Source: http://okhighered.org/leg-info/1996/feb_23.html
Timestamp: 2018-01-22 14:15:28
Document Index: 527989259

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 6060', '§ 2368', '§ 2', '§ 328', '§ 8201', '§ 3031', '§ 2062', '§ 2403', '§ 3103', '§ 6060', '§ 328', '§ 6055', '§ 41', '§ 3903', '§ 1', '§ 1362', '§ 1316', '§ 631', '§ 1362', '§ 2002', '§ 3218', '§ 1303', '§ 840', '§ 17', '§ 2531', '§ 6', '§ 51', '§ 131', '§ 1306', '§ 1371', '§ 6060', '§ 5001', '§ 7050', '§ 2802', '§ 37', '§ 5', '§ 1306', '§ 22', '§ 12', '§ 2505', '§ 102', '§ 5030', '§ 3', '§ 2530', '§ 1210', '§ 1306', '§ 1303', '§ 840', '§ 3', '§ 7', '§ 3203', '§ 1', '§ 7', '§ 76', '§ 4651', '§ 2603', '§ 6055', '§ 1303', '§ 5002', '§ 6', '§ 1', '§ 1352', '§ 17', '§ 1', '§ 2531', '§76', '§ 19', '§ 5006', '§ 5011', '§ 707', '§ 14', '§ 85', '§ 41', '§ 3', '§ 3511', '§ 6001', '§ 3218', '§ 6020', '§ 3218', '§ 1304', '§ 37', '§ 17', '§ 1210', '§ 17', '§ 3218', '§ 85', '§ 1312', '§ 3218', '§ 1304', '§ 3207', '§ 3218', '§ 552', '§ 1306', '§ 1002', '§ 601', '§ 1312', '§ 307', '§ 114', '§ 22', '§ 14', '§ 6060', '§ 2358', '§ 2283', '§ 14', '§ 6060', '§ 6', '§ 14', '§ 17', '§ 6060', '§ 1136', '§ 6060', '§ 1316', '§ 650', '§ 619', '§ 3904', '§ 557', '§ 89', '§ 3', '§ 500', '§ 85', '§ 3634', '§ 50', '§ 5', '§ 65', '§ 11', '§ 2', '§ 85', '§ 14', '§ 452', '§ 456', '§ 1310', '§ 3', '§ 3614', '§ 82', '§ 500', '§ 1', '§ 5011', '§ 1', '§ 8201', '§ 85', '§ 41', '§ 683', '§ 8004', '§ 3103', '§ 1210', '§ 17', '§ 131', '§ 20', '§ 3211', '§ 1210', '§ 2', '§ 230', '§ 17', '§ 840', '§ 842', '§ 17', '§ 840', '§ 3218', '§ 3207', '§ 24', '§ 1261', '§ 545', '§ 6060', '§ 24', '§ 631', '§ 557', '§ 595', '§ 4601', '§ 4601', '§ 17', '§ 4', '§ 196', '§ 85', '§ 301', '§ 2358', '§ 6', '§ 6', '§ 1210', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 3213', '§ 840', '§ 6', '§ 623', '§ 631', '§ 90', '§ 1', '§ 840', '§ 1', '§ 17', '§ 2357', '§ 623', '§ 500', '§ 20', '§ 14', '§ 181', '§ 2501', '§ 328', '§ 625', '§ 85', '§ 3951', '§ 700', '§ 549', '§ 14', '§ 3206', '§ 4254', '§ 1', '§ 4602']

The following document is divided into three sections. Section I highlights activities of the past week. Section II provides a subject index of the bills we are tracking. Section III provides a brief summary of each bill plus the legislative action taken on the bill to date.
Section I: Highlights This Week:
Legislative committees worked long hours this week to consider bills before yesterday's February 22 deadline for committee action on bills in the house of origin. Bills that did not make it out of committee are generally "dead" for this legislative session and will be removed from the list next week. The Legislature's focus will now shift to the House and Senate floors as each house has three weeks, until March 14, to pass bills which came out of committee.
UCT/Rogers State College Merger on the "Fast Track": SB 1162, which provides for the merging of the governing boards of the University Center at Tulsa (UCT) and Rogers State College into a single governing board, quickly passed two Senate hurdles this week and has moved to the House. On Monday, the Senate Education Committee passed the bill without opposition on a vote of 15 aye, 0 nay. Senate President Pro Tempore Stratton Taylor (D - Claremore), who is an ex-officio, voting member of every Senate committee, attended the meeting (a fairly rare occurrence) and voted in favor of the measure. Senator Taylor is also one of the coauthors of the bill. UCT President Roger Randle addressed the committee saying that the two institutions would remain identifiably separate and largely retain their current operations. Rogers State would continue to function as a community college and would not bring lower level courses to UCT. However, UCT would look to use its "center" model to bring upper level and graduate courses to the Rogers State campuses.
On the following day, SB 1162 was taken up on the Senate floor and eventually also passed without opposition on a vote of 45 aye, 0 nay. However, before the final vote on the bill was taken, Sen. Ed Long, who represents the Enid area, offered an amendment to grant the Enid Higher Education Program the same "institutional" status that was given to UCT in 1992. After much discussion and debate, the amendment was rejected by a motion to table the Long amendment which passed by a vote of 27 aye, 17 nay. The bill has now been sent to the House and has been assigned to the House Education Committee.
Funds Available for FY'97 Appropriations: The State Board of Equalization met on Tuesday to make its final estimate of revenue available for appropriation by the Legislature this session. The new estimate dropped only slightly from the Board's original estimate in December 1995. Instead of $287.6 million in additional funds available for appropriation, the Board certified $284.2 million, a drop of $3.4 million. From this point on, the estimate cannot be changed unless laws directly affecting state revenues are passed.
March 14, Thursday Pass Bills from Floor of House of Origin
March 28, Thursday Pass Bills from Committee in the Opposite House
SB 698 - Employees Benefits Council
SB 788 - licensed perfusionists
SB 1162 - UCT/ Rogers State College merger
SCR 43 - recognizing Dr. Roy Peters
SB 851 - dental specialty license
SB 896 - Ok. Health Care Authority; Employees Benefits Council
SB 965 - Employees Benefits Council
SB 1030 - Advisory Comm. to Ok. Food & Ag. Product Res. & Tech Cntr, OSU
SB 1100 - common education reform; Advanced Placement Incentive Prog.
SB 1188 - Oklahoma Futures
SB 1228 - retirement
SB 1312 - purchasing; competitive bidding
SCR 36 - Tulsa Junior College revenue bonds
HB 2475 - transferring funds from group insurance board to OTRS
HB 2655 - maternity benefits
HR 1045 - homosexual lifestyles
SCR 42 - OTRS Fiscal Health Task Force
HB's 1809, 1810, 1811 - shell bills related to appropriations
HB 1991 - smoke detectors
HB 2052 - raising minimum wage to $5 per hour
HB 2054 - English as common/official language of state
HB 2146 - economic development
HB 2165 - health insurance
HB 2188 - health insurance
HB 2190 - youth apprenticeship
HB 2192 - youth apprenticeship
HB 2231 - children/youth services
HB 2254 - task force on health and disability coverage
HB 2309 - temporary teachers
HB 2337 - administrative procedures
HB 2348 - maternity benefits
HB 2422 - retirement
HB 2469 - workers compensation
HB 2502 - health care
HB 2534 - legal representations of political subdivisions
HB 2576 - workers compensation; self insurance
HB 2583 - retirement, notification to members and beneficiaries
HB 2621 - State Employees Fair Labor Relations Act
HB 2690 - Ok. Privatization Functions Act
HB 2720 - minority teachers' aides
HB 2759 - University Hospitals
HB 2819 - budget/program oversight
HB's 2820, 2821, 2841 - shell appropriation bills
HB 2976 - Ok. Marketing Development Advisory Task Force
HB 2977 - purchasing
HB 3021 - health insurance
HCR 1066 - "Project 1000"
Bills Rejected in House Committees:
HB 1663 - amending Oklahoma Tuition Trust Act (House A&B Subcommittee)
HB 2993 - endowed chairs (House A&B Subcommittee)
Conference Committee Reports Submitted (bills still alive from the 1995 session)
SB 537 - nursing; advanced unlicensed assistive person
HB 1880 - dental act
HB 2497 - health insurance
HCR 1070 - Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame; Northeastern State U.
The House Special Committee on Small Business will meet at the Tecumseh Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, February 29, at 5:00 p.m. One item on the agenda will be a discussion of OneNet by Mike Erhart of the State Regents' office.
Note: Our weekly legislative update will now be available on the internet homepage of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education at: http://www.osrhe.edu. Each week's update should be posted on the homepage by late Friday afternoon.
