[Oasfaa] FW: Legislative Update – February 19, 2021
Fair, Bryce
bfair at osrhe.edu
Mon Feb 22 09:54:41 CST 2021
Following is the legislative update for last week. This Thursday, February 25th, is the deadline for bills to be passed out of committee in their house of origin. In addition to the financial aid bills passed in committee in previous weeks, one more is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Education Committee tomorrow.
* Senate Bill 132 (Senator David Bullard) Would extend the application window for Oklahoma’s Promise to the eleventh grade; the current application window is 8th-10th grade.
Bryce Fair
Subject: Legislative Update – February 19, 2021
OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
Memo
To: Higher Education Network
From: Chancellor Glen D. Johnson
Date: Friday, February 19, 2021
Subject: Legislative Update – February 19, 2021
The update below reflects the major legislation concerning Higher Education. If you have any questions, please contact LeeAnna McNally, Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations, at lmcnally at osrhe.edu<mailto:lmcnally at osrhe.edu> or (405) 301-0332.
Legislative Report
February 19, 2021
Agency Administration
House Bill 1090 (Representative Gerrid Kendrix) Allows the State Auditor and Inspector General to perform audits and inspections of government entities without authorization from the Governor, the Chief Executive Officer of a government entity, or a joint or concurrent resolution of the Legislature.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee. Reassigned to House General Government Committee. Passed House General Government Committee 7-0 on Wednesday, February 17.
House Bill 1126 (Representative Logan Phillips) Requires employers who engage in any type of electronic email monitoring of employee accounts to give written notice to all employees prior to any monitoring electronic mail communication.
Update: Passed House Business and Commerce Committee 10-0 on Wednesday, February 10.
House Bill 1570 (Representative Jacob Rosecrants) Designates the second week of October as Veterans Suicide Awareness Week.
Update: Assigned to House General Government Committee.
House Bill 1602 (Representative Collin Walke) The bill entitles a consumer to request that a business that collects the consumer's personal information disclose to the consumer the categories and specific items of personal information the business has collected. It establishes a requirement for the consumer to request the information. It establishes procedures for the business to disclose the information.
Update: Passed House Technology Committee 6-0 on Wednesday, February 10.
House Bill 1615 (Representative Forrest Bennett) Establishes criteria for family and medical leave insurance benefits. The bill provides a maximum number of weeks benefits are allowed. It establishes a waiting period. The bill provides a method for determining family and medical leave insurance benefits. It authorizes payroll contributions and establishes a method of determining those contributions.
Update: Assigned to House Business and Commerce Committee.
House Bill 1640 (Representative Justin Humphrey) Requires that any employee or former employee who has reported any violation of state or federal law, rule or policy, mismanagement, gross waste of public funds, an abuse of authority or a substantive and specific danger to public health or safety to have, in addition to any other remedy set forth therein, the right to file a civil action against the agency and individuals employed by or acting on behalf of the agency in the district court where the violation occurred for all damages suffered from a retaliatory discharge of employment or other adverse employment action taken against the employee. It requires the employee or former employee to be entitled to recover damages in an amount not to exceed $175,000, in addition to costs and reasonable attorney fees for the successful prosecution of the action.
Update: Assigned to House Judiciary Committee.
House Bill 1787 (Representative Daniel Pae) Authorizes state agencies to pay employees in an on-call status.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1888 (Representative Danny Williams) Bans all public bodies from conducting any form of gender or sexual diversity training or counseling.
Update: Passed House General Government Committee 6-2 on Wednesday, February 10.
House Bill 1875 (Representative Tammy West) Permits each educational institution to choose to designate specific information which will be classified as directory information for students attending the educational institution.
Update: Passed House General Government Committee 8-0 on Wednesday, February 10.
House Bill 1921 (Representative Ryan Martinez) Modifies the authority of OMES to designate quarters for every department of state government provided no department shall be assigned quarters that results in the relocation of a department’s employees or relocation of the performance of duties imposed upon such department by law.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee. Laid over.
House Bill 1943 (Representative Cyndi Munson) Creates Volunteer Administrative Leave allowing state employees to use hours of labor for a 501(c)(3) charitable organization or public school.
Update: Assigned to House General Government Committee.
House Bill 2088 (Speaker Charles McCall) Exempts the legislature and judicial branches of state government from any and all fees or costs for services rendered by state agencies.
Update: Passed House Rules Committee 9-0 on Tuesday, February 16.
House Bill 2108 (Representative Mauree Turner) Bars any state entity from requiring gender identification attesting to an applicant’s attempt to change gender identity. The applicant’s affidavit should only require an attestation under penalty of perjury that the request to change their gender identification is not for any fraudulent purpose.
Update: Assigned to House General Government Committee.
House Bill 2109 (Representative Mauree Turner) Requires including a nonbinary option on any state government document asking for gender identification.
Update: Assigned to House General Government Committee.
House Bill 2180 (Representative Ronny Johns) Removes requirements for making payroll deductions for certain insurance premiums with a minimum participation of 500 state employees.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2185 (Representative Ronny Johns) Modifies the requirements of publications on contracts awarded by state agencies to include the address of the company and the reason to be awarded the contract. Deletes explanations on the out of state ownership percentage of contracted companies.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2190 (Representative Mike Dobrinski) Allows state agencies to adopt policies permitting employees to use administrative leave for the purpose of physical fitness and wellness.
Update: Assigned to House General Government Committee.
House Bill 2294 (Representative Dustin Roberts) Deletes the ability for employees to accumulate more than the maximum annual leave.
Update: Passed House General Government Committee 8-0 on Wednesday, February 10.
House Bill 2339 (Representative Jay Steagall) Places statutory law adopted by the legislature above any rule promulgated by a state agency.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2456 (Representative Emily Virgin) Establishes criteria for family and medical leave insurance benefits. The bill provides a maximum number of weeks benefits are allowed. It establishes a waiting period. The bill provides a method for determining family and medical leave insurance benefits. It authorizes payroll contributions and establishes a method of determining those contributions. It permits an intermittent or reduced leave schedule.
Update: Assigned to House Business and Commerce Committee.
Senate Bill 20 (Senator Kay Floyd) Prohibits a legislator that serves as an employee of a school district, a technology center school district or an institution within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education from being entitled to participate in the Teachers' Retirement System in connection with such employment; receiving any benefits pursuant to the Oklahoma Employees Insurance and Benefits Act other than those allowed in connection with service as a member of the Legislature.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 24 (Senator Carri Hicks) Declares Juneteenth National Freedom Day on June 19 an official state holiday, during which state offices would be closed.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 41 (Senator Greg McCortney) Modifies the requirements for state employee payroll deductions for private insurance organizations and service companies that provide legal services. It removes the requirement that the organizations and service companies that provide legal services be regulated by the State Insurance Commissioner and have a minimum participation of 500 state employees.
Update: Passed Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee 9-0 on Thursday, February 18.
Senate Bill 63 (Senator John Michael Montgomery) Removes language related to the State Government Reduction-in-Force and Severance Benefits Act that requires an employee to repay all severance benefits on a proportional basis if an affected employee is reemployed by the agency from which separated as a result of a reduction-in-force.
Update: Passed Senate General Government Committee 9-0 on Thursday, February 11.
Senate Bill 64 (Senator Darrell Weaver) Requires any person offering testimony before the Legislative Oversight Committee on State Budget Performance, the Senate Appropriations Committee, the House Appropriations and Budget Committee, or any of their subcommittees to have an oath administered that he or she will testify truly, or that any written testimony provided is true or believed to be true. The bill makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly and willfully falsify or conceal any material fact; make any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or representation or prevent any false writing or document.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Senate Bill 183 (Senator Jo Anna Dossett) Requires, by July 1, 2022, every administrative body, state agency director or official with authority over any occupational or professional license or certification to develop and promulgate administrative rules to ensure no individual who has obtained an occupational or professional licensure or certification may have such license or certification revoked or suspended solely for failure to make their scheduled student loan payments or being delinquent on their student loans.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.
Senate Bill 282 (Senator Frank Simpson) Amends Section 840-2.20 of the Oklahoma Personnel Act to allow for a temporary increase in the accumulation limits for annual leave following an emergency declaration period, which shall carryover to the end of the fiscal year following the year in which the emergency declaration ended. increase and carryover of annual leave time.
Update: Passed Senate General Government Committee 9-0 on Thursday, February 4. Passed Senate Appropriations Committee 19-0 on Thursday, February 18.
Senate Bill 296 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Requires OMES to utilize agency information to prepare a “Coercive Federal Funds Report” detailing each source of federal funds agencies receive in excess of $5 million, the conditions necessary for eligibility of those funds, the manner in which those funds must be spent, maintenance of effort and other similar requirements, and conditions that relate to policy matters other than the manner in which funds are spent including requirements that state regulations meet or exceed federal stringencies.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 299 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Allows for cooperative “piggybacking” purchase agreements between state agencies including on public construction contracts.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 333 (Senator Frank Simpson) Amends Section 840-2.15 of the Oklahoma Personnel Act to allow for a temporary increase in the accumulation limits for compensatory time following an emergency declaration period, which shall carryover to the end of the fiscal year following the year in which the emergency declaration ended. increase and carryover of annual leave time.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee. Reassigned to House General Government Committee. Passed House General Government Committee 8-0 on Thursday, February 18.
Senate Bill 403 (Senator Brenda Stanley) Makes it unlawful for any person, alone or in concert with others and without authorization, to willfully disturb, interfere or disrupt business of any political subdivision, which includes publicly posted meetings, or any political subdivision.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee. Amended to add an emergency clause to the bill. Passed Public Safety Committee with a vote of 11-0 on Monday, February 8.
Senate Bill 426 (Senator J.J. Dossett) Creates the Paid Family Leave Act. It requires the Department of Labor to establish a family temporary disability insurance program. Family temporary disability insurance is to provide up to six weeks of wage replacement benefits to workers who take time off work to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling or domestic partner, or to bond with a minor child within one year of the birth or placement of the child in connection with foster care or adoption.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.
Senate Bill 439 (Senator Shane Jett) Requires every state agency to designate a liaison to serve as a point of contact for the federally recognized Indian tribes residing in Oklahoma. It makes it the duty of the liaison to assist both the state and tribal governments in addressing issues of mutual interest.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 459 (Senator Lonnie Paxton) Amends the Standards for Workplace Drug and Alcohol testing in light of medical marijuana.
Update: Passed Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee 10-3 on Thursday, February 18.
Senate Bill 484 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Allows the Legislature to approve or disapprove any agency implementation of a federal rule or law. Requires state agencies to send their interpretation of any rule or regulation before implementation.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 543 (Senator Rob Standridge) Requires OMES to award flexible benefit contracts to Oklahoma-based companies.
Update: Assigned to Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee.
Senate Bill 539 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Requires agency rules to be published on their website. Requires justification for rulemaking. Allows the legislature to amend any rules.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Senate Bill 571 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Requires every agency to disclose the federal or state authority for any part of the agency operation when requested by a member of the legislature.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 640 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Sets a permanent limit on the number of full-time equivalent employees employed by a state agency as the number included in a June 2021 budget.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 650 (Senator Kim David) Provides a 2% increase to the amount of a participant’s benefit allowance from the amount provided in the previous plan year.
