Source: http://okhighered.org/leg-info/1997/6-20dist.htm
Timestamp: 2017-04-28 06:13:25
Document Index: 525275655

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1210', '§ 6801', '§ 3', '§ 3903', '§ 85', '§ 2504', '§ 500', '§ 6532', '§ 6', '§ 7', '§ 1365', '§ 1383', '§ 2604', '§ 6060', '§ 2504', '§ 2', '§ 1316', '§ 500', '§ 120', '§ 3109', '§ 6', '§ 3', '§ 17', '§ 1323', '§ 840', '§ 595', '§ 1', '§ 481', '§ 6060', '§ 1316', '§ 1306', '§ 4', '§ 208', '§ 6059', '§ 840', '§ 887', '§ 2946', '§ 2808', '§ 18', '§ 2525', '§ 41', '§ 1210', '§ 6', '§ 324', '§ 6060', '§ 6', '§ 3207', '§ 6060', '§ 63', '§ 3204', '§ 301', '§ 91', '§ 11', '§ 139', '§ 41', '§ 57', '§ 1210', '§ 61', '§ 695', '§ 1356', '§ 3102', '§ 324', '§ 401', '§ 404', '§ 41', '§ 1356', '§ 230']

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Friday, June 20, 1997
From: Bryce Fair & Carolyn McCoy The following document consists of three sections. Section I provides a brief narrative of legislative highlights and a summary of actions on bills during the week. Section II is an index of the bills we are tracking and Section III provides a short description of each bill and the latest legislative action on the bill. Note: This is our final update for the 1997 legislative session. Updates for the 1998 session should begin in January 1998.
Governor Acts on Final Bills: Governor Keating approved most, but not all, of the bills he received from the Legislature in the last few days of the session. Since our last update, we added to our tracking list nine bills that relate in some way to higher education. Of the forty-two bills which were pending action by the Governor, thirty-five were approved and seven were vetoed.
Automated Phone System Bill Vetoed: HB 2138, which would have restricted the use of automated phone answering systems at state agencies and colleges, was vetoed by Governor Keating. The final version of the bill, which was less restrictive than the original draft, would have prohibited the use of an automated answering system unless the first menu option allowed the caller to speak directly to an employee.
Citizens’ Commission on the Future of Oklahoma Higher Education; Wednesday, June 25; 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.; at the Raider Room in the Student Center at Rose State College in Midwest City. The Commission will begin the process of finalizing its recommendations.
Governor's Actions on Bills since May 6: Bills Signed by the Governor
SB 25 -- plumbing technicians
SB 43 -- related to the Ok. Employment Security Act
SB 175 -- State Facility Capital Needs Committee (one section vetoed)
SB 244 -- health insurance; pre-authorization requirements
SB 337 -- Advanced Placement Incentive Program
SB 730 -- workers' compensation
HB 1003 -- claims of liens on employees
HB 1222 -- health insurance; coverage for adopted children
HB 1251 -- Agricultural Linked Deposit Program; alternative products
HB 1860 -- University Hospitals/Medical Technology and Research
HB 1884 -- appropriations; State Regents
HB 1895 -- related to the Bond Oversight Commission
HB 1907 -- related to Langston University Building Revenue Bonds of 1963
HB 1970 -- alternative education plans
HB 2120 -- administrative procedures; "Oklahoma Regulatory Review Act"
HB 2140 -- University Hospitals sales tax exemption
HB 2170 -- "Oklahoma Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act"
SB 79 -- employee leave
HB 1091 -- health insurance; submission of bids to state plan
HB 1601 -- workers' compensation; providing coverage
HB 1995 -- University Hospitals; sales tax exemption
SB 175 -- State Facility Capital Needs Committee
SB 180 -- retirement; obligations of withdrawing hospitals
SB 181 -- teachers retirement; additional benefits; legal services and petitions
SCR 27 -- recognizing Harry Culver upon his retirement
HB 1241 -- Adoption Law Reform Committee
HB 1336 -- Great Expectations Institutes
HB 1343 -- public schools; student identification system
Note. Each week's update should be posted on the homepage by late Friday afternoon. If you need copies of any of the bills, please contact Carolyn McCoy at (405) 225-9165 or e-mail her at "cmccoy@osrhe.edu". SECTION II
Agricultural Linked Deposit
Great Expectations Summer Institutes
(HEACO)
HB 1687 Liens against employees
SB 73	Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP)
Statewide Temporary Assistance Responsibility System (STARS)
Teacher preparation (cont’d)
Therapists, physical/occupational
Worker training study
Reported Status as of 6/13/97
* SB 1 (Fisher/Tyler) - SCIENCE/MATH CURRICULUM PILOT PROJECT. Requires the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics to solicit proposals and award grants for pilot projects that develop and establish model programs implementing advanced science and math curriculum at local vo-tech sites, local colleges or universities, or at local school sites by distance learning; requires that an Advisory Council be established to assist the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics in development of the model programs; requires the participating area vo-tech school district to provide transportation for those students attending the program at the area vo-tech school site and the local schools have the option to provide transportation for students attending at college or university sites. (70 § 1210.404) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* SB 25 (Long/Fields) - TECHNICIANS. Prohibits state and municipal inspectors from issuing citations for work which is exempt from permit requirements under the International Plumbing Code; requires certain weldments to meet the standards of certain codes; prohibits unlicensed persons from installing, replacing or repairing floor furnaces or wall heaters. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* SB 30 (Muegge/Leist) - GROUNDWATER. Requires the Department of Environmental Quality to develop and implement a groundwater protection education program in consultation with various entities including state educational and research institutions. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/23/97
* SB 43 (Long/Roach) - EMPLOYMENT SECURITY/WORKER TRAINING. Modifies HB 1130, pertaining to the Oklahoma Employment Security Act; provides for a 50-percent reduction, for fiscal year 1998, in the contribution rate for computer fund assessment assigned to employers; creates a computer fund for the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission; modifies various sections relating to state labor laws. Section 13 creates the "Worker Training Study Committee" to study the issues relating to outside work used by vocational-technical programs in the onsite training of persons for the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical trades and to make recommendations to the Legislature regarding such training; requires the Study Committee to review funding allocations for the Job Training Partnership Program. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/10/97
* SB 48 (Robinson/Deutschendorf) - TELEMEDICINE. Creates the "Oklahoma Telemedicine Act"; prohibits health care service plans, disability insurer programs, workers’ compensation programs and state Medicaid managed care program contracts from requiring person-to-person contact between a health care practitioner and patient for services that a health care practitioner determines to be appropriately provided by means of telemedicine; requires a health care practitioner who is in physical contact with a patient, prior to the delivery of health care via telemedicine, to have the ultimate authority over the care of the patient and to obtain informed consent from the patient; specifies procedure for such consent. (36 § 6801) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/19/97
* SB 71 (Harrison/Beutler) - SOIL SCIENTIST. Adds the definitions of "soil science" and "soil scientist" to language pertaining to the Conservation District Act; specifies that a "soil scientist" has earned a baccalaureate or higher degree in a field of soil science from an accredited higher education institution; specifies required courses and number of semester hours. (82 § 3-1-103) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 03/31/97
* SB 73 (Harrison/Askins) - OETA. Changes the termination date of several entities, including the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, to July 1, 2002. (74 § 3903) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/01/97
* SB 78 (Dickerson/Dunegan) - PURCHASING. Modifies section relating to acquisitions excluded from Central Purchasing; clarifies language relating to contracts for construction of new buildings and for the repair, maintenance or modernization of old buildings by State System institutions. (74 § 85.12) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/05/97
* SB 79 (Dickerson/Askins) - LEAVE. Deletes existing law that provides that temporary state employees shall be eligible for paid holiday leave at the discretion of the appointing authority; provides that upon the transfer of a function in state government to an entity outside state government, an employee may, with the agreement of the outside entity, waive any payment for leave accumulations to which the employee is entitled and authorize transfer of the leave accumulations to the outside entity; provides that unclassified positions include students who are employed on a part-time basis in a State System institution and who are enrolled in and making satisfactory progress in a minimum of five hours of accredited graduate courses, a minimum of 10 hours of accredited undergraduate courses, or a minimum of six hours of accredited undergraduate courses during the summer. GOVERNOR ACTION - VETO 06/12/97
