[Oasfaa] State Legislative Update for May 28 - June 1

Mon Jun 4 11:16:46 CDT 2012

Below is the state legislative update for May 28 - June 1.  As you will
notice, a few bills that were passed in the last week of the session are
still pending consideration by the Governor.  The Governor has 15 days
from the end of the session to act on these bills (June 9).  

Of special note are the first two bills on the list below-SB 1975 making
appropriations to Higher Education and SB 1969 providing for the
transfer of funds to the Endowed Chairs program of the state system of
higher education.

State funding allocations for most of our existing state financial aid
programs for FY2013 remained flat.  However, the State Regents provided
a modest increase to three programs to address current funding issues:

*         Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG) - $400,000 or 3.2% increase
to help partially offset the elimination of federal LEAP/SLEAP matching
funds in 2011-12.

*         Concurrent Enrollment Tuition Waiver reimbursement (for state
system institutions only) - $198,377 or 9.1% increase to help reimburse
more of the institutions' growing cost of the waivers. 

*         Academic Scholars Program - $200,000 or 3.5% increase to help
address annual funding shortfalls that have been depleting the program's
trust fund.

Bryce Fair

The update below reflects the current status of major legislation
concerning Higher Education during the week of May 28, 2012 -June 1,
2012.

If you have any questions, please contact Hollye Hunt at hhunt at osrhe.edu
or 405.225.9424.

Legislative Report

May 28, 2012- June 1, 2012 

Appropriations  

SB 1975// Senator Clark Jolley and Representative Earl Sears// The
legislation is the General Appropriations bill for agencies of
executive, legislative, and judicial departments of Oklahoma.  The total
appropriation for the State Higher Education System for FY 2013 will be
$955,260,277.  This figure represents a $10 million increase in Higher
Education's base appropriation as a result of the annualization of last
year's $10 million one-time supplemental appropriation to Higher
Education.

UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 29, 2012.  

SB 1969// Senator Clark Jolley and Representative Earl Sears// The
legislation abolishes the EDGE Fund and transfers the monies to the
State Regents Endowment Trust Fund and certain monies into Quick Action
Closing Fund.  The transfer of funds will ensure that between $150
million to $160 million will be available to address the current $280
million backlog in the Endowed Chairs Program.  Currently 22 of our 25
institutions have accounts waiting to be matched.

UPDATE:  The bill has been sent to Governor Fallin for her
consideration.     

Tax Initiatives   

HB 3061// Representative Kris Steele and Senator Brian Bingman// The
legislation provides for a state income tax reduction.   The State
income tax rate would be reduced from 5.25% to 4.80% in the 2013 tax
year.  In the 2015 tax year, a trigger provision would lower the income
tax rate from 4.80% to 4.50% if 5.0% revenue growth is achieved in the
2015 tax year.

UPDATE:  The bill was not taken up by the House to be heard on the House
floor.  The bill is dead pursuant to the rules.    

HB 3038// Representative Leslie Osborn and Senator Clark Jolley// The
legislation provides for a state income tax reduction.  The State income
tax rate would be reduced to 4.50%.  The bill provides for 3 growth
triggers that would lower the tax rate .25% if the state would have 5.0%
revenue growth.   

UPDATE:  The bill was not heard in the Senate General Conference
Committee on Appropriations.  The bill is dead pursuant to the rules.

Tuition/ Funding  

HB 2927// Representative Don Armes and Senator Bryce Marlatt// The
legislation creates a revolving fund for the Commissioners of the Land
Office to be designated the "Multiyear Education Distribution
Stabilization Revolving Fund".  The fund shall be a continuing fund, not
subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall consist of bonus and delay
rental income received by the Commission, and if it is determined by the
Commission to be in the best interest of the trust it may make
distributions of the income upon a five-year rolling average.  
UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on April 23, 2012.  

Joint Resolutions 
No pending legislation.  

Concurrent Resolutions
SCR 30// Senator Patrick Anderson// The resolution disapproves the
Medical Examiner's Facility Project proposed by the University of
Central Oklahoma which appears on the Master Lease list submitted by the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
UPDATE:  The resolution has been referred to the Senate Rules Committee.

SCR 31// Senator Patrick Anderson// The resolution disapproves the
Medical Examiner's Facility Project proposed by the University of
Central Oklahoma which appears on the Master Lease list submitted by the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
UPATE:  The resolution was filed on March 13, 2012.  

CIO
No pending legislation.  