Update: Passed Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee 8-1 on Thursday, February 18.
Senate Bill 794 (Senator James Leewright) Requires that if the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission or its representative determines that an individual has been overpaid unemployment benefits to provisions therein relating to administrative overpayment, the individual must be sent a notice of overpayment determination. It allows that if the individual disagrees with this determination, said individual can file an appeal of the determination with the Appeal Tribunal within 10 days after the date of mailing.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee and Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee. Passed Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee 12-0 on Thursday, February 11.
Senate Bill 827 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Prohibits state employees or agencies from entering into contracts which require any maintenance of effort to get prior consent of the legislature.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee
Senate Bill 829 (Senator Casey Murdock) Requires state agencies who have jurisdiction over parcels of land containing 80 or more acres of contiguous land to fence it.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee. Reassigned to Senate Agriculture and Wildlife Committee. Passed Senate Agriculture and Wildlife 12-0 on Monday, February 8.
Senate Bill 830 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Prohibits adopting any policy that would promote race or sex stereotyping or scapegoating.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 876 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Makes all newly hired state employees unclassified employees. Prohibits anyone being placed under classified service except for those positions required by federal grant or funding.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee. Laid over.
Senate Bill 895 (Senator Paul Rosino) Allows state agencies to choose to have required audits performed by a public accountant or certified public accountant registered to do business with the state.
Update: Assigned to Senate Finance Committee. Reassigned to House General Government Committee. Passed House General Government Committee 7-2 on Thursday, February 18.
Senate Bill 896 (Senator James Leewright) Exempts an acquisition or contract by a state agency for information technology staff augmentation services or technology consulting from the Central Purchasing Act.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 924 (Senator Greg Treat) Creates a state data definition and gives OMES the authority to determine when state data is allowed to be shared between agencies or with federal entities if a request to share is initially rejected.
Update: Passed Senate General Government Committee 6-0 on Thursday, February 18.
Senate Bill 981 (Senator Darrell Weaver) Creates a “Meets Standards” category and rating for Longevity Pay increase for public employees. It excludes institutions under the authority of the State Regents for Higher Education, employees of public-school districts and elected officials.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 984 (Senator Kim David) Prohibits an agency or official of the executive branch from entering into a contingency fee contract that provides for the private attorney or firm to receive an aggregate contingency fee that exceeds amounts specified therein. It prohibits the total fee payable to all retained private attorneys in any contingency fee contract from exceeding $50,000,000, exclusive of any costs and expenses provided by the contract and actually incurred by the retained private attorneys, regardless of the number of actions or proceedings or the number of retained private attorneys involved in the matter.
Update: Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 1008 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Requires all executive branch agencies which implement rules to include a specific reference to the statutory provision that gives them the authority to make such a rule.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Senate Bill 1017 (Senator Shane Jett) Requires every state agency to complete a quarterly efficiency evaluation. Creates the Oklahoma Government Waste Advisory Board to oversee these evaluations and publish reports.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 2 (Senator Rob Standridge) Requires the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to submit a report to the Legislature and to make the report available on its website by December 31, 2021, that includes a list of all persons employed in a faculty or teaching position including their position rank at their respective institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education and their compensation during the 2020-2021 academic year; a list of the courses taught and the hours taught by persons employed in a faculty or teaching position at institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education during the 2020-2021 academic year; the tenure policy of each institution within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education for the 2020-2021 academic year; and the number of faculty employed by each institution within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education who had tenure during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Budget Bills
House Bill 1665 (Representative Kevin West) Creates a Federal Funds Holding Account within the General Revenue Fund to receive all funds required to be paid to the State of Oklahoma.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 1990 (Representative Trey Caldwell) Allows ad valorem reimbursement fund to be used to reimburse counties for loss of revenue.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee. Direct to Appropriations Committee. Passed House Appropriations Committee 28-0 Thursday, February 18.
House Bill 2086 (Speaker Charles McCall) Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to ensure state agencies are charged no more than the actual cost of the services provided by the Office.
Update: Passed House Rules Committee 9-0 Tuesday, February 16.
House Bill 2775 (Representative John Pfeiffer) Adds to the definition of “Cost Approach” in the ad valorem tax code to include physical deterioration, functional or internal obsolescence, and economic or external obsolescence.
Update: Assigned to House County and Municipal Government Committee.
House Bill 2777 (Representative John Pfeiffer) Allows for wind power valuation for real property and personal property in the ad valorem tax code.
Update: Assigned to House County and Municipal Government Committee.
House Bill 2780 (Representative John Pfeiffer) Allows the Oklahoma Tax Commission to garnish accrued earnings of a delinquent taxpayer by contacting the taxpayer’s employer.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 2855 (Representative Sean Roberts) Bars any agency from filing a budget with the director of OMES that would result in spending more than the total amount for such agency during the fiscal year ending in June 2020 until completing an independent comprehensive performance audit.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Joint Resolution 1001 (Representative Andy Fugate) Proposes a vote of the people on a constitutional amendment that changes the way the maximum Constitutional Reserve (Rainy Day) Fund balance amount would be computed. It would require the maximum balance allowed be based on a percentage of total state expenditures instead of using revenue estimates provided by the State Board of Equalization for the annual appropriations process. It would provide that total expenditures include all appropriated monies and federal funds. It would exclude from total expenditures money from revolving funds which are used by state agencies, fees or similar charges that were not derived from tax revenue, and money obtained by issuing state government bonds.
Update: Passed House Rules Committee 9-0 Tuesday, February 16.
Senate Bill 79 (Senator Roger Thompson) Exempts from sales tax the transfer of tangible personal property to or by nonprofit 501(c)(3) entities that have entered into a joint operating agreement with the University Hospitals Trust.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee. Amended to provide an effective date of July 1, 2022. Passed Senate Appropriations Committee as amended 20-0 on Thursday, February 18.
Senate Bill 84 (Senator Chuck Hall) Authorizes and directs the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission to review the unemployment compensation structure and to develop a method that ties unemployment benefits and employer contribution rates to the economic conditions and employment rates of the state.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.
Senate Bill 181 (Senator Zack Taylor) Permits more than one-half of ad valorem taxes to be paid by January 1 of each year.
Update: Passed Senate Finance Committee 12-0 Tuesday, February 2. Passed off Senate Floor 46-0 on Tuesday, February 9. Engrossed to House.
Senate Bill 383 (Senator Robert Standridge) Establishes that the owner or operator of a social media website who contracts with users in Oklahoma is subject to a private right of action by a social media website user if the social media website purposely deletes or censors a social media website user’s political speech or religious speech or uses an algorithm to suppress political speech or religious speech.
Update: Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 389 (Senator Mark Allen) Lowers the gross production tax on oil to 6 percent and 4 percent for wells with the first production occurring between July 16, 2018, through December 31, 2022, for a time period of 36 months beginning on January 1, 2022.
Update: Assigned to Senate Finance Committee.
Senate Bill 395 (Senator Jo Anna Dossett) Requires any bill, resolution or amendment reducing the revenue of the state by lowering taxes to be accompanied with documentation of the negative fiscal impact on the state and requires any such measure to receive approval of at least three-fourths of both chambers.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Senate Bill 498 (Senator Roger Thompson) Permits a facility engaged in cement manufacturing to have the payroll requirements of the five-year ad valorem tax exemption waived for tax year 2021, which is based in part on the 2020 calendar year payroll reported to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission and permits it to continue to receive the exemption for the five-year period only if all other requirements of this section are met.
Update: Passed Senate Finance Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 9. Referred to Full Appropriations Committee. Laid over.
Senate Bill 590 (Senator John Michael Montgomery) Directs the first $1 million that would otherwise go to the Common Education Technology Revolving Fund, the Higher Education Capital Revolving Fund and the Oklahoma Student Aid Revolving Fund to instead be directed to the property held by the Land Office Trust beginning in the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2023, with the amount increasing by $1 million each year until the full amount of the apportionment is redirected to the property held by the Land Office Trust.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 591 (Senator John Michael Montgomery) Allows the State Treasurer to invest up to $2 million of the revenue stabilization fund into a hedge fund.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 609 (Senator Chuck Hall) Extends the ad valorem tax exemption to manufacturing facilities, doubles the acquisition or expansion limit. Adds definitions to manufacturing facilities.
Update: Passed Senate Finance Committee 11-0 on Tuesday, February 9. Passed Senate Appropriations Committee 19-0 on Thursday, February 18.
Senate Bill 753 (Senator Brent Howard) For any property acquired by a governmental entity operating as a trust, after the effective date of this act, the trust shall annually make in lieu of tax payments an amount equal to the ad valorem assessed against the property immediately prior to purchase by the trust.
Update: Assigned to Senate Finance Committee. Title stricken. Passed Senate Finance Committee 10-1 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 771 (Senator Blake Stephens) Creates the Tax Collection Modernization Act allowing each county treasurer in their sole discretion to let taxpayers make payments on the total amount of tax due, and holding these payments on trust until the amount is sufficient to pay the total due.
Update: Passed Senate Finance Committee 11-0 on Friday, February 19. Title stricken.
Senate Bill 906 (Senator Casey Murdock) Provides allowances for depreciation of value in ad valorem tax consideration.
Update: Passed Senate Finance Committee 9-2 on Friday, February 19.
Senate Bill 930 (Senator Kim David) Excludes private hospitals from ad valorem tax exemptions.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 14 (Senator Joe Newhouse) Puts to a vote of the people increasing the cap on the Constitutional Reserve Fund from 15% to 30%.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 16 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Changes the way maximum balance allowed for the rainy-day fund from using the Board of Equalization estimates to a percentage of a total of the state expenditures for the previous year including all state and federal funds.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
CareerTech
House Bill 1026 (Representative Rande Worthen) Allows CLEET to establish and certify additional law enforcement and criminal justice programs at state-supported technology center schools in the State of Oklahoma operating under the State Board of Career and Technology Education for teaching students between 16 and 19 years of age.
Update: Assigned to House Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 623 (Senator David Bullard) Requires the State Board of CareerTech to establish a pilot program to provide grants to public school districts to offer career and technology programs to 9-12th grade students.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Common Education
House Bill 1027 (Representative Trish Ranson) Requires de-escalation training for certified teachers, beginning in the 2022-2023 school year.
Update: Passed House Common Education Committee 13-0 on Tuesday, February 16.
House Bill 1046 (Representative Dell Kerbs) Requires a copy or a hyperlink to a copy of the most recent audit of the financial statements of a school district be posted on the school district website for public inspection.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1073 (Representative Tom Gann) Extends the sunset date for the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Board until July 1, 2024.
Update: Passed House Administrative Rules Committee 10-0 on Wednesday, February 10.
House Bill 1103 (Representative Mark Vancuren) Directs the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and the State Education Department to create a set of guidelines and provide directions to schools in order to survey every public and private school student in grades 6,8,10 and 12 with the Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment Survey every other year beginning in the 2022-2023 school year.
Update: Passed House Common Education Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 16.
House Bill 1104 (Representative Mark Vancuren) Requires information on a student's tribal affiliation to be included in student data collected for the state.
Update: Passed House Common Education Committee on 12-0 on Tuesday, February 16.