* SB 87 (Leftwich/Glover) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Provides that an HMO or prepaid health plan shall be deemed in noncompliance if certain forms contain definition of words or terms that are contrary to or inconsistent with words or terms in certain statutes; modifies the requirement for comprehensive health services to provide that, with respect to chiropractic services, such covered services shall be provided on a referral basis within the network at the request of an enrollee who has a condition of an orthopedic or neurological nature if a referral is necessitated in the judgment of the primary care physician and treatment for the condition falls within the licensed scope of practice of a chiropractic physician. (63 § 2504) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/29/97
* SB 90 (Dickerson/Stites) - TRAVEL. Permits state agencies to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of food and other expenses incidental to the hosting of conferences and in-service training sessions; permits reimbursement of local transportation expenses for state officers and employees who choose to acquire less expensive lodging at an alternative public lodging place; limits such reimbursement to the difference between the cost of the designated lodging and the cost of the optional lodging. (74 § 500.9) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* SB 103 (Haney/Hamilton) - APPROPRIATIONS. Pertains to economic development; Section 9 designates $622,030 of Department of Commerce appropriations be expended for Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s Statewide Small Business Development Centers Program; Section 16 provides that the Department of Commerce may spend the allocated amount to accomplish contractual responsibilities with SEOSU for its statewide Small Business Development Centers Network and requires an annual work budget program and quarterly expenditure reports; Section 37 appropriates an additional $3 million to the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology; Sections 38 and 39 set budgetary limitations. The two vetoed sections pertained to Department of Commerce appropriations.
* SB 110 (Haney/Hamilton) - APPROPRIATIONS. Section 1 appropriates an additional $42,011,380 from the General Revenue Fund to the State Regents for allocation to the institutions for the education and general operating budgets and other programs; Section 2 appropriates $15 million from the Special Cash Fund for allocation to the institutions; Section 3 states legislative intent that $10,502,234 of funds appropriated in Section 1 be used for campus expansions and capital improvements; Section 4 states legislative intent that $1,650,000 of the money appropriated in SB 160, Section 13, be used for OHLAP; Section 5 states legislative intent that $18,337,430 of the amount appropriated in Section 13 of SB 160 be expended for OTAG; Section 6 designates $1.4 million of the appropriated funds in Section 13 of SB 160 for National Guard Fee Waiver Scholarships; Section 7 states legislative intent that $10,750,000 of funds appropriated in Section 13 of SB 160 be designated for the Section 13 Offset Program; Sections 8 and 9 appropriate an additional $296,765 to the Physician Manpower Training Commission. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/29/97
* SB 122 (Haney/Hamilton) - OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (OCAST). Requires that contingent on a sufficient amount of funds being appropriated to the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) $300,000 is to be allocated for research and development partnership projects involving State System institutions, $100,000 for the operation of a technology-business incubator located in the Oklahoma Health Center Research Park, and $8,626,594 is to be deposited into the Research Support Revolving Fund. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/13/97
* SB 175 (Haney/Hamilton) – CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. Creates the Capital Improvement Revolving Fund; creates the 15-member State Facility Capital Needs Committee to establish a plan for meeting maintenance needs of state facilities, review recommendations of the Long Range Capital Planning Commission, identify capital projects that will enhance the functioning of state government, make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature, and determine funding allocations for capital needs. GOVERNOR ACTION - LINE ITEM VETO 06/13/97
* SB 179 (Monson/Roberts) – OKLAHOMA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM (OPERS). Allows certain members of the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) to purchase termination credit; provides procedures for purchase of the credit; makes the purchase of termination credit void under certain circumstances; allows spouse to makes certain election upon death of member who has purchased the termination credit. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/28/97
* SB 180 (Monson/Roberts) – OKLAHOMA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM (OPERS). Allows members of the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) who joined the System between Dec. 1, 1971, and Jan. 31, 1972, to withdraw from the System by the adoption of resolution by the hospital board. However, the member hospital is prohibited from withdrawing from the System until the hospital has satisfied all current obligations to the System. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/23/97
* SB 181 (Monson/Roberts) – RETIREMENT. Lowers the number of years a public school employee has to be employed prior to retirement in order to receive additional retirement allowances or compensation from 10 years to seven years; provides that any person aggrieved by a decision of the Board of Trustees of the Teachers’ Retirement System may appeal the decision. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/23/97
* SB 193 (Hendrick/Cox) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Provides that when an individual or dependent who was covered by individual or group insurance under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (the federal Kennedy-Kassabaum Act) gains employment with an employer who provides group health insurance, the succeeding carrier must accept the individual or dependents who were covered under the prior coverage; provides that on the denial of coverage, the individual insurance carrier must advise the applicant of how to apply for coverage under the Oklahoma Health Insurance High Risk Pool. (36 § 6532) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/12/97
* SB 202 (Roberts/Hager) - TEACHER PREPARATION/CERTIFICATION. Authorizes the Teacher Preparation Commission and the State Board of Education, subject to availability of funds, to establish the Education Leadership Oklahoma Program to assist teachers seeking National Board Certification; states Legislative intent that the Commission work with Oklahoma colleges and universities to establish Education Leadership Oklahoma training programs in higher education teacher preparation programs in the state. (70 § 6-203) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/12/97
* SB 218 (Dickerson/Paulk) - PAYROLL DEDUCTION/EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATIONS. Authorizes payroll deduction for contributions to its tax-exempt foundation in 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) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/09/97
* SB 244 (Monson/Seikel) – HEALTH INSURANCE. Amends Section 4 of HB 1416 to exempt insured benefit plans from the provision that preauthorization requests may be denied only by a physician licensed by the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision or the State Board of Osteopathic Examiners, subject to the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma courts. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/11/97
* SB 248 (Monson/Voskuhl) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Modifies duties of the State Employees Benefits Council to require that data provided from the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Plan and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) include the current Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS); modifies procedures for rejection of bids by or restriction of enrollment in participating HMOs. (74 § 1365) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/17/97
* SB 249 (Monson/Laura Boyd) - HEALTH/SAFETY. Provides that the Wellness Council may provide programs to state agencies for quarterly health and safety training as required by the Department of Labor. (74 § 1383) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/07/97
* SB 273 (Horner/Betty Boyd) - OKLAHOMA HIGHER LEARNING ACCESS PROGRAM (OHLAP). Authorizes the State Regents to award the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP) benefits for courses of post-secondary units taken more than five years after a student’s first semester of post-secondary enrollment only in hardship circumstances; provides that no program participant may receive benefits beyond a cumulative time period of five years; authorizes the Regents to establish a maximum limit on the number of courses or other post-secondary units to which program benefits will apply; authorizes the Regents to process student agreements and verify compliance with the agreements. (70 § 2604) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/09/97
* SB 275 (Monson/Paulk) - NURSES. Relates to regulation of prescriptive authority for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists; requires a certified registered nurse anesthetist who applies for authorization to order, select, obtain and administer drugs to provide evidence of completion, within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of application, of a minimum of 15 units of continuing education in advanced pharmacology related to the administration of anesthesia as recognized by the Council on Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists; requires a biennial application renewal and reauthorization requiring a minimum of eight units of continuing education, completed during the previous two years, in advanced pharmacology relating to the administration of anesthesia. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/23/97
