TRANSCRIPT
Announcer: Capitol Insider sponsored by the Oklahoma State Medical Association, committed to fostering health care in rural Oklahoma through education and public and private partnerships. More on OSMA at okmed.org.
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, two bills supporting the Trump administration's immigration enforcement plan are moving forward in the Oklahoma legislature. Speaker of the House Kyle Hilbert presented both bills, which enforce federal immigration policy through SNAP and Medicaid. And predictably, there was considerable debate.
Shawn Ashley: There certainly was. The bills require immigration checks to be added as prerequisites to receive benefits for state programs, like SNAP and Medicaid. And Hilbert did say the bills were requested by the Trump administration. Applicants will be checked using the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Systematic Alien Verification of Entitlement System, often called the SAVE system. And when an applicant's status indicates they are not lawfully in the country, the bills require the attorney general's office to be notified, which will review the case and notify the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, ICE, if an applicant’s legal status in the United States is unverifiable.
Democrats oppose the bills, noting the SAVE system has not been found to be 100% accurate. They also noted the bills could discourage families in need from applying for benefits and potentially result in family separations. Children born in the United States of undocumented immigrants, of course, are citizens and qualify for benefits, but their parents may not apply for the benefits if they could face deportation, which would break up their families, the Democrats argued. The bills now move to the Senate for its consideration.
Dick Pryor: With the Speaker of the House and the Senate President Pro Tem supporting both bills, that puts considerable weight behind them. What does that suggest about the future of these bills?
Shawn Ashley: It suggests that they are likely to pass and go to Governor Kevin Stitt's desk. I can recall only a few times where a House Speaker/Senate President Pro Tem bill did not move all the way through the legislative process and go the governor.
Dick Pryor: There is an Oklahoma law barring use of any state dollars for gender-affirming care for minors. Now, the legislature is looking to expand that prohibition. What does House Bill 3130 do?
Shawn Ashley: When the bill was first considered by the House General Government Committee on February 10th, it took a few minutes for members to realize the bill would affect adults as well as children. It was Representative Ellen Pogemiller, a Democrat from Oklahoma City, who noted the bill applied to facilities in all gender-affirming procedures, not just to children. Now, the House uses a two-step committee process, so the bill was taken up a second time Thursday by the House Government Oversight Committee. House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson asked Representative Kevin West, a Republican from Moore and the bill's author, where is this happening and what problem is this bill solving? Representative West said the bill ensures no taxpayer dollars are used for any gender-affirming care procedures at state-funded facilities.
Dick Pryor: Another piece of legislation directed at the transgender community is also moving forward. This one relates to state-issued ID cards and driver's licenses.
Shawn Ashley: Service Oklahoma is the state agency that issues driver's licenses and ID cards. It has an administrative rule that permits individuals to change the physical sex on their driver's license or ID card with a court order. HJR 1032 would repeal that rule. The resolution has passed the House and the Senate and is headed to Governor Kevin Stitt's desk. If he signs it, that means individuals would not be able to change the physical sex on their driver's license or ID cards going forward. But it does not address what will be done about those that have already been changed. That likely will take additional legislation.
Dick Pryor: The Senate is considering legislation to fund water and wastewater system improvements in Oklahoma. What are they looking at and how would the money flow?
Shawn Ashley: Several proposals were filed but the one that seems to be moving forward would create a fund perhaps of up to $250 million that would be overseen by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board from which municipalities could borrow money to fund water and wastewater system improvements across the state. Now, they would have to pay that money back over time, giving them some skin in the game. According to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board there are billions of needed infrastructure improvements across the state.
Dick Pryor: It would not be a complete session without at least some consideration of state emblems and icons, things like a state song, flower, fish, dinosaur, or rock. What are this year's proposed new state icons?
Shawn Ashley: Senate Bill 2159 designates wheat as the state's official crop. It has passed the Senate and is on its way to the House for consideration. House Bill 3263 designates the morel mushroom as Oklahoma's state mushroom. It has passed both committees in the House and is now available for that full chamber's consideration. A tasting session has not yet been scheduled.
Dick Pryor: All right, let us know when it is.
Shawn Ashley: I certainly will.
Dick Pryor: Thank you, Shawn.
Shawn Ashley: You're very welcome.
Dick Pryor: For more information go to quorumcall.online. You can find video of Capitol Insider segments on the KGOU You Tube channel. Audio and transcripts are 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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