House Bill 1568 (Representative Jeff Boatman) Creates Maria’s Law requiring collaboration with the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to adopt standards and approve age-appropriate curriculum for K-12 students as a part of normal health education curriculum.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1569 (Representative Jacob Rosecrants) Creates the Oklahoma Play to Learn Act. States that the intention of the Legislature is to focus on the importance of child-centered, play-based learning.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1590 (Representative Melissa Provenzano) Makes any public funds paid to an educational management organization for school functions be subject to the same reporting requirements and audits as a school district.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1594 (Representative Melissa Provenzano) Modifies the membership of the State Board of Education. Two members are appointed by the Governor, two members are appointed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate and two by the Speaker of the House.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1599 (Representative Melissa Provenzano) Allows school districts to provide a staff assistant to regular education or special education teachers on an IEP.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1641 (Representative Justin Humphrey) Bans any curriculum that promotes or degrades any race, gender or sexual orientation.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1656 (Representative Denise Brewer) Requires the State Board of Education to require each local school district to employ at least one certified school counselor at each school site.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1657 (Representative Denise Brewer) Requires local boards of education to prohibit race discrimination based on natural hair or hairstyles in their dress codes.
Update: Assigned to House Judiciary-Civil Committee.
House Bill 1686 (Representative John Talley) Authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt suicide awareness prevention curriculum.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1761 (Representative Trish Ranson) Requires the Board of Education for a school district to adopt an attendance policy reflecting students completing instructional activities while not in school.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1762 (Representative Trish Ranson) Establishes trauma informed violence de-escalation training information to be made available for teachers.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1769 (Representative Mike Dobrinski) Requires the Oklahoma State Department of Education to maintain a dyslexia information handbook.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1775 (Representative Sherrie Conley) Creates Riley's Rule, a requirement that each athletic and practice facility create an emergency action plan.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee. Laid over.
House Bill 1778 (Representative Sherrie Conley) Modifies provisions of the School Safety and Bullying Prevention Act.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1802 (Representative Nicole Miller) Requires school districts to publish and make revenue sources available on the school district site.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1839 (Representative John Waldron) Removes the inclusion of chronic absenteeism from consideration when assigning school grades.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1841 (Representative John Waldron) Directs the State Department of Education to implement a modernized educational data infrastructure.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 1846 (Representative Andy Fugate) Revises household income limitations for Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship eligibility.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 1851 (Representative Andy Fugate) If an eligible student attends a school which is identified as a school in need of improvement, the eligible student may receive a Family Choice Act transfer to the nearest qualified school located in another school district.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1886 (Representative Jeff Boatman) Requires all teachers and certified support staff to complete mental health training as a part of their continuing education.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1919 (Representative Meloyde Blancett) Requires all student to receive guidance services from certified school counselors.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1963 (Representative Jadine Nollan) If vacancies occur which result in a loss of majority members of the board of education of a school district or technology center school district, the Governor shall appoint a member or members necessary to constitute a quorum to the board of education.
Update: Assigned to House Elections and Ethics Committee. Laid over.
House Bill 1968 (Representative Jadine Nollan) Deletes expenditure and program classification reporting requirements for certain gifted and talented programs.
Update: Passed House Appropriations and Budget Committee 13-0 on Monday, February 8. Referred to full House Appropriations Committee. Laid over.
House Bill 1985 (Representative Mark Lepak) Removes the ability for a school district to remove teachers union fees from an employee’s paycheck.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 2030 (Representative Terry O’Donnell) Adds passing the Naturalization test to high school graduation requirements.
Update: Passed House Common Education Committee 11-3 on Tuesday, February 16.
House Bill 2084 (Speaker Charles McCall) Requires the subject matter standards for history to include the United States Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, Federalist Papers and other documents with significant history and heritage of the United States.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2223 (Representative Randy Randleman) Requires the Oklahoma State Department of Education to maintain a dyslexia information handbook.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 2381 (Representative Danny Sterling) Directs local school districts to conduct an annual fitness assessment.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 2388 (Representative John Talley) Asks school districts to provide age-appropriate instruction about social-emotional learning.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2396 (Representative Todd Russ) Asks the board of education to adopt a policy regarding sex trafficking and exploitation prevention.
Update: Passed House Common Education Committee 14-0 on Tuesday, February 9.
House Bill 2418 (Representative Monroe Nichols) Adjusts the state aid formula to lower the weight of “gifted” children and adds a category for economically disadvantaged and gifted.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 2460 (Representative Mark Lepak) Prohibits school strikes or shutdowns by board of education or school employees.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2462 (Representative Dick Lowe) Allows the State Department of Education to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of food, lodging and other expenses necessary to host or participate in conferences and training sessions.
Update: Passed House General Government Committee 7-0 on Wednesday, February 17.
House Bill 2547 (Representative Preston Stinson) Requires media timeouts at high school sporting events which are being broadcast.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 2570 (Representative Chad Caldwell) Creates minimum requirements for how often public schools must meet in person. If they fail to meet that standard, they must transition to being a charter school and forfeit a percentage of the state aid formula.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2651 (Representative Jon Echols) Creates a tax credit for those contributing to eligible educational improvement grant organizations.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 2662 (Representative Jon Echols) Creates the Seizure Safe Schools Act requiring each local school district to have at least one school employee at each school who has met certain seizure safe training requirements.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee. Amended to change from a Shall to a May. Passed House Common Education Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 16.
House Bill 2727 (Representative Ajay Pittman) Requires subject to the availability of funds that there be a basic life skills education curriculum taught in public schools.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 2749 (Representative Rhonda Baker) Requires schools that receive more than $2,500 from the Reading Proficiency Act to spend at least 10% on professional development for Pre-k-5 grade teachers.
Update: Passed House Common Education Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 16.
House Bill 2751 (Representative Rhonda Baker) Defines computer science requirements for public elementary schools beginning in the year 2024-2025.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 2837 (Representative Mark Vancuren) Requires that if a student is transferred to a school district other than the district of residence of the student, the receiving district must establish availability of the appropriate program, staff and services prior to approval of the transfer.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2856 (Representative Sean Roberts) Requires school districts to publish their proposed budget on their website.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2859 (Representative Sean Roberts) Allows school districts to sell advertising on the exterior of school transportation.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Joint Resolution 1026 (Representative Anthony Moore) Puts to a vote of the people a constitutional amendment that removes debt limits for school districts.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Joint Resolution 1029 (Representative Monroe Nichols) Puts to a vote of the people a constitutional amendment that authorizes a school district to raise an additional $5 million levy on taxable property within the district if approved by the majority of district voters.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Joint Resolution 1033 (Representative Chad Caldwell) Puts to a vote of the people a requirement that a school spends at least 60% of its annual budget on instructional expenditures.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
Senate Bill 2 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Clarifies and expands the duties of the School Finance Review Commission to conduct a review of all matters related to school finance, including but not limited to teacher compensation and benefits; administrative costs, including administrative functions that may be shared between districts; opportunities for school districts to be operated in a cost effective manner; variances in per pupil and administrative expenditures among school districts with comparable enrollment, demographics and outcomes on statewide assessments; and expenditures not directly or sufficiently related to improving student outcomes.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 13 (Senator Brenda Stanley) Requires a teacher whose certificate is suspended by the State Board of Education to be placed on suspension while proceedings for revocation or other action are pending before the State Board of Education.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 21 (Senator Kay Floyd) Makes it a requirement, rather than permissive, beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, that district school boards provide schoolwide training to all students in grades seven through twelve and staff addressing suicide awareness and prevention.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committee as amended by committee substitute 12-0 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 54 (Senator John Michael Montgomery) Requires the State Department of Education to designate a school district site or charter school site as a Purple Star School. The bill defines applicable terms. It establishes the requirements for a school district site or charter school to be designated as a Purple Star School. It requires the State Board of Education to promulgate necessary rules.
Update: Passed Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee 10-0 on Thursday, February 11.
Senate Bill 66 (Senator John Haste) Exempts any insurance policy sold to any school district from the surplus lines premium tax.
Update: Passed Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee 9-0 on Monday, February 8.
Senate Bill 68 (Senator Frank Simpson) Requires a public school student to be considered in compliance with statutory residency provisions if he or she is a student whose parent or legal guardian is transferred or is pending transfer to a military installation within the state while on active military duty pursuant to an official military order.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 2.
Senate Bill 89 (Senator John Haste) Creates the Health Education Act. The bill defines applicable terms. It requires health education to be taught in public schools, including but not limited to physical health, mental health, social and emotional health and intellectual health.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 128 (Senator Dave Rader) Creates the Seizure Safe Schools Act requiring at least one school employee at each school to meet certain training requirements.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee. Title Stricken, Amended by Committee Substitute. Passed 12-0 on Tuesday, February 9
Senate Bill 130 (Senator George Burns) Creates the Oklahoma American Heritage Education Act. It adds to the list of items each school district in the state is required to permit a principal or teacher to utilize in a public-school building, classroom, or at any public-school event relating to the history, heritage, or foundation of the United States or the State of Oklahoma.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 142 (Senator Roland Pederson) Requires a school district’s board of education to allow a nonresident and non-transferred pupil to determine whether to require a tuition fee equal to the per capita cost of education for a similar period in such district during the preceding year. The bill requires the tuition fee to be paid to the receiving district in advance yearly or by semester as determined by the district board of education of the receiving district.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committee as amended by committee substitute 12-0 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 157 (Senator J.J. Dossett) Removes language that provides State Board of Education appointees to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. It adds language that permits the Governor to remove members of the board for cause, including being found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction of a felony or any offense involving moral turpitude; being found guilty of malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance in relation to board duties; being found mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction; or failing to attend three successive meetings of the board without just cause, as determined by the Governor.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee. Title Stricken. Passed Senate Education Committee 10-2 on Tuesday, February 2
Senator 197 (Senator Tom Dugger) Requires candidates who win board of education elections to be seated at the first meeting following the April election date. It clarifies language related to the April board of education election date.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 210 (Senator Brent Howard) Permits a member of a school district board of education to be removed from office by means of a recall petition demanding the removal of a board member and the election of a successor to the member.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee. Laid over.