* SB 277 (Cain/Askins) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires health benefit plans that provide benefits for the dependents of an insured individual to provide coverage for each child of the insured, from birth through the date such child is 18 years of age, for immunizations required for children by the State Board of Health; prohibits such benefits from being subject to a deductible, co-payment or coinsurance requirement. (36 § 6060.4) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/09/97
* SB 280 (Long/Stanley) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Provides that a health maintenance organization or prepaid health plan shall be deemed in noncompliance and shall not be relicensed by the State Insurance Department if its application for license renewal, evidence of coverage, standards and procedures for the selection of providers or any other documents filed with the Department contain definitions of words or terms that are contrary to or inconsistent with the definitions of words or terms appearing in the Department’s rules; prohibits such entities from prohibiting or restricting a primary care physician from referring a patient to a specialist within the network if such referral is deemed medically necessary in the judgment of the primary care physician; requires such entities to provide comprehensive health services in a manner that is reasonably geographically convenient to residents of the service area for which it seeks a license. (63 § 2504) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/15/97
* SB 315 (Easley/Beutler) - LEAD-BASED PAINT. Modifies definition section in the Lead-based Paint Management Act; adds "child-occupied facility" to definitions; requires certification of lead-based paint reduction contractors, inspectors and hazard evaluators and specialists performing or offering to perform lead-based paint services on target housing or child-occupied facilities. (27A § 2-12-102) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/15/97
* SB 337 (Roberts/Betty Boyd) – ADVANCED PLACEMENT/TESTING. Requires the State Board of Education to establish an Oklahoma Advanced Placement Incentive Program to be administered by the State Department of Education; states purpose is to establish, organize and administer a program designed to improve the course offerings available to high school students and to prepare students for admission to and success in a post-secondary educational environment; authorizes certain awards; requires the Board to ensure participation of the Oklahoma public school system in the National Assessment of Educational Progress; requires that the results be included as a separate result in annual reports on the Oklahoma State Testing Program; requires the Board to evaluate and make recommendations to the Legislature to revise the performance standards for the criterion-referenced tests required in the Testing Program; modifies section relating to class size penalties. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* SB 354 (Stipe/Dunegan) - RETIREMENT. Allows continuation of additional life insurance after retirement for members of the state retirement systems; requires that the rate for additional benefits be paid at an actuarially adjusted rate. (74 § 1316.1) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/19/97
* SB 360 (Smith/Steidley) - TRAVEL. Authorizes state employees traveling outside the state on official business to use appropriate forms of transportation; prohibits reimbursement from exceeding the normal charge for the type of transportation used, but in no instance shall reimbursement for transportation used in lieu of commercial airplane exceed the cost of coach class air fare. (74 § 500.11) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/19/97
* SB 362 (Cain/Seikel) - SURPLUS EQUIPMENT. Authorizes state departments, institutions, and agencies to dispose of obsolete or surplus equipment by transfer to a public school district without compensation. (62 § 120.1) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/19/97
* SB 389 (Weedn/Steidley) - CONSTRUCTION/CONTRACTS. Provides that a purchase order issued by a county or political subdivision to an architect, contractor, engineer or supplier of materials may include notice to the vendor that submission of an invoice or acceptance of payment pursuant to the purchase constitutes a statement by the vendor that the invoice and work meet certain requirements. (74 § 3109) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/15/97
* SB 398 (Roberts/Begley) - TEACHER PREPARATION/TECHNOLOGY TRAINING. Requires the Teacher Preparation Commission to include technology training in professional development institutes. (70 § 6-200) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* SB 416 (Williams/Hager) - EDUCATION OVERSIGHT. Modifies the membership of the Education Oversight Board, authorizing the appointment of two non-legislative members by the Governor, two non-legislative members each appointed by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and one non-legislative member appointed jointly by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House; specifies terms; exempts legislators who serve on the Board from statutory dual office holding prohibitions; provides that the Office of Accountability’s budget will be solely under the direction of the Education Oversight Board which shall submit a program budget for the Office to the State Board of Education; transfers certain duties from the State Board of Education to the Education Oversight Board. (70 § 3-116) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/15/97
* SB 473 (Milacek/Reese) - RETIREMENT. Raises the cap on post-retirement earnings for former public school employees less than 65 years of age from a maximum $10,000 to a maximum $15,000. (70 § 17-116.10) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/12/97
* SB 552 (Herbert/Bastin) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Increases from $500 to $5,000 the maximum fine for the crime of fraud as it relates to the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Program; authorizes the penalty to include both the fine and imprisonment. (74 § 1323) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/25/97
* SB 693 (Cain/Blackburn) - CHILD SUPPORT. Establishes procedures for tribunals to determine which child support becomes enforceable if more than one order has been issued concerning the same parent and child; provides for continuing, exclusive jurisdiction; provides for enforcement of child support orders between states; states procedures pertaining to contesting the validity of certain income-withholding orders; states procedure for receipt of multi-income withholding orders; states conditions of modification of certain child support orders; requires filing of documents and provides penalty for failure to do so. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* SB 698 (Dickerson/Paulk) - LEAVE. Allows a state employee who is an elected official of a job-related professional organization to take up to five additional days of leave per year with pay to perform the work required by that official position. (74 § 840-2.25) GOVERNOR ACTION - VETO 05/23/97
* SB 699 (Dunlap/Bryant) - PRIVATIZATION FUNCTIONS. Creates the Oklahoma Privatization of State Functions Act for the purpose of setting guidelines for privatization of state services to ensure that, if approved, privatization is cost-effective and in the best interests of the citizens of the state; requires that, before an agency can contract to privatize a function, program, service, unit or division, the agency must allow its employees an opportunity to submit proposals for improving operations, efficiency or organization of the entity being considered for privatization; provides privatization procedure; requires any agency deciding to privatize a function to certify to the Governor that certain conditions have been met. (74 § 595.1) GOVERNOR ACTION - VETO 06/12/97
* SB 706 (Cain/Seikel) - CHILD SUPPORT/PAYROLL. Pertains to child support orders and income assignment; requires employers to report the hiring of employees to the Employment Security Commission within 20 days of hiring, or twice monthly, not less than 12 nor more than 16 days apart if reported electronically or magnetically; modifies the definition of "income assignment"; modifies section pertaining to income assignment; requires all state agencies to provide information requested by the Department of Human Services regarding employment, compensation, benefits and other information pertaining to employees; prohibits state employees from unauthorized disclosure of information. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/10/97