HJR 1080
HJR 1086
HJR 1088
HJR 1089
HJR 1091
HJR 1061
HJR 1063
Eastern Oklahoma State College at
Insurance, health (cont'd)
Maternity benefits (cont'd)
Retirement (cont'd)
HJR 1071
HJR 1076
Tests, norm- and criterion-referenced
Unified university system
Wages, prevailing
Reported Status as of 2/22/96
CONFEREES DISAGREE 05/26/95
* SB 684 (Gustafson) - MATERNITY BENEFITS. Requires a health benefit plan that provides maternity coverage to provide coverage for inpatient care for a mother and the newborn child for a minimum of 48 hours after vaginal delivery and minimum of 96 hours after delivery by cesarean section. (36 § 6060.1) (See HBs 2302, 2330, 2348, 2655)
SENATE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/05/96
(33 AYE / 11 NAY / 0 ABSENT / 4 EXCUSED / 0 NOT VOTING)
HOUSE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/22/96
* SB 708 (Horner/McCorkell) - OKLAHOMA HIGHER LEARNING ACCESS PROGRAM (OHLAP). Modifies state income tax forms to allow a donation for OHLAP; provides for a refund of the donation to a taxpayer who submits a request within three years from the due date of the tax return. (68 § 2368.1)
* SB 715 (Muegge) - HAZARDOUS WASTE. Modifies fees for disposal of hazardous waste. (27A § 2-7-121)
ENERGY, ENV. RES. & REG AFFAIR
* SB 737 (Robinson/Wells) - BOARD OF DENTISTRY. Creates the Board of Dentistry to replace the Board of Governors of the Registered Dentists of Oklahoma; changes terms throughout statutes; outlines powers and duties; authorizes the Board to, without examination, issue a dental intern permit to a graduate of an approved dental school or college who is otherwise qualified, upon request of the governing body of any public or private institution for the graduate to serve as a dental intern or resident in the institution, with limited duties as defined in the permit. (59 § 328.26) (See HB 2967)
GENERAL ORDER - SENATE 02/22/96
* SB 782 (Robinson/Anthony) - TELECOMMUNICATIONS. Creates the Oklahoma Telecommunications Act; requires state agencies which use telecommunications to develop a telecommunications plan and receive prior written authorization from the Oklahoma Telecommunications Authority before entering into any agreement to acquire, develop or enhance a telecommunications system; requires the State Regents to establish and maintain a statewide telecommunications system to be known as OneNet; creates the Oklahoma Telecommunications Authority Board; provides for membership; creates the Oklahoma Telecommunications Authority with a director appointed by the Authority; creates the Telecommunications Revolving Fund; provides that the authority board and the Office of State Finance shall prepare a proposed plan for the transfer in whole or in part of the Information Services Division of the finance office to the Authority; provides that all telecommunications networks operated by educational or government entities shall be considered to be part of the Oklahoma Government Telecommunications Network (OGTN); modifies membership of the State Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee. The committee substitute creates an Oklahoma Telecommunications Commission comprising five voting members, one of whom would be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the State Regents, and the chair of the State Data Processing Telecommunications Advisory Committee as an ex officio member; requires the Commission to provide for the operation, maintenance and development of the Oklahoma Government Telecommunications Network (OGTN), establish standards, protocols and policies for the secure and efficient interoperation of the networks comprising OGTN and provide a forum for the discussion of telecommunications policies; authorizes the Commission to promulgate rules, to enter into contracts and agreements for services, and to fix and revise user charges; creates a Telecommunications Commission Revolving Fund; requires annual independent audits; prohibits state and education entities responsible for a wide-area network utilized by users that are not otherwise subject to the authority of the entity from selling or otherwise conveying any unit or units of its network or making a contract or other agreement for the operation or management of the network without approval by the Commission; increases membership of the advisory committee from 26 members to 28 members by removing a representative of the Department of Education, the State Regents, and the Department of Public Safety and including representatives of the Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Oklahoma Health Care Authority and Administrative Office of the Judiciary; provides that, after the advisory committee fulfills certain obligations, the ex officio nonvoting members shall become full voting members to the Information Service Division of the Office of State Finance and the Joint Legislative Committee on Data Processing and Telecommunication. (74 § 8201) (See HBs 2503, 2511)
SCIENCE, TECH. & TELECOMM
* SB 784 (Wilkerson) - EQUINE ACTIVITIES. Creates the Oklahoma Equine Activities Liability Limitation Act; provides equine activity sponsors and professionals with immunity from liability for injuries suffered by participants in equine activities resulting from inherent risks, with certain exceptions; requires posting of notice regarding law. (2 § 3031)
* SB 788 (Hendrick/Laura Boyd) - LICENSED PERFUSIONISTS. Creates the Licensed Perfusionists Act; provides that a student currently enrolled in an approved perfusion education program may receive a provisional license; makes provisions of the act not applicable to certain students enrolled in an accredited perfusion education program. (59 § 2062)
HOUSE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/21/96
* SB 792 (Campbell) - ACADEMIC SCHOLARS. Deletes the Academic Scholars' requirement that SAT score percentile levels be referenced to the student population as a whole and separately for male, female, Black non-Hispanic, Native American, Hispanic, Asian Pacific Islander and White non-Hispanic subdivisions of the population. (70 § 2403)
* SB 796 (Wright) - TRANSFER OF CREDITS. States legislative intent that a unified system of class credit transfer be created within the State System to allow students of all state higher education institutions be able to transfer full credit earned between community colleges and four-year institutions. (70 § 3103.1)
* SB 799 (Monson) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires health insurance plans to include coverage for sever mental illness equal to benefits for treatment of other physical diseases and disorders; provides an exception for policies that provide coverage for a specified disease or other limited benefit coverage. (36 § 6060.1)
02/22/96: DO PASS (UNOFFICIAL)
(46 AYE / 2 NAY / 0 ABSENT / 0 EXCUSED / 0 NOT VOTING)
EMERGENCY PASSED - SENATE 02/14/96
* SB 851 (Monson/Wells) - DENTAL LICENSE. Modifies language relating to a specialist license in dentistry to provide for a "dental specialty" license. The committee substitute deletes the requirement that dental specialists must limit their practice to the specialty in which licensed. (59 § 328.22)
* SB 852 (Littlefield) - OU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER. Requires that OUHSC health care professionals who set aside a portion of their salaries for travel expenses to be reimbursed from the set-aside monies; requires that such reimbursement be paid only for the actual amount of meal expenses incurred while such persons are in official travel status as indicated on pertinent receipts.
* SB 866 (Stipe/Glover) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Subjects medical practitioners to disciplinary penalties for waiver of a deductible or copayment required to be made to the practitioner by an insured under a policy, contract, or agreement, with certain exceptions. (36 § 6055)
LAID OVER - SENATE 02/14/96
* SB 869 (Haney/Steidley) - BUDGET. Requires that notice of budget-work-program revisions be made available electronically to the staff of the Joint Legislative Committee on Budget and Program Oversight. (62 § 41.7c)
* SB 877 (Harrison/Taylor) - SPECIAL AGENCY ACCOUNT. Changes the termination date to July 1, 2002, for various sunset entities including the Special Agency Account Board. (74 § 3903)
* SB 883 (Shurden) - WASTE DISPOSAL. Decreases certain solid waste disposal fees to 50 cents per ton. (63 § 1-2305)
* SB 887 (Monson) - BENEFITS. Shell bill relating to the purpose of the State Employees Benefits Act. (74 § 1362)
* SB 888 (Monson) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Provides for the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board to authorize payment for Medicare risk-sharing contracts. (74 § 1316.2)
* SB 890 (Monson) - OU MANAGED CARE. Provides that the portion of insurance premium tax assessed on the premiums of Medicaid recipients collected from the OU Managed Care Plan shall be paid by the 30th day of the month to the credit of the Medicaid Contingency Revolving Fund. (36 § 631)
* SB 896 (Monson/Roberts) - HEALTH CARE. Modifies the powers and duties of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority; authorizes the State Employee Benefits Council to promulgate rules necessary to carry out the Oklahoma State Employees Benefits Act; requires the Council to develop state and education employee health care benefit plans. (74 § 1362)
* SB 900 (Muegge) - FEE WAIVER. Extends to July 1, 2006, the date of acceptance of applications for vocational-technical education tuition waivers from qualified farmers and ranchers. (2 § 2002)
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE 02/21/96
* SB 908 (Leftwich/Blackburn) - FEE WAIVER. Provides for a fee waiver at State System institutions for children of state employees who have given their lives in the line of duty. The amendment added new language which provided that "this section shall only apply when all other grants and scholarships available to such children of deceased peace officers, deceased firefighters and deceased state employees have been exhausted." (70 § 3218.7)
* SB 910 (Monson) - HEALTH CARE. Shell bill relating to the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Act, the Oklahoma State Employees Benefits Act, and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. (74 § 1303)
* SB 922 (Monson) - HEALTH CARE. Transfers the State Employee Assistance Program from the Office of Personnel Management to the State and Education Employees Group Insurance; requires the Oklahoma State Employees Benefits Council, in selecting HMOs, to consider plan characteristics, provider network, geographic coverage and access and price; requires that HMO contracts provide for a risk adjustment factor for adverse selection; expands duties of the Council; provides an exemption from certain provisions of the State Employees Benefits Act for employees and officers of the State System for Higher Education; authorizes a State System institution to elect to come under provisions of the act. (74 § 840-2.10)
* SB 935 (Wright) - INSURANCE FUND. Appropriates $200,000 to the Office of State Finance for conducting a detailed study of the State Insurance Fund and to make recommendations concerning the sale or privatization of the fund.
* SB 936 (Wright) - INSURANCE BOARD PRIVATIZATION. Appropriates $200,000 to the Office of State Finance for conducting a detailed study of the State Employees and Educators Group Insurance Board and to make recommendations concerning the sale or privatization of the fund.
* SB 941 (Monson) - RETIREMENT. Shell bill relating to the Teachers' Retirement System. (70 § 17-101)
SECOND READING - REFERRED TO SEN COM RULES 02/05/96
COMMITTEE REASSIGNMENT APPROPRIATIONS 02/07/96
* SB 945 (Hendrick) - HEALTH CARE. Creates the Patient Protection Act; requires managed care plans to provide prospective enrollees with a written description of the terms and conditions of the plan; requires description to delineate an enrollee's rights under the plan; provides that if the plan uses a capitation method of compensation, the plan must establish and follow certain procedures; requires plans to provide to the state commissioner of heath an explanation of its provider network configuration; prohibits managed care plans from using a financial incentive program that limits medically necessary and appropriate services; requires each plan to establish a mechanism under which physicians or dentists participating in the plan provide consultation and advice on the plan's medical or dental policy; requires that each physician or dentist under consideration for inclusion in a plan be reviewed by a credentialing committee; prohibits plans from excluding a provider solely because of the anticipated characteristics of the patients of that provider; requires plans to cover certain services; outlines requirements for point-of-service plans; requires the state health commissioner to issue an annual report to consumers on the performance of managed care entities. (63 § 2531)
* SB 948 (Penny Williams) - LEAVE SHARING. This is a shell bill relating to leave-sharing programs. (70 § 6-104.6)
* SB 954 (Hendrick) - SCHOOL LAND FUNDS. Requires that quarterly financial reports of the Commissioners of the Land Office include several relevant measures of investment value, and contain combined and individual rates of return of the investment managers by category of investment. (64 § 51)
* SB 958 (Stipe) - INSURANCE FUND. This is a shell bill referring to the State Insurance Fund. (85 § 131)
SECOND READING - REFERRED TO SEN. COM. RULES 02/05/96
* SB 960 (Stipe) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Provides that when contracting with educational entities in setting health insurance premiums for active employees and retirees under 65 years of age, health care plans shall set the monthly premium for active employees at $72 less than the monthly premium for retirees under 65 years of age; outlines same requirement for plans under the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board and the State Employee Benefits Council. (74 § 1306)
* SB 964 (Wright) - PURCHASING. Appropriates $200,000 to the Office of State Finance for conducting a detailed study of the Central Purchasing Division system and to make recommendation for improvement, enhancement, or privatization of the system.