Senate Bill 252 (Senator Brenda Stanley) Requires all public schools to begin teaching computer science courses in the 2024-2025 school year.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee. Title Stricken. Passed Senate Education Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 2
Senate Bill 271 (Senator Zack Taylor) Gives teachers the authority for the control and discipline of their students within the guidelines set by the school district and requires the teacher to keep good order in the classroom and other places in which they are assigned to be in charge of students, and sets out measures the teachers are allowed to take in order to control students including notifying law enforcement directly.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 291 (Senator John Haste) Adds a science, technology, engineering and math block course taught at a high school or tech center to the options for the graduation requirements in competencies of mathematics.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 307 (Senator Marty Quinn) Creates the Educational Deregulation Act allowing school districts to create and implement educational improvement plans which would exempt them from educational related statutory regulations and State Board of Education rules. Removes accountability requirements to the state and local level.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 323 (Senator Jo Anna Dossett) Modifies the state aid formula for the 2021-2022 school year and those thereafter.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 376 (Senator Carri Hicks) Directs each school district to create a special education advisory council and sets the membership of said councils, makes all meetings of said councils subject to the Open Meetings Act, sets the duties of the councils.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 377 (Senator Carri Hicks) Entitles support employees to pay for any time lost when a school district is closed because of an epidemic or when an order for such a closing has been issued by a health officer authorized by law to issue the order.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 417 (Senator J.J. Dossett) Provides for an increase in compensation for school support personnel.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 419 (Senator J.J. Dossett) Removes the requirement to administer assessments in U.S. history under the statewide system of student assessments.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 420 (Senator J.J. Dossett) Requires the State Department of Education to keep confidential the home addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses and social security numbers of any person employed or formerly employed by a school district or a public charter school. It allows a person employed or formerly employed by a school district or public charter school to provide the State Department of Education with written permission to disclose any or all of the information kept confidential.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 437 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Requires public school districts to provide remediation courses for high school students who score below benchmarks on subject-area portions of the American College Testing (ACT) exam or below equivalent scores on the SAT exam in the most recent year for which student performance data is available.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committee 9-3 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 450 (Senator Michael Brooks) Requires school districts that receive state aid funds as a result of qualifying for the "bilingual" pupil category weight to use the funds to provide professional development for teachers who offer instruction in English as a second language. It requires the expenditures to be reported using the Oklahoma Cost Accounting System.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 503 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Adds to required history curriculum, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, substantive selections from the Federalist Papers the Emancipation Proclamation, the Articles of Confederation, the Gettysburg Address and George Washington’s Farwell Address.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 517 (Senator John Michael Montgomery) Requires the board of education of a school district that offers full-time virtual education, the governing board of a public charter school that offers full-time virtual education, and the governing board of a statewide virtual charter school to be exempt from the tuition fee requirement for nonresident and non-transferred students who attend a full-time virtual education program.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 613 (Senator David Bullard) Requires the State Board of Education and school district boards to find effective ways to adjust scientific curriculum as it addresses scientific controversies.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 615 (Senator David Bullard) Adds conversations with a school counselor about sexual behavior or attitudes to the list of curriculum and information that must be approved by a superintendent or designee.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 619 (Senator David Bullard) Allows school districts to obtain liability insurance coverage to protect a student participating in an apprenticeship internship or mentorship program.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee. Title Stricken Passed Senate Education Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 2
Senate Bill 626 (Senator David Bullard) Requires disclosure to a student’s school district if a student has received mental health services in the previous year. Requires school personnel to meet with the parents to determine if an IEP is warranted.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 634 (Senator Julie Daniels) Requires an authorization form that has the statement of understanding of the first amendment rights to not be a part of a union for public education employees. Makes that form’s authorization a yearly requirement.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 642 (Senator Adam Pugh) Includes multi-aptitude battery assessments that measure developed abilities and help predict future academic and occupational success in the military.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 661 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Adds passing the Naturalization test to high school graduation requirements.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 662 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Requires the State Board of Education and school district boards to find effective ways to adjust scientific curriculum as it addresses scientific controversies.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 707 (Senator Greg McCortney) Sets a deadline for parents to present immunization records or exemptions.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committee 11-1 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 783 (Senator Adam Pugh) Requires the Department of Education to publish a list of the capacity for a class in each grade level K-12.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 803 (Senator Shane Jett) Prohibits public and charter schools from teaching “divisive subjects.”
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 807 (Senator Chris Kidd) Entitles support employees to pay for any time lost when a school district is closed because of an epidemic or when an order for such a closing has been issued by a health officer authorized by law to issue the order.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 823 (Senator Zack Taylor) Modifies the dates that allow the calculation of state aid allocations and increases the caps on certain carryover.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 3 (Senator Carri Hicks) Proposes a vote of the people on a constitutional amendment that allows a member of the Legislature to be employed as a certified teacher with a public school district in this state after he or she completes his or her term in office.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 9 (Senator Mary Boren) Puts to a vote of the people a constitutional amendment that changes the duty of the legislature when it comes to public education. Removes the words “Wherein all the children of the State may be educated”. Instead requires the legislature to “make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient and equitable system of free public schools”.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
COVID-19
House Bill 1057 (Representative Jim Olsen) Prohibits any person from being required to receive any vaccine as a condition of their public or private employment. It also preempts any employment-related vaccination mandate.
Update: Assigned to House States Rights Committee.
House Bill 1669 (Representative Kevin West) Modifies the powers of the Governor during catastrophic health emergencies to emphasize the importance of not interfering with civil rights.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1670 (Representative Kevin West) Terminates the Governor’s emergency health powers after 30 days if an emergency proclamation is not extended.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1887 (Representative Danny Williams) Prohibits a governmental entity from issuing any order or rule that requires closure of any place of worship.
Update: Assigned to House States Rights Committee. Laid Over.
House Bill 2192 (Representative Jason Lowe) Creates the Covid-19 Save Lives Response Act. Requires all those medically able who are older than 5 years of age to wear a face covering in public. Allows the denial of services to those not wearing face coverings. Limits non-essential gatherings. Requires all businesses to the extent they are able to provide work from home procedures. Creates punishment of $1,000 fines for violating this act. Leaves act in place until there are no more than 300 patients hospitalized state wide for Covid-19.
Update: Assigned to House States Rights Committee.
House Bill 2335 (Representative Jay Steagall) Prohibits compulsory immunization through any state entity via direct or indirect means.
Update: Passed House Public Health Committee 7-1 on Wednesday, February 10.
House Bill 2579 (Representative Wendi Stearman) Terminates the Governor’s emergency health powers after 30 days if an emergency proclamation is not extended.
Update: Assigned to House General Government Committee.
House Bill 2580 (Representative Wendi Stearman) Prohibits compulsory immunization through any state entity via direct or indirect means.
Update: Assigned to House Public Health Committee.
House Joint Resolution 1032 (Representative Chad Caldwell) Puts to a vote of the people a constitutional amendment prohibiting a governmental entity from issuing any order or rule that requires closure of any place of worship.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
Senate Bill 223 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Prohibits compulsory immunization through any state entity via direct or indirect means.
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 224 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Prohibits cities or towns from enacting or enforcing a mask mandate.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 255 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Allows for contact tracing, provides qualifications and limits authority to certain conditions.
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 352 (Senator Warren Hamilton) Prohibits any state entity from requiring immunization or mask wearing. Makes attempting to enforce a requirement a misdemeanor.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 368 (Senator David Bullard) Prohibits any governmental declaration of a religious institution as nonessential. Requires that religious institutions be exempt from closure orders for the purpose of health or security that is greater than that imposed on any private entity.
Update: Passed Senate Judiciary Committee 6-2 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 557 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Limits the Governor’s powers in a state of emergency, or other political entity from prohibiting activities in a place of worship.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 671 (Senator Shane Jett) Prohibits compulsory immunization through any state entity via direct or indirect means.
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 678 (Senator David Bullard) Prohibits a governmental entity from issuing any order or rule that requires closure of any place of worship.
Update: Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 679 (Senator David Bullard) Prohibits compulsory immunization through any state entity via direct or indirect means.
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 765 (Senator David Bullard) Makes it unlawful to require vaccination as a condition of employment.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee. Laid over.
Senate Bill 786 (Senator Shane Jett) Declares all Oklahoma business “essential” in order to avoid pandemic related shutdowns.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.
Senate Bill 835 (Senator Blake Stephens) Bans any discrimination by any public accommodation towards a person on the basis of their vaccination or immunity status.
Update: Passed Senate Judiciary Committee 6-2 on Friday, February 19.
Senate Bill 846 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Makes it unlawful to require vaccination as a condition of employment.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.
Senate Bill 875 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Bars all state entities or political subdivisions from denying government services or entrance to anyone not wearing a mask.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 885 (Senator Shane Jett) Prohibits cities or towns from enacting or enforcing a mask mandate.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 1016 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Adds to the definition of Catastrophic Health Emergency situations where there is an overloading of hospitals, emergency rooms and medical facilities beyond their capacity to serve.
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Charter Schools
House Bill 1591 (Representative Melissa Provenzano) Gives virtual charter school sponsorship, funding and other authority over to the State Board of Education rather than the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1595 (Representative Melissa Provenzano) Includes punishments for virtual charter schools for not transmitting student records within 3 years. Punishments to be determined by the State Department of Education.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1861 (Representative Andy Fugate) States that the fee for administrative services rendered by charter school sponsor shall not be more than three percent of the state aid allocation of charter school and shall not be less than zero percent of the state aid allocation of the charter school.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1855 (Representative Andy Fugate) Eliminates the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board and assigns its duties to the State Board of Education.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2753 (Representative Rhonda Baker) Eliminates the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board and assigns its duties to the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Joint Resolution 1036 (Representative Jon Echols) Puts to a vote of the people a constitutional amendment allowing a school district to become indebted after a 3/5ths vote to acquire or improve the school sites or equipment of a charter school.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
Senate Bill 53 (Senator Carri Hicks) Removes language permitting the State Board of Education to sponsor charter schools. It prohibits, beginning July 1, 2022, the board's sponsorship of charter schools, except for those operated by the Office of Juvenile Affairs. It requires charter schools sponsored by the board to enter a contract with another sponsor by July 1, 2022. It requires the charter school to be dissolved if it does not successfully enter a contract with another sponsor.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 69 (Senator Frank Simpson) Provides a student will be eligible to enroll in a statewide virtual charter school if the student's parent or legal guardian is transferred or is pending transfer to a military installation within this state while on active military duty pursuant to an official military order.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee. Passed Senate Education Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 2.
Senate Bill 152 (Senator Jo Anna Dossett) Removes language permitting the State Board of Education to sponsor charter schools. It prohibits, beginning July 1, 2022, the board's sponsorship of charter schools, except for those operated by the Office of Juvenile Affairs. It requires charter schools sponsored by the board to enter a contract with another sponsor by July 1, 2022. It requires the charter school be dissolved if it does not successfully enter a contract with another sponsor.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 166 (Senator J.J. Dossett) Gives virtual charter school sponsorship, funding and other authority over to the State Board of Education rather than the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 221 (Senator Rob Standridge) Creates the Wellness Scholarship Program to provide a scholarship to an eligible private school of choice students who have health-related concerns.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 222 (Senator Rob Standridge) Creates the Hope Scholarship Program to provide a scholarship to an eligible private school of choice for students who have experienced bullying.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 239 (Senator Dewayne Pemberton and Representative Toni Hasenbeck) Creates a process for the State Board of Education to hear appeals to the charter school sponsorship process.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee. Passed Senate Education Committee 11-1 on Tuesday, February 2. Passed off the Senate Floor 30-16 on Wednesday, February 10. Engrossed to House.