* SB 730 (Maddox/Askins) - WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. This a Workers’ Compensation reform bill; defines "cumulative trauma" to mean an injury resulting from employment activities which are repetitive in nature and in which the employee has engaged in over a period of time; amends the definition of "injury" by stating that only injuries having as their source a risk not purely personal but one that is causally connected with the conditions of employment shall be deemed to arise out of the course of employment; clarifies the definition of "occupational disease" to mean that it arises out of employment only if there is a direct causal connection between the occupational disease and the conditions under which the work is performed; provides for the shortening of the period for maximum temporary total disability to 156 weeks from 300 weeks unless "good cause" is shown for an extension and is determined by the Workers’ Compensation Court; increases the death benefit for a surviving spouse from 50 percent of the average weekly earnings of the deceased to 70 percent and increases the death benefit to children where there is no surviving spouse from 35 percent of the average weekly wages of the deceased to 50 percent of those wages for one child and from 15 percent of those wages for each additional child to 20 percent divided equally among all children; shortens from 60 days to 30 calendar days the time period in which an employee or a former employee is required to notify their employer that they have suffered an on-the-job injury; provides that an employer who knowingly and willfully requires an employee or subcontractor to obtain a Certificate of Noncoverage for which the individual is not eligible, shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than $500 for a first offense, and not more than $1,000 for a second or subsequent offense, with a maximum penalty of $10,000. (85 § 1.1) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/10/97
* SCR 11 (Haney/Ervin) - SEMINOLE STATE COLLEGE. Authorizes the Board of Regents of Seminole State College, on behalf of the college, to issue revenue bonds in the amount of $1.2 million for construction of a residential facility. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 05/28/97
* SCR 12 (Morgan/Wells) - LANGSTON UNIVERSITY. Authorizes the A&M Board of Regents, on behalf of Langston University, to issue $3.5 million in revenue bonds for renovation of physical education and athletic facilities. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 05/23/97
* SCR 18 (Hobson/Benson) – UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA. Authorizes the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma to issue $27.5 million in revenue bonds for refinancing the current Student Facilities System Revenue Bonds, Series 1979, and for construction, renovation, remodeling and expanding various other revenue-producing facilities on the Norman campus. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 05/21/97
* SCR 27 (Stipe/Glover) – HARRY CULVER. Praises Harry Culver for completing 50 successful years as a professional journalist and wishes him well on the occasion of his retirement. Culver earned degrees in journalism at the University of Oklahoma and won the Higher Educational Alumni Council (HEACO) award for government reporting. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 05/30/97
* SCR 32 (Stipe/Laura Boyd) – MASTER’S DEGREE/PSYCHOLOGY. Requests a joint interim study to evaluate current educational, programmatic and clinical requirements of master’s degree programs in psychology as they relate to the availability of licensure or certification required to provide community mental health related services in a managed care environment; requires the State Regents to assist and provide technical support to the joint interim study committee. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 05/29/97
* SCR 36 (Morgan/Wells) – OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY/REVENUE BONDS. Authorizes the Board of Regents for the A&M Colleges to issue $18 million in revenue bonds for completing construction of the West Chilled Water Plant – Phase I and distribution system improvements on OSU’s Stillwater campus. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 05/30/97
* SR 27 (Taylor) - CHANCELLOR HANS BRISCH. Commends Chancellor Brisch, expressing appreciation to him for his leadership and the progress of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education during his 10-year term as Chancellor; celebrates April 23, 1997, as the 40th anniversary of Brisch’s immigration to America. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 04/23/97
* SR 33 (Muegge) – COOPERATIVE EXTENSION. Declares the week of May 11-17, 1997, as Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Week; recognizes the educational programs of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, operating through and on behalf of Oklahoma State University and the agricultural research from the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station, Oklahoma State University and other land-grant universities. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 04/30/97
* HB 1003 (Beutler/Wilkerson) – LIEN AGAINST EMPLOYEE. Prohibits the filing of any claim of lien against a state employee based on the performance or nonperformance of that official’s or employee’s duties unless accompanied by a specific order from a court; provides that a county will accept for filing a notice of invalid lien signed and submitted by the assistant attorney general representing the state agency, board, commission, department, or institution of higher education of which the individual is an official or employee. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/13/97
* HB 1023 (Askins/Harrison) - MEDICAL LICENSURE. Re-creates the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision until July 1, 2003. (59 § 481) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/07/97
* HB 1077 (Seikel/Monson) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires that individual and group health insurance and health benefit plans, except as exempt under federal ERISA provisions, provide coverage for treatment of adults, children and adolescents with severe mental illness equal to coverage for other physical diseases and disorders and subject to the same preauthorization and utilization review mechanisms and other terms and conditions as all other physical diseases and disorders; provides an exception for policies that provide coverage for a specified disease or other limited-benefit coverage. (36 § 6060.10) GOVERNOR ACTION - VETO 06/12/97
* HB 1085 (Roberts/Monson) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Provides that the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board shall approve the amount of insurance premiums no later than the bid submission date for health maintenance organizations (HMOs) set by the State Employees Benefits Council, which shall be no later than the third Friday of December of the previous fiscal year; prohibits the board from adjusting premium rates after approval, with certain exceptions; provides that the State Regents and the institutions may participate in other flexible benefit plans under certain terms and conditions; modifies provisions relating to distribution of plan information to employers and employees; authorizes the Council to procure indemnity insurance for Council members; requires that the benefit price of any HMO shall be determined on a competitive bid basis. (74 § 1316.1) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/11/97
* HB 1091 (Roberts/Monson) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board to approve the amount of premiums for insurance plans no later than the third Friday of December of the previous fiscal year; allows the State Regents, counties, municipalities, political subdivisions or school districts to participate in certain flexible benefit plans; provides conditions under which the board may provide information to participants; provides that the Employees Benefits Council may procure insurance indemnifying the council from liability resulting from a member’s action as a council member; excludes the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board’s contracts for certain services from Central Purchasing; directs the Council to create a Task Force on State Employee Cafeteria Plans. (74 § 1306) GOVERNOR ACTION - VETO 06/12/97
* HB 1130 - (Fields/Long) - EMPLOYMENT SECURITY. Provides for decrease in unemployment insurance taxes; Section 20 modifies confidentiality requirements to permit the release of information required to identify economic trends to the OU Center for Economic and Management Research; requires confidentiality; permits OU to release aggregated data, provided such aggregation meets disclosure requirements of the Employment Security Commission. [This bill was amended by SB 43.] (40 § 4-508) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/04/97
* HB 1147 - (Dunegan/Dickerson) – AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE. Transfers from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to the State Regents the responsibility for receiving and approving affirmative action plans for higher education institutions; clarifies that state employees can use leave without pay and donated annual and sick leave for family medical leave; provides that the state mentor executive program applies to state employees from all branches of government; delays the pilot broad band selection program to no later than July 1, 1999; creates the State Work Incentive Program designed to allow state agencies to hire persons on the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Program and to permit agencies to convert their service status to regular state employment. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/29/97
* HB 1210 (Wells/Wright) - MILITARY SERVICE. Provides that the federal Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act of 1940 and the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) shall be adopted as state law and applied to National Guard members when they are ordered to state active duty. (44 § 208.1) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/02/97
* HB 1221 (Steidley/Dickerson) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires that insurance policies offering coverage for adopted children include the actual and documented medical costs associated with the birth of the adopted child who is 18 months old or younger. (36 § 6059) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/07/97