* SB 965 (Hendrick/Roach) - BENEFITS. Modifies the authority of the State Employee Benefits Council; provides that a benefit price shall be excessive if, for two consecutive years, it is more than 140 percent of the average benefit price for the particular benefit level with which the benefit price competes. (74 § 1371)
* SB 969 (Littlefield) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires health insurance policies to provide coverage for in vitro fertilization procedures, subject to certain conditions. (36 § 6060.1)
* SB 970 (Helton) - HEALTH CARE. Creates a 24-member Oklahoma Health Care Advisory Commission until June 30, 2000, to study any administrative directives or rules which affect the delivery of health care in Oklahoma. (63 § 5001.1)
* SB 1001 (Robinson) - MEDICAL RESEARCH. This is a shell bill relating to the Medical Technology and Research Authority. (74 § 7050)
* SB 1003 (Price) - AD VALOREM. This is a shell bill relating to Ad Valorem taxes. (68 § 2802)
* SB 1022 (Henry) - JURY DUTY. Prohibits an educational institution from taking or permitting to be taken any adverse academic action against a student because of the student's jury service. (38 § 37)
* SB 1030 (Price/Leist) - OSU FOOD/AG RESEARCH. Creates a 10-member Industry Advisory Committee to the Oklahoma Food and Agricultural Products Research and Technology Center located at OSU; requires the committee to assist and advise the center in prioritizing projects so that the center may meet the needs of the state's value-added processing entities; requires the center director to call the first meeting of the committee by Nov. 1, 1996. The committee substitute creates a 16-member committee, with the Dean of OSU's Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources an ex officio non-voting member. The first meeting is to be called by the Dean. (2 § 5-60)
* SB 1040 (Hendrick) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires HMOs, self-insured plans, and prepaid plans when contracting with educational entities, for plan years beginning July 1, 1997, in setting health insurance premiums for active employees and for retirees under 65 years of age, to set the monthly premium for active employees at $90 less than the monthly premium for such retirees. (74 § 1306)
* SB 1042 (Maddox) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. For workers' compensation purposes, provides for six weeks of compensation for soft tissue injuries requiring surgery, 13 weeks of temporary total compensation if the surgery involves the spinal cord or any of its nerves, discs or vertebrae; increases penalties for employers who fail to secure workers' compensation for employees. (85 § 22)
* SB 1046 (Don Williams) - EQUINE ACTIVITIES. Provides that any person participating in equestrian activities shall assume the risk and legal responsibility for any negligent injury to the person or property of the participant caused by hazards inherent in recreational equestrian activities, unless the injury was proximately caused by the negligence of the person providing the recreational equestrian activities to the participant or the failure to guard or warn against a dangerous condition, use, structure, or activity by the person providing the recreational equestrian activities or the person's agents or employees. (23 § 12.1)
* SB 1068 (Leftwich) - HEALTH CARE. Requires that comprehensive health services provided by HMOs and prepaid health plans, with respect to chiropractic services, be provided on a referral basis at the request of an enrollee who has a condition which is orthopedic or neurological in nature, if a referral is necessary in the judgment of the primary care physician and treatment for the condition falls within the scope of practice of a licensed chiropractic physician. (63 § 2505)
* SB 1077 (Ed Long) - CONTRACTS. Modifies the definition of "public construction contract" for competitive bidding purposes to change the contract amount from $7,500 to $15,000; increases from $100 to $500 the monetary amount of certain items required to be included in the Department of Central Services inventory. (61 § 102)
* SB 1078 (Maddox) - HEALTH CARE. Creates the Consumer Choice Act of 1996; states legislative intent to allow providers to participate in health benefit plans; prohibits a health care insurer from imposing a monetary advantage or penalty under a health benefit plan that would affect a beneficiary's choice of a doctor of medicine or a doctor of osteopathy when such physician is a participant in the health benefit plan; prohibits such insurers from imposing upon a beneficiary any co-payment, fee or condition that is not equally imposed upon all beneficiaries in the same benefit category, class, or co-payment level under such plan when the beneficiary is receiving services from a participating M.D. or D.O. pursuant to such plan. (63 § 5030.1)
* SB 1094 (Henry) - ENVIRONMENT. Makes it unlawful to apply pesticides in a public building without first posting warning signs at least 24 hours prior to the application; requires that warning signs be left in place for 14 days following the application; requires that such signs include information as to the type of chemicals and the active ingredients being applied. (2 § 3-62.1)
* SB 1096 (Maddox) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Creates the Fairness in Managed Care Act; requires the State Board of Health to establish a process for certification of qualified managed care plans and of qualified use overview programs; requires the board to promulgate rules identifying procedures for periodic review and recertification of such plans and programs; requires the Commissioner of Health to terminate the certification of a previously qualified plan or program which no longer meets requirements for certification; specifies requirements for qualified plans; authorizes qualified managed care plans that limit coverage for out-of-network services to offer to all eligible enrollees coverage for such services through a "point-of-service" plan; authorizes such plans to charge an alternative premium for point-of-service coverage that takes into account the actuarial value of such coverage. (63 § 2530.1)
* SB 1100 (Don Williams/Anthony) - EDUCATION REFORM. An education reform initiative; Sections 39 and 40 create the Advanced Placement Incentive Program. (70 § 1210.702)
* SB 1106 (Herbert) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires legislative authorization of any insurance deemed necessary by the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board; gives the State Employees Benefits Council the exclusive responsibility and authority to select and contract with health maintenance organizations for consideration by participants as an alternative to health plans offered by the board. (74 § 1306)
* SB 1108 (Mickle) - HEALTH INSURANCE. This is a shell bill relating to the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board. (74 § 1303)
* SB 1127 (Herbert) - CARL ALBERT INTERNSHIP. This is a shell bill referring to the Carl Albert Public Internship Program. (74 § 840-3.7)
* SB 1129 (Wright) - CABINET ORGANIZATION. Changes the name of the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986 to the Cabinet Organization Act; deletes the time limit for each Governor to create a cabinet system for the executive branch of government; allows cabinet secretaries' salaries to be paid from funds available to an agency within the cabinet area; requires that each cabinet secretary be entitled to an office and secretary or administrative assistant, to be paid out of funds available to the Governor's office or an agency within the respective cabinet area; expands duties of cabinet secretaries to include implementation of policies of the Governor which are consistent with the Constitution and statutes; authorizes cabinet secretaries to enforce state and federal laws in the event a state agency fails to enforce such laws which would cause federal sanctions against the state or an agency or political subdivision of the state; changes the name of the Education Oversight Board to the Education Oversight Advisory Board; makes the Secretary of Education the chief executive officer of the Office of Accountability; requires that the Governor create a cabinet area for education; repeals section relating to the Office of the Secretary of Education. (70 § 3-116)
SECOND READING - REFERRED TO SENATE COMMITTEE 02/05/96 APPROPRIATIONS
* SB 1130 (Dickerson) - UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS. Requires that a plan be provided when a reduction-in-force occurs in a state agency, whether subject to the Merit System of Personnel Administration or the unclassified service; makes such plan subject to approval of the Office of Personnel Management; provides for eligibility for priority reemployment consideration for certain employees of the University Hospitals Authority who are terminated after Feb. 1, 1996; provides a severance package for state employees who are separated from employment as a result of the privatization of their positions in order to effectuate the orderly transfer of services provided at the University Hospitals; requires the authority, prior to any official action, to notify the University Hospitals Advisory Committee of any reduction-in-force of employees which shall be approved or disapproved within 10 working days by the administrator of the Office of Personnel Management; provides minimum guidelines to be followed during internal agency investigations of state employees, when such investigations are conducted by or initiated at the request of the employing agency, with exceptions; authorizes payroll deductions for membership dues or contributions to the Oklahoma Public Employees Association or any other statewide association limited to state employee membership with a minimum membership of 1,000 dues-paying members. (62 § 7.10)
* SB 1134 (Kerr) - STATE REGENTS. Shell bill relating to the State Regents for Higher Education. (70 § 3203)
COMMITTEE REASSIGNMENT 02/12/96
* SB 1144 (Shedrick) - HEALTH CARE. Shell bill relating to the Health Care Information System Act. (63 § 1-121)
* SB 1149 (Wright) - CLAIMS. Modifies the required minimum balance for the canceled warrant fund; authorizes the Director of State Finance to establish alternative procedures for the settlement of claims through the Office of State Finance when deemed more advantageous, deletes the requirement for pre-auditing of certain claims; requires certain government entities which are included in the state comprehensive annual finance report and receive public funds to file an audit with the Director of State Finance no later than four months after the end of the entity's fiscal year; increases the amount of in-state travel reimbursement for a portion of a day under the State Travel Reimbursement Act. (62 § 7.2)
* SB 1159 (Rubottom) - JOB TRAINING. Creates the Oklahoma Youth Training Employment Freedom Act; provides an exemption from certain limitations on working hours for persons employed under the act; states purpose to advance school-to-work efforts by expanding job opportunities for persons 14 to 18 years of age; provides for certified youth training employment agreements; allows school districts to receive full average daily membership on student participating in such an agreement; authorizes academic credit for participants; authorizes the Secretary of Education, the Department of Education, the Department of Vocational and Technical Education or an area vocational-technical school or school district to publish a model of the contractual agreement for the convenience of youth, educators, families and employers; requires employers entering into such agreements to provide insurance coverage for youth training employees; provides for alternative coverage. (40 § 76)
* SB 1162 (Penny Williams/Steidley) - UCT/ROGERS. Transfers supervision of the University Center at Tulsa (UCT) and Rogers State College from their current boards to the Board of Regents of University Center at Tulsa and Rogers State College. The floor substitute declares that UCT and Rogers State College constitute a single institution within the State System; transfers supervision, management and control from separate governing boards to the Board of Regents of University Center at Tulsa and Rogers State College; provides a five-year window within which a resident or student may file a civil action for a declaration that the Board has not governed the facilities in a proper manner; creates a Board of Regents for University Center at Tulsa and Rogers State College; allows members who currently serve on either board to continue to serve on the new board until their terms expire. (70 § 4651)
SENATE COMMITEE - DO PASS 02/19/96
* SB 1164 (Horner/Betty Boyd) - OHLAP. Adds that students eligible for OHLAP may have graduated from the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics; authorizes the State Regents to develop criteria for determining students' award eligibility for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP) upon completion of seven semesters of high school coursework; modifies criteria under which 10th-grade students shall be eligible to begin participating in the program; requires student to provide their social security numbers or high school student identification numbers to the State Regents, who shall keep the numbers confidential and use them only for administrative purposes. (70 § 2603)
* SB 1166 (Ed Long/Voskuhl) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires insurance plans which require payment of a copayment to disclose to the insured whether copayments are based on discounted or nondiscounted charges; requires disclosure of the exact amount paid to the practitioner, hospital or other health care provider and the method for calculating the copayment. The amendment inserts that "in no case shall the payment for services under the policy, contract or agreement and the co-payment made by the insured or enrollee be more than the actual amount which has been or will be paid to the practitioner, hospital or other provider of health care services; provided, however, in no case shall the co-payment be based on a higher figure than either the amount billed or the amount paid, whichever is less." (36 § 6055)
* SB 1176 (Robinson) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Shell bill relating to the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board. (74 § 1303)
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE 02/19/96
* SB 1188 (Penny Williams) - OKLAHOMA FUTURES. Shell bill relating Oklahoma Futures. (74 § 5002.1)
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE 02/14/96
INFRASTRUCTURE & STRAT. PLANN
* SB 1206 (Shedrick) - TEACHER CERTIFICATION. Shell bill relating to renewal of standard teaching certificates. (70 § 6-154.1)
* SB 1216 (Cain) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Shell bill relating to the Health Care Information System Act. (63 § 1-116)
* SB 1221 (Brown/Vaughn) - PSYCHOLOGIST LICENSE. In the Psychologists Licensing Act, adds a "master's psychologist"; requires the completion of a master's program in psychology. (59 § 1352)
* SB 1228 (Price/Clay Pope) - RETIREMENT. Authorizes current contributing OTRS members, who as former members, withdrew their accumulated contributions to amortize the cost of returning the withdrawn contributions or unremitted contributions over a maximum period of 60 months. (70 § 17-116.8)
* SB 1229 (Herbert) - SCHOOL LANDS. Provides for the termination on July 1, 2001, of the authority of the Commissioners of the Land Office to institute projects to develop and improve state school lands categorized as commercial lands. (64 § 1.1)
HOUSE COMMITTEE DO PASS AS AMENDED 02/15/96
* SB 1238 (Monson) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Creates the Managed Care Plan Quality Assurance Act; requires managed care plans to establish and operate processes to assess the quality of health provided; requires plans to maintain an internal quality management and improvement system. (63 § 2531)
* SB 1241 (Herbert) - SCHOOL LANDS. Shell bill relating to certain lands administered by the Commissioners of the Land Office. (64 §76)
* SB 1266 (Robinson) - MEDICAL RECORDS. Authorizes physicians, hospitals and other medical professionals and institutions to charge a maximum $15 fee for searching, retrieving, reviewing and preparing medical records in order to determine which medical records are to be copied. (76 § 19)
* SB 1288 (Brown) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Shell bill relating to the Health Care Authority Act. (63 § 5006)
* SB 1289 (Cain/Anthony) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Deletes the requirement that certain savings by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority be used to increase health care benefits. (63 § 5011)
* SB 1308 (Snyder) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. Allows employers to secure workers' compensation for employees through a certified alternate equivalent coverage program. (36 § 707)
* SB 1310 (Shedrick) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. Prohibits the Commissioner of Health from certifying workplace medical plans unless they meet or exceed medical treatment guidelines and protocols and utilization controls established for use by medical service providers and physicians contracting under a plan recommended by the Physician Advisory Committee. (85 § 14.3)
* SB 1312 (Rozell/Adair) - PURCHASING. Authorizes the central purchasing director to approve change orders to decrease the amount of goods and services; prohibits any increase from exceeding 10 percent of the original bid amount for all phases or deliveries; increases from $2,500 to $10,000 the amount for contracts exempt from competitive bidding procedures; provides procedures for competitive sealed proposals; provides procedures upon protest of a contract award; authorizes a stay of such award and prescribes circumstances under which a stay is not granted; modifies the authority of the state purchasing director to exempt certain purchases from competitive bidding requirements. (74 § 85.2)
* SB 1315 (Robinson/Anthony) - TELECOMMUNICATIONS. Requires the Department of Central Services to recognize as a statewide contract an unencumbered contract consummated on behalf of the OneNet telecommunications network by the State Regents or any other state entity assigned responsibility for OneNet by the Legislature; mandates that such recognition require recommendation by the Information Services Division of the Office of State Finance; requires that purchases of computer software maintenance and hardware maintenance contracts for OneNet be coordinated with the Information Services Division of the Office of State Finance. (62 § 41.5e)
* SB 1316 (Wright) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. Modifies workers' compensation provisions to delete language prohibiting the discharge of an employee during a period of temporary total disability solely on the basis of absence from work; prohibits an employer from receiving permanent partial disability benefits covering the same period of time as Social Security benefits. (85 § 3)
* SB 1319 (Stipe) - EOSC/MCALESTER. Requires the State Regents to provide college credit courses and programs in McAlester through a branch campus of Eastern Oklahoma State College. (70 § 3511.1)
* SJR 33 (Campbell) - RETIREMENT. Requires that the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board return to the OTRS $39.6 million, plus interest.