Senate Bill 532 (Senator Rob Standridge) Creates the School Choice for Disadvantaged Children Program Act; a scholarship to a participating private school of choice for eligible students.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bills 630 (Senator David Bullard) If a student has expressed an intent to enroll in a virtual charter school, the resident school district of the student may deny the transfer if the resident district offers a full-time virtual education program that is equal in scope and content to the virtual charter school to which a transfer is being sought.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 665 (Senator J.J. Dossett) Prohibits for-profit management organizations or other business entities to apply for, receive or renew a charter school application or contract.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 658 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Requires the State Department of Education to provide any notice or publication on immunization requirements all information on exemptions to such requirements.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee. Amended to pass Senate Education Committee 8-3 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 700 (Senator Chris Kidd) Requires that a charter school which is operated by the Office of Juvenile Affairs be operated or contracted out of an OJA facility.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Ethics
Senate Bill 176 (Senator Julia Kirt) Requires those appointed by the Governor as agency directors or cabinet secretaries to file financial disclosure statements with the Ethics Commission.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Senate Bill 178 (Senator Julia Kirt) Removes the $150,000 cap on the Ethics Commission (revolving) Fund and permits all fees collected by the commission to be deposited into the fund.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 180 (Senator Julia Kirt) Provides each house of the Legislature to require, every two years, four hours total of mandatory training sessions for its members, presented by the Ethics Commission and emphasizing the rules of the Ethics Commission. It requires a form issued by the Ethics Commission to each member be signed and returned by the member to the member's House of the Legislature, attesting to the completion of the training.
Update: Failed Senate Rules Committee 5-7 on Wednesday, February 10.
Senate Bill 989 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Prohibits a person from using or authorizing the use of public funds, property or time to engage in legislative or executive lobbying, as such terms are defined in the Rules of the Ethics Commission, except as provided in Section 840-2.5 of this title or in connection with individual rights set forth in the United States and Oklahoma Constitutions.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
General Government
House Bill 2107 (Representative Mauree Turner) Requires all legislative measures beginning with the second session of the 58th Legislature to be prepared using gender neutral terms.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
Senate Bill 487 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Allows the Governor to remove any gubernatorial appointment on any agency, board or commission at any time. Vacancies created by this removal will be filled by current provisions.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 847 (Senator Darrell Weaver) Allows the Legislature to create an “Educator of the Day” program.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 1 (Senator Kay Floyd) Proposes a vote of the people on a constitutional amendment that would prohibit members of the Legislature from being appointed or elected to any office or commission during their term; receiving any appointment from the Governor, the Governor and Senate or the Legislature during the term; or being interested in any contract with the state or a political subdivision during the term. It would not prohibit an employee of a school district, a technology center school district or the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education from continuing to serve during the term, or prohibit an appointment to a legislative committee or other legislative position. It also would not prohibit a former member from returning to his or her profession or business. It would permit the Legislature to enact laws to implement these provisions.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Higher Education
House Bill 1004 (Representative Jim Olsen) It prohibits the state or political subdivision from prohibiting or restricting any mental health provider or religious advisor from providing counseling or any patient or client from receiving counseling intended to aid patients or clients in their self-determined objectives of reducing, eliminating, resolving, or addressing unwanted same-sex attractions, behaviors, identity, sexual or gender-identity expressions, or unwanted gender dysphoria.
Update: Assigned to House Children Youth and Family Services Committee.
House Bill 1583 (Representative Mickey Dollens) Allows public schools and institutions of higher education to include on student ID cards a National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line and the campus police or security telephone line.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 1589 (Representative Melissa Provenzano) Creates the Oklahoma Student Borrowers Bill of Rights requiring that student loan servicers not employ any deceptive practices, maintain accurate reporting to consumer credit bureaus, and otherwise accurately inform borrowers of their rights and obligations in public and plain language.
Update: Assigned to House Judiciary Committee.
House Bill 1801 (Representative Nicole Miller) Grants priority enrollment and course registration to all members of the Oklahoma National Guard and to students who are eligible to receive educational financial assistance from the department of veteran affairs.
Update: Passed House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee with a vote of 9-0 on Monday, February 8.
House Bill 1852 (Representative Andy Fugate) Allows the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority to issue notes, bonds or other evidences of obligation up to $270,000,000 in order for the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University to construct buildings and other improvements to research, develop and manufacture generic drugs including insulin.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1962 (Representative Jadine Nollan) Specifies the definition of “qualified higher education expenses” to fall in line with section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Update: Passed House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee with a vote of 9-0 on Monday, February 8.
House Bill 1994 (Representative Trey Caldwell) Allows student athletes to enter contracts and be compensated for the use of their name or likeness.
Update: Assigned to House Business and Commerce Committee.
House Bill 2477 (Representative Sean Roberts) Requires institutes of higher education to remove all questions from scholarship and enrollment applications which identify the applicant’s gender, race or ethnic group.
Update: Assigned to House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee. Laid over.
House Bill 2691 (Representative Toni Hasenbeck) Requires the Commission for Educational Quality an Accountability to issue a report detailing factors in the public education system that contribute to graduation rates, assessment scores and the state workforce.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 2704 (Representative Merleyn Bell) Requires all institutions of higher education to make available at least one full-time staff member available to notarize ballots during designated absentee voting periods.
Update: Failed House Elections and Ethics Committee 2-6 on Tuesday, February 8.
House Bill 2750 (Representative Rhonda Baker) States the intent of the Legislature that in establishing minimum required score on AP exams for granting course credit the Regents for Higher Education should not require an AP score above 3.
Update: Assigned to House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee.
House Bill 2874 (Representative Kevin Wallace) Adds the University Hospitals Trust to those exempt from sales tax.
Update: Passed House Appropriations and Budget Committee 26-1 on Wednesday, February 10. Title stricken.
House Bill 2926 (Speaker Charles McCall) Requires each institution of higher education to publish a salary report of common occupations and industries in which students are employed upon graduation.
Update: Passed House Rules Committee 7-0 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 56 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Requires the State Board of Career and Technology Education and the State Regents for Higher Education by December 31, 2021, to review courses offered by technology center schools to determine if they are eligible for college credit.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 70 (Senator Frank Simpson) Increases the time period before the date of enrollment from five years to 10 years when a person was discharged or released from active military service to qualify for in-state enrollment.
Update: Passed Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education 4-0 on Wednesday. February 10. Referred to Full Appropriations Committee. Passed Senate Appropriations Committee 19-0 on Thursday, February 18.
Senate Bill 102 (Senator John Haste) Requires all state agencies that provide, contract for, or otherwise fund mental health services report to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES): all mental health services provided by the agency, including the name, purpose and primary funding source or sources of each service; a financial summary of spending amounts by method of finance associated with each program that includes annual spending on each service in each of the last five state fiscal years; and outcome summaries for mental health services that include target population or populations.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 138 (Senator Mary Boren) Prohibits a higher learning institution, including its faculty, staff and other employees, from requiring an enrolled student to take a leave of absence, withdraw from a program or limit her studies solely due to pregnancy. It requires a higher learning institution, including the faculty, staff or other employees, to reasonably accommodate pregnant students so they may complete their courses of study and research.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 139 (Senator Roger Thompson) Adds the Senate Appropriations Committee Chair and the House Appropriations and Budget Committee Chair to the list of recipients of the annual report submitted by Oklahoma State University Medical Authority.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee. Laid Over.
Senate Bill 238 (Senator Dewayne Pemberton) Creates a task force to study the requirement for high school students to complete the FASFA. Designates the makeup of this task force and the end date for a report. Requires the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the Senate to provide the staff and administrative support for the task force.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committee 11-1 Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 260 (Senator Dewayne Pemberton) Authorizes the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission to release to employees of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, the Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education, the Center for Economic and Management Research of the University of Oklahoma, the Center for Economic and Business Development at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, or a center of economic and business research or development at a comprehensive or regional higher education institution within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education information required to identify economic trends and to complete performance accountability reports required by the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.
Senate Bill 261 (Senator John Michael Montgomery) Creates the Oklahoma Student Borrower’s Bill of Rights, requiring that student loan servicers not employ any deceptive practices, maintain accurate reporting to consumer credit bureaus, and otherwise accurately inform borrowers of their rights and obligations in public and plain language.
Update: Passed Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee 11-2 on Thursday, February 11.
Senate Bill 276 (Senator Michael Brooks) Prohibits an institution of higher education from inquiring about a prospective student’s criminal history on the initial application or at any time during the admissions process prior to acceptance or rejection.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 292 (Senator John Haste) Creates a task force to study the concurrent enrollment needs of the State.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 331 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) creates the Save Women's Sports Act. The bill defines applicable terms. It prohibits athletic teams designated for "females," "women" or "girls" from being open to students of the male sex.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 477 (Senator Warren Hamilton) Authorizes a public or private postsecondary institution to request that an enrolled student submit written documentation of whether the student has been vaccinated against meningococcal disease. It requires any employee of a public or private postsecondary educational institution who coerces or in any way influences a student enrolled in the institution to receive a vaccination against meningococcal disease to be guilty of a misdemeanor. It allows a public or private postsecondary institution to request that an enrolled student submit written documentation of whether the student has been vaccinated against hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). It requires that any employee of a public or private postsecondary educational institution who coerces or in any way influences a student enrolled in the institution to receive a vaccination against hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) to be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 614 (Senator David Bullard) Enhances higher education students’ First Amendment rights to include the “right to an unbiased education” and freedom from any endorsement, symbolism or propaganda of “socialism, communism, Marxism or anti-American sentiment.”
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 633 (Senator Julie Daniels) Creates the Student and Administration Equality Act allowing a student who is accused of a violation of non-academic disciplinary or conduct rules that would result in a 10 or more day suspension to be represented by an attorney or advocate. Creates a structure for hearings and a presumption of innocence for the student accused.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 637 (Senator Rob Standridge) Prohibits an institution of higher education from requiring students to enroll in a course that is not a core requirement of their chosen curriculum, a course with no tuition or fee charged, or a course that is not directly relevant to a degree being pursued.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 641 (Senator Adam Pugh) Encourages the Regents for Higher Education to adopt a policy authorizing additional online distance learning opportunities. Allows the creation of a distance education tuition classification.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee. Laid over.
Senate Bill 660 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Prevents all institutions of higher education from raising tuition and fee rates above those approved for the 2020-2021 rates.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 805 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Prohibits any institution of higher education from receiving funds form an individual or entity that is or has been associated with the China-based People’s Liberation Army.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 893 (Senator Adam Pugh) Allows the undergraduate and graduate programs of the same discipline of engineering at an institution to be part of the qualified program if either program is ABET accredited.
Update: Passed Senate Finance Committee 11-0 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Joint Resolution 15 (Senator Rob Standridge) Puts to a vote of the people a prohibition for higher education from requiring students to enroll in a course that is not a core requirement of their chosen curriculum, a course with no tuition or fee charged, or a course that is not directly relevant to a degree being pursued.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Healthcare
House Bill 1006 (Representative Carol Bush) Creates the Transparency in Health Care Prices Act. The bill defines applicable terms. It requires healthcare providers make available to the public, in a single document, either electronically or by posting conspicuously on the provider's website if one exists, the health care prices for at least the 20 most common health care services the healthcare provider provides.
Update: Assigned to House Public Health Committee.
House Bill 2299 (Representative Dustin Roberts) Creates the Oklahoma Medical Education Protection Act which preserves the supplemental payment programs payable to University Health Science Centers when entering into contractual arrangements with any entity for the management of Medicaid patients.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2711 (Representative Merleyn Bell) Modifies the list of employees in unclassified service to include registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
Update: Assigned to House Government Modernization and Efficiency Committee.
House Bill 2811 (Representative Chris Sneed) Allows CareerTech and the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools to also qualify as an approved program for registered nurses.
