As the State of Oklahoma works to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Kevin Stitt calls lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session to consider emergency procedures and the state's budget problems. KGOU's Dick Pryor and eCapitol's Shawn Ashley discuss the extraordinary measures facing state leaders.
TRANSCRIPT:
Dick Pryor: This is Capitol Insider, your weekly look inside Oklahoma politics, policy and government. I'm Dick Pryor with eCapitol news director Shawn Ashley. Shawn, work is getting serious again at the State Capitol amid the coronavirus pandemic. Governor Stitt has taken the unprecedented step of invoking the Catastrophic Health Emergency Powers Act due to the health emergency existing throughout the state. This is the first time the act has been invoked since it was passed in 2003. What does this act do?
Shawn Ashley: Well, it gives the governor and a public health authority, in this case, Commissioner of Health Gary Cox, some additional powers to deal with the pandemic. In certain instances, for example, the governor can suspend certain statutory requirements or administrative rules that apply directly to issues related to dealing with the pandemic. In fact, he's already done that in terms of allowing nurses who had lost their licenses for failure to pay taxes, to be able to come back in and get their licenses.
Dick Pryor: Why is the governor invoking this Act now and not earlier?
Shawn Ashley: Well, the governor indicated during a press conference that the next three weeks will be critical for the state of Oklahoma, its efforts to control the spread of COVID-19. He pointed to models that they have been working with from the State Health Department, Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma, showing that Oklahoma's peak will come sometime during the next three weeks.
Dick Pryor: The Act requires the legislature to hold a special session, and the governor has called the special session for Monday morning. What will legislators do on Monday?
Shawn Ashley: They really only have two choices. They can either affirm the governor's declaration of a health emergency or they can terminate his declaration of a health emergency. From everyone I've spoken to - Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, House Majority Floor Leader John Echols and others - the indication is that they will affirm his declaration.
Dick Pryor: Shawn, legislators will be taking this opportunity to address the current fiscal year revenue problem, which will become more clear at the meeting of the State Board of Equalization.
Shawn Ashley: That's correct. The Board of Equalization will meet Monday afternoon to look at declaring a revenue failure. On Friday afternoon Governor Kevin Stitt indicated that they will probably be looking at a revenue failure for the current fiscal year of approximately $416 million. The action by the Board of Equalization will give lawmakers a number with which they can work to pass legislation that will fill that budget hole. The Governor, Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols and others have all expressed support for tapping the Rainy Day Fund to fill that budget hole.
Dick Pryor: In Governor Stitt’s 7th Amended Emergency Order he extended the closure of nonessential businesses to all 77 Oklahoma counties. What's the upshot of that?
Shawn Ashley: Well, what you should see is that there will be fewer businesses open. So that should decrease the gatherings of 10 or more people, which health experts say are the prime targets for spreading COVID-19.
Dick Pryor: But the amended order did not change the definition of essential businesses. That is still an expansive list of businesses that can remain open, which has to dilute the impact of the order somewhat.
Shawn Ashley: Yes, the original order called for the definition of a central business to be that applied by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The governor then expanded that in two executive memorandums, adding more than 100 additional businesses. But as Governor Stitt’s pointed out in a couple of his press conferences, simply because the business is defined as essential, it's not required to be open. Just because those businesses are open also does not mean you have to go to them unless absolutely necessary.
Dick Pryor: Thanks, Shawn. And, that’s Capitol Insider. If you have questions email us at news@kgou.org or contact us on Twitter @kgounews. You can also find us online at kgou.org and ecapitol.net. Until next time, with Shawn Ashley, I’m Dick Pryor.
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