The Oklahoma Senate

(Most of the work in the Legislature occurred behind the scenes as lawmakers rushed to beat a February 19th deadline for reporting legislation out of committee in its house of origin.)

• Oklahoma veterans rallied at the State Capitol in support of full-funding of state veterans programs. House Speaker Loyd Benson cautioned that the tax cut program pushed by Governor Keating could impact veterans services.
  
  
• A survey released by the Department of Corrections indicated 95 percent of violent felons would receive tougher sentences under truth-in-sentencing than under the current system. The cases in the study ranged from 2nd degree murder to armed robber to child abuse. Of the 65 cases chosen at random, 62 would have received tougher sentences under truth-in-sentencing.
  
  
• Governor Keating vowed to veto any attempt to repeal a pay raise for district attorneys and judges. Several House legislators suggested they may roll back the pay raise if truth-in-sentencing were repealed.
  
  
• The Senate Business and Labor Committee approved a proposed reduction in the state unemployment tax. SB 793 by Senator Lewis Long could save businesses some $60 million.
  
  
• The House Government Operations and Agency Oversight Committee postponed a hearing on HB 2227, legislation which would keep alive the Commission on Marginally Producing Oil and Gas Wells. Governor Keating's Secretary of Energy Mike Smith argued the commission has already accomplished its mission and should be abolished.
  
  
• The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture announced that Seaboard Farms Inc. had agreed to pay fines of $88,200 for violations related to the improper disposal of hog carcasses.

• By more than a 2 to 1 margin, Oklahoma voters defeated a proposal to allow casino gambling in Oklahoma.
  
  
• The Senate confirmed the nomination of Jerry Johnson for the position of Oklahoma Tax Commissioner.
  
  
• A Senate analysis commissioned by Senator Lewis Long indicated a new state university could be created in Tulsa without additional appropriations if the State Regents would use funding currently earmarked for Rogers University. According to the analysis, Rogers currently receives $18.3 million, the third largest allocation of the state's 11 regional universities. Rogers also has the third highest enrollment of the regional schools.
  
  
• Tulsa area Senators objected to the State Regents' decision to begin hiring new administrators for a proposed OU/OSU-Tulsa, even though legislation creating such an institution is still awaiting action in committee. The legislators called on the regents to concentrate on expanding academic offerings first before they begin building a new bureaucracy.
  
  
• The House Energy and Environment Committee defeated two bills aimed at strengthening regulations on the hog and poultry industries. HB 2764 would have required a two-mile setback between hog farms and neighbors homes, among other things. HB 3279 would have assessed a fee of a half-cent per chicken against poultry companies. The resulting $1.2 million would be used to transport chicken litter out of watersheds threatened by high levels of phosphorus.
  
  
• The House Common Education Committee defeated a bill which would have implemented Governor Keating's so-called 4 by 4 education plan. The measure would require all high school students to take four years of math, science, social studies and English. Opponents point out individual school districts already have the power to require such a mandate, arguing the decision should be left at the local level.
  
  
• The House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee voted to advance HB 2610, legislation which would increase fines for "slamming" telephone consumers. Under the bill, fines for switching customers long distance service without their knowledge could go as high as
  $10,000.
  
  
• The House Commerce, Industry and Labor Committee approved HB 2237 which would require roofers to be licensed by a state board.

• Senator Darryl Roberts released a Senate analysis indicated education would be the biggest casualty of Governor Keating's tax cut program. According to the analysis, education would lose $597 million annually by the time the cuts were fully implemented. Corrections would take an annual cut of $82 million while health and social services would lose $174 million a year.
  
  
• Chancellor for Higher Education Hans Brisch testified before the Senate Education Committee, answering questions on the State Regents plans for Tulsa. Senators wanted specific information on new academic programs the Regents would be pursuing in Tulsa as part of their plan to restructure Rogers University, but Brisch was unable to offer any specifics or commitments. The Senate Education Committee is expected to take up two bills on the subject next week. One would create a free-standing, four-year university in Tulsa; the other would create an institution called OU/OSU-Tulsa, provided those schools were willing to offer a set number of courses in the state's second largest metro area.
  
  
• The House Education Committee approved a so-called "school choice" bill, one of the planks in Governor Keating's education platform. The legislation would allow parents to choose the public school their children would attend.
  
  
• Former gubernatorial hopeful Jerry Kobyluk announced he would run for governor again in 1998, this time as a Democrat. Kobyluk has made previous unsuccessful bids as a Republican. He joins Reps. Laura Boyd and James Hager in the Democratic Primary.

• The House and Senate met briefly before adjourning for the weekend. Work continued in committee to beat the approaching February 19th deadline.

Oklahoma 2000, an arm of the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce, released it plan improving the state economy Wednesday. Its highlights included:

• Invest in higher education and increase the number of college graduates in Oklahoma;
  
  
• Reduce taxes on business;
  
  
• Evaluate a right-to-work law;
  
  
• Invest in highways;
  
  
• Target high-growth industries such as printing, electronics, plastics, industrial machinary, etc.
  
  
• Increase labor force by educating people who are on welfare;
  
  
• Enact programs to improve health services and community involvement, while decreasing teen pregnancy and crime. 

Index