* SJR 36 (Penny Williams) - PROPERTY TAX. Proposes a constitutional amendment to modify the procedure for valuation of the homestead and household personal property for heads of households who are 65 years of age and older.
SENATE COMITTEE - DO PASS 02/20/96
SENATE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/08/96
SECOND READING - REFERRED TO SENATE COMMITTEE 02/12/96
SENATE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/13/96
SECOND READING - REFERRED TO HOUSE COMMITTEE 02/15/96
SENATE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/14/96
HOUSE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/19/96
SIGNED & RETURNED TO SENATE 02/21/96
* HB 1663 (Davis) - TUITION TRUST. Requires the State Regents to designate the state treasurer as the agent of the Oklahoma Tuition Trust; empowers the state treasurer to invest the monies in the Oklahoma College Tuition Trust Fund; requires the State Regents to adopt rules regarding penalties for procedures relating to default of an advance tuition payment contract; authorizes the State Regents to provide for the transfer of benefits of an advance tuition payment contract from one beneficiary to another and from one institution to another; modifies lump-sum and periodic contribution provisions; outlines alternative higher education programs which may be provided for beneficiaries; prohibits the State Regents, the state, and its agencies from borrowing from the trust fund. (70 § 6001)
SECOND READING - REFERRED TO HOUSE COMMITTEE 02/07/95
* HB 1809 (Hamilton/Haney) - APPROPRIATIONS. Appropriates to the State Regents and the Physician Manpower Training commission.
* HB 1810 (Hamilton/Haney) - STATE REGENTS. Relates to certain powers and duties of the State Regents.
WITHDRAWN - FROM CALENDAR, REREFERRED TO COM 06/13/95
* HB 2051 (Laura Boyd) - STUDENT FEES. Changes student health care fee from $46 per semester to "direct cost of service." (70 § 3218.12) (See HB 2187)
HOUSE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/05/96
* HB 2059 (Laura Boyd) - TUITION SAVINGS ACCOUNT. Repeals the Tuition Trust Act and enacts the Oklahoma Tuition Savings Account Act which states legislative intent to encourage post-secondary education and the means by which education be paid; allows state residents to deposit a maximum $5,000 during each taxable year into a tuition savings account; provides an income tax exemption for such contributions and interest thereon; requires accounts to be established as trusts and placed with an account trustee; provides for distribution of funds for eligible tuition expenses. (70 §§ 6020) (See HB 2639)
02/21/96: DO PASS (UNOFFICIAL)
* HB 2060 (Laura Boyd) - TUITION/FEES. This is a shell bill relating to higher education general enrollment fees and nonresident tuition. (70 § 3218.8)
* HB 2071 (Hager) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires the advisory committee to the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board to develop and monitor statistical measurements relating to all aspects of the plans offered by the board; requires the board, upon request of the advisory committee, to provide any information available to a member of the board. (74 § 1304)
* HB 2083 (Settle) - JURY DUTY. Requires employers to pay the full regular salary of employees during jury service, unless the employer can show by clear and convincing evidence that such payment would create an undue hardship on the employer; allows an employer to reduce such salary by the amount the employee receives as payment for jury service. (38 § 37)
* HB 2093 (Roberts) - RETIREMENT. This is a shell bill pertaining to the OTRS. (70 § 17-102)
* HB 2105 (Greenwood) - STUDENT TESTING. Provides that the term "perform satisfactorily" for purposes of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced testing of students shall mean that the student obtained a score of 80 percent or above on the test. (70 § 1210.508)
* HB 2109 (Erwin) - RETIREMENT. Returns the calculation for acquisition of military service credit in OTRS to the method used before Jan. 1, 1991; authorizes a member to make up the 5-percent contributions for a maximum five years of military service by electing to pay the contributions on the basis of the rate of pay in his contract as a teacher at the time the military service commenced or, in the case of a teacher who was not teaching prior to entering the military, on the basis of the salary of the first year of teaching after being honorably discharged. (70 § 17-116.2)
* HB 2127 (Mitchell) - FEE WAIVER. Provides for a waiver of general enrollment fees and nonresident tuition for a maximum five years for children of state employees who have given their lives in the line of duty. (70 § 3218.7a)
* HB 2146 (McCorkell/Fisher) - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. This is a shell bill enacting the Economic Development Reform Act. The committee substitute enacts an "Economic Development Act of 1996" to help small businesses.
* HB 2147 (McCorkell) - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. This is a shell bill enacting the Economic Development Reform Act. The committee substitute creates the "Procurement Procedures Act" to assure the most efficient and economic use of state funds, to assure greater accountability by state agencies and to assure individuals and private businesses doing business with the state of equitable, consistent treatment; exempts various entities from the act, including public higher education institutions.
* HB 2148 (McCorkell) - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. This is a shell bill enacting the Economic Development Reform Act.
* HB 2176 (McCorkell) - PURCHASING. This is a shell bill relating to the Central Purchasing Act. (74 § 85.1)
* HB 2180 (Thomas) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Shell bill relating to the Health and Dental Insurance Reserve Fund. (74 § 1312)
* HB 2187 (Greenwood) - STUDENT FEES. Directs the State Regents to promulgate rules providing guidelines for institutions to determine that students with adequate health care coverage do not have to pay a student health care fee. (70 § 3218.12) (See HB 2051)
* HB 2189 (Begley) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires the State and Education Group Insurance Board, unless it has otherwise contracted with an out-of-state hospital, to pay for medical services and treatment rendered by an out-of-state hospital at the same level paid to an in-state hospital if the insured employee was referred to the out-of-state hospital by a physician and the out-of-state hospital is the closest hospital in proximity to the place of residence of the employee. (74 § 1304)
* HB 2191 (Hager) - ACADEMIC FORGIVENESS. States legislative intent to authorize an academic forgiveness program in which credits earned more than 10 years ago will not be considered for admission purposes. (70 § 3207.2)
SECOND READING - REFERRED TO HOUSE COM EDUCATION 02/06/96
* HB 2196 (Wells) - NATIONAL GUARD FEE WAIVER. Provides statutory authorization for waiving general enrollment fees and nonresident tuition for Oklahoma National Guard members. (70 § 3218.7a)
* HB 2211 (Hutchison) - DRUG/ALCOHOL TESTING. This is a shell bill pertaining to definitions in the Standards for Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Act. (40 § 552) (See HB 2370)
* HB 2218 (Fields) - HEALTH INSURANCE Requires the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board and HMOs under contract with the board, in setting health insurance premiums for active employees and retirees under 65 years of age and effective beginning with the plan year beginning July 1, 1997, to start the monthly premium for active employees at $72 less than the monthly premium for retirees under age 65. (74 § 1306)
* HB 2219 (Fields) - PLUMBING CODE. Requires state and political subdivisions, upon official publication of an international plumbing code, to adopt such code. (59 § 1002)
* HB 2231 (Voskuhl/Penny Williams) - CHILDREN/YOUTH SERVICES. Modifies the membership of the Oklahoma Planning and Coordinating Council for Services to Children and Youth, which includes a member from the State Regents. The committee substitute states legislative intent that the purpose of the act is to engage businesses, service providers, volunteers, educators and families in planning, policy and priority setting, community development and servicing families in their own community and, through community partnerships, assure that there is a coordinated effort among agencies, groups and organizations within the community to identify and fill service gaps within their community, provide for a collaborative system of community services and provided for the delivery of wrap-around services to children and families that require such services; creates a State Management Team for planning and implementing local service systems. (10 § 601.71)
* HB 2235 (Roberts) - HEALTH INSURANCE. This is a shell bill pertaining to the Life Insurance Reserve Fund of the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Plan. (74 § 1312.2)
* HB 2248 (Weese) - OPEN MEETING. This is a shell bill relating to executive sessions authorized by the Open Meeting Act. (25 § 307)
* HB 2254 (McCorkell) - BENEFITS. Creates a task force to study and recommend to the legislature for implementation a benefit system to provide 24-hour health and disability coverage; requires that the system function as an alternative to workers' compensation coverage for employers who would opt to cover their employees in said system. The committee substitute extends the life of the Advisory Committee on Workers' Compensation; expands responsibilities to include studying and developing recommendations for the cost-effective implementation of a voluntary 24-hour coverage plan; defines such plan to mean a system of medical coverage, disability coverage and death and dismemberment coverage to protect an employee 24 hours a day; specifies issues to be addressed in the study; requires the committee to make report by Jan. 1, 1998. (85 § 114)
* HB 2256 (Askins) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. Requires any person entitled to receive workers' compensation benefits to report in writing to the employer or the employer's insurance carrier any change in a material fact, improvement in the person's physical condition or income earned or received from any type of employment and the names and addresses of any employer. (85 § 22.1)
* HB 2258 (Paulk) - CONTRACTS. Requires a maximum 5-percent preference in the award of public contracts for contractors domiciled in the state; provides for factors to be considered for determination of domicile. (61 § 14)
* HB 2261 (Laura Boyd/Monson) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires individual and group health insurance policies providing coverage on an expense-incurred basis, and individual and group service or indemnity-type contracts issued by a nonprofit corporation which provides coverage for a female at least 35 years of age, except for policies that provide coverage for specified disease or other limited-benefit coverage, to include coverage for a routine bone-density test to certain qualified insureds; prohibits such test from being subject to policy deductibles, co-payments or co-insurance limits of the plan. The committee substitute adds language requiring that the bone density test be requested by a primary care or referral physician. (36 § 6060.1)
* HB 2275 (Ramsey) - INCOME TAX DEDUCTION/TUITION. Provides an income tax deduction for the amount of tuition, fees, books, if purchased at a retail facility owned and operated by the school, and housing costs, including meals if the housing and meals are provided by the school, paid to a public college, university or vocational and technical education institution in the state; prohibits a deduction for amounts paid by or through a grant, scholarship, stipend, employer reimbursement or payment, or any amount subject to a tuition waiver; limits the deduction to those taxable years in which the student maintains an overall grade point average of 2.5 or better. (68 § 2358) (See HB 2748)
* HB 2276 (Ramsey) - VALEDICTORIAN SCHOLARSHIPS. States legislative intent that institutions that award scholarships to high-school valedictorians require a certain ACT score to qualify. (70 § 2283)
SENATE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/15/96
* HB 2286 (Bastin) - TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. Authorizes the Board of Vocational and Technical Education, subject to the availability of funds and in conjunction with the Department of Commerce, to develop a Computer Assisted Technology Transfer (CATT) Program; requires the emphasis of the program to be to assist in the development of unique public/private manufacturing partnerships, to build an electronic network for the exchange of information and manufacturing technologies between the public and private sectors and to offer training and education. (70 § 14-140)
* HB 2302 (Leist) - MATERNITY BENEFITS. Requires individual and group health insurance policies, HMOs, and pre-paid health plans that provide coverage on an expense-incurred basis, and individual and group service or indemnity-type contracts issued by a nonprofit corporation which provide maternity benefits to provide coverage for a minimum of 48 hours of inpatient care following a vaginal delivery and a minimum of 96 hours of inpatient care following a cesarean section for a mother and the newborn child; authorizes the method to elect to be discharged earlier without coverage being affected; provides an exception for policies or contracts that provide coverage for post-delivery care in the home; provides requirements for post-delivery home care. (36 § 6060.1) (See SB 684, HBs 2330, 2348, 2655)