Update: Reassigned to House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee.
House Joint Resolution 1041 (Representative Sean Roberts) Puts to a vote of the people an amendment repealing Medicaid expansion.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
Senate Bill 4 (Senator Greg McCortney) Permits a pharmacist to substitute an interchangeable biological product for a prescribed biological product only if the substituted product has been determined by FDA to be interchangeable with the prescribed biological product; the prescribing physician has permitted substitution; and the pharmacy informs the patient of the substitution.
Update: Passed Senate Health and Human Services committee 10-0 Wednesday, February 3.
Senate Bill 5 (Senator Greg McCortney) Requires every hospital to compile a list of 25 common outpatient procedures and annual submit to the State Department of Health a list of its average charges for those procedures, in a method determined by the department.
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 100 (Senator Brenda Stanley) Permits an applicant for a license to practice podiatric medicine to submit an electronic application online. It requires an applicant legally reside in the United States, rather than be loyal to the US. The bill removes the requirement that the applicant be free from contagious or infectious disease.
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 105 (Senator Zack Taylor) Exempts the board of directors of a federally qualified health center from the definition of public body under the Open Meeting Act. It corrects misspellings of the term "policies" related to federally qualified health centers.
Update: Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 107 (Senator John Michael Montgomery and Representative Todd Russ) Gives the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) the authority, beginning with the Jan. 1, 2022 plan year, to renew vision plan contracts with plan providers for succeeding one-year terms if the provider had a contract for the immediately preceding year.
Update: Passed Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee 9-0 on Monday, February 8. Passed off Senate Floor 47-0 on Thursday, February 10. Engrossed to House.
Senate Bill 120 (Senator Rob Standridge) Creates the Prescription Drug Safety and Cost Reduction Importation Pilot Program Act. The bill requires the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to submit an application to the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services for the purpose of establishing a prescription drug importation pilot program for the state Medicaid program to import pharmaceutical drugs from one or more countries approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 164 (Senator Brenda Stanley) Modifies language related to participation in a research program or experimental procedures. It requires human subject research to be approved by an accredited institutional review board rather than a local institutional review board. It requires when the patient is incapable of giving informed consent and is a minor that the consent be given by the parent or legal guardian.
Update: Passed Senate Health and Human Services Committee 10-0 Wednesday, February 3.
Senate Bill 174 (Senator Dave Rader) Requires a medical laboratory director to possess a bachelor's degree in the chemical, environmental, biological or physical sciences or engineering, with at least a total of 24 college semester credit hours in chemistry or biology and at least two years of experience in the environmental analysis of representative inorganic and organic analytes for which the laboratory will be performing. It permits a master's degree or doctoral degree in one of the disciplines to be substituted for one year of experience.
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 188 (Senator Dave Rader) Clarifies language related to the reporting of diseases. The bill also requires the system of reporting provide for direct reporting by practicing physicians or clinical laboratories to city-county health departments.
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 207 (Senator Jessica Garvin) Authorizes the Oklahoma Health Care Authority Administrator to designate an administrative law judge to perform appeal hearings for those adversely affected by a decision of the authority.
Update: Passed Senate Health and Human Services Committee 11-0 on Monday, February 8. Referred to Full Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 301 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Requires the Chief Medical Examiner to conduct a review of the necessity of the requirement that a medicolegal investigation be conducted on every body that is to be transported out of state.
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 319 (Senator Robert Standridge and Representative Daniel Pae) Exempts from the prohibition furnishing anyone under the age of 21 any cigarettes, cigarette papers, cigars, bidis, snuff, chewing tobacco, or any other form of tobacco product, or vapor products persons performing activities as part of a scientific study being conducted by a research institution for the purpose of medical research to further efforts in cigarette and tobacco use prevention and cessation and tobacco product regulation, provided that such medical research has been approved by a properly accredited institutional review board pursuant to applicable federal regulations.
Update: Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 11-0 on Monday, February 8. Passed off the Senate Floor 46-0 on Thursday, February 11. Engrossed to House
Senate Bill 349 (Senator Greg McCortney) Requires testing centers to make an electronic copy of their current charge description available on the center’s website. The State Department of Health shall maintain a database of comparative pricing for all laboratory or imaging centers in the state.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee. Laid over.
Senate Bill 350 (Senator Warren Hamilton) Prohibits required immunization for all public education.
Update: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 406 (Senator Jessica Garvin) Modifies the definitions of "University Hospital" and "Oklahoma's Children's Hospital." It authorizes the University Hospital’s authority to assign any inpatient and outpatient hospital and clinical facilities, research buildings, facilities or property and any other buildings, facilities or property under its ownership or management and control to University Hospital, Oklahoma Children's Hospital or any other division or entity which is part of University Hospital.
Update: Passed Senate Health and Human Services Committee 11-0 On Monday, February 8.
OneNet
House Bill 1049 (Representative Dell Kerbs) Requires the Department of Public Safety to provide motor license agents with internet services that operate at adequate transmission speeds to allow the agents to efficiently transact business and transmit data to and from the agency.
Update: Passed House Technology Committee 5-1 on Wednesday, February 10.
House Bill 1124 (Representative Logan Phillips) Creates the State Broadband Deployment Grant Program to direct competitive grants to applicants seeking to expand broadband internet services and directs the Corporation Commission to create the Rural Broadband Expansion Council to promulgate rules and procedures for the program.
Update: Assigned to House Technology Committee.
House Bill 1127 (Representative Logan Phillips) Appropriates $2 million from the FY2021 General Reserve Fund to the Rural Broadband Expansion Council for the purpose of developing and implementing a mapping system as provided in statute.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee. Reassigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1132 (Representative Logan Phillips) Deletes the requirement that the Corporation Commission not approve, endorse, forward or file any application for reimbursement submitted pursuant to subsection (h) of Section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, for transmission services requiring a circuit of T-1 or greater capacity unless OneNet is the circuit provider.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee. Reassigned to House Technology Committee.
House Bill 1635 (Representative Logan Phillips) Creates a 25% tax credit for qualified broadband telecommunications infrastructure.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
Senate Bill 643 (Senator Adam Pugh) Prohibits OneNet from bidding on a contract to provide services to a private sector entity.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.
Senate Bill 802 (Senator James Leewright) Increases the Rural Broadband Expansion Council by one member to be filled by a tribal leader of this state.
Update: Passed Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee 12-1 on Thursday, February 18.
Open Meetings/Records
House Bill 1876 (Representative Tammy West and Senator Brenda Stanley) Specifies what private employee information is not subject to the Open Meeting Act.
Update: Passed House General Government Committee 8-0 On Wednesday, February 10. Passed off the House Floor 82-0 on Thursday, February 18. Engrossed to Senate.
House Bill 2038 (Speaker Charles McCall) Extends the provisions that allows for virtual open meetings until January 31, 2022
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2644 (Representative Jon Echols) Extends the provisions that allows for virtual open meetings until March 31, 2024
Update: Assigned to House General Government Committee. Laid over.
Senate Bill 452 (Senator Julia Kirt) Requires, upon request, any record of a public body that is excepted from confidentiality under the Open Records Act and stored electronically to be provided electronically; provided, a public body will not be required to convert a record that is maintained in a nonelectronic format into an electronic format.
Update: Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 507 (Senator Jo Anna Dossett) Reinstates virtual open meetings provisions until December 31, 2021.
Update: Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 777 (Senator Brent Howard) Allows for virtual meeting pursuant to the Open Meetings Act any time the Governor declares a state of emergency or whenever an in-person meeting is determined to be detrimental to the health and safety of citizens of this state.
Update: Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 919 (Senator John Michael Montgomery) Extends the provisions that allows for virtual open meetings until February 15, 2022.
Update: Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 970 (Senator Kay Floyd) Makes all license or certification public record, excluding an applicant’s personal address, phone number or other personal material.
Update: Passed Senate Judiciary Committee 9-0 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 992 (Senator Shane Jett) Makes all license or certification public record, excluding an applicant’s personal address, phone number or other personal material.
Update: Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 1005 (Senator Tom Duggar) Allows open meeting requests to be filled electronically provided a public body is not required to convert a record from a non-electronic format into an electronic one.
Update: Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 1014 (Senator Greg Treat) Removes any private foundation that is affiliated with a university but not supported by public funds from the definition of public body in the open meetings, open records act.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee.
Senate Bill 1031 (Senator Greg Treat and Representative Jon Echols) Extends the provisions that allow for virtual open meetings until the Governor declares the state of emergency to have ended.
Update: Assigned to Senate General Government Committee. Withdrawn from General Government Committee. Direct to Calendar. Passed off the Senate Floor as amended by Floor Substitute with a vote of 45-0 on Wednesday, February 3. Direct to House Calendar. Passed off the House Floor 88-5 on Monday, February 8. Signed by Governor Stitt on Wednesday, February 10.
Senate Bill 1032 (Senator Greg Treat) Requires livestreaming for virtual open meetings
Update: Passed Senate General Government Committee 7-0 on Thursday, February 18.
Scholarships
House Bill 1739 (Representative Sheila Dills) Creates the Connecting Futures Act. It allows the Department of Human Services to, subject to available funding, create a pilot program to address needs of any minors who are separated from their parents or legal guardians, are not supported by their parents or legal guardians and are not in the custody of the Department of Human Services or in the custody of any Indian tribe. It requires the pilot program to allow the Department to provide assistance in securing necessary services to allow eligible minors to become self-reliant and productive citizens.
Update: Passed House Children Youth and Family Services Committee 5-0 on Tuesday, February 9.
House Bill 1800 (Representative Nicole Miller) Waives the tuition for any undergraduate courses pursued by a member of the Oklahoma National Guard.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education. Amended to remove fee waiver by unanimous consent. Passed House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education 13-0 on Monday, February 8.
House Bill 1821 (Representative Toni Hasenbeck) Increases flexibility in the use of Tuition Aid Grants, by removing language directing the Regents for Higher Education to direct tuition aid grants to all eligible applicants, and adding factors to the way the awards are prioritized including: Enrollment status, unmet financial need, continuous enrollment, nearness to degree completion or certificate, state employment needs, and eligibility for other State and institutional funds.
Update: Passed House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee with a vote of 9-0 on Monday, February 8.
House Bill 1982 (Representative Mark Lepak) Modifies the tax credit cap for scholarship granting entities to allow the cap to increase by 25% if the amount is equal or greater than 90% the previous year.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee. Laid over.
House Bill 2399 (Representative Todd Russ) Extends the qualification for Oklahoma’s higher learning access program to those students whose parents died after the students tenth grade year, and meet the other financial requirements.
Update: Assigned to House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee. Amended by unanimous consent passed to House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee 9-0 on Monday, February 8.
House Bill 2652 (Representative Jon Echols) Creates the Oklahoma Veteran Educational Assistance Act waiving enrollment and tuition fees for all veterans.
Update: Assigned to House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee.
