Lawmakers still have heavy lifting to do on significant legislation as they head toward Sine Die Adjournment at the end of May.
TRANSCRIPT
Dick Pryor: This is Capitol Insider - taking you inside politics, policy, and government in Oklahoma. I'm Dick Pryor with Quorum Call publisher Shawn Ashley. Shawn, we're about six weeks from the end of the session when votes and bill movement starts to become a blur. So, let's talk about some substantial legislation we should be carefully watching. The state budget tops the list. Where does that stand now?
Shawn Ashley: House Speaker Charles McCall said Thursday the House will release its budget outline and numbers to the Senate, as well as the public, on Monday or Tuesday. Now consideration of House budget-related bills was put on hold by the Senate, which wants to publicly display those numbers as they consider House bills that will affect the budget. The question for the Senate now is how it will consider the House's proposals outside the normal standing committee process, where the deadline to hear House bills and Senate committees was Thursday. Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat vowed Thursday to maintain the transparency we saw when the Senate created its own budget plan as it considers those House proposals.
Dick Pryor: Now, part of solving the budget involves deferred maintenance funding for higher education and state agency facilities. Lawmakers want to do that, but how to do it is a sticky issue.
Shawn Ashley: That's right. Outside of funding the large state agencies such as the state Department of Education and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, this could be the single largest appropriation in fiscal year 2025. The mechanics seem to be the sticking point. Will it be a one-time appropriation of several hundred million dollars from the approximately $2 billion in cash that the state has available? Or will the appropriation be smaller, a couple of hundred million dollars plus additional funds in future fiscal years? Then they have to decide how to divide it up. It appears some of the funds will be dedicated to state agencies, possibly including a particular focus on the Tourism and Recreation Department. And then some will go to higher ed but the exact amounts have yet to be determined.
Dick Pryor: The legislature appears intent on changing the initiative petition process, which allows votes of the people to make law. What are they proposing and why?
Shawn Ashley: Well, there are a variety of proposals still alive. Some would change the threshold for petition signatures requiring they represent a particular portion of a county, for example, rather than being considered on a statewide basis. Another proposal would charge a filing fee to launch an initiative petition. There currently is not one. One proposal extends the time to challenge an initiative petition in the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which would give opponents more time to mount a legal challenge and lengthen the process of getting a state question on the ballot. Proponents of the proposal say the initiative petition process needs to be made to reflect the reality of the process today, both in terms of how petitions are filed, circulated and campaigns for the state questions funded. But opponents say it will make it harder for those wanting to amend the Constitution or change state statutes.
Dick Pryor: A new bill regulating immigration is about to be filed by the Speaker of the House and the Senate President Pro Tem. What are they wanting to do?
Shawn Ashley: The bill would make it illegal to be in Oklahoma without proper federal authorization, by creating the crime of impermissible occupancy. A first offense would be a misdemeanor, subject to a $500 fine and a requirement to leave the state within 72 hours. A second offense would be a felony punishable by a $1,000 fine, or up to two years in prison or both, and a requirement to leave the state within 72 hours of release. The bill also would preempt local governments from establishing themselves as so-called sanctuary cities.
Dick Pryor: There's always the chance that some legislators could derail or delay the process in its final weeks. What are you seeing in terms of dynamics at the Capitol?
Shawn Ashley: Well, I think we've already seen that a couple of times with a filibuster in the Senate in March and the recent delay in the House Republican caucus releasing its budget numbers to the Senate and to the public. The question, of course, is whether it will happen again and what impact that will have as lawmakers work toward Sine Die.
Dick Pryor: Thank you, Shawn.
Shawn Ashley: You're very welcome.
Dick Pryor: For more information go to quorumcall.online. You can find audio and transcripts at kgou.org and look for Capitol Insider where you get podcasts. Until next time, with Shawn Ashley, I'm Dick Pryor.
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