Benefit allowance for state workers

Oklahoma has around 33,000 state employees and one of their benefits as state workers is to get most, if not all, of their health insurance covered under their flexible benefit allowance.

As a measure to control costs, the annual benefit allowance was frozen in 2012 and has not increased since, even though health premiums have increased almost annually.  The Senate approved Senate Bill 650 to bring the benefit allowance more in line with current healthcare costs.  Starting January 1, 2023, the flexible benefit allowance will increase to allow for an inflationary rate of 2% for each year it has been frozen. Studies have shown that Oklahoma state employee compensation is approximately 12% below the market value.

Law lets employees accrue paid leave

The House unanimously advanced a bill that would allow any state employee who accrues excess annual leave they are unable to use to be compensated for it.

House Bill 2294, referred to as the “use it or lose it” bill, would require state agencies, beginning July 1, 2022, to pay employees for excess leave time at the end of the 12-month period in which the leave was accrued if it has not been used. There are nearly 3,200 state employees that could be impacted by this legislation. 

No defunding of city police departments

The Senate approved a bill to make sure local governments don’t ignore the will of their citizens when cutting police department budgets.  Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, is the author of Senate Bill 825.

Standridge said the concept is straightforward—if the citizens had previously approved a tax increase to fund public safety, the local government cannot redirect or reduce those funds without a second vote of the people.

“I think most Oklahomans are opposed to the idea of defunding police, particularly if they voted to provide additional funding for law enforcement,” Standridge said.

Citizen test to graduate from high school

House Speaker Pro Tempore Terry O’Donnell, R-Catoosa, won passage of a bill in the House that would help students become more engaged citizens. HBl 2030 would require high school students to pass the civics portion of the United States’ naturalization test in order to graduate beginning in the 2022-23 school year.

O’Donnell explained this is the same test required of anyone desiring to become a citizen of the United States. Fourteen other states have adopted similar legislation.

HB 2030 passed the House with a vote of 80-18.

Some Democrats oppose House Bill 2030.

 “I can’t support making it a graduation requirement which only creates more unnecessary mandatory testing for our children,” said Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa. “This bill is ill-conceived, loosely designed, and poorly executed. It will not turn out well for Oklahoma children if we adopt loose testing protocols, security, and implementation.”

“It is not our business to legislate standards, especially when we already have a civics curriculum,” said Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa. “

Sales tax exemption for aquariums

The House passed House Bill 1566 by Rep. Lonnie Sims, R-Jenks, to align aquariums with the state sales tax exemption already granted to zoos and museums.

Sims said that 40,000 school children visit the Oklahoma Aquarium every year. Approximately 5,000 of those students receive free admission and remaining admissions for education are discounted by over 50 percent.  Sims also stated that out of the 400,000 visitors to the Oklahoma Aquarium annually, approximately 46% come from out-of-state generating over $1.4 million in annual sales tax revenues and a total annual economic impact of $31.3 million to the state.

State aid for veterans’ funeral expenses

The Senate approved Senate Bill 567 to establish the Oklahoma Homeland Security Revolving Fund, which would provide state aid for the funeral expenses of military or law enforcement personnel who die in the line of duty.

“Our military, law enforcement and first responders know the risks they take each day when they show up to serve and protect our state and nation,” said author and former Navy pilot Sen. Joe Newhouse, R-Tulsa. “However, when these individuals give the ultimate sacrifice in direct response to state orders, the least we can do is honor their service by assisting with final expenses.”

The bill would provide up to $10,000 in funeral expense assistance to all members of the National Guard, police, state troopers, firefighters and first responders who die in the line of duty while in response to state orders, including natural disasters and civil disturbances.