Senate Bill 132 (Senator David Bullard) Extends application window for Oklahoma’s Promise to the eleventh grade.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 237 (Senator Dewayne Pemberton) Increases flexibility in the use of Tuition Aid Grants, by removing language directing the Regents for Higher Education to direct tuition aid grants to all eligible applicants, and adding factors to the way the awards are prioritized including: Enrollment status, unmet financial need, continuous enrollment, nearness to degree completion or certificate, state employment needs, and eligibility for other State and institutional funds.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committee 12-0 Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 639 (Senator Adam Pugh) Extends qualification for Oklahoma’s Promise to those enrolled in an area that has been identifies as a critical occupation area. Requires the Department of Commerce and the Regents for Higher Education to publish a yearly list between October and June of the critical occupation areas that meet the guidelines. Requires the Regents, in consultation with CareerTech, to identify postsecondary vo-tech programs that correlate to the critical occupation areas. Sets a 5-year completion timeline, requires scholarships to be paid back if the program is not completed.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 663 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Changes Oklahoma’s Higher Learning Access Program to a forgivable loan, allows students attending private schools or those “educated by other means” to apply. Requires the student to graduate within 5 years and remain a resident of the state for 5 years after graduation for the loan to be forgiven.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Teacher Retirement System
House Bill 1907 (Representative Jacob Rosecrants) Modifies the Rule of 80 and Post-retirement earnings limitation of those in the Teacher Retirement System. Deletes superfluous language.
Update: Assigned to House Banking Financial Services and Pensions Committee.
House Bill 2189 (Representative Ronny Johns) Modifies period of service required for retirement benefit eligibility.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2293 (Representative Dustin Roberts) modifies the matching of TRS funds to be based only on the member’s regular annual compensation regardless of the source of funds, except federal funding.
Update: Assigned to House Banking Financial Services and Pensions Committee.
House Bill 2302 (Representative Dustin Roberts) Creates the Oklahoma Prosperity Act. It requires each covered employer to be required to offer each employee an opportunity to contribute to an IRA established under the program for the benefit of the employee through withholding from wages. It prohibits employers from contributing to the program. The bill expands the duties of the State Treasurer and establishes provision for contributions to accounts through the program.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2378 (Representative Dean Davis) Adjusts post-retirement provisions of the TRS. Does not allow a retired member to accrue any additional service credits.
Update: Assigned to House Banking Financial Services and Pensions Committee.
House Bill 2379 (Representative Dean Davis) Allows a retired member of the TRS to not be subject to earning limitations for substitute teachings after retirement.
Update: Assigned to House Banking Financial Services and Pensions Committee.
House Bill 2686 (Representative Toni Hasenbeck) Reduces the years of service to be vested in Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System to 5 years from 7 years.
Update: Assigned to House Banking Financial Services and Pensions Committee.
Senate Bill 108 (Senator John Michael Montgomery) Permits, beginning Nov. 1, 2021 and every two years thereafter, state pension boards to authorize a cost-of-living benefit allowance increases based on a percentage of the previous two years of social security cost of living adjustment percentage rates combined when certain conditions are met. It prohibits the language from being construed to constitute a property right or a guarantee or pledge of action.
Update: Assigned to Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee.
Senate Bill 251 (Senator Carri Hicks) Removes earnings limitations for certain Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System members.
Update: Assigned to Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee.
Senate Bill 267 (Senator Dewayne Pemberton) Allows retired educators who have received benefits for at least one year and who have not been employed by a public school during that time to be eligible to be reemployed as an active classroom teacher in common or career tech school district with no limitation on earnings.
Update: Passed Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee 9-0 on Thursday, February 18.
Senate Bill 465 (Senator Frank Simpson) Allows for the purchase of additional military service credits for members of the Public Employees Retirement System.
Update: Passed Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee 9-0 on Monday, February 8.
Senate Bill 513 (Senator John Michael Montgomery) The Board of Trustees of the Teachers' Retirement System Oklahoma may issue pension obligation bonds; provided, however, the Board may not issue such bonds unless the funded ratio of System falls below eighty percent (80%).
Update: Assigned to Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee.
Senate Bill 683 (Senator Chris Kidd) Removes the one-year regular employment requirement for full-time non-classified optional personnel to join the TRS.
Update: Assigned to Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee. Laid over.
Senate Bill 694 (Senator Darcy Jech) Raises the limit on allowed earnings from $15,000 to $25,000 for retired members under the age of 62.
Update: Assigned to Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee.
Senate Bill 891 (Senator Joe Newhouse) Establishes a defined contribution system for those who first became employed after November 1, 2022.
Update: Assigned to Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee
Senate Bill 914 (Senator Lonnie Paxton) Creates the pension cost-of-living adjustment savings account revolving fund to be used for future COLA.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 933 (Senator Lonnie Paxton) Increases TRS recipients benefits by 2% beginning July 2022.
Update: Assigned to Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee.
Senate Bill 973 (Senator Jessica Garvin) Modifies restrictions with respect to post-retirement employment for those in the TRS.
Update: Assigned to Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 18 (Senator Lonnie Paxton) Puts to a vote of the people a constitutional amendment that requires any COLA to include funding.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Teacher Certification
House Bill 1572 (Representative Jacob Rosecrants) Amends teacher salary bonus for psychologists, speech-language pathologists and audiologists.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 1592 (Representative Melissa Provenzano) Creates the Teach in Oklahoma Act. Grants Oklahoma teachers credit on the salary schedule for teachers with active duty in the military or out-of-state/out-of-country teaching experience.
Update: Assigned to House Banking, Financial Services and Pensions Committee.
House Bill 1593 (Representative Melissa Provenzano) Requires 7th-12th grade teachers to have workplace safety training emphasized into curriculum. The program shall be completed the first year a certified teacher is employed by a school district.
Update: Passed House Common Education Committee 13-0 Tuesday, February 16.
House Bill 1773 (Representative Sherrie Conley) Requires teaching candidates in early childhood elementary, secondary and special education to study the philosophy framework and implementation of a multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) designed to address the core academic and nonacademic needs of all students.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee. Amended by committee substitute. Passed House Common Education Committee with a vote of 8-1 on Monday, February 8.
House Bill 1796 (Representative Nicole Miller) Allows the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Commission for Education Quality and Accountability to grant subject area examination exceptions for initial certification in a field that does not require an advanced degree if the candidate already has an advanced degree in the subject essentially comparable to the content assessed in the examination.
Update: Passed House Common Education Committee 13-0 on Tuesday, February 9.
House Bill 1813 (Representative Meloyde Blancett) Allows student teachers while serving a full-day internship to receive compensation for up to one full school year.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee. Laid over.
House Bill 1836 (Representative John Waldron) The State Department of Education shall develop a system to code teacher certification and renewal applications in order to report data on the pathways for teacher certification, including certification.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee. Laid over.
House Bill 1837 (Representative John Waldron) Expands the teacher shortage incentive program to include students in any major course of study.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 1838 (Representative John Waldron) Awards a one-time stipend of $4,000 to all eligible students participating in the teacher internship program.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 1840 (Representative John Waldron) Reimburses the testing fee or payment for a competency examination for any teacher who graduates from an in-state institution of higher education.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 2329 (Representative Mark Lawson) Allows the State Board of Education to grant an exception to the certification examination to teacher candidates who are deaf.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 2692 (Representative Toni Hasenbeck) Creates the Advanced Roles for Teachers and School Leaders Act, makes a new classification of teachers on the minimum salary schedule as a part of a pilot program to promote advanced teaching roles and organizational models.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
House Bill 2693 (Representative Toni Hasenbeck) Updates the name of the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability. Rewards teachers who are renewing their National Board Certification by awarding them a portion of the renewal application fee.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee. Reassigned to Appropriations Committee. Passed House Appropriations Committee 28-0 on Thursday, February 18.
House Bill 2748 (Representative Rhonda Baker and Senator Brenda Stanley) Requires the State Board of Education to issue one-year alternative teacher certificates renewable for up to 3 years to teach early childhood education or elementary education if the alternative certified teacher meets certain qualifications.
Update: Passed House Common Education Committee 14-0 on Tuesday, February 9. Passed off the house floor 86-0 on Thursday, February 18. Engrossed to Senate.
House Bill 2752 (Representative Rhonda Baker) Requires the State Department of Education in coordination with the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to establish a micro-credential programs for teachers who hold a certificate to complete additional coursework and earn STEM credentials.
Update: Assigned to House Common Education Committee.
Senate Bill 51 (Senator Carri Hicks) Removes the requirement to pass the general education portions of the competency examination for an alternative placement teaching certificate or a teacher certificate.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 52 (Senator Carri Hicks) Increases the minimum salary schedule for teachers.
Update: Assigned to Senate Appropriations
Senate Bill 67 (Senator Frank Simpson) Permits the State Board of Education to grant an exception to the requirements for all certification examinations for teacher candidates who are "deaf."
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee. Passed Senate Education Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 2.
Senate Bill 215 (Senator J.J. Dossett) Requires priority status in the Teaching Certification Scholarship Program to be given to teacher candidates who seek to complete the subject area test for English as a second language.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 229 (Senator John Michael Montgomery) Allows the State Board of Education to renew an Emergency or Provisional Teacher Certification for up to five years.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 245 (Senator Jo Anna Dossett) Gives priority status for receipt of the Teacher Certification Scholarship Program to those who seek to teach disabled or special education students.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 308 (Senator Marty Quinn) Allows a school district to issue teacher certification to those who have “demonstrated content expertise” in corresponding subject areas and grade levels.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 447 (Senator Carri Hicks) Requires the minimum teachers' salary schedule adopted and transmitted by the State Board of Education to include the base salary amounts including the minimum state salary amounts provided in statute and district increments in excess of the minimums and district-paid benefits, such as life, dental, disability, salary protection, vision, cancer and health supplemental insurance.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 701 (Senator Shane Jett) Directs that support employees are entitled to pay for time lost when a school district is closed due to an epidemic.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 703 (Senator Adam Pugh) Requires that teachers be granted credit for all years out-of-state teaching experience on the minimum salary schedule.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Weapons on Campus / Gun Legislation
House Bill 1100 (Representative Jim Olsen) Preempts the entire field of legislation or policies in the state touching firearm and ammunition components. The bill allows the court to require a person, municipality, agency or political subdivision to pay reasonable expenses to the aggrieved party and sets the process for an aggrieved party to provide notice of an unlawful order, policy, ordinance or regulation.
Update: Assigned to House Judiciary-Civil Committee.
House Bill 1101 (Representative Jim Olsen) Allows convicted felons to ride in a vehicle with a pistol, machine gun, toy or air pistol or sawed-off shotgun and clarifies certain language.
Update: Assigned to House Judiciary-Civil Committee.
House Bill 1629 (Representative David Hardin) Preempts any federal, state county or municipal law rule or regulation that orders the confiscation of firearms, firearm accessories of ammunition.
Update: Passed House Judiciary-Criminal Committee 7-2 on Wednesday, February 10.
House Bill 1630 (Representative David Hardin) Modifies the Unlawful Intent to Carry and Penalty Portions of Firearms Act to allow flexibility in punishment upon conviction. Deletes the ability to permanently revoke a handgun license. Amends background checks to remove criminal history records fingerprints and FBI searches on license renewal.
Update: Passed House Judiciary-Criminal Committee 8-1 on Wednesday, February 10.
House Bill 1662 (Representative Kevin West) If a defendant claims self-defense the State of Oklahoma must then have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the defensive force was not justified.