* HB 2309 (Deutschendorf) - TEMPORARY TEACHERS. Authorizes a school district to employ a teacher or allow a teacher under contract to teach a grade level or curricular area in which the teacher is not licensed on a temporary basis to accommodate increases or decreases in student population; limits such placement to one semester; allows teacher assistants to monitor interactive video instructional programs or classes taught through distance learning technology; requires the State Board of Education to establish personnel requirements for interactive video programs or classes taught through distance learning technology which allow non-certified persons or teacher assistants to monitor certain distance learning classrooms. The committee substitute adds language relating to employment of substitute teachers. (70 § 6-108)
* HB 2316 (Hager) - AREA VO-TECH DISTRICTS. Requires the board of education of an area vocational-technical school district, within 30 days after an election to make or change the amount of a levy for such district, to notify the county clerk of each county in which the district is located of the results of the election, the amount of the levy, if approved, and the local school districts in the county which will be affected by the levy. (70 § 14-108)
* HB 2326 (Pettigrew) - RETIREMENT. Accelerates increases in employer contribution rates for OTRS. (70 § 17-108.1)
* HB 2330 (Betty Boyd) - MATERNITY BENEFITS. Requires HMOs and pre-paid health plan agreements or contracts and individual and group health insurance policies that provide coverage on an expense incurred basis, and individual and group service or indemnity-type contracts issued by a nonprofit corporation which provide maternity benefits to provide coverage for a minimum of 48 hour of inpatient care following a vaginal delivery and a minimum of 96 hours of inpatient care following a cesarean section for a mother and the newborn child; authorizes the method to elect to be discharged earlier without coverage being affected; provides an exception for policies or contracts that provide coverage for post-delivery care in the home; provides requirements for post-delivery home care. (36 § 6060.1) (See SB 684, HBs 2302, 2348, 2655)
* HB 2336 (Betty Boyd) - LICENSE PLATES. Modifies the university and college supporter license plates to include private universities and colleges; requires that $20 of the additional $25 fee for each plate designating a particular state university or college be apportioned to the appropriate institution and $20 for each plate designating a private university or college be credited to the State Regents for support of the Regents' scholarship programs. (47 § 1136)
* HB 2348 (Roach/Penny Williams) - MATERNITY BENEFITS. Requires health benefit plan contracts issued, amended, renewed or delivered on or after Jan. 1, 1997, that provide maternity benefits to provide coverage for a minimum of 48 hours of inpatient care following a vaginal delivery, a minimum of 96 hours of inpatient care following a cesarean section for a mother and newborn child and for postpartum home care following a vaginal delivery if childbirth occurs at home; authorizes a plan to provide coverage for a shorter length of hospital inpatient stay for services related to maternity and newborn care under certain conditions; provides that, if coverage would be provided under a contract subject to a capitated or per-discharge rate, the plan must provide supplementary reimbursement to providers for the additional services required by that coverage. The committee substitute requires that coverage for postpartum home care following a vaginal delivery when childbirth occurs at home provide for one home visit per day within 48 hours of childbirth by a licensed health care provider whose scope of practice includes providing such care. Home visits and inpatient care would be required to include parent education, assistance and training in feeding and the performance of any necessary maternal and neonatal physical assessments. Inpatient care also would be required to include necessary and appropriate clinical tests on the infant. (36 § 6060.1) (See SB 684, HBs 2302, 2330, 2655)
* HB 2355 (Weaver) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Provides that a retired OTRS member who qualifies to continue participation in a state insurance plan may continue participation even if the education employer from which the person retired or terminated service with a vested benefit subsequently obtains health and dental insurance coverage from another carrier. (74 § 1316.3)
* HB 2366 (Staggs) - ASSAULT ON PUBLIC EMPLOYEE. Makes it a felony to knowingly commit an assault, battery, or assault and battery, without justifiable or excusable cause, upon a public employee who is in the performance of any duties as a public employee; defines "public employee" as any elected or appointed officer or any employee of the state, a county, or a city. (21 § 650.9)
* HB 2367 (Staggs) - SECTION THIRTEEN LANDS. This is a shell bill relating to the Section Thirteen Fund State Educational Institutions. (70 § 619) (See HB 2368)
* HB 2368 (Staggs) - SECTION THIRTEEN LANDS. This is a shell bill relating to the Section Thirteen lands. (70 § 3904) (See HB 2367)
* HB 2370 (Staggs) - DRUG/ALCOHOL TESTING. This is a shell bill relating to the Standards for Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Act. (40 § 557) (See HB 2211)
* HB 2373 (Askins) - AGENCY CLEARING ACCOUNTS. Authorizes the use of certain agency special accounts as clearing accounts; authorizes the treasurer to accept checks deposited directly into State Treasury funds if the depositing state agency maintains sufficient balances in its agency clearing account to cover return items; authorizes agencies to maintain sufficient balances in agency clearing accounts to cover returned checks, credit card adjustments, credit card returns and other debit items; makes such balances subject to approval by the treasurer; eliminates fees charged by the treasurer for issuing copies of warrants, court-ordered account maintenance and administration of credit card programs. (62 § 89.6)
* HB 2377 (Thornbrugh) - EMPLOYMENT SECURITY. This is a shell bill relating to contributions under the Employment Security Act. (40 § 3-102)
* HB 2384 (Seikel) - TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT. Authorizes reimbursement to state officers and employees for local transportation costs incurred traveling between optional lodging and a designated hotel, motel or other public lodging if the combined total costs for the optional lodging and transportation is equal to or less than the rate charged by the designated lodging place. (74 § 500.9)
* HB 2394 (Seikel) - PURCHASING. Requires agencies subject to the Central Purchasing Act to acquire all supplies, material, and equipment from statewide contracts; exempts individual offices, divisions or entities of the Tourism and Recreation Department and the Department of Human Services, for single purchases of less than $750, if certain conditions are met. (74 § 85.7b)
* HB 2396 (Seikel) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Provides that a health insurance plan, policy or HMO shall not prohibit or limit in this state any person who is a participant or beneficiary of the policy or plan from selecting a pharmacy or pharmacist of his choice who has agreed to participate in the plan according to the terms offered by the insurer, or deny a pharmacy or pharmacist the right to participate as a contract provider under the policy or plan if the pharmacy or pharmacist agrees to provide pharmacy services that meet the terms and requirements set forth by the insurer under the policy or plan and agrees to the terms of reimbursement set forth by the insurer; provides that it constitutes unprofessional conduct for a pharmacy or pharmacist to waive, discount, rebate or in any way distort the designated copayment of any insurer plan or patient's co-insurance portion of a prescription medication coverage plan; prohibits insurers from imposing upon a beneficiary any copayment, fee or condition that is not equally imposed upon all beneficiaries in the plan. (36 § 3634.3)
* HB 2400 (Clay Pope) - EQUINE ACTIVITIES. Creates the Oklahoma Equine Activities Liability Limitation Act; defines terms; provides equine activity sponsors and professionals with immunity from liability for injuries suffered by participants in equine activities resulting from inherent risks, with certain exceptions; requires posting of notice regarding law. (76 § 50.1) (See SB 784, SB 1046)
* HB 2404 (Hutchison/Weedn) - WILDLIFE. Prohibits certain persons from possessing any bear or cat that will grow to reach the weight of 50 lbs. or more; prohibits the sale, purchase, barter, trade, ownership or possession of any wildlife deemed potentially dangerous to humans, except as otherwise provided by law; provides an exception for State System institutions and medical research facilities. (29 § 5-414)
* HB 2430 (Settle) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. This is a shell bill relating to workers' compensation equivalent insurance products. The committee substitute requires that at least two judges selected by the presiding judge of the Workers' Compensation Court be situated in Tulsa; modifies the selection of physicians under workplace medical plans; authorizes an employer to secure workers' compensation coverage for employees through a 24-hour coverage insurance product offered under a pilot program and approved by the insurance commissioner; authorizes the Labor Commissioner to waive the civil penalty assessed against an employer for failure to secure workers' compensation, for a first offense, who secures such coverage within 30 days from the date of the citation; provides that certain group self-insurers shall not be subject to the Oklahoma Securities Act. (85 § 65)
* HB 2440 (O'Neal) - GED COURSES. Authorizes school districts to offer GED courses and equivalent testing programs at high schools, vocational-technical schools and community colleges within the district. (70 § 11-111)
* HB 2441 (O'Neal) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. This is a shell bill relating to workers' compensation coverage for public employees. (85 § 2b)
* HB 2447 (Maddux) - RISK MANAGEMENT. Requires the Department of Central Services' risk management administrator to approve an agency request for the purchase of a policy, upon certification of need to justify the purchase of a policy covering a risk not adequately insured through the policy which otherwise would be purchased on behalf of the agency; authorizes an agency to submit a request for arbitration of a claim, in the event an agency covered by a policy purchased through the risk management program disputes the determination of an adjuster with respect to coverage, exclusions or the nature or extent of damage; prescribes arbitration procedures; provides for alternative legal means to resolve issues. (74 § 85.34)
* HB 2469 (McCorkell) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. This is a shell bill relating to certified workplace medical plans for workers' compensation insurance. The committee substitute, for workers' compensation purposes, adds to the definition of "certified workplace medical plans" an organization of health care providers, certified by the health commissioner which has entered into a contractual agreement with an insured, which shall include any member of an approved group self-insured association, policyholder or public entity, regardless of whether such entity is insured by the State Insurance Fund. (85 § 14.2)
* HB 2471 (Cozort) - AUDITS. Creates the Legislative Review of State Audits Act; requires an agency, upon completion of a final audit report, to deliver three copies to the speaker of the House and three to the Senate president pro tempore; provides for confidential material; provides for committee review and requires agency cooperation; requires agencies, upon receipt of final audit reports from the auditor, to implement the recommendations, unless implementation would result in a substantial additional cost to the agency or state, require statutory changes, be against state policy or legislative intent for the agency or program or be otherwise disadvantageous to the agency or state; requires the agency, if unable to implement the recommendations, to include with copies of the final audit report written statements for each recommendation explaining in detail the reasons for not implementing such recommendations. (74 § 452.10)
* HB 2474 (Cozort) - TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT. Makes the State Travel Reimbursement Act mandatory for all agencies, deletes the University Hospitals from the list of agencies authorized certain exceptions and or exemptions from the act; authorizes state agencies to enter into contracts and agreements for payment of classroom space, food and lodging expenses for employees attending official conferences, meetings or training sessions conducted or sponsored by the agencies; prohibits the cost for food and lodging for each employee from exceeding the total daily rate provided in the State Travel Reimbursement Act; permits reimbursement for emergency travel by commercial airplane on a first-class basis, if coach class space is not available within a reasonable time and if such travel is authorized by the Department of Central Services; requires that claims for reimbursement for transportation by commercial airline be accompanied by an airline receipt which includes information as to class of accommodation for which reimbursement is claimed; provides limitations on in-state and out-of-state travel reimbursements; requires all agencies to submit biannual travel expenditure reports to the speaker of the House, the Senate president pro tempore, the chair of the House Committee on Appropriations and Budget, the chair of the Senate Joint Committee on Budget and Program Oversight and the Department of Central Services; requires committee chairs to provide for committee review of such reports; requires that claims or invoices submitted to the director of state finance for payment of purchase or commercial airline tickets include the airline identifying ticket number, the name of the airline, total cost of each ticket purchased, class of accommodation, Social Security number and name of the employee for whom the ticket was purchased; requires that such claims be filed on claim forms prescribed by the finance director; requires an affidavit stating that the employee used any direct purchase commercial airline ticket received for the employee's approved out-of-state travel. (74 § 456.3) (See HB 2481)
