Legislative Update

Bill adds transparency for agency rules

April 1, 2021

House Speaker Pro Tempore Terry O’Donnell, R-Catoosa, passed a bill in the House Administrative Rules Committee that he said will ensure agency rules go through a more transparent and thorough process before being approved or repealed. Senate Bill 913, by O’Donnell and Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, would create the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR)…

Fiscal impact bill

April 1, 2021

A bill to require initiative petitions to indicate if the proposed measure will have a fiscal impact on the state, and if so, name a funding source passed the House Appropriations & Budget Committee. Senate Bill 947, by Rep. Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City, and Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, would require the fiscal information to…

Public land issue

April 1, 2021

The Oklahoma House of Representatives adopted a resolution to emphasize the critical role public lands play in the state’s economy, heritage and quality of life. State and federally-owned public land constitutes just over 6% of the land in Oklahoma. Rep. John Talley, R-Stillwater, authored House Resolution 1002 to draw attention to Oklahoma’s public lands. He…

Asserting Oklahoma’s sovereignty

March 25, 2021

House Resolutions 1009 and 1010 sponsored by Rep. Jay Steagall, R-Yukon, were adopted in the House. The two resolutions assert Oklahoma’s state sovereignty in the face of multiple attempts by the federal government to usurp states’ rights. In particular, the resolutions are meant to combat H.R. 1, the “For the People Act of 2021” and…

Expanding the Rainy Day Fund

March 25, 2021

A bill aimed at expanding the state Rainy Day Fund passed out of the House on with unanimous approval. House Joint Resolution 1001, by Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City, provides Oklahoma voters the opportunity to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to allow more money to be saved in the Constitutional Reserve Fund, better known as the…

Detailed medical rejection notices

March 25, 2021

The Senate approved to a measure that would require insurers to provide a detailed notice to both the patient and health care provider when denying a claim. Authored by Sen. Joe Newhouse, R-Tulsa, Senate Bill 550 would require the notification to include the reason for denial and instructions on where a person or entity could…

Rules for Medicaid firms

March 25, 2021

The Ensuring Access to Medicaid Act, which would establish regulations for health care providers wishing to participate in Medicaid within Oklahoma passed out of the House. House Bill 1091 specifies how claims are to be processed, ensures payments made to providers are timely and that rates are following the fee schedules in effect at the…

Landlord rights bill fails

March 25, 2021

A bill that would prohibit the courts from extending the terms of tenancy failed the House on a vote of 26-51. House Bill 1564 by Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, would have allowed a landlord to immediately apply to a sheriff for enforcement of the right to possession upon the entry of a judgment. The measure…

Bill will protect churches

March 25, 2021

The Senate voted overwhelmingly to protect churches as essential in the state of Oklahoma. Senate Bill 368, by David Bullard, R-Durant, creates the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, prohibiting declaration of religious institutions as nonessential. SB 368 prohibits any governmental entity from declaring or deeming a religious institution and any activity directly related to the institution’s…

Human Resources change

March 25, 2021

A bill that modernizes the state employee human resources system passed unanimously in the House. House Bill 1146, or the Civil Service and Human Capital Modernization Act, is authored by Rep. Mike Osburn, R-Edmond. Osburn said the bill updates human resources processes for about 36,000 state employees. It creates better flexibility for state agencies in…