Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat said that 39 interim study requests have been approved. Senators had submitted 64 requests.

Treat said the study requests were assigned to the standing Senate policy committee with jurisdiction over the subject matter of the request. Now that the studies have been assigned to Senate committees, committee chairs will determine when to conduct the studies, Treat said.

Due to the ongoing renovation of the Capitol, the Senate only has one available committee room for use this interim. Treat also said the Senate intends to implement social distancing due to COVID-19 which further limits the ability to hold more studies.

“In a typical year, we can accommodate most interim study requests. But this is not a typical year. With only one Senate committee room available for use and the need to implement social distancing due to COVID, we limited each senator to no more than two approved study requests,” Treat said.

Treat said interim studies must be completed by October 30.

Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, and Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, have a study to reform how the legislature is involved in the administrative rules process.

Sen. Joe Newhouse, R-Tulsa, and Rep. Sheila Dills, R-Tulsa, have studies on bilingual education in schools and school transportation problems during the coronavirus pandemic.

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, approved more than 70 interim studies requested by lawmakers and assigned to House committees.

McCall approved 74 interim studies after receiving 92 study requests from members. Four study requests were combined with another study to examine similar topics. Additionally, four of the 74 studies have been approved as joint studies to be conducted in partnership with the Senate.

The approved studies cover a wide range of topics, including criminal justice reform, economic development and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic within the state.

 “The ability to meet, gather data and speak with experts on matters that are important to the state is one of the most important times in the legislative process,” McCall said.

Specific dates will be assigned to each House committee and each study will be allotted four hours for the hearing. House committee chairs will now begin scheduling hearings. The studies can begin August 4 and must be completed by October 29.