* HB 2475 (Roberts) - RETIREMENT. Provides for the transfer, on July 1, 1996, of $25 million to OTRS from the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board reserve fund. The floor substitute provides that in FY1997 each state agency participating in the group insurance plans shall appropriate and pay to the State Employees Group Insurance Clearing Fund an amount to be set by the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board for each employee other than education employees per month enrolled in the plans, from funds appropriated to said agency or from other funds available to the agency for operational purposes; provides that the first $25 million received in the State Employees Group Insurance Clearing Fund during FY96 shall be distributed to OTRS. (74 § 1310)
(83 AYE / 18 NAY / 0 ABSENT / 0 EXCUSED / 0 NOT VOTING)
SENATE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/22/96
* HB 2477 (McCorkell) - ACCOUNTABILITY/SECRETARY OF EDUCATION. Shell bill relating to the Office of Accountability and the Secretary of Education. (70 § 3-117)
* HB 2478 (Betty Boyd) - GENETIC PRIVACY. Creates the Genetic Nondiscrimination Act; prohibits an insurer offering health insurance from using certain genetic information to establish premiums, limit, renew or terminate coverage or any other underwriting decision in connection with the offer, sale or renewal or continuation of a life or accident and health insurance policy, except to the extent and in the same fashion an insurer limits coverage or increases premiums for loss caused or contributed to by other medical conditions presenting an increased degree of risk; authorizes insurers to request genetic information or a genetic test for certain purposes if the cost of the test and any prior genetic counseling is paid by the insurer, the test or information is not a condition for coverage and the insurer obtains the individual's written informed consent for the test; requires the insurance commissioner to develop standardized language for an informed consent disclosure form to be given to an applicant for life insurance who takes a genetic test or provides genetic information to an insurer. (36 § 3614.1)
* HB 2480 (Rice) - HOLIDAYS. Adds and clarifies state holidays; modifies the list of holidays to include Saturday and the day after Thanksgiving Day; requires that, if holidays fall on Saturday, the preceding Friday will be a holiday that year; authorizes the governor to issue an executive order each year specifying the dates on which the holidays other than Saturdays and Sundays occur; authorizes state employees to observe such holidays without loss of pay. (25 § 82.1)
* HB 2481 (Rice) - TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT. This is a shell bill relating to travel and lodging expenses under the State Travel Reimbursement Act. (74 § 500.9) (See HB 2474)
* HB 2488 (Bryant) - EDUCATION REFORM. Creates the 1996 Education Reform Act. (70 § 1-130)
* HB 2497 (Anthony) - HEALTH CARE. The committee substitute limits the Health Care Authority to approving only actions of the Oklahoma State Employees Benefits Council regarding selection of and contracts with federally qualified HMOs for consideration as alternatives to health plans offered by the State and Education Employee Group Insurance Board, and purchasing insurance deemed necessary for providing benefits selected by the Council under the flexible benefits plan. It also provides that the Council shall have similar responsibilities, subject to the direction and approval of the Health Care Authority. (63 § 5011)
* HB 2502 (Anthony) - HEALTH CARE. Requires hospitals, insurers and other entities offering or providing health care services or insurance to figure into billing to the individual any discounted price for services which has been contracted for with an insurer who is responsible for payment of the services under a health benefit plan, so that any payment obligation of the individual is based on the discounted price of the services. The committee substitute requires health insurers, hospitals and licensed health care providers offering or providing health care services and who bill for such services to credit any discounted price for services to an individual's account, requires that the credit reflect any discount which has been contracted for with an insurer who is responsible for payment of the services under a health benefit plan; requires that the payment obligation of the individual as indicated on the billing be based on the discounted price of the services; provides an exemption for services rendered to an individual which are not a covered benefit or otherwise subject to coverage under the health benefit plan; provides penalties for violations. (63 § 1-744)
* HB 2503 (Anthony) - TELECOMMUNICATIONS. Creates the Oklahoma Telecommunications Act; requires state agencies which use telecommunications to develop a telecommunications plan and receive prior written authorization from the Oklahoma Telecommunications Authority before entering into any agreement to acquire, develop or enhance a telecommunications system; requires the State Regents to establish and maintain a statewide telecommunications system to be known as OneNet; creates the Oklahoma Telecommunications Authority Board; provides for membership; creates the Oklahoma Telecommunications Authority with a director appointed by the Authority; creates the Telecommunications Revolving Fund; provides that the authority board and the Office of State Finance shall prepare a proposed plan for the transfer in whole or in part of the Information Services Division of the finance office to the Authority; provides that all telecommunications networks operated by educational or government entities shall be considered to be part of the Oklahoma Government Telecommunications Network (OGTN); modifies membership of the State Data Processing and Telecommunications Advisory Committee. (74 § 8201) (See SB 782, HB 2511)
* HB 2510 (Perry) - PURCHASING. This is a shell bill relating to definitions in the Central Purchasing Act. (74 § 85.2)
* HB 2511 (Perry) - TELECOMMUNICATIONS. This is a shell bill relating to the Oklahoma Government Telecommunications Network (OGTN). (62 § 41.5m) (See SB 782, HB 2503)
* HB 2512 (Bryant) - VOLUNTEERISM. Transfers the Office of Volunteerism from the Office of the Secretary of State to the Department of Civil Emergency Management; creates a 15-member Oklahoma Commission on Volunteerism which includes a representative of a college or university active in volunteerism. (63 § 683.29)
* HB 2513 (Bryant) - VOLUNTEERISM. Creates a 15-member Oklahoma Commission on Volunteerism which includes a representative of a college or university active in volunteerism. (74 § 8004.1)
* HB 2525 (Dank) - UNIFIED UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. States legislative intent that a unified university system be created which would allow all State System institutions to function as a team; that all four-year universities be aligned with OU, OSU, UCO, or UCT; that the Secretary of Education be a member of the State Regents, the State Board of Education, and the State Board of Vocational-Technical Education. (70 § 3103.1)
* HB 2526 (Dank) - SCHOOL TESTING. This is a shell bill relating to the Oklahoma School Testing Program Act. (70 § 1210.507)
* HB 2532 (Hamilton) - RETIREMENT. This is a shell bill relating to OTRS. (70 § 17-102)
* HB 2533 (Hamilton) - STATE INSURANCE FUND. This is a shell bill relating to the creation and purpose of the State Insurance Fund. (85 § 131)
* HB 2534 (Hamilton/Dickerson) - LEGAL REPRESENTATION. Provides methods for political subdivisions to obtain legal representation. The committee substitute clarifies language relating to methods for obtaining legal representation. (74 § 20i)
* HB 2538 (Toure) - UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS. This is a shell bill relating to the employees of the University Hospitals. (63 § 3211)
* HB 2563 (Hager) - TEACHER CERTIFICATION. Allows for alternative teacher certification standards for teachers of students in a residential or treatment facility. (70 § 1210.567)
* HB 2576 (Morgan) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. The committee substitute authorizes government and higher education entities, if it can be demonstrated each year that workers' compensation costs will be lower than with the State Insurance Fund, to self-insure or insure with other insurance carriers licensed in the state; requires the Board of Managers of the fund to file rates, rating plans, classifications, schedules, loss costs and other supplementary rate information with the insurance commissioner on an annual basis; permits workers' compensation carriers and the State Insurance Fund to use present value discounting at a rate of 4 percent for permanent disability and death claims. (85 § 2b)
* HB 2581 (Pettigrew) - JOB TRAINING. Creates the Oklahoma Block Grant Job Training, Job Placement and Education Act; states purpose to provide a self-sufficiency program that is concentrated on moving welfare recipients along the continuum from dependence on society through independence to the opportunity to contribute to society; provides that the program would focus on employment, job training, job placement, and education. (56 § 230.19) (See SB 1159)
ASSIGNED SUBCOMMITTEE 02/14/96
APPROPRIATIONS & BUDGET: HUMAN SERVICES
* HB 2583 (Pettigrew) - RETIREMENT. Prescribes procedures for notification to members and beneficiaries of various retirement systems, including OTRS, providing information regarding the total assets, liabilities and unfunded actuarial accrued liability of the system; requires an explanation of such information, to include an estimate of the dollar amount of returned contributions or the dollar amount of estimated future benefits. The committee substitute no longer requires that the information provided to members and beneficiaries include an estimate of the dollar amount of returned contributions or the dollar amount of estimated future benefits. The substitute requires that the systems prepare a thorough explanation of the information contained in the notification in a manner which would enable a person of average understanding to determine the nature of the information presented and the implications for the likelihood of future distribution of accumulated contributions or the future payment of beneficiaries. (70 § 17-102.4)
* HB 2608 (Paulk) - EMPLOYEE RIGHTS. Prohibits state agencies from barring employees from distributing materials for a job-related organization on agency-controlled property during nonworking time, unless there are special circumstances making such ban necessary in order to maintain services; provides that no one shall prevent representatives of such groups from distributing membership materials in public areas of buildings occupied by state agencies; requires state agencies to distribute membership materials for job-related organizations to employees with paychecks, or notices of deposit, at least once annually, provided such materials do not require additional postage. (74 § 840-2.28)
* HB 2614 (Claunch) - ETHICS. Deletes language limiting contributor-statement requirement to contributions exceeding $50. (74 O.S. Supp. 1995, Ch. 62)
* HB 2621 (Paulk) - LABOR RELATIONS. Creates the State Employees Fair Labor Relations Act; states legislative findings that it is desirable to set forth policies which will allow an equal partnership with the representative groups of state employees who have met requirements as established by law. The committee substitute adds a section which prohibits state agencies from barring employees from distributing materials for a job-related organization on agency-controlled property during their working time, unless special circumstances make such a ban necessary in order to maintain services. It also requires state agencies to permit representatives of job-related organizations reasonable access to meeting rooms under the control of the agency to meet with employees and distribute membership material during employees' working time. (74 § 842.1)
* HB 2626 (Stites) - RETIREMENT. Provides that in lieu of terminating employment and accepting a retirement allowance as provided by law, any member of OTRS with not less than 20 years of creditable service and who is eligible to receive a service retirement pension may elect to participate in the Teachers' Retirement System Deferred Option Plan; provides that duration of participation in such plan for a member shall not exceed five years; provides that at the conclusion of a member's participation in the deferred option plan, the member shall terminate employment with all participating employers and shall start receiving the member's accrued monthly retirement benefit from the system; provides that when a member begins participation in the deferred option plan, the contribution of the employee shall cease, but employer contributions shall continue and be credited equally to the teachers' retirement system and the deferred option plan; provides for cost of living increases and the earning of interest; provides for optional methods of payment of benefits. (70 § 17-116.2A)
* HB 2629 (McCorkell) - TECHNOLOGY. Creates the Technology Infrastructure Finance Act.
