OK Senate Appropriations Committee passes tax reform measures

An income tax credit during years of growth, rather than a full blown tax cut? I'm a bit skeptical of the idea (it's certainly a novel proposal that I've never heard of before).

Senate Appropriations Committee Advances Tax Reform Measures to Strengthen Oklahoma’s Economy

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 6th) – The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a series of tax reform measures aimed at simplifying Oklahoma’s tax code, providing relief to individuals and businesses and promoting economic growth. 

Senate Bills 304, 299, 291, and 60, authored by Senator Dave Rader, R- Tulsa, and Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, address income tax structure, corporate tax fairness and taxpayer relief mechanisms.

Oklahoma Legislature passes two election reform bills

Both chambers of the Oklahoma Legislature passed election reform measures this week. The State House passed HB 1415 (a trigger bill in case federal election laws conflict with state laws), while the Senate passed SB 426 (dealing with voter registration address accuracy). Read about both measures below:

State Senate GOP leaders leery of Stitt's call for tax cuts

Senate Leaders Respond to Gov. Stitt’s Continued Call for Tax Cuts

OKLAHOMA CITY (September 27, 2022) – Leadership in the state Senate Republican Caucus today released the following statements after Gov. Kevin Stitt continued his call for tax cuts.

“Philosophically, I am for lower taxes,” said Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat. “Last year, I championed tax cuts and the members in the Senate were able to send responsible tax cuts and inflation relief to the governor’s desk. I’m proud to be part of the leadership in the state of Oklahoma, who has contributed to our current record savings, made critical investments into essential services, while living within our means. As we enter a recession, we must remember just a few short years ago we were scrambling with a $1.3 billion shortfall. We must be mindful and do tax cuts the right way. That is why I have appointed a tax policy working group. The members of this group are making serious strides to a long-term, sustainable plan to responsibly cut and reform taxes in our state.”  

Treat appoints tax reform working group in state senate to study options in special session

There's some passive-aggressive bickering going on between the House and Senate over this "inflation relief" special session:

PPT Treat announces membership of tax reform working group

OKLAHOMA CITY (June 15th) – Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat has announced his appointments for a tax reform working group to study proposals in relation to the ongoing special session.

Oklahoma Legislative Dems vote against bill to remove dead people from voter rolls

Dead-voter bill passes over Democratic opposition

by Ray Carter (Director, Center for Independent Journalism)

[April 14, 2021]  Legislation that requires swift removal of dead individuals from voter rolls has passed the Oklahoma Senate over the united opposition of Senate Democrats.

House Bill 1752, by Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader and Sen. Dave Rader, requires county election boards to remove the names of deceased individuals from voter rolls within 30 days of notification.

“What this bill is trying to do is close an open-ended process,” said Rader, R-Tulsa.

Under current law he said the process for removal “could be carried on forever,” although he said some county election boards promptly remove the names of deceased individuals.

Crosswhite Hader made a similar point when she presented the bill on the House floor in March, saying the legislation simply provides a deadline for action that election boards can easily meet.

“Many times these county election boards are actually doing it even faster than 30 days,” said Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont. “I’ve heard even as quickly as a week.”

Even so, the bill faced opposition in both chambers.

In the Senate, HB 1752 passed on a vote of 38-8. All Democrats present voted against the bill’s passage.

That largely continued a trend begun in the Oklahoma House of Representatives where HB 1752 previously passed on a vote of 81-15. All opponents in that chamber were also Democrats, although four House Democrats did join Republicans in support.

State Senate redistricting committee members named

Senate leader names redistricting committee members

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat on Thursday announced the members he has appointed to serve on the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting.

“Alongside drafting a state budget, redistricting will be the highest priority of the Legislature next session. The Oklahoma Senate will conduct an open, transparent and bipartisan redistricting process. The senators who serve on the redistricting committee have an important task and I appreciate them accepting the challenge to serve on the Senate redistricting committee,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

Treat previously named Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, as chair of the committee and Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, as vice-chair of the committee. Treat said Sen. Michael Brooks, D-Oklahoma City, will serve as co-vice chair of the committee.

The members of the committee are:

Legislative leaders comment on Supreme Court's redistricting ruling

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has invalidated the initiative petition that aimed to radically alter how redistricting is done in Oklahoma.

Senate leaders comment on state Supreme Court’s redistricting ruling

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Senate leaders on Tuesday commented on the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling regarding redistricting.