Consolidation/ Transparency/ Modernization  
HB 2197// Representative Jason Murphey and Senator Josh Brecheen// The
legislation directs the State Purchasing Director to form an advisory
committee consisting of representatives from entities exempted from the
provisions of The Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act.  The purpose of the
committee is to allow committee members to provide input into the
development of shared state purchasing contracts, collaboratively
participate in the integration of their purchasing platforms or
electronic purchasing catalogs, analyze solutions that may be used by
state government to meet the purchasing needs of the entities, explore
joint purchases of general use items that result in mutual procurement
of quality goods and services at the lowest reasonable cost and explore
flexibility, administrative relief, and transformation changes through
utilization of procurement technology.
UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on April 23, 2012.  

HB 2520 // Representative Jason Murphey and David Holt// The legislation
creates the Government Reorganization Act.  The legislation requires the
Director of the Office of State Finance to develop metrics and standards
for evaluating each state agency and agency specific initiatives. 
UPDATE:  The bill was laid over in the Senate General Conference
Committee on Appropriations on May 16, 2012.  The bill was not heard in
the Senate General Conference Committee on Appropriations.  The bill is
dead pursuant to the rules.  

SB1890// Senator Randy Bass and Representative David Brumbaugh// The
legislation deletes higher education's exemption from the Department of
Central Services Fleet Management Division.  
UPDATE:  The current version restores higher education's exemption from
the Department of Central Services Fleet Management Division.  The
Senate accepted the House conference report and passed the bill out of
the Senate on May 23, 2012 with a vote 47-0.  The bill was not taken up
by the House to be heard on the House floor.  The bill is dead pursuant
to the rules.    

HB 2647 // Representative David Brumbaugh and Senator Clark Jolley// The
legislation requires higher education to provide a list of vehicles to
the Department of Central Services Fleet Management Division.  The
legislation preserves higher education's exemption from the Department
of Central Services Fleet Management Division.  
UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 30, 2012.  

OKPromise 
No pending legislation. 

Governance 
HB 2443// Representative Dale DeWitt and Senator Eddie Fields// The
legislation creates a board of nine (9) trustees to be appointed by the
Governor and confirmed by the Senate to serve as the administrative
agency for the University Center at Ponca City.
UPDATE: The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on April 2, 2012.  

SB 1111// Senator Eddie Fields and Representative Lee Denney// The
legislation creates a board of nine (9) trustees to be appointed by the
Governor and confirmed by the Senate to serve as the administrative
agency for the University Center at Ponca City.
UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 15, 2012.  

SB 1797// Senator Clark Jolley and Representative Lee Denney// Creates
Commission for Education, Instruction Quality and Accountability.  The
Secretary of Education will oversee the commission.
UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 8, 2012.  

Faculty 
No pending legislation.  

Reporting 
No pending legislation. 

Legal Reform 
No pending legislation.  

Academic 
HB2970// Representative Todd Thomsen and Senator Josh Brecheen// The
legislation requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules
establishing an appeal process for students who have been denied a
standard diploma by the school district in which the student is or was
enrolled for failing to meet the requirements for graduation.   
UPDATE: The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on April 18, 2012.  

SB1565// Senator Susan Paddack and Representative Ann Coody// The
legislation directs the OSRHE to establish a dyslexia teacher training
pilot program.  The program should be designed to evaluate and
demonstrate the effectiveness of having trained teachers who can provide
assistance to children with risk factors for dyslexia.  

UPDATE: The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 10, 2012.  

SB1863// Senator Steve Russell and Representative Ann Coody// The
legislation authorizes institutions or career and technology centers to
award educational credits to a student enrolled in the institution or
career and technology center for courses that are part of the student's
military training or service and that meet the standards of the American
Council on Education (ACE) or equivalent standards for awarding academic
credit if the award of educational credit is based upon the
institution's or technical career center's admission standards and its
role, scope and mission. 

UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 8, 2012.  

Tuition Waivers
HB 2689// Representative Charlie Joyner and Senator Jerry Ellis// The
legislation allows students who are dependents of certain military
personnel be eligible for in-state residency status.

UPDATE:   The bill was signed by the Governor Fallin on May 25, 2012.  

Bond Issues  

SB 1989// Senator Brian Bingman and Representative Earl Sears// The
legislation provides for a $20,000,000 bond issuance for the Oklahoma
Popular Culture Museum.  

UPDTATE:  The bill passed out of the Senate on May 23, 2012 with a vote
of 25-21. The bill was not taken up by the House to be heard on the
House floor.  The bill is dead pursuant to the rules.    

SB 1990// Senator Brian Bingman and Representative Earl Sears// The
legislation authorizes the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority to
issue obligations up to $40,000,000 to provide for completion of the
American Indian Cultural Center. 

UPDATE:  The bill failed to pass out of the Senate on May 23, 2012 with
a vote of 22-24.  The bill is dead pursuant to the rules.    

HB 3156// Representative Earl Sears and Senator Clark Jolley// The
legislation authorizes the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority to
issue obligations for the State Capitol Complex.  