* HB 2633 (Ferguson) - AGENCY CLOSINGS. Provides for temporary closure of state agencies; provides an exemption for employees of State System institutions. (74 § 840-2.20A)
* HB 2634 (Ferguson) - REMEDIAL COURSES. Requires that charges for higher education remedial courses be paid by the public school district from which the student graduated; provides for notification of the district by the institution of the charge for each remedial course and requires payment by the district within 60 days of notification; provides for review of such charge at the request of the district; allows the charge to be waived upon a showing that the negligence of the school district was not the proximate cause of the student requiring the remedial course; requires the State Regents to promulgate rules establishing guidelines for the hearing and determination. (70 § 3218.14)
* HB 2635 (Ferguson) - TRANSFER OF CREDITS. This is a shell bill relating to the transfer of credits among higher education institutions. (70 § 3207.1)
* HB 2639 (Greenwood) - SCHOOL SAVINGS. Creates the "School Savings Act; states legislative intent to encourage education and the means by which education can be paid for; allows state residents to deposit a maximum $5,000 during each taxable year into a tuition savings account; provides an income tax exemption for such contributions and interest thereon; requires accounts to be established as trusts and placed with an account trustee; provides for distribution of funds for eligible tuition expenses. (70 §§ 24-160) (See HB 2059)
* HB 2640 (O'Neal) - SOCIAL WORKER LICENSE. This is a shell bill relating to the issuance of social worker licenses. (59 § 1261.1)
* HB 2652 (Mitchell) - EMPLOYEE SAFETY. Establishes penalty for anyone who threats or intimidates any state employee while the employee is performing official duties. (21 § 545.1)
* HB 2655 (Voskuhl/Brown) - MATERNITY BENEFITS. Creates the Post-Delivery Care for Mothers and Newborns Act; requires insurers that offer maternity benefits to provide coverage for a mother and the newborn infant for a minimum of 24 hours of inpatient care following an uncomplicated vaginal delivery and a minimum of 48 hours of inpatient care following delivery by cesarean section; requires that any decision to shorten the length of inpatient stay must be made by the attending providers after conferring with the mother. The committee substitute requires insurers that offer maternity benefits to provide coverage appropriate for the duration of time to meet guidelines which indicate that it is unlikely that mothers and infants can meet medical criteria and conditions for release in less than 48 hours following a normal vaginal delivery and 96 hours following a cesarean delivery; requires that any decision to shorten the length of inpatient stay be made by the attending providers after conferring with the mother; requires that, if a mother and newborn are discharged after a shorter stay, coverage must provide for a follow-up visit within 48 hours of discharge. (36 § 6060.1) (See SB 684, HBs 2302, 2330, 2348)
CHILDREN YOUTH & FAMILY SVCS:
SENATE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/20/96
SECOND READING - REFERRED TO SENATE COMMITTEE 02/21/96
* HB 2673 (Johnson) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. This is a shell bill relating to reporting injuries to the Workers' Compensation Court. (85 § 24.1)
* HB 2677 (Seikel) - OU MANAGED CARE. This is a shell bill relating to payments from the OU Managed Care Plan to the Medicaid Contingency Revolving Fund. (36 § 631) (See SB 890, HB 2801)
* HB 2681 (Roach/Muegge) - DRUG/ALCOHOL TESTING. Outlines conditions which shall apply if the State Board of Health authorizes the use of hair as a testing sample for purposes of testing under the Standards for Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Act; provides penalties for disseminating test results to any person except the employer of the tested employee, or using test results for an unauthorized purpose. (40 § 557)
COMMERCE, INDUSTRY & LABOR:
* HB 2690 (Paulk/Leftwich) - PRIVATIZATION CONTRACTS. Creates the Oklahoma Privatization Functions Act; prohibits agencies from making privatization contracts unless certain requirements are met; requires competitive bidding; prohibits contract terms from exceeding one year; requires that contracts contain provisions requiring the contractor to offer available employee positions to qualified regular employees of the agency whose state employment is terminated because of the privatization contract and who satisfy the hiring criteria of the contractor; requires submission of comprehensive cost estimate. The committee substitute changes the title to "Oklahoma Ethics in Privatization Functions Act." It adds language pertaining to Department of Transportation contracts. (74 § 595.11)
* HB 2717 (McCorkell) - UNIVERSITY CENTER AT TULSA. This is a shell bill relating to the University Center at Tulsa. (70 § 4601)
* HB 2720 (McCorkell) - MINORITY TEACHERS. The committee substitute creates the Office of Education Services and Innovation within the State Department of Education; requires that, within five years, school districts develop, submit and implement a plan of services and deregulation to the office; creates the "Trailblazer Schools Act;" requires the State Regents to work with the State Board of Education in recruiting minority teacher aides; authorizes the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority to provide for funding of equipment and software to enhance the technological capability of public educational entities. (70 § 4601)
* HB 2721 (Erwin) - RETIREMENT. Authorizes a member of the OTRS to receive credit for substitute teaching in any state common school. (70 § 17-116.2A)
* HB 2728 (Toure) - EMPLOYMENT SECURITY. This is a shell bill relating to filing a claim under the Employment Security Act of 1980; authorizes certain agencies, including the OU Center for Economic and Management Research, to have access to certain confidential information. (40 § 4-508)
* HB 2731 (Toure) - PREVAILING WAGE. Enacts the Oklahoma Prevailing Wage Act; requires payment of prevailing hourly rate of wages; provides for an annual determination of wage rates; mandates certain findings of the commissioner of labor be final; provides act will not be construed as limiting wages paid or hours worked; authorizes certain investigations and audits; declares certain contractors ineligible to bid on public works contracts. (40 § 196.20)
* HB 2732 (Toure) - RISK MANAGEMENT. Requires the Risk Management Administrator to provide for the reimbursement of personal property casualty losses sustained by state employees if the loss to personal property was a result of the performance of an authorized duty or responsibility of the employee sustained while the employee was in the course of employment. (74 § 85.34H)
* HB 2747 (Phillips) - OPEN MEETING. This is a shell bill referring to the Open Meeting Act. (25 § 301)
* HB 2748 (Plunk/Wilkerson) - TUITION/TAX DEDUCTION. Allows an income tax deduction in taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1995, for the amount of tuition paid by a taxpayer to a public or private college or university located in this state; limits the deduction to $500; no deduction shall be allowed for any amount of tuition paid by or through a grant, scholarship, stipend, employer reimbursement or payment, or any amount subject to a tuition waiver. The committee substitute increases the allowable deduction to $1,000 and limits the deduction to tuition at public colleges and universities. (68 § 2358) (See HB 2275)
* HB 2751 (Coleman) - TEACHER EDUCATION. States legislative intent that teacher education programs incorporate a curriculum that prepares teacher candidates to teach reading skills that include phonics, decoding skills, and strong literature and language comprehension; provides information about the teaching strategy and assessment that ensures accountability; provides an intensive early intervention program that provides tutoring to prevent reading failure. (70 § 6-185)
* HB 2753 (Coleman) - TEACHER EDUCATION. Requires teacher candidates to be prepared to instruct students in a balanced and comprehensive reading program that includes phonics, decoding skills, language comprehension, ongoing evaluation that ensures accountability, and tutoring for children at risk of reading failure. (70 § 6-185)
* HB 2754 (Anthony) - OKLAHOMA SCHOOL OF SCIENCE/MATH. Modifies membership qualifications of the Board of Trustees of the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics; requires a graduate degree and current practice in an occupation related to math and science for certain members. (70 § 1210.401)
* HB 2756 (Anthony) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Creates the Fairness in Managed Care Act. (63 § 1-3000.1)
* HB 2758 (Coleman) - NURSES AIDES. Creates a Certified Nursing Aides Advisory Council which shall have the power and duty to determine qualifications of applicants for nursing aide certification. (63 § 1-1950.4)
* HB 2759 (Anthony) - UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS. Requires the University Hospitals to comply with certain provisions of the Personnel Act and the Central Purchasing Act under certain circumstances. The committee substitute revises certain statutory references. (63 § 3213.2, 74 § 840-5.5)
* HB 2761 (Coleman) - TEACHER EDUCATION/REIMBURSEMENT. Requires a school district to reimburse teachers and administrators for enrollment fees when they have completed a course or program in intensive systematic phonics instruction. (70 § 6-194)
* HB 2776 (Steidley) - GUARANTEED STUDENT LOANS. Expands the authorization of the State Regents to administer the student guaranteed loan program under the federal Higher Education Act of 1965; permits the State Regents to notify each licensing board in the state of the default of payment; authorizes the State Regents to establish and implement any program to collect on defaulted student loans as are prescribed by federal law, including administrative garnishment and wage withholding. (70 § 623) (See HB 2887)
* HB 2789 (Pettigrew) - RETIREMENT. Creates the Teachers' Retirement System Defined Contribution Plan Act.
* HB 2792 (Pettigrew) - RETIREMENT. Creates the Comprehensive Public Retirement Systems Contribution Adjustment Act.
* HB 2794 (Pettigrew) - RETIREMENT. Creates the Cost of Living Adjustment Modification Act.
* HB 2795 (Pettigrew) - RETIREMENT. Creates the Public Retirement System Unfunded Liability Reform Act.
* HB 2797 (Pettigrew) - RETIREMENT. Creates the Public Retirement Systems Reform Act.
* HB 2801 (Seikel) - OU MANAGED CARE. Modifies requirements for payment and deposit of the premium tax deposited to the credit of the Medicaid Contingency Revolving Fund. (36 § 631) (See SB 890, HB 2677)
* HB 2807 (Blackburn) - BOMBING REMEMBRANCE. Establishes April 19 of each year as "Oklahoma City Bombing Remembrance Day" and requires that the sacrifices of persons who lost their lives or were injured in the bombing and their loved ones be commemorated on that day; requests that teachers and students observe the day with appropriate exercises. (25 § 90.9)
DIRECT TO CONSENT CALENDAR 02/21/96
* HB 2841 (Hamilton/Haney) - APPROPRIATIONS. Appropriates to the University Hospitals Authority.