“The court made the right call. Regardless, we’ve remained focused throughout on developing a redistricting plan that will help us do our job well. We are setting up a process that will allow us to work efficiently and effectively once we receive data from the 2020 Census,” said Senator Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle and chair of the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting.

“I’m pleased with the outcome in court. The Constitution charges the Legislature with redistricting and our planning is an effort to ensure we are up to that task,” said Senator Dave Rader, R-Tulsa and vice chair of the Select Committee on Redistricting.

“I’m pleased with the court’s ruling. This is nothing more than a power grab by out-of-state liberal activists. As I have said before, the Senate will handle this job in a professional and thorough manner. The Senate will announce more details soon about its redistricting process,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

Legislative redistricting takes place every 10 years following the release of U.S. Census data. The state Constitution provides that each legislative chamber oversees redistricting efforts to ensure districts are updated as necessary to reflect any population changes.

Speaker McCall responds to redistricting ruling by Supreme Court

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, issued the following statement today in response to the Oklahoma Supreme Court striking down Initiative Petition 420 concerning redistricting:

“This proposal has been misleading and overly-complicated from day one, and we are pleased the court recognized that by striking it down. The proposal is a solution in search of a problem given that courts have never found impermissible gerrymandering to have occurred in Oklahoma. We are continuing to move forward with the House’s proven redistricting process that involves the entire state, strictly adheres to the law and won bipartisan praise when last used a decade ago.” – House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka

OK Senate Republicans elect new caucus chair, vice chair

Senate Republicans elect new caucus chair, vice chair

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Senate Republicans have elected Senator Dave Rader caucus chair and Senator Greg McCortney caucus vice chair, the President Pro Tempore’s Office announced Wednesday.

The elections were necessary due to the resignation of Senator Jason Smalley, who previously served as caucus chair.

Rader, R-Tulsa, previously served as caucus vice chair. McCortney, R-Ada, recently was appointed chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee to fill a vacancy created by the resignation.

“Caucus chair and vice chair are important leadership roles, and I know Senator Rader and Senator McCortney will do a great job on behalf of the Senate Republican Caucus,” said Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

State Rep. Sims: Hazard Mitigation Act would improve public safety, save millions of dollars

Sims: Hazard Mitigation Act Would Improve Public Safety, Save Millions of Dollars

OKLAHOMA CITY (January 10th, 2020) – State Rep. Lonnie Sims (R-Jenks) today highlighted House Bill 2776, The Oklahoma Hazard Mitigation Assessment District Act, which provides the framework for residents in each county to elect and establish a hazard mitigation assessment district.

House Bill 2776 is the first piece of legislation to be introduced following interim studies Sims hosted at the State Capitol in September and October 2019 to conduct a comprehensive review of the historic Arkansas River Flood of 2019.

“Oklahoma ranks third in the U.S. in Federal Disaster Declarations and is the only state in the top seven that does not border the ocean or gulf,” Sims said. “We have to empower our people with the ability to protect themselves from the natural disasters that traditionally put their farms, homes, businesses, cities, towns and lives at risk.”

“From generation to generation, one natural disaster after another, it’s hard not to become complacent to the tradition of tragedy that comes with living in Oklahoma,” Sims added. “We can no longer accept that more than half of Oklahoma communities have no access to flood insurance or even the basic resources for hazard mitigation, planning, disaster recovery and most disheartening, local matching dollars to qualify for millions in additional federal aid that victims so desperately need to recover.”

The Act has gained early support from the Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG), Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma (ACCO), and the Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency (TAEMA), which represents the most population-dense county in the state.

In his interim study presentation, Joseph Kralicek, Executive Director of TAEMA said, “One dollar of mitigation brings a return of seven dollars or more.”

Following the historic Memorial Day flood of 1984 that killed 14 as well as damaged or destroyed over 5,500 structures and 7,000 vehicles in the City of Tulsa, the first ever flood hazard mitigation team and utility assessment fee was approved to identify and exclusively fund flood mitigation projects throughout the city. This commitment and investment may have been fully realized in 2019 when no lives or structures were lost in the second largest flood on record.

“This bill would give counties a desperately needed tool to lessen the impacts of these risks and better protect the lives of all our citizens,” Kralicek said. “The risks to our population are not decreasing as time passes, and those disasters will continue to cost lives and millions of dollars if they can continue unabated, causing a public safety and public health issue.”

