News

Retirees will get COLAs

June 4, 2020

Legislation granting cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirees in six Oklahoma pension plans, including teachers, firefighters, police, public employees and justices and judges was signed into law by the governor. House Bill 3350 bases COLAs on the number of years individuals have received retirement benefits from the state. Those retired for five years or more as…

Curbside booze bill signed

June 4, 2020

Thanks to Senate Bill 1928, customers will continue to be able to buy their beer, wine and hard liquor through curbside sales. The bill was authored by Sen Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, and Rep. Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston. Gov. Stitt signed Senate Bill 1928 into law. It’s another step in liberalizing Oklahoma liquor laws. “During the COVID-19…

Law to protect juveniles

June 4, 2020

Gov. Stitt signed a bill to protect children 12 years of age or younger from being placed in a state juvenile detention facility unless all alternatives have been exhausted and the child is charged with an offense that would be classified as a felony if committed by an adult. House Bill 1282, authored by State…

Life-saving consent bill

June 4, 2020

Legislation allowing Oklahoma courts to grant guardians the power to consent to withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining procedures through a separate order was signed into law by the governor. House Bill 2588 was authored by State Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy, and was carried in the Senate by Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville. The legislation requires issuance of…

Court videoconferencing

June 4, 2020

Courtrooms across the state will now be allowed to use videoconferencing in district court proceedings after being signed by the Governor. House Bill 3756, authored by Rep. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, authorizes the use of videoconferencing technology in all stages of civil or criminal proceedings except in jury trials or trials before judges. “The COVID-19 pandemic…

Emergency certificates

June 4, 2020

The State Board of Education approved emergency rules in March to allow emergency teaching certificates to be renewed for up to three years, and the governor approved the rules in April. The legislature felt more must be done for Oklahoma schools, so Senate Bill 1115 removes the emergency certification renewal cap all together beginning November…

Imagination Library bill

June 4, 2020

Oklahoma is on its way to having its own Imagination Library—a literacy program providing free books to encourage children to read. Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow, and Rep Tammy Townley, R-Ardmore, are principal authors of SB 1803, creating the framework for Oklahoma’s Imagination Library, modeled after a program founded by entertainer Dolly Parton in her…

Online car tag renewals

June 4, 2020

Online motor vehicle tag renewals can be processed by local tag agents under legislation enacted via veto override. House Bill 4049, by House Speaker Charles McCall, requires the state to offer citizens renewing vehicle tags online with the option to digitally renew their vehicle tag through their local tag agent. Oklahoma has hundreds of local…

Rural broadband expands

June 4, 2020

A rural broadband expansion plan for Oklahoma was enacted by a legislative veto override last week. House Bill 4018 and Senate Bill 1002 cause a 14-member council to develop a plan to improve availability, quality and affordability of high speed internet in rural Oklahoma, which lags significantly behind the rest of the country in access…

Private schools aren’t getting CARES aid from OSDE

June 4, 2020 Ray Carter

The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which included $161 million for Oklahoma’s K-12 schools, requires public schools to coordinate with private schools on “equitable services funding” that can cover a host of costs. But the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) and local public schools appear to be violating provisions of…