Update: Assigned to House Judiciary-Criminal Committee.
House Bill 1673 (Representative Kevin West) Allows the carrying of firearms in bars and restaurants as long as the carrier is not consuming alcoholic beverages. Reduces fines and punishments from $1,000 and two years in prison to $250. Removes the revocation of a handgun license upon violation of this statute.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
House Bill 1897 (Representative Sean Roberts) Allows municipalities by ordinance to authorize all or certain municipal employees to carry concealed firearms.
Update: Assigned to House Judiciary-Criminal Committee.
House Bill 1898 (Representative Sean Roberts) Adds statutory references to the Oklahoma Self Defense Act.
Update: Assigned to House Judiciary - Criminal Committee.
House Bill 2005 (Representative Tammy Townley) Exempts those acting in self-defense or defending property whether or not they own said property from the law against pointing firearms at people. Makes it legal to be pointing a deadly weapon if you are licensed to own or carry such a weapon.
Update: Assigned to House Judiciary - Criminal Committee.
House Bill 2333 (Representative Jay Steagall) Bans all persons or business entities from making or enforcing a policy that prohibits any person or employee of the business entity, from carrying or storing firearms in a vehicle.
Update: Assigned to House Public Safety Committee.
House Bill 2334 (Representative Jay Steagall) Authorizes the possession of firearms on streets, plazas, sidewalks and alleys. Authorizes open carry on property of nonprofit entities and public trusts.
Update: Assigned to House Public Safety Committee.
House Bill 2401 (Representative Todd Russ) Changes the ban on all felons from carrying firearms to a ban on anyone convicted of a specifically classified violent felony from carrying firearms for a period of 5 years.
Update: Assigned to House Judiciary - Criminal Committee.
House Bill 2645 (Representative Jon Echols) Allows the carrying of firearms in bars and restaurants as long as the carrier is not consuming alcoholic beverages. Reduces fines and punishments from $1,000 and two years in prison to $250. Removes the revocation of a handgun license upon violation of this statute.
Update: Assigned to House Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 18 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Declares any federal, state, county or municipal act, law, executive order, administrative order, court order, rule or regulation ordering the confiscation of firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition from law-abiding citizens of Oklahoma be considered an infringement on the rights of citizens to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 80 (Senator J.J. Dossett) Provides a person employed or operating as an unarmed security guard on or after November 1, 2021, will have 30 days from the date of employment to secure a license issued by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training pursuant to the Oklahoma Security Guard and Private Investigator Act.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 106 (Senator Mark Allen) Defines the term "completed application" within the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act to mean all fields are completed, questions answered and contains all required signatures on the Application for Self-Defense Act License and all required documents including legible fingerprints, if applicable. It removes the 90-day grace period for handgun license renewals.
Update: Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 9-2 on Friday, February 19.
Senate Bill 186 (Senator David Bullard) Removes language that prohibits a person convicted of a felony from operating a motor vehicle or riding as a passenger in a motor vehicle in which there is any pistol, imitation, or homemade pistol, altered air or toy pistol, machine gun, sawed-off shotgun or sawed-of rifle, or any other firearm. It modifies the qualifications for restoring the right to carry a firearm.
Update: Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 11-0 on Friday, February 19.
Senate Bill 442 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Makes its unlawful for any person to carry or use shotguns, rifles or pistols in any circumstances while under the influence of medical marijuana obtained under a valid medical marijuana patient license. It exempts an applicant or licensee in legal possession of a medical marijuana patient license from the preclusion for a person from being eligible for a handgun license pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act.
Update: Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 11-0 on Friday, February 19.
Senate Bill 443 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Authorizes any person in lawful possession of a valid handgun license to enter the Capitol with a handgun upon presentation of the valid handgun license. It provides the bill cannot be construed to authorize a peace or security officer to remove or inspect any handgun or restrain any person carrying a properly concealed loaded or unloaded handgun without probable cause that a crime has been committed.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Senate Bill 451 (Micheal Bergstrom) Modifies language related to self-defense with a firearm. It makes it unlawful for any person to point any pistol, firearm or any other deadly weapon whether loaded or not, at any other person or persons except for persons acting in self-defense or to home or business owners in defense of their private property whether or not they possess a valid handgun license pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act. It adds "occupied premises" to the list of places the Legislature recognizes that the citizens of the State of Oklahoma have a right to expect absolute safety and that a person legally is allowed to defend.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 486 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Preempts any federal, state county or municipal law rule or regulation that orders the confiscation of firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 631 (Senator Warren Hamilton) Makes Oklahoma a “Second Amendment Sanctuary State” pre-empting any legislation or rule at any level that would infringe upon the right to bear arms.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 644 (Senator Blake Stephens) Allows municipalities to, by ordinance, authorize all or certain municipal employees to carry concealed firearms.
Update: Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 10-1 on Friday, February 19.
Senate Bill 645 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Allows municipalities to, by ordinance, authorize all or certain municipal employees to carry concealed firearms.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 646 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Allows the carrying of firearms in bars and restaurants as long as the carrier is not consuming alcoholic beverages. Reduces fines and punishments from $1,000 and two years in prison to $250. Removes the revocation of a handgun license upon violation of this statute.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 672 (Senator Casey Murdock) Allows unmitigated transport of firearms for any person not otherwise prohibited from purchasing or carrying firearms.
Update: Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 9-2 on Friday, February 19.
Senate Bill 711 (Senator John Haste) Adds county owned buildings to the locations a sheriff may authorize certain employees to carry a firearm.
Update: Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 9-2 on Friday, February 19.
Senate Bill 730 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Bans any person, property owner, tenant, employer, or business entity from establishing or enforcing any rule that prohibits transporting carrying or storing firearms.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 732 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Allows anyone whose Second Amendment rights are violated to bring a lawsuit against any order or regulation or other political subdivision of the state. Defines responsibilities of the court in such a case.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee. Laid over.
Senate Bill 733 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Deletes exclusion of Higher Education and CareerTech campuses from the open carry law. Allows anyone in possession of a valid handgun license to carry a concealed weapon on a college campus.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 759 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Renames the Oklahoma Firearms Act and the Oklahoma Self Defense Act under the same umbrella of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act of 2021.
Senate Bill 763 (Senator David Bullard) Allows first responders employed by a county or municipality, who possess a valid handgun license issued pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, to be authorized to carry a concealed handgun when acting in the course and scope of employment.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 767 (Senator David Bullard) Allows superintendents to authorize anyone with a valid handgun license and has demonstrated proficiency in handgun training and campus-specific active shooter training to carry weapons on school grounds.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Bill 925 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Modifies language related to self-defense with a firearm. It adds "occupied premises" to the list of places the Legislature recognizes that the citizens of the State of Oklahoma have a right to expect absolute safety and that a person legally is allowed to defend.
Update: Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 9-2 on Friday, February 19;
Senate Bill 926 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Extends the firearms law preemption to air powered pistols.
Update: Assigned to Senate Public Safety Committee.
Senate Joint Resolution 21 (Senator David Bullard) Puts to a vote of the people a constitutional amendment prohibiting any future legislation, taxation or rules that would infringe upon Second Amendment rights.
Update: Assigned to Senate Rules Committee.
Workforce Development
House Bill 1582 (Representative Micky Dollens) Creates the Oklahoma Military to Machinists Act. Requires the Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development to develop and operate a pilot program with selected workforce development boards to be known as the Military Machinists Program for Veterans.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 1586 (Representative Mickey Dollens) Creates a tax credit for each qualified apprentice employed by eligible employers for at least 7 years. Requires the Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development in coordination with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to create standards for participation and eligibility.
Update: Assigned to House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee.
House Bill 1899 (Representative Sean Roberts) Removes the stipulation in the Quality Jobs Act that the incentive payments cannot go to an employee or independent contractor for an athletic contest conducted in the state.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 2860 (Representative Kevin Wallace) Creates the Oklahoma Remote Quality Jobs Inventive Act. Provides for the Department of Commerce and the Oklahoma Tax Commission to create policy’s attracting growth industries that employ remote workers.
Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Bill 2929 (Speaker Charles McCall) Requires the Department of Commerce to post on its website information related to its business recruiting efforts with an emphasis on possible business site locations or relocation decisions within the state.
Update: Assigned to House Rules Committee.
Senate Bill 71 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Modifies language related to the Department of Commerce's requirement to promulgate rules for the administration of the Oklahoma Local Development and Enterprise Zone Incentive Leverage Act. It requires the rules establish reporting requirements for successful applicants which allow data collection and analysis by the department on employment, capital investment, changes in assessed value of a project and other impacts resulting from payments and reporting of data by the department to the Oklahoma Tax Commission.
Update: Passed Senate Finance Committee 10-0 on Tuesday, February 9.
Senate Bill 72 (Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Repeals the Oklahoma Research and Development Incentives Act.
Update: Assigned to Senate Finance Committee.
Senate Bill 82 (Senator David Bullard) Instructs the Department of Corrections to create a “Future of Oklahoma Industry and Labor (FOIL) Report" that analyzes and describes the current and predictable trends of the jobs, industries and labor workforce in this state.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.
Senate Bill 161 (Senator George Young) Implements a $10 state minimum wage. It requires employers to pay the greater of the state or federal minimum wage.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.
Senate Bill 211 (Senator Tom Dugger) Modifies the powers and duties of the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools. It permits a school to be accredited by an accrediting organization approved by the U.S. Department of Education for multiple years, and to obtain a sustained license annually during the period of the multi-year accreditation. It modifies the fees the board may assess.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee. Title Stricken. Passed Senate Education Committee 10-2 on Tuesday, February 2.
Senate Bill 332 (Senator Mary Boren) Sets the state minimum wage at $8.50 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2022; $9.75 per hour beginning Jan. 1. 2023; $11 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2024; $13 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2025; and $15 per hour beginning Jan 1. 2026. It requires, beginning Jan. 1, 2027 and each Jan. 1 thereafter, that the state minimum wage increase according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) percentage increase from the prior year.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.
Senate Bill 520 (Senator Julia Kirt) Requires the Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development to provide training that combines instruction at a worksite during paid employment with a classroom education.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.
Senate Bill 542 (Senator Nathan Dahm) Creates the “Right to Earn a Living” stating that all Oklahoma regulations be limited to those demonstrably necessary and carefully tailored to fulfill legitimate public health, safety or welfare objectives.
Update: Assigned to Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.
Senate Bill 587 (Senator Chuck Hall) Adds the delivery of industry focused instruction from Common Education, CareerTech or Higher Education to the definitions in the Oklahoma Community Economic Development Pooled Finance Act.
Update: Assigned to Senate Finance Committee.
Senate Bill 620 (Senator David Bullard) Requires every public school district to designate an industry day for students in 9-12th grade to explore career opportunities available within the state.
Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee.
Senate Bill 936 (Senator Chuck Hall) Combines the various quality jobs programs under the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program Act.
Update: Passed Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee 11-1 on Thursday, February 11. Passed Senate Appropriations and Budget 20-0 on Thursday, February 18.
Thank you.
Glen
Glen D. Johnson
Chancellor
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104
405.225.9122
gjohnson at osrhe.edu<mailto:gjohnson at osrhe.edu>
follow us on Twitter @okhighered
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