Bob Burke I’m not against change, but the reforms suggested by the state Senate in Senate Bill 1062 are a direct assault upon Oklahoma’s working men and women. The legislation seeks to lower the costs of workers’ compensation rates in the state by drastically cutting benefits to workers. There is no reduction in medical costs, […]
legislative
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Up in smoke
On a 6-2 vote, the Senate General Government Committee rejected Senate Bill 36, which sought to repeal the state pre-emption law that supersedes local governments. SB 36 was referred to that panel after Sen. Brian Crain, R-Tulsa, chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, had declined to grant a hearing on the legislation. […]
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Tobacco road
Credit: Mark Hancock Currently, Oklahoma and Tennessee are the only states that fully bar local governments from ordinances that restrict tobacco. And therein lies the rub. State Health Commissioner Terry Cline is on the side of local control. “We expect big opposition from this multibillion[-dollar] industry,” he said. “There are plenty of paid tobacco lobbyists […]
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The next move
Rep. Randy Grau To some, it’s a sad day. For others, it’s a celebration of a woman’s reproductive rights. Regardless, some state legislators are counting on another try at placing restrictions on the law in Oklahoma after suffering a legal defeat by the state Supreme Court. Rep. Randy Grau, R-Edmond, is one of those lawmakers. […]
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Artful dodge
State appropriations are vital to the agency, which funds more than 300 organizations and programs throughout Oklahoma. House Bill 1895, by Rep. Josh Cockroft, R-Tecumseh, would have cut funding to the arts council by 25 percent each fiscal year until 2017. Cockroft placed HB 1895 as his ninth priority bill, he said. In the House, […]
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Kicking the crap out of Democrats
Credit: Brad Gregg Let the postmortems commence. Despite little actual change in the national political landscape, with President Barack Obama holding on to the White House, Democrats retaining Senate control and Republicans holding the House, inquiring minds want to know: How “red” did Oklahoma — already known as one of the reddest states in the […]
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Looking for laws
The items on the legislative program, which the council passed unanimously, are first recommended by city department heads to the city manager, who then passes the recommendations on to the council’s legislative committee. Last year’s agenda items that were eventually passed into law included restoring December city elections in odd years, requiring counties to notify […]
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Shining light on the legislative process
With the legislative session over, it’s a good time to think about ways to make the next one better. Specifically, I’m concerned with making the legislative process more transparent. Much has improved over the five years since I’ve been covering the state Capitol, but much more can — and should — be done. For starters, […]
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Fetus fetish
Credit: Brad Gregg That includes a measure requiring that women get an ultrasound before an abortion and have the images described to them. That bill was struck down as unconstitutional, but that ruling is being appealed by state Attorney General Scott Pruitt. “Every year, we look to Oklahoma to see what unfortunate, harmful thing they […]
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Strength in numbers
In the Senate District 41 Republican primary that pitted incumbent Clark Jolley against Fairview Baptist Church Pastor Paul Blair, at least three groups sought influence through “independent expenditures,” meaning they were not allowed to coordinate with candidates. Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, campaigning norms have […]