Greater OKC Chamber 2011 Legislative Update

MEMORANDUM To: Legislative Action Center, Active Members Subject: 2011 Legislative Session Update Date: March 18, 2011   This week marked an important deadline in the House of Representatives. All House bills not passed by the full House are now dormant pursuant to the House Rules. As a result, the number of bills presently under consideration by the Legislature has been significantly reduced. Bills passed by the House will now move to Senate committees for consideration and Senate bills will now move to House committees for consideration.     House Passes Major Tort Reform Provision   On Wednesday afternoon the House of Representatives passed a key component of tort reform legislation – a cap of $350,000 on non-economic damages (generally pain and suffering) in all civil actions. The cap would be cumulative, not per defendant. The cap could only be removed upon proving the defendant's conduct was intentional, fraudulent, grossly negligent or in reckless disregard of the plaintiff. The legislation, HB 2128, will now move to the Senate for consideration.   If passed, HB 2128 will allow Oklahoma to compete more effectively in recruiting jobs and medical providers to the state. The legislation is supported by the Greater OKC Chamber, the State Chamber, the Tulsa Chamber, the Oklahoma Hospital Association, the Oklahoma Medical Association and many other groups.   For more information contact Mark VanLandingham.     Senate Passes "Arizona Plus" Immigration Reform Legislation   A comprehensive anti-immigration bill was passed on Wednesday by the full Senate by a vote of 29-15. SB 908, authored by Sen. Shortey (R-OKC) would give law enforcement officials broad authority to arrest illegal immigrants and seize property used in the commission of immigration crimes. The Senate separately approved a bill that would deny in-state tuition to illegal immigrants graduating from Oklahoma high schools.   The Chamber believes immigration reform is a federal issue and does not support "Arizona Plus" immigration reform in Oklahoma.   For more information contact Mark VanLandingham.     House Passes Bill Criminalizing Embryonic Stem Cell Research   The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation that would make it a crime to conduct embryonic stem cell research in the state. HB 1442, authored by Rep. Faught (R-Muskogee) was passed by the House 86-8 on Thursday and will now move to the Senate.   Embryonic stem cell research is not being conducted in Oklahoma and the Chamber believes passing legislation banning research on embryos which are set to be discarded would damage the state's reputation as one that is "friendly" to research and make it more difficult to attract and retain scientists and research money to the state. Oklahoma's bioscience industry is thriving, with an estimated $6.1 billion annual economic impact.   For more information contact Mark VanLandingham.     Task Force to Study Tax Credits and Other Incentives Passed by House   Legislation to evaluate the effectiveness and constitutionality of the state's annual expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars on tax credits and other economic incentive programs was passed by the House and will be considered by the Senate. HB 1285, authored by Rep. David Dank (R-OKC) would create a Task Force to determine the economic benefit the state receives in return for tax credits and other incentive programs.   The Chamber supports the task force legislation and recently provided Rep. Dank information on the incentive programs the Chamber believes must be retained to allow Oklahoma to remain competitive in the recruitment of companies to Oklahoma.   For more information contact Mark VanLandingham.     Teacher Due Process Reform   This week a bill that would have watered down the efforts to make it easier to remove poor performing teachers or teachers who engage in inappropriate behavior died after not passing the House. HB 1457 would have eliminated the right to a trial De Novo but would have replaced that with a potentially more cumbersome process of a hearing in front of a three-judge panel. We believe local school boards should make the final decision about teacher terminations.   The Chamber has been advocating for two key bills, HB 1380 by Rep. Holland (R- Marlow) and SB 1 by Sen. Ford (R- Bartlesville), that include identical language to eliminating the right to a trial De Novo.   For more information contact Drew Dugan.     Charter Schools   The Chamber will continue to be a leading advocate to help grow and improve charter schools. There are multiple pieces of legislation that will address the two key challenges to charter schools – funding for infrastructure and expanding the ability to create charter schools.   This week SB 260 by Sen. Ford (R- Bartlesville), passed the Senate. The legislation will allow Charter schools to "issue bonds" which could help them generate revenue for infrastructure. SB 605 by Sen. Ford also passed the Senate. SB 605 will create a new Charter School Sponsoring Commission that will make it easier for some communities to create a charter school.   For more information contact Drew Dugan.     Higher Education   The Chamber has always opposed legislation that would allow anyone to carry a concealed weapon on a college campus. Legislation, HB 2087 by Rep. Terrill (R- Oklahoma City), that would have specifically allowed guns on campus died after not being heard by the House. We are actively opposing several other pieces of legislation that would allow guns on college campuses.   For more information contact Drew Dugan.     Chamber Executive Committee Hosts Fifth Legislative Breakfast   Wednesday morning, members of the Chamber's Executive Committee hosted their fifth legislative breakfast of the year. Senate President Brian Bingman and his Senate Leadership Team joined the Executive Committee to discuss the Chamber's legislative priorities and provide an update on their expectations for the rest of the session. Senators attending the event were: Brian Bingman (Sapulpa), Clark Jolley (Edmond), Bryce Marlatt (Woodward), Anthony Sykes (Moore), Mike Schulz (Altus), Rob Johnson (Kingfisher), John Ford (Bartlesville) and David Holt (Oklahoma City).

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