* HB 2846 (Ramsey) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. This is a shell bill relating to the Workers' Compensation Act. (85 § 1)
* HB 2850 (Laura Boyd) - LEAVE SHARING. Deletes the requirement that, for purposes of using shared leave, a medical certificate to be submitted by a state employee to the chief executive officer of his or her employer verify the "severe or extraordinary nature" of the employee's condition; requires that the said certificate verify the need for the leave and expected duration of the condition. (74 § 840-2.23)
* HB 2859 (Laura Boyd) - VIOLENCE PREVENTION. Creates the Oklahoma Project for Violence Prevention within the State Department of Health; states purpose of project to address various forms of violence by providing information, technical assistance, support and facilitation to local communities and to public and private agencies in order to develop and implement community-based plans and programs for violence prevention. (63 § 1-250)
* HB 2861 (Roberts/Monson) - RETIREMENT FUNDS. Provides that statutes limiting use of state pension funds to benefit-related purposes and exempting such funds from attachment, garnishment, and other legal actions shall not apply to actions for child support or qualified domestic orders requiring payment of child support or payment of marital property. The committee substitute provides that language prohibiting attachment, garnishment, levy or seizure of public retirement funds shall not apply to qualified domestic orders for child support or payment of marital property; outlines requirements for such orders; provides that such orders shall not attach to or require payment of any amount of benefits related to a deferred option plan until payment of retirement benefits begins pursuant to said plan. (70 § 17-109)
* HB 2875 (Adkins) - TUITION/INCOME TAX CREDIT. Provides an income tax credit for tuition paid to a state college or university by certified teachers seeking advanced degrees and for municipal, county, and state law enforcement officers in pursuit of a degree in law enforcement. (68 § 2357)
* HB 2887 (Settle) - GUARANTEED STUDENT LOANS. Authorizes the State Regents to establish and implement programs to collect on defaulted student loans as are prescribed by federal law, including administrative garnishment and wage withholding; specifies procedures for licensing boards to suspend or not renew licenses, including driver licenses, of individuals in default on a student loan; provides for exceptions in hardship cases; provides for reinstatement or renewal of licenses. (70 § 623) (See HB 2776)
* HB 2890 (Settle) - CONTRACTS. Authorizes state agencies to enter into contracts and agreements for payment of classroom space, food and lodging expenses for employees attending official conferences, meetings or training sessions conducted or sponsored by the agencies. (74 § 500.2)
ASSIGNED SUBCOMMITTEE 02/09/96
APPROPRIATIONS & BUDGET: GEN'L GOV & JUDICIARY
* HB 2927 (Steidley) - GOVERNMENTAL TORT CLAIMS. For purposes of the Governmental Tort Claims Act, provides that, before undertaking the defense of an employee, the state or political subdivision shall make a determination that the employee was acting within the scope of employment; provides that the cost of legal defense which may be considered in meeting a deductible under a policy of insurance shall be the responsibility of the agency. (74 § 20g)
* HB 2948 (Paulk) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. Modifies the choice of physicians under workplace medical plans; allows employers to obtain comprehensive 24-hour coverage disability compensation, instead of workers' compensation coverage, under a pilot program approved by the insurance commissioner. (85 § 14)
* HB 2952 (Glover) - SCHOOL LANDS. Shell bill relating to school lands and the Commissioners of the Land Office. (64 § 181)
* HB 2955 (Anthony) - HEALTH CARE. Provides for a Managed Health Care Standards Act; states legislative intent to provide for consumer protection and physician, provider and health plan fairness and effective quality assurance and utilization review in the delivery of services provided by managed health care plans; authorizes the organization and management of managed health care plans; directs the commissioner of health to consult and coordinate with the insurance commissioner to ensure that, to the extent reasonable and practical, there is no contradiction or conflict between rules promulgated by the Board of Health for the implementation of the act and the rules of the Insurance Department that apply to health insurers required to be licensed by the department and who offer or provide managed health care plans; requires the Department of Health to establish a system of receiving and investigating complaints made by individuals covered by or enrolled in a managed health care plan or by health care providers. (63 § 2501)
* HB 2967 (Wells) - BOARD OF DENTISTRY. Creates the Board of Dentistry to replace the Board of Governors of the Registered Dentists of Oklahoma; changes terms throughout statutes; outlines powers and duties; authorizes the Board to, without examination, issue a dental intern permit to a graduate of an approved dental school or college who is otherwise qualified, upon request of the governing body of any public or private institution for the graduate to serve as a dental intern or resident in the institution, with limited duties as defined in the permit. (59 § 328.26) (See SB 737)
* HB 2973 (Roach) - PHYSICIAN MANPOWER TRAINING. Requires a hospital or clinical program which acts in cooperation with a state physician training institution to use the institution as the administrative agent for internship and residency programs which are approved for funding by the Physician Manpower Training Commission; broadens the scope of certain programs regarding physician, clinical and hospital costs, criteria and procedure, affiliation agreements, application of certain fund for supplying residents and interns in certain programs and determining specific level of funding; expands the purpose and use of the community preceptor physician training and work experience scholarship fund; expands certain cost-sharing programs. (70 § 625.14)
* HB 2977 (Laura Boyd/Fisher) - PURCHASING. Authorizes the state purchasing director, subject to the Director of Central Services, to enter into any contract or agreement to implement the provisions of the Central Purchasing Act; excepts from the purview of the act purchases of pharmaceuticals available through a multistate or multigovernmental contract if such pharmaceuticals are on or have been on state contract within the last fiscal year and the terms of such contract are more favorable to the state or agency than the terms of a state contract for the same products as determined by the State Purchasing Director. (74 § 85.5)
APPROPRIATIONS & BUDGET: GEN'AL GOV & JUDICIARY
* HB 2993 (Leonard Sullivan) - ENDOWMENT TRUST. Prohibits the Legislature from appropriating or transferring monies to the State Regents' Endowment Trust Fund; states legislative intent that the State Regents not transfer into the trust fund any state monies appropriated or transferred to the Regents. (70 § 3951)
APPROPRIATIONS & BUDGET: EDUCATION
* HB 2995 (Leonard Sullivan) - OU LAW CENTER. Abolishes the OU Law Center; removes from the membership of the Domestic Relations Recodification Committee the member who is an OU law professor appointed by the director of the Law Center; modifies the distribution of the Oklahoma Statutes and Session Laws to OU from 55 copies to five copies, to be placed in the OU library. (43 § 700.2)
* HB 2999 (Tim Pope) - PURCHASING. Authorizes a state agency to purchase a product or service which is available from the Prison Industries Program from another vendor upon providing documentation to the Department of Central Services that the product or service to be provided by the other vendor is of equal or greater quality than available from Prison Industries and at a cost equal to or less than the cost if provided by the Department of Corrections' program. (57 § 549.1)
* HB 3017 (Leonard Sullivan) - WORKERS' COMPENSATION. Provides that charges for medical and related services for workers' compensation purposes shall be the lesser of the usual and customary charges of the health care provider or the usual, customary and reasonable charges as prescribed and limited by a schedule of fees for all medical providers; limits duration of treatment to the usual, customary and reasonable duration as prescribed and limited by a schedule of treatment for all medical providers. (85 § 14)
* HB 3019 (Leonard Sullivan) - UNIVERSITY FUNDS. Adds to the powers of the State Regents making information regarding university funds, including trust and endowment funds, available for public inspection; requires university-related private foundations to disclose records regarding funds. (70 § 3206)
* HB 3022 (Webb) - LOBBYING. Prohibits state-government entities and legal entities who are at least partially government funded from using such funds to support or oppose political candidates or officeholders or for direct lobbying, either state or national; repeals provision relating to use of public funds for certain activities. (74 § 4254.1)
* HB 3030 (Widener) - DISABILITIES. Creates an Oklahoma Rehabilitation Services for Individuals with Disabilities Act; creates a State Department of Rehabilitation Services; provides that the Department may cooperate with the State Department of Education and with the state public postsecondary education system to provide instruction, individual counseling and guidance and related rehabilitation services for eligible students with disabilities; permits the Department to cooperate with school districts, public secondary schools, and the state public postsecondary education system to employ personnel to assist in the vocational orientation of students with disabilities. (7 § 1-2-402)
* HB 3034 (Key) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Creates the Health Maintenance Organization Act. (36 § 4602)
* HJR 1061 (Webb) - APPROPRIATIONS. Proposes a constitutional amendment that would provide that appropriations for common schools be passed prior to final passage of any other appropriation measure, and be approved by both houses permitting transmittal to the governor at least 30 calendar days prior to sine die adjournment; requires that such measures also receive final passage at least 20 days prior to the date as of which any other appropriation measure receives final approval by either house; provides that this not be construed to prohibit the passage of measures containing increases in common school appropriations subsequent to final passage of such appropriations.
* HJR 1062 (Webb) - APPROPRIATIONS. Proposes a constitutional amendment requiring that appropriations for the state correctional system be passed prior to final approval of other appropriations, except common school appropriations; requires that corrections appropriations be approved by both houses permitting transmittal to the governor at least 25 calendar days prior to sine die adjournment; provides that, with the exception of common schools appropriations, corrections appropriations also receive final passage at least 20 days prior to the date as of which any other appropriation receives final approval; provides that this not be construed to prohibit the passage of measures containing increases in corrections appropriations subsequent to final passage of such appropriations.
* HJR 1063 (Webb) - APPROPRIATIONS. Proposes a constitutional amendment requiring that appropriations for the state transportation system be passed prior to final approval of other appropriations, except common school and corrections appropriations; requires that transportation appropriations be approved by both houses permitting transmittal to the governor at least 20 calendar days prior to sine die adjournment; provides that, with the exception of common schools and corrections appropriations, transportation appropriations also receive final passage at least 20 days prior to the date on which any other appropriation receives final approval; provides that this not be construed to prohibit the passage of measures containing increases in transportation appropriations subsequent to final passage of such appropriations.
* HJR 1071 (Webb) - TEACHERS' RETIREMENT. Creates a Task Force on Financial Feasibility of Public Asset Sales to analyze the financial feasibility of selling certain state assets and payment of the sale proceeds to OTRS.
* HJR 1076 (Pettigrew) - RETIREMENT. Requires the Office of State Finance to make a determination as to the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of state retirement systems and report findings to the governor and the legislature; provides that the legislature shall not modify an employer contribution rate, employee contribution rate or divert any other source of income to any such system if modification of the contribution rate or diversion of the income from the system would result in any increase in the unfunded actuarial accrued liability of one of the systems; prohibits the legislature from taking certain actions relating to contribution rates unless accompanied by certification by an enrolled actuary that the proposed modification would either not increase or would decrease unfunded liability; provides that the governor shall not be authorized to take any action upon a measure proposing modifications to one of the retirement systems if the proposed modification is within the scope of the above prohibition, unless the measure is accompanied by a certification by an actuary that the proposed modification would either not increase or would decrease said unfunded liability; provides that a measure accompanied by a certification that a proposed measure would result in an increase in unfunded liability shall either be vetoed or shall not be permitted to become law, depending upon the time as of which the measure is presented to the governor for action.
* HJR 1080 (McCorkell) - AD VALOREM. This is a shell bill proposing a constitutional amendment pertaining to ad valorem taxation.
INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/05/96
* HJR 1085 (Pettigrew) - RETIREMENT. This is a shell bill proposing a constitutional amendment relating to use of funds in public retirement systems.
* HJR 1086 (Leist) - PROPERTY VALUE. Proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting the assessed value on any real property owned by an individual 65 years of age or older from exceeding the assessed value placed on the property during the year in which the owner attained 65 years of age; provides for addition of the value of any improvements; for any individual who is 65 years of age or older prior to the effective date of this section, the assessed value of the property shall be the assessed value placed on the property in the year this section becomes effective.
* HJR 1088 (Weese) - AD VALOREM. This is a shell bill proposing a constitutional amendment pertaining to ad valorem taxation.
* HJR 1089 (Claunch) - AD VALOREM. Proposes a constitutional amendment exempting from ad valorem taxation all improvements to real property in the amount of the assessed value of the improvement, but in no event shall the exemption provided by this section exceed 10 percent of the assessed value of the property.
* HJR 1090 (Bonny) - MILL LEVY. Proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing an additional local support levy for schools in an amount not to exceed 10 mills, when approved by a majority of the ad valorem taxpaying registered voters voting on the question at an election for each fiscal year called for such purposes.
* HJR 1091 (Webb) - PROPERTY VALUE. Proposes a constitutional amendment exempting all real and personal property owned by an individual 65 years of age or older from taxation; provides that said exemption shall not apply to property owned by joint tenants or tenants in common unless they are husband and wife and at least one of the tenants has attained the age of 65 years; provides that this exemption shall not apply to business or commercial property or public service corporation or transmission company property; requires the legislature to adopt necessary laws to implement this section.
* HCR 1059 (Kirby) - CAMERON UNIVERSITY/BONDS. Authorizes the OU Board of Regents to issue revenue bonds on behalf of Cameron University to construct a student union.
ASSIGNED SUBCOMMITTEE 02/15/96
HOUSE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING 02/14/96
WITHDRAWN - FROM CALENDAR, REFERRED TO COM 02/14/96
WITHDRAWN - FROM CALENDAR, REFERRED TO COM 02/20/96