* HB 1222 (Fields/Monson) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Prohibits the State and Education Employee’s Group Insurance Board from making a mid-year adjustment in the premium rates for insurance plans offered for the FY98 plan year unless specially authorized to do so by the Legislature. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/11/97
* HB 1224 (Steidley/Monson) - REDUCTION IN FORCE. Provides for a "State Government Reduction-in-Force and Severance Benefits Act"; provides that, when a reduction-in-force (RIF) occurs, the appointing authority must provide a plan for such RIF at least 60 days before the scheduled beginning of the RIF separations; requires approval of such plans, except for certain fiscal components, by the administrator of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM); requires rejection of any plan that is not in substantial compliance; requires review of such plans by the director of the Office of State Finance (OSF); requires posting of approved plans; prohibits an agency which has both classified and unclassified positions in affected class from reducing a higher percentage of occupied classified positions than occupied unclassified positions; permits an appointing authority to protect from displacement action up to 20 percent of projected post-reduction-in-force employees in affected positions within displacement limits; provides for displacement privileges; provides for severance benefits; provides for priority reemployment consideration; creates a RIF education voucher action fund for the OPM; authorizes expenditure of such funds for providing education vouchers to affected employees exercising rights to severance benefits in order to make payment to eligible educational institutions; creates a RIF emergency cost fund for the OSF for aiding state agencies to pay severance benefits; creates a RIF premium payment fund for paying health insurance premiums for affected employees; provides for purchase of retirement service credits. (74 § 840-1.1) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/29/97
* HB 1241 (Roach/Henry) – ADOPTION/OU LAW. Pertains to the adoption code; Section 51 extends the termination date of the service of members of the Adoption Law Reform Committee (includes a law professor from the University of Oklahoma Law Center) until June 30, 1998. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/29/97
* HB 1248 (Roach/Fisher) - PHYSICAL THERAPISTS. Increases membership of the Physical Therapy Committee from three to five members; provides that the committee is established to advise the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision on all matters pertaining to the licensure, education, and continuing education of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants; outlines licensing requirements for physical therapist applicants educated outside the United States; provides for continuing education requirements for license renewal. (59 § 887.4) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/17/97
* HB 1251 (Glover/Kerr) – AGRICULTURAL LINKED DEPOSIT/OSU. Modifies definitions used in the Agricultural Linked Deposit Program. The program involves the Cooperative Extension Service of Oklahoma State University. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/11/97
* HB 1336 (Begley/Roberts) – GREAT EXPECTATIONS INSTITUTES. Modifies teachers’ salaries; requires the State Board of Education to award scholarships for teachers and administrators to attend the Great Expectations Summer Institutes for Teachers offered by a State System institution. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/27/97
* HB 1337 (Begley/Weedn) - AD VALOREM TAX. Creates a 23-member Task Force on Centrally Assessed Property to review state laws, rules and procedures relating to the definition of public service corporations as used in the ad valorem tax code, relating to determining the values of public service corporations and business personal property, and relating to the Court of Tax Review; requires the task force to make recommendations for changes related to centrally assessed property and submit a report by Jan. 31, 1998; requires notifying the State Auditor and Inspector the total amount of protested taxes; directs the Auditor and Inspector to distribute this information in specified formats; directs the State Board of Equalization to certify corrected valuation if changed by appeal; directs payment of refunds and distribution of taxes to be paid; directs the county treasurers to make certain reports for tax years 1994, 1995, and 1996. (68 § 2946.4) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* HB 1338 (Begley/Roberts) - AD VALOREM TAX. Creates a one-year moratorium on pipelines or oil and gas gathering systems shifting from centrally assessed to locally assessed for ad valorem purposes; increases from 20 to 30 days the amount of time railroads, air carriers and public service corporations have to file a tax protest; provides that if a taxpayer fails to file a written complaint within 30 days the assessed valuation stated in the notice shall be come final; requires the State Board of Equalization to notify the Attorney General and all affected school districts of ad valorem tax protests; requires that for each case brought before the Court of Tax Review, the presiding judge of the judicial administrative district to which the case is assigned shall appoint a three-judge panel to determine in what county the case will be heard; provides for legal representation in ad valorem tax matters. (68 § 2808)
GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* HB 1343 (Begley/Roberts) – STUDENT IDENTIFICATION/EDUCATIONAL INDICATORS. Amends HB 1872; requires the State Department of Education to develop and the school districts to implement by June 30, 1998, a student identification system for purposes such as reporting enrollment data, the administration of the School Testing Program Act, and the collection of date pursuant to the Educational Indicators Program. (70 § 18-200.1)
* HB 1416 (Betty Boyd/Henry) - HEALTH INSURANCE. Creates the "Fairness in Managed Care Act"; requires the State Board of Health to promulgate rules for certification of certain managed care plans and utilization review programs and for identifying procedures for periodic review and recertification of qualified managed care plans and utilization review programs; requires the health department to terminate the certification of previously qualified managed care plan or a qualified utilization review program if the Commissioner of Health determines that such plan or program no longer meets the applicable requirements for certification; specifies eligibility requirements. [Section 4 amended by SB 244] (63 § 2525.2) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/29/97
* HB 1434 (Deutschendorf/Robinson) - COMPUTER SYSTEMS. Requires all state agencies of the executive branch that use date-dependent computer systems, such as legacy systems, programs, databases and security systems, to have completed work on converting the systems for the year 2000 by Jan. 1, 1999; requires agencies to report by July 1, 1999, on operations of the system after the conversion and outlining any system problems the agency may still be experiencing and plans the agency has to address any continuing problems; prohibits agencies from purchasing additional hardware or software or add additional personnel to convert and prepare the computer systems for the millennium unless the purchase has been included in the long-range plan of the agency submitted to the Information Services Division of the Office State Finance. (62 § 41.5o) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/11/97
* HB 1455 (Staggs/Robinson) - CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS. Requires that the results of criterion-referenced tests be returned to school districts prior to May 1 of each year; modifies sections pertaining to textbooks. (70 § 1210.508) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* HB 1467 (Staggs/Robinson) - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Requires that, at a minimum, once every four years the professional development committees of local boards of education will include at least one school counselor in its membership; provides that each adopted professional development program shall allow school counselors to receive at least one-third of the hours or credit required each year through programs or courses specifically designed for school counselors. (A local professional development committee shall consult with a higher education faculty, and programs adopted by the committee may include higher education courses.) (70 § 6-194) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* HB 1531 (Blackburn/Cain) - SMOKE DETECTORS. Requires all new construction or remodeling of residential dwellings which require a building permit to include installation of smoke detectors or the electrical wiring necessary for installation of electrical smoke detectors. (74 § 324.11a) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/07/97
* HB 1532 (Blackburn/Weedn) - HEALTH INSURANCE/BREAST CANCER. Creates the "Oklahoma Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act"; requires health insurance plans that provide medical and surgical benefits with respect to the treatment of breast cancer and other breast conditions to ensure that coverage is provided for not fewer than 48 hours of inpatient care following a mastectomy and not fewer than 24 hours of inpatient care following a lymph node dissection for the treatment of breast cancer, with certain exceptions; requires that such plans also provide coverage for reconstructive breast surgery performed as a result of a partial or total mastectomy, except as prohibited by federal laws or regulations pertaining to Medicaid. (36 § 6060.4) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/22/97
* HB 1534 (Steidley/Leftwich) – RESIDENT TEACHERS. Authorizes certain due process hearings before the State Board of Education for any resident teacher not recommended for certification after completing two years in the residency program. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/19/97
* HB 1559 (Hager/Williams) – MINORITY TEACHER/TEACHER PREPARATION. Expands membership of the Minority Teacher Recruitment Advisory Committee to 25 to include the executive director of the Commission for Teacher Preparation or a designee; adds to competencies included in the teacher preparation system competencies for administrators which include skills necessary to be an effective leader of a school or school district; requires competency examination to include testing for administrators; authorizes the Commission to accept federal grants and other federal funds; requires professional development institutes to be accepted by the State Board of Education. (70 § 6-130) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* HB 1561 (Wells/Morgan) - CREDITS. Extends to Jan. 1, 1998, the date by which the State Regents must submit to the chairs of the respective legislative education subcommittees a report on the progress made in ensuring that students move smoothly from one level of education to another. (70 § 3207.1) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/21/97
* HB 1598 (Roach/Brown) - MATERNITY BENEFITS. Provides that the attending physician may determine that a mother and newborn infant meet medical criteria contained in current treatment standards that determine the appropriate length of hospital stay based on certain factors. (36 § 6060.3) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/25/97
* HB 1601 (Roach/Henry) - WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. Cuts from $250 to $50 the per-employee civil penalty for failure to obtain workers’ compensation if a company secures coverage within 30 days of receiving notice of the violation; provides that an employer who knowingly and willfully requires an employee or subcontractor to obtain a Certificate of Noncoverage for which the individual is not eligible, shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than $500 for a first offense, and not more than $1,000 for a second or subsequent offense, with a maximum penalty of $10,000. (85 § 63.1) GOVERNOR ACTION - VETO 06/12/97
* HB 1644 (Ervin/Robinson) - UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS. Changes certain references to Oklahoma Memorial Hospital to University Hospitals; provides for a governing committee for the University Hospitals, to include both state appointees and individuals appointed by the private entity with which the state enters into an agreement to operate the hospitals; requires that the committee approve termination or transfer or material addition or diminution of medical services at the Oklahoma Medical Center related to and part of a teaching program of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and other major decisions as may be agreed upon by the trust and the private entity; requires that the agreement be submitted to the Contingency Review Board; provides that if the Board does not disapprove the proposed agreement within 30 days after time for the Board to act has expired the University Hospitals Authority and the University Hospitals Trust may petition the Oklahoma Supreme Court for a declaratory judgement on the validity of the proposed agreement; provides for a 10-day protest period prior to the hearing on the petition; provides that the Institutional Maintenance and Construction Unit and the Architecture and Engineering Planning Unit of the Department of Human Services shall have authority to submit bids and enter into contracts with and to perform services for the Oklahoma Medical Center for construction and remodeling projects that fall within the scope of services of the unit. (63 § 3204) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/08/97
* HB 1660 (Benson/Taylor) - CHARITABLE FIDUCIARY/INVESTMENTS. Creates the "Oklahoma Charitable Fiduciary Act," the purpose of which is to authorize charitable, religious, educational, and eleemosynary organizations to act as a fiduciary and to clarify the powers of such organizations when acting in a permitted fiduciary capacity; provides that governing boards must require fidelity bonds on officers and employees who are involved in the funding and administration of a charitable trust; permits a charitable organization to establish trust funds for furnishing investments to itself as a fiduciary, to itself and others as co-fiduciaries or to affiliated charitable organizations; authorizes such organizations to invest funds held in trust for investment in common charitable trust funds, with certain exceptions, and to employ investment advisors, counselors and financial institutions; outlines requirements for common charitable trust fund investments; outlines reporting requirements; prohibits employees, officers, and governing board members from receiving pecuniary benefits other than reasonable compensation for their employment; requires an annual audit; provides that charitable organizations shall not be subject to the Open Meeting Act or the Open Records Act, but annual audit reports shall be deemed a record for purposes of the Open Records Act; provides that monies which the State Regents are authorized to invest "shall be invested with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims"; deletes certain restrictions on investments by the State Regents as trustees of certain trust funds. (60 § 301.1) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/15/97
* HB 1687 (Hefner/Helton) – BOMBING VICTIMS LICENSE PLATES. Creates various special license plates; Paragraph 53 provides for Oklahoma City Bombing Victims and Survivors License Plates. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/19/97
* HB 1690 (Perry/Robinson) - ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES. Creates the 22-member Task Force on Electronic Signature Technology to study the technology of and applications for electronic signatures and to prepare recommendations for legislative and other action needed to assure the availability and use of electronic signature technology in the state; membership of the Task Force would include the Chancellor; states duties of Task Force; requires submission of report. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/15/97
* HB 1701 (Culver/Helton) - CAMPUS POLICE. Modifies the definition of "peace officer," giving federal law enforcement officers the same authority as state peace officers; broadens the powers given to a peace officer in the state of Oklahoma; provides for immunity of federal law enforcement officers while serving as a peace officer for Oklahoma and states neither the state or any subdivision shall assume the liability for any federal law enforcement officer. (21 § 91) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/07/97
* HB 1807 (Langmacher/Wilkerson) - TAXES. Provides several tax breaks; Section 16 provides beginning July 1, 1998, a sales tax exemption for sales of tangible personal property or services to tax-exempt independent nonprofit biomedical research foundations that provide educational programs for Oklahoma science students and teachers; Section 29 amends HJR 1024 by requiring members of the Citizens’ Task Force on Taxation to be appointed by Aug. 1, 1997, providing for staff support, and requiring the submission of a report by Sept. 1, 1999. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/29/97
* HB 1810 (Cox/Horner) - EBONICS. Provides that Ebonics shall not be recognized as a language art and shall not be taught as a course or class in the pubic schools for which a student receives credit or which is counted towards fulfilling graduation requirements; defines Ebonics as an Africanized form of English reflecting Black Americans’ linguistic-cultural ties to their African heritage. (70 § 11-1103.8) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/11/97
* HB 1815 (Adair/Robinson) – TELECOMMUNICATIONS/ONENET. Creates the "Oklahoma Telecommunications Act of 1997"; relates to local exchange telecommunications service rates; Section 8 prohibits application of the act to OneNet or any other component of the Oklahoma Government Telecommunications Network; prohibits Internet providers from pricing such Internet service in an anti-competitive, discriminatory or predatory manner; prohibits the resale of OneNet access directly to the general public at any nonpublic site; prohibits certain applications requiring a circuit of 1.544 Mbit with capacity sufficient to simultaneously transmit 24 voice or data channels at 64 Kbits/sec unless OneNet is the circuit provider; Section 9 creates the "Oklahoma Telecommunications Technology Training Fund" to be administered by the Department of Vocational and Technical Education working in conjunction with OneNet to provide statewide teacher training in the most effective use of telecommunications and distance learning technology. (17 § 139.108) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/13/97
* HB 1817 (Askins/Hobson) - VOUCHERS/SECURITIES. Allows vouchers drawn against an agency to be signed and countersigned by the principal financial officer or another person specifically designated by the administrative authority; restricts the types of securities the State Treasurer may accept and authorizes the Treasurer to establish standards which may further limit any types or classes of securities which may be accepted; adds letters of credit of the U.S. government and surety bonds to the list of acceptable securities; adds duplication in a manner acceptable to the Archives and Records Commission to the requirement that certain warrants must be micro-filmed. (62 § 41.21) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/29/97
