TRANSCRIPT
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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. The calendar has now turned to May, which by law is the last month of the legislative regular session. Lawmakers passed the budget a month ago, so the session seems to be moving quickly. Shawn, what are the highlights of legislative action over the last week?
Shawn Ashley: Governor Kevin Stitt signed the bill increasing the additional payments that state employees receive based on their years of service, called “longevity pay” by 50%. Senate Bill 169 was part of the budget agreement announced at the beginning of April. Another part of that agreement, Senate Bill 201, the $2,000 teacher pay raise bill, passed the House on Tuesday. The House amended the bill in committee to exclude administrators and limit the raise to teachers, so that bill must go back to the Senate for one last vote before it goes to Governor Stitt for his signature. And on Thursday, the Senate unexpectedly took up an anti-abortion measure, House Bill 1198. The bill makes it a felony to bring or send abortion-inducing pills into Oklahoma. The bill had been available for Senate consideration for more than a year, and it was added to the Senate's agenda Thursday at the last minute, surprising lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. It now goes to Stitt for his consideration.
Dick Pryor: Since we are in May, the parlor game of predicting the adjournment date is well underway. What are lawmakers saying about that?
Shawn Ashley: Every day there is a new rumor. Wednesday and Thursday, for example, I was hearing from lobbyists, other reporters, and legislators that the House would finish its work and adjourn Sine Die Thursday afternoon. It didn't. Then the rumor became the Senate would work into the evening Thursday and adjourn Sine Die. It doesn't do either of those things. House Speaker Kyle Hilbert told reporters Thursday afternoon, “We have work to do. And so, we're going to be here next week. We'll gavel back in Monday and continue hearing the legislation that's available to be heard. We have a lot of legislation that still needs to be heard.”
Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton told reporters, “I keep saying the last day of session, as far as I'm concerned, is the last Friday of May. And we'll continue to plug through the best we can.” Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt said there's still work for lawmakers to do to address issues like the childcare crisis, public health, and infrastructure. House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson summed up the feeling I've heard from several lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, when she quipped, "'Who knows what the plan is?”
Dick Pryor: So, with Republican and Democratic leadership saying there is still a lot of work to do, what are they focusing on?
Shawn Ashley: In addition to various bills that are simply working their way through the process, there are a couple of big issues looming. We've talked about Republicans' desire to put two state questions on the ballot regarding Medicaid expansion. It appears there will just be one state question, and that will be on the November ballot. Hilbert said House Republicans, Senