-0) 04/02/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/14/98

• HB 2288 (Roberts/Monson) – RETIREMENT. Enacts the "Benefit Enhancement Account for Retirees (BEAR) Act."

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (95-0) 03/02/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED – SENATE (46-0) 03/30/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/14/98

• HB 2290 (Roberts/Monson) – HEALTH/LIFE INSURANCE. Provides an exemption from the Records Management Act for confidential health, life, disability and dental claims and related files of the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Program; requires that benefit plan contracts with the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board, HMOs and other third-party insurance vendors provide for a risk adjustment factor for adverse selection; requires the creation of a payment rate review task force on all payments made to providers of medical care by the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board; requires a report on the issues affecting health care delivery to state and education employees. The conference committee substitute no longer requires that benefit plan contracts with the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board, HMOs, and other third-party insurance vendors provide for a risk adjustment factor for adverse selection; nor does it require the board to establish rules and procedures for the storage and destruction of confidential health, life, disability and dental claims or related files. (74 § 1306)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 03/03/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 04/01/98

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/21/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE 05/21/98

CCR SUBMITTED TO SENATE 05/21/98

CCR READ - SENATE 05/21/98

• HB 2293 (Leist/Muegge) – POULTRY WASTE APPLICATORS/OSU. Section 10 authorizes the Board of Agriculture to set rules for the Oklahoma Poultry Waste Applicators Licensing Act; requires license applicants to attend educational courses on poultry waste management and odor control; requires appropriate curricula and course content to be developed by or under the supervision of OSU through the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service (OCES). (2 § 10-105)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (98-0) 02/24/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 04/01/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/14/98

• HB 2313 (Eddins/Cain) – HEALTH INSURANCE/DENTAL CARE. Requires health benefit plans that provide hospitalization benefit plans to provide coverage for anesthesia expenses, hospital and ambulatory surgical center expenses and physician expenses associated with any medically necessary dental procedure when provided to a 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; allows such plans to require prior authorization for either inpatient or outpatient hospitalization for dental care in the same manner that prior authorization is required for hospitalization for other covered diseases or conditions; permits such plans to be subject to the same annual deductibles, co-payments or coinsurance limits as established for all other covered benefits under the plan. (36 § 6060.6)

• HB 2326 (Dunegan/Mickle) – ANNUITY CONTRACTS. Provides that any employee for whom an annuity contract, shares of a regulated investment company or face amount investment annuity certificate has been purchased by an employer may maintain the existing annuity, custodial amount or face amount investment annuity certificate with the original vendor notwithstanding the selection of a different vendor by the employer for similar purchases occurring after the initial purchase of those assets. (70 § 6-101.1)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (96-2) 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 04/01/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/14/98

• HB 2361 (Ross/Horner) – TULSA STATE UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM/ROGERS STATE COLLEGE. Creates the Tulsa State University Consortium to draw upon the educational resources of existing colleges and universities to provide upper division and graduate courses and programs as needed; prohibits the consortium from awarding its own degrees; establishes the Board of Trustees of Tulsa State University Consortium; authorizes the trustees to contract with any accredited college or university for courses and programs of study approved by the regents, including Langston University, the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and Northeastern State University; creates Rogers State College in Claremore, as a four-year institution; dissolves the Board of Regents of Rogers University, transferring assets to the Board of Trustees of Tulsa State University Consortium and to the Board of Regents of Rogers State College; states Legislative intent that the functions and programs of the Consortium be conducted so as to cooperate with Langston University in its operation of the Langston Urban Center Program and not to offer any programs that would duplicate those offered by the Langston Urban Center Programs; repeals certain statutes relating to Rogers University. (70 §§ 4661/4670)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (68-28) 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (37-7) 03/31/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/22/98

• HB 2363 (Ross/Hendrick) – JOB TRAINING. Provides for a "Redevelopment Zone Incentive Act;" requires a business entity in order to qualify for certification to make available to employees a job training program; authorizes the entity to offer a job training program in conjunction with a vo-tech school or a State System institution.

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (95-4) 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-1) 04/13/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/23/98

• HB 2399 (Roach/Ford) – TULSA STATE UNIVERSITY. Creates Tulsa State University as a regional university; provides for a seven-member board of regents. (70 § 4653)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (76-20) 02/25/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (44-3) 03/31/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

• HB 2405 (Toure/Morgan) – LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS. Relates to the State Architectural Act; modifies definitions; re-creates the Board of Governors of the Licensed Architects and Landscape Architects until July 1, 2004; modifies membership to require that the two licensed landscape architects be actively engaged in the practice of landscape architecture or teaching professors of landscape architecture; requires that the professional members be appointed by the Governor from a list of nominees submitted by their respective state professional societies; requires a person applying to the Board for initial registration to submit satisfactory evidence that the persons holds an accredited professional degree in architecture or has completed equivalent education. The conference committee substitute no longer includes language recreating the board since that language was included in Enr. HB 2222 this year. (59 §§ 46.4, 46.8)

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/13/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (92-1) 05/13/98

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/13/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (43-0) 05/13/98

• HB 2423 (Leonard Sullivan/Hendrick) – CIVIL DISCOVERY. Imposes requirements regarding disclosure of certain information during civil cases; provides for effect of engaging in act of concealment. (12 § 3230)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (97-0) 03/04/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 04/15/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/29/98

• HB 2430 (Askins/Hobson) – CREDIT CARD AGREEMENTS. Section 7 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 2500 (Roberts/Monson) – TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. Provides a $5,000 income tax exemption for the death benefit for beneficiaries of various retirement systems including the Teachers’ Retirement System (OTRS). (68 § 2358)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (97-1) 03/03/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (46-0) 03/30/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

• HB 2531 (Mitchell/Leftwich) – HEALTH INSURANCE. This is a shell bill clarifying language relating to the membership of the State Employees Benefits Council.