* HB 1854 (Hamilton/Haney) - APPROPRIATIONS/UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS. Appropriates to various health agencies; Section 20 states legislative intent that certain appropriations be used for the establishment of the Children First Program; requires the State Department of Health to contract with a university-related program for a performance-based evaluation of the program [Section 20 amended by HB 1884]; Sections 28, 29, and 30 set budgetary limitations for the University Hospitals Authority. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/13/97
* HB 1860 (Hamilton/Haney) - UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS. Authorizes the University Hospitals Authority Board instead of the Director of the Department of Human Services to appoint one member of the Medical Technology and Research Authority of Oklahoma. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/10/97
* HB 1872 (Hamilton/Haney) - APPROPRIATIONS. Appropriates to various educational entities. Section 16 provides that, contingent upon the enactment of HB 1336, $500,000 shall be allocated by the State Department of Education for scholarships to the Great Expectations Summer Institutes for Teachers offered by a State System institution; provides that $1 million be expended on a competitive application basis to the State Board of Vo-Tech Education for the purpose of implementing technology programs designed to train teachers in public school districts in the use of technology for the classroom and in classroom applications of technology information; Section 17 apportions $280,344 to be expended on a competitive application basis to a State System institution for implementing telecommunications curriculum statewide; Section 18 provides that of the funds allocated for Community Education Grants, $25,000 be expended on a contractual basis to a community education consortium group which is associated with a state system institution; Section 19 designates certain funds in the Education Leadership Oklahoma Revolving Fund for program development and evaluation by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation and curriculum enhancement and monitoring programs for teacher applicants on a contract basis with a State System institution; Section 22 requires the State Department of Education to develop and implement by June 30, 1998, a student identification system to be used, among other purposes, for the School Testing Program and the collection of data for the Educational Indicators Program; Section 26 designates $247,463 of funds allocated to the State Department of Education to ensure participation in the National Assessment of Educational Progress; Section 27 designates that $48,105 of funds allocated to the State Department of Education be available for contracting with the Oklahoma Alliance for Geographic Education to provide in-service training and material for geography instruction; Section 38 designates $300,000 of the funds appropriated to the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics be expended for outreach programs in science and math as directed in Section 1 of SB 1; Section 41 appropriates to the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation and Sections 42 and 43 provide budgetary limitations; Section 49 appropriates $724,581, contingent on the enactment of HB 1338, for payments to vo-tech school districts for protested ad valorem taxes; Section 50 allocates funds appropriated in Section 49 to vo-tech school districts for ad valorem taxes not received because of protested 1994 and 1995 taxes; provides for insufficient funds. [Section 22 was amended by HB 1343.]
* HB 1877 (Hamilton/Haney) - TEACHER PREPARATION. Creates the "Professional Development Institutes Revolving Fund" to be used by the Teacher Preparation Commission to develop and administer professional development programs for teachers and administrators and training for residency committee members. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/29/97
* HB 1884 (Hamilton/Haney) - APPROPRIATIONS. Modifies the source of funding for various appropriations; Sections 18 and 19 amend Section 13 of SB 160 by changing the source of appropriations to the State Regents to $42 million from the Cash-flow Reserve Fund ("096" Fund) and $8 million from the General Revenue Fund; Section 23 authorizes the Oklahoma Historical Society to operate and manage the Robert S. Kerr Museum on the grounds of the Kerr Conference Center; Section 29 amends Section 20 of HB 1854 by adding that the State Department of Health develop and provide to the Governor and Legislature an implementation plan for the Children First Program no later than Oct. 1, 1997; requires the plan to address criteria for site selection, funding formula, number of nurses and other staff, training and other funding issues, population target definition and evaluation methodology; Section 45 appropriates $150,000 to the State Regents for the education and general operating budgets of the institutions and for other programs, construction, renovations or repairs administered by the State Regents. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/13/97
* HB 1894 (Hamilton/Haney) - APPROPRIATIONS. Makes reappropriations to the State Regents for each of the State System institutions and to various other agencies. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/27/97
* HB 1895 (Hamilton/Haney) – BENEFITS/TRAVEL/APPROPRIATIONS. Relates to compensation and benefits; Section 12 provides a lump-sum payment of $225, in lieu of the increase in the flexible benefit plan allowance, to qualified employees of the University Hospitals Authority; Section 15 provides that, effective Jan. 1, 1998, for each qualified participating state employee (which includes State Regents’ and governing board employees, but not institution employees), the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) will pay $25 each month from funds appropriated to the Oklahoma State Employees Deferred Savings Incentive Plan Fund to a benefit plan; Section 18 increases the mileage reimbursement for use of privately owned motor vehicles to the federal mileage rate; Section 23 increases the Teachers’ Retirement System death benefit from $4,000 to $5,000; Section 29 appropriates $68,773 to the State Regents for the general operating budget of the Administrative Offices; Section 32 appropriates $2,972 to the Physician Manpower Training Commission; Section 35 appropriates $8,421 to the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology; Section 37 appropriates $991 to the Teacher Preparation Commission; Section 64 appropriates $570,133 to the University Hospitals Authority. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/11/97
* HB 1907 (Hamilton/Rozell) – LANGSTON UNIVERSITY BUILDING BONDS. Authorizes the restructuring or liquidating of certain escrow accounts for the purpose of redeeming or defeasing the Langston University Building Revenue Bonds of 1963. (62 § 57.200) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/11/97
* HB 1921 (Steidley/Williams) – TUITION/FEES. Provides for tuition increases of 5 percent at the two-year colleges, 7 percent at the regional universities, and 9 percent at the comprehensive universities; increases the limit on tuition for professional programs; states legislative intent concerning a higher education fee and tuition study and the development and implementation of a four-year fixed rate of tuition. (70 § 1210.581) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/29/97
* HB 1970 (Hager/Williams) – ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION. Requires each school district to update and submit on an annual basis the student needs assessment and alternative education plan; requires the plan to provide for specific professional development programs for the teachers teaching in or working with an alternative education program. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* HB 1987 (Hamilton/Rozell) - ASBESTOS ABATEMENT. Authorizes the Department of Central Services to contract with cities and towns for asbestos abatement services if the Department of Labor certifies a need for the services; requires Central Services to develop criteria and methods to evaluate which entities are capable of paying the cost of asbestos abatement services; requires that any funds appropriated to Central Services for asbestos abatement be restricted to projects involving state-owned and public school facilities. (74 § 61.6) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/11/97
* HB 1992 (Hamilton/Rozell) - BOND OVERSIGHT. Prohibits a local governmental entity from using a lease, contract, or other agreement with a state government entity as collateral or security for a proposed local governmental entity obligation unless such obligation has satisfied certain provisions; authorizes the Executive and Legislative Bond Oversight Commissions to review proposed issuances of obligations to fund capital additions or expenditures by local governmental entities only when there is a lease, contract or other agreement used as collateral or security under which payments from the state are for the retirement of such obligations. (62 § 695.7) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/13/97
* HB 1995 (Hamilton/Robinson) - UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS. Amends HB 1807 by exempting from the state sales tax the transfer of tangible personal property made by the University Hospitals Trust. (68 § 1356) GOVERNOR ACTION - VETO 06/12/97
* HB 2012 (Askins/Monson) - MEDICAL SCHOOL FACULTY. Provides that when an adult person, because of a medical condition, is treated by a licensed doctor holding a faculty appointment at an accredited medical school, and such person is incapable of giving informed consent for a local-institutional-review-board-approved experimental treatment, test or drug, then such treatment, test or drug may proceed upon obtaining informed consent of a legal guardian, attorney-in-fact with health care decision authority or a family member. (63 § 3102A) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/16/97
