Bills Assigned To Committees In Opposite House – As the session reached its half-way point this week, bills passing in their house of origin had been assigned to committees in the opposite house, and a number of them had been heard in committee. Below is a list of key business-related bills with their committee assignments or status. CS = Chamber Supports; CO = Chamber Opposes; CNP = Chamber Has No Position; CNP-FS = Chamber Has No Position, Further Study Needed.
Taxation

SB 646 (Senate Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee & House Speaker Chris Benge) – CS – Creates the Accountability, Innovation and Privatization Act to require the conducting of performance audits of state agencies, the review of tax incentives and the feasibility of privatizing government assets and services. House Government Modernization Committee: AFP supports this bill.
Economic Development
SB 879 (Senator Randy Brogdon and Representative Paul Wesselhoft) – CO – Eliminates Oklahoma’s individual income tax structure, and numerous individual and business tax incentives, and creates a flat tax to replace the income tax. Left on Senate Calendar – Not heard: AFP supports this bill.
HB 1786 (Representative T.W. Shannon and Senator Don Barrington) – CS – Authorizes cities, towns or counties engaged in economic development to capture state sales tax collections for up to five years to offset the direct cost of public infrastructure required to support the proposed industrial or commercial development. Senate Finance Committee: AFP opposes this bill
NOTE: Numerous bills dealing with tax credits and incentives for alternative energy development and use were introduced. Many will no doubt be combined. We will update those bills at a future date.
Education and Workforce Development

SB 582 (Senator Clark Jolley and Representative Tad Jones) – CS – Enhances Alternative Teacher Certification procedure to help accommodate private sector professionals wishing to receive a teaching certificate. House Common Education Committee: AFP supports this bill.

SB 834 (Senator John Ford & Representative Tad Jones) – CS – Enhances local school board’s decision-making powers. House Common Education Committee: AFP supports this bill.

SB 1111 (Senators Clark Jolley; Judy Eason McIntyre; Glenn Coffee; John Ford & Representatives Tad Jones; Jabar Shumate; Chris Benge; Lee Denney) – CS – Takes common education testing, assessment and student tracking responsibility out of the Oklahoma Department of Education to be placed under an independent Education Quality and Accountability Office. House Appropriation and Budget Education Subcommittee: AFP supports this bill.

HB 1050 (Representative John Carey and Senator John Sparks) – CS – Encourages school districts to create mentorship programs designed to help reduce drop-out rates. Senate Floor: AFP supports this bill.

Workers’ Compensation Reform: AFP supports all these bills.

HB 1600 (Representative Dan Sullivan & Senator Glenn Coffee) – CS – Clarifies workers' compensation; covers surgery for a soft tissue injury caused by a physicians initial treatment; clarifies language. Passed House – Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee

HB 1601 (Representative Dan Sullivan & Senator Glenn Coffee) – CS – Prohibits attorneys and counselors from withholding portion of judgments for the purpose of making political donations. Passed House – Passed Senate Judiciary with an amendment. Goes to full Senate

HJR 1041 (Representative Chris Benge & Senator Clark Jolley) – CS – Sends to a vote of the people a measure that would subject workers’ compensation justices, appointed by the Governor, to Senate approval. Passed House – Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee

SB 609 (Senator Todd Lamb & Representative Dan Sullivan) – CS – Amends Workers' Comp court; modifies from ten judges to eight judges, four of which will be permanently assigned to the Oklahoma City Workers' Comp court, and four will be permanently assigned to the Tulsa Workers' Comp court…and requires Senate confirmation on appointment of w.c. judges. – Passed Senate – Passed House Judiciary Committee – Goes to full House

Lawsuit Reform: AFP supports all these bills

HB 1602 (Representative Dan Sullivan & Senator Glenn Coffee) – CS – Sends to a vote of the people a lowering of the limitation on the fee an attorney can collect for services. Passed House – Sent directly to Senate Agenda

HB 1603 (Representative Dan Sullivan & Senator Glenn Coffee) – CS – Major tort reform bill. Passed House – Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee

HB 2167 (Representative Mark McCullough & Senator Anthony Sykes) – CS – "Private Attorney Retention Sunshine Act", any state agency or agent that wishes to retain a lawyer to perform legal services on behalf of the state where expenses will exceed $5,000, an open bidding session will occur. Passed House – Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee

SJR 27 (Senator Patrick Anderson & Representative Dan Sullivan) – CS – Reduces number of individuals in Judicial Department Nominating Commission and makes bill gender neutral. Passed Senate – Assigned to House Rules Committee

PASSED: SCR 8: Senate Concurrent Resolution 8 on the union's card check bill call Employee Free Choice Act: Oklahoma Legislature Goes On Record As Opposing EFCA - A resolution urging Oklahoma’s federal delegation to oppose card check legislation that would eliminate the right to the secret ballot passed the House Thursday. The Employee Free Choice Act is pending before Congress, which would all but eliminate the secret ballot in union representation elections. Currently, employees are allowed to vote by secret ballot, so as to prevent undue pressure that comes with out-in-the-open voting. Oklahoma’s federal delegation has opposed the legislation, including Rep. Dan Boren, the only Democrat.