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (97-3) 03/11/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (40-0) 04/06/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

• HB 2532 (Mitchell/Dunlap) – 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 to employees, the Governor’s office 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)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (99-1) 03/10/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 04/02/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/16/98

• HB 2557 (Staggs/Horner) - Minority Teacher Recruitment. Re-creates the Minority Teacher Recruitment Advisory Committee until July 1, 2004; requires the presence of 10 advisory committee members or their designees to constitute a quorum; designates membership; modifies minority teacher recruitment responsibilities of the State Regents. (70 §§ 6-129.1, 6-130)

• HB 2563 (Bastin/Herbert) – REAL ESTATE COURSES. Modifies instruction requirement for licensure of real estate licensees; Section 11 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 postlicense requirement. (59 § 858-304)

• HB 2566 (Laura Boyd/Monson) – LEAVE SHARING. Provides that a state employee donating sick leave may donate any amount of unused sick leave the employee has retained at the time of termination of the employee’s employment with the state. (74 § 840-2.23)

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (100-1) 02/18/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (33-10) 04/06/98

CCR SUBMITTED TO HOUSE 05/06/98

• 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; modifies provisions of the Teachers’ Retirement System related to qualified domestic orders; authorizes orders related to support of certain children. (70 § 17-109)

• HB 2578 (Betty Boyd/Henry) – OCAST/BREAST CANCER Moves the Oklahoma Breast Center Prevention and Treatment Advisory Committee from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) to the State Department of Health; creates a Breast Cancer Act Revolving Fund from which monies can be expended for research projects which would be subject to peer review. (63 § 1-557)

CCR ADOPTED - HOUSE 05/11/98

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (91-3) 05/11/98

CCR ADOPTED - SENATE 05/12/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (42-0) 05/12/98

• HB 2607 (Rice/Easley) – 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 2638 (Bonny/Mickle) – JOB TRAINING. Creates the Oklahoma Human Resources Investment Council to oversee job training programs; membership of the council includes the Chancellor. (74 § 9001)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (86-11) 03/04/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 04/15/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 05/12/98

• HB 2651 (Turner/Wilkerson) – TECHNOLOGY. Defines technology as applied knowledge; provides that, when related to expenditure of public funds by educational and governmental entities the term will include, but not be limited to, information technology, telecommunications technology and implemental technology, and specifies examples of each. (70 § 1-107.1)

• HB 2668 (Roberts/Monson) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT. This is a shell bill with a stricken title relating to OTRS. (70 § 17-120)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (61-34) 02/24/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 03/30/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/15/98

• HB 2693 (Cox/Leftwich) – SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS. Requires that sole-source contractors to state agencies meet the same qualifications as agency personnel who would otherwise have performed the contracted services, and provides that no agency expend funds for a sole-source contract for performance of services in excess of 90 days unless the agency can demonstrate to the state purchasing director that the services being performed under the contract are so unique that only the selected vendor is capable of executing the duties and responsibilities otherwise imposed upon the agency. (74 § 89)

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (95-0) 03/02/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (45-0) 04/06/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 05/07/98

• HB 2695 (Roberts/Monson) - TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT/COST OF LIVING. Enacts the "Cost-of-Living Adjustment Feasibility Analysis Act" relating to OTRS.

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - HOUSE (92-5) 02/25/98

BILL AND EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE (44-0) 04/01/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/14/98

• HB 2740 (Hamilton/Rozell) – STATE AGENCY REFORM. This is a shell bill enacting the "State Agency Reform and Improvement Act."

BILL PASSED - HOUSE (89-4) 02/26/98

BILL PASSED - SENATE (47-0) 03/31/98

IN COMMITTEE - CONFERENCE 04/28/98

• HB 2792 (Fields/Long) – UNEMPLOYMENT. Modifies the definition of "taxable wages" for purposes of the Oklahoma Employment Security Act of 1980; 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; adds language defining what shall constitute misconduct for purposes of benefit disqualification; 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 45 days from the first day a new employee began work; 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; provides that monies credited to the account of this state in the Unemployment Trust Fund by the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury shall be used solely for administration of the Unemployment Compensation Program in this state. (40 § 1-223)

• HB 2802 (Ostrander/Rabon) – REPORTS. Deletes the requirement that certain reports be filed with the governor, the Senate president pro tempore and the House speaker; modifies requirements for annual reports and recommendations to be submitted by certain public entities; Section 16 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 State Construction Administrator of the Department of Central Services who shall compile an annual report detailing all emergencies declared and submit the report to the Governor and the Legislature; Section 23 deletes the requirement that each teacher education institution provide the Office of Accountability an annual report regarding participation in the Alternative Placement Program; Section 25 changes the State Regents’ biennial report to an annual report; Section 26 deletes the requirement that the OU Board of Regents file a property inventory report; Section 27 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 29 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 31 deletes the requirement for a certain report concerning the use of recycled products; Section 32 deletes the requirement for a report outlining certain usage of postal services by state agencies; Section 37 requires every state agency including all higher education institutions to submit annually a list of its st