“We were honored to join Rep. Sims’ multi-level assessment of the Arkansas River flood of 2019. As the state’s Floodplain Board and Dam Safety administrator, and the agency responsible for the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan, we see a real opportunity for our state to make lasting progress towards long-term disaster resiliency through coordinated local and regional planning and investment,” said Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) Executive Director Julie Cunningham. “We look forward to working with Representative Sims, Senator Rader, the Legislature, the governor, and all stakeholders to build upon the excellent disaster preparedness and response that Oklahoma’s emergency management professionals have delivered time and time again.”

“Natural disasters and the horrific damage they inflict have been a part of Oklahoma history for over a century,” said Trey Lam, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. “I truly appreciate Representative Sims’ efforts to continue mitigation of flooding and multiple other disasters.”

According to Lam, Oklahoma farmers and ranchers know firsthand the damage floods, drought and wildfire can do to crops, homes, roads and bridges.

“Not only do agriculture producers lose income from one year’s crop, but they lose the resource, the soil, to produce food and fiber for many years to come,” Lam explained. “Putting decision-making in the hands of local citizens and officials, who set the priorities and pick solutions, is part of our conservation ethic.”

Sen. Dave Rader, (R-Tulsa), offered his strong support by signing on to author HB 2776 in the Senate. “I’m excited to join Representative Sims in authoring legislation that delivers local control to the people of Oklahoma,” Rader said. “Local citizens are most directly impacted by disasters and best equipped to determine the investment priorities to protect their communities.”

“The early support for this legislation has been humbling,” Sims said. “With every disaster comes a new opportunity to turn the lessons learned into tangible, curative actions that truly honor the thousands of victims who suffered. This bill is a great first step on the pathway to a safer future for Oklahoma, defined by Oklahomans.”

Lonnie Sims serves District 68 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

Treat taps Sens. Paxton, Rader to lead Senate's redistricting committee

Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat appoints redistricting committee leaders

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat on Monday announced his appointments to lead the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting.

Treat appointed Senator Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, as chair of the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting and named Senator Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, as vice chair of the committee.

“The Senate will conduct its redistricting process in a thorough, bipartisan, and professional manner. I have full confidence Senator Paxton and Senator Rader will do a great job in leading the select committee’s efforts,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

Treat said internal Senate discussions are ongoing regarding the redistricting process. He said other members of the select committee, including Democratic members, would be announced at a later date. Treat said Senate staff already is at work gathering information.

Legislative redistricting takes place every 10 years following the release of U.S. Census data. The state Constitution provides that each legislative chamber oversees redistricting efforts to ensure districts are updated as necessary to reflect any population changes.

Also, Treat announced the hiring of Keith Beall as Senate redistricting director. Beall will lead Senate staff efforts on redistricting and help coordinate Senate efforts to encourage Oklahomans' participation in the 2020 Census. Beall has prior experience with the redistricting process.

“Keith Beall has a wealth of knowledge and experience on redistricting in Oklahoma. I know he will do an exemplary job for the Senate and am pleased he accepted my challenge to join the Senate team,” Treat said.

Legislative Committees Advance Equal Opportunity Scholarship Expansions

Oklahoma Legislative Committees Advance Equal Opportunity Scholarship Expansions

OKLAHOMA CITY – Committees in the Oklahoma House and Senate have passed two bills expanding the Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship program. The program currently offers tax credits to donors who give to non-profit organizations funding innovative learning opportunities in rural public schools, or that fund scholarships for students attending private school.

Opportunity Scholarship donations support STEM and arts programs in rural public schools, such as Chickasha High School’s robotics team. In the private sector, schools like Cristo Rey Oklahoma City Catholic High School and Crossover Preparatory Academy in Tulsa rely on Opportunity Scholarships to offer free or vastly discounted college-prep educations to underserved, inner-city communities.

Although proven to be successful, the Opportunity Scholarship program’s growth has been hindered by a tax-credit cap. Currently, the state can only pay out $5 million in tax credits for donors. That limit has been reached for two years in a row, which has discouraged additional contributions.

House Bill 2621, by Rep. Jon Echols, increases the tax credit cap to $60 million, and also allows larger school districts to benefit from programs supporting public schools. In the Senate, Senate Bill 407, by Sen. Dave Rader, increases the cap to $20 million. Both bills were advanced by the Appropriations Committees in their respective chambers.

In attendance at both committee hearings were parents who thanked legislators for their support.

“In our public-school system, Opportunity Scholarship dollars are helping to fund some of the most innovative, successful programs offered in the state,” said ChoiceMatters Executive Director Robert Ruiz. “For those students who attend private schools, students are changing the entire trajectory of their lives thanks to these scholarships. Our thanks go out to lawmakers supporting policies that empower parents and directly impact students.”