* HB 2017 (Betty Boyd/Williams) – READING SKILLS/TEACHER PREPARATION. Creates the "Reading Sufficiency Act"; states purpose to ensure that each child attains the necessary reading skills by completion of the third grade which will enable that student to continue development of reading skills and to succeed throughout school and life; provides that each student in first and second grade be assessed for acquisition of reading skills for the proper grade level; requires that students not reading at the appropriate grade level be provided a reading assessment plan, with certain exceptions; provides for development of a new plan for third grade students not reading at grade level; requires the Commission for Teacher Preparation to develop professional development institutes to train elementary school teachers in reading education. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/09/97
* HB 2071 (Steidley/Williams) - AD VALOREM. Requires that the percentage of fair cash value for real and personal property of railroads, air carriers and public service corporations required by the Oklahoma Constitution to be taxable shall be the percentage at which it was assessed on Jan. 1, 1996; provides that in determining the assessment ratio for air carrier and railroad property, the State Board of Equalization shall be subject to paragraph 3 of subsection A of Section 8 of Article X of the Oklahoma Constitution. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/29/97
* HB 2111 (Gray/Leftwich) - ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. Requires agencies exempt from all or part of the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) to maintain and make available for public inspection its exempt rules at its principal place of business; requires certain agencies to review their rules by Dec. 31, 1998, and to delete obsolete rules or rules that do not meet the definition of a rule pursuant to APA; requires each agency, except higher education institutions, by Dec. 31, 1998, to review its rules and report to the Governor and the Legislature rules which should be modified or repealed because they are obsolete, unenforceable, unnecessarily burdensome, duplicative, or of no administrative benefit and which statutes and policies should be adopted as administrative rules; provides that an emergency rule shall only be applied prospectively from its effective date; requires the Governor, upon disapproval of an emergency rule, to notify within 15 days, in writing, the House speaker, the Senate president pro tempore and the Office of Administrative Rules; prohibits an agency from adopting an emergency rule which establishes or increases fees, except during a legislative session, when specifically mandated by the Legislature or when the failure to do so would have an adverse effect on a federally administered program or conflicts with an order issued by a court; provides that if an emergency rule is superseded by another emergency rule prior to enactment of a permanent rule, the latter emergency rule shall retain the same expiration date as the superseded emergency rule, unless otherwise authorized by the Legislature; authorizes the Secretary of State to publish or authorize the publication of the Administrative Code in part; requires that an agency that determines in the rule impact statement that the proposed rules will have an economic impact on any political subdivisions or require their cooperation in implementing or enforcing a proposed permanent rule, must file a copy of the proposed rule and rule report within 10 days after adoption with the Advisory Committee on Intergovernmental Relations for review; provides that any effective emergency rule which would have been superseded by a disapproved permanent rule will be deemed null and void on the date the Governor disapproves the permanent rule. (74 § 324.13) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 05/19/97
* HB 2120 (Hilliard/Maddox) - ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. Creates the "Oklahoma Regulatory Review Act"; requires agencies to review and list every regulation within their jurisdiction by Dec. 31, 1998; extends deadline for agencies with more than 100 pages of rules; requires an agency finding unnecessary regulations to repeal, rescind, amend, or modify the regulation, if taking such action is within the agency’s authority, or to recommend to the Governor and the Legislature that such action be accomplished; requires agencies to file a report by July 1, 1999 summarizing the actions taken to comply with the act. (75 § 401) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/11/97
* HB 2133 (Seikel/Weedn) - CHILD CARE FACILITIES. Section 20 directs the Department of Human Services (DHS) to require a criminal background investigation for any person making an application for establishment and operation of a child care facility prior to issuance of a license to operate a facility; requires a criminal history investigation of any person to be employed by a child care facility. (10 § 404.1) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/10/97
* HB 2138 (Paulk/Herbert) - AUTOMATED TELEPHONE SYSTEM. Prohibits a state agency from using an automated telephone system for answering phone calls during regular hours of operation unless the system provides as the first menu option an option that permits a caller to speak directly to an employee without listening to the entire recorded message; prohibits state employees from using an automated phone answering system to screen telephone calls for the purpose of refusing to communicate with any person if the subject matter of the telephone message or the identity of the caller relates to a duty or responsibility of the employee; requires the Director of State Finance to ensure that each state government entity establishes a procedure for answering telephone calls placed to the entity during its regular business hours. (62 § 41.5h) GOVERNOR ACTION - VETO 06/12/97
* HB 2140 (Rice/Easley) – UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS. Section 4 amends HB 1807 by exempting from the state sales tax the transfer of tangible personal property made by the University Hospitals Trust. (68 § 1356) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/10/97
* HB 2170 (Seikel/Cain) - WELFARE/WORK TRAINING. Changes the "Oklahoma Welfare Self Sufficiency Initiative" to the "Statewide Temporary Assistance Responsibility System (STARS); provides for STARS to consist of integrated and coordinated programs and services to provide recipients with necessary tools to make them self-reliant; includes programs such as career guidance and employment preparation, job referral, vo-tech training, child care initiatives, literacy development, adult basic education, and medical assistance; requires certain reports; specifies requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program; states legislative intent to establish one-stop career/employment centers to link federal/state resources and programs by encouraging interorganizational collaborative partnerships between certain state governmental agencies, including the State Regents, and private and nonprofit entities; states purpose of such partnerships to assist persons receiving temporary assistance, employed low-income persons and unemployed persons to explore career and employment and job referral opportunities, improve skills through education and training and to obtain information on various services and programs in the state. (56 § 230.70) GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 06/13/97
* HJR 1024 (Askins/Wilkerson) - TAXATION. Creates a 30-member Citizens’ Task Force on Taxation until Dec. 31, 1998; requires that the task force develop a list of options and recommendations for changes in the tax system and submit a report by Dec. 1, 1998, to the Governor and Legislature. GOVERNOR ACTION - SIGNED 04/15/97
* HCR 1027 (Staggs/Robinson) - MUSIC HALL OF FAME/NORTHEASTERN. Designates April 18, 1997, as "Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Day"; states that funds raised will be used to fund the Hall of Fame building on the Northeastern State University campus. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 04/17/97
* HCR 1031 (Benson) - STATE AGENCY RECOGNITION. Declares that the Legislature joins with the Governor in proclaiming the week of May 5-11, 1997, as Public Service Recognition Week; extends welcome to state employees who will be participating in State Agency Recognition Day at the State Capitol; recognizes all state employees who were directly impacted by the bombing. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 05/19/97
* HCR 1039 (Leist/Muegge) – 4-H DAY. Declares April 30, 1997, as 4-H Day at the Legislature; recognizes that the establishment of 4-H can be traced back to the Smith-Lever Act which established the Cooperative Extension System within the state land-grant universities. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 05/01/97
* HCR 1055 (Braddock/Kerr) – WESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE COLLEGE/ REVENUE BONDS. Authorizes the Board of Regents of Western Oklahoma State College to issue up to $1.5 million in revenue bonds to construct a student dormitory. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 05/30/97
* HR 1016 (Benson) - CHANCELLOR HANS BRISCH. Commends and expresses appreciation to Chancellor Brisch on the 40th anniversary of his coming to America. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 05/22/97
* HR 1031 (Hamilton) - THERAPISTS. Expresses desire that State System institutions undertake coordinated efforts to increase the number of physical and occupational therapists. TRANSMITTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE 05/30/97