UPDATE:  The House failed to adopt the conference report on May 23, 2012
with a vote of 77-15.  The bill is dead pursuant to the rules.  

Other  
SB 1980// Senator Clark Jolley and Representative Earl Sears// The
legislation appropriates to the University Hospitals Authority, Three
Million

Dollars ($3,000,000.00) to be used for patient care at the University of
Oklahoma Wayman Tisdale Specialty Health Clinic.

UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 30, 2012.  

HB 3058// Speaker Kris Steele and Senator Brian Bingman// The
legislation creates the OK Hospital Residency Training Program. The
training program will establish new residency training programs
affiliated with the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic
Medicine and the University Of Oklahoma College Of Medicine in eligible
hospitals, focused on meeting the healthcare needs of medically
underserved areas.  "Medically underserved areas" means areas having too
few primary care providers, high infant mortality, high poverty, a high
elderly population, and/or a population census of at least fifty percent
(50%) Medicare, Medicaid and uninsured mix.  The Oklahoma Health Care
Authority shall, in consultation with the Oklahoma State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine and the University Of Oklahoma College
Of Medicine, designate eligible hospitals for the creation of new
residency training programs to serve medically underserved areas.

UPDATE:  The bill has been sent to Governor Fallin for her
consideration.  

SB 1280// Senator Mike Schulz and Representative Kris Steele// The
legislation is a trailer bill to HB3058.  The bill allocates the funding
for the OK Hospital Residency Training Program.  The bill appropriates
to the Oklahoma State University

Medical Authority Disbursing Fund the sum of Three Million Eighty
Thousand Dollars ($3,080,000.00) to implement the provisions of the
Oklahoma Hospital Residency Training Program Act.

UPDATE:    The bill has been sent to Governor Fallin for her
consideration.  

SB 1218// Senator David Holt and Representative Randy McDaniel//  The
legislation authorizes beer and wine establishments that are licensed by
the  ABLE Commission to operate within 300 feet of a college or
university if the campus is located within an improvement district
created pursuant to Title 11, Section 39-103.1.  
UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 8, 2012.  

HB 2967// Representative Todd Thomsen and Senator Brian Bingman// The
legislation relates to the Uniform Athlete Agents Act and requires
submission of a surety bond if an athlete agent is charged with a
violation and sets the amount of the surety bond.
UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 1, 2012.  

Energy  
SB 1096// Senator Brian Bingman and Representative Scott Martin// The
legislation directs state agencies and higher education to reduce energy
costs for all state buildings.   The Office of State Finance will
oversee the implementation of an organizational behavior-based energy
conservation program.  The program will target a cumulative energy
savings of at least twenty percent (20%) by the year 2020 when compared
to the 2012 fiscal year utility expenditures.  
UPDATE:    The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 8, 2012  

Retirement/Health Insurance 
HB 2321// Representative Randy McDaniel and Senator Patrick Anderson//
The legislation modifies the number of unused sick days that can be used
for creditable service in the Teachers' Retirement System and the OK
Public Employees Retirement System. For members who join the System on
or after November 1, 2012, unused sick leave shall be credited at the
same rate but not used to round up to another year.  Instead, any
additional months of unused sick leave credit shall be added to other
service credit without rounding.
UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on April 27, 2012.  

HB 3053// Representative Kris Steele and Senator Kim David// The
legislation creates the "Office of Enterprise and Management Services
and the Capital Assets, Human Capital Management, and Employee Benefits
divisions.  
UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 29, 2012.  

Carry Over Bills from Last Legislative Session 

 Concealed Weapons/Open Carry  
HB 2522// Representative Steve Martin and Senator Greg Treat// The
legislation allows the Attorney General or any Assistant Attorney
General to carry a firearm on his or her person anywhere in the State of
Oklahoma, except while off-duty on private property if prohibited by the
owner or occupant of the private property.  In order to carry a firearm,
the Attorney General or Assistant Attorney General must successfully
complete an approved course of firearm training conducted by a certified
firearms instructor which is equal to the minimum requirements for
training as set forth by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and
Training.

UPDATE:  The bill was not taken up by the Senate to be heard on the
Senate floor.  The bill is dead pursuant to the rules.  

SB 1785// Senator Steve Russell and Representative Leslie Osborn// The
legislation allows out-of-state persons in compliance with the Oklahoma
Self-Defense Act to carry a concealed firearm in the State.

UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 7, 2012.

SB 1733// Senator Anthony Sykes and Representative Jeff Hickman// The
legislation allows justices and judges to carry weapons in any
courthouse in Oklahoma. The legislation also allows for unconcealed
weapons in certain areas.  

UPDATE:  The bill was signed by Governor Fallin on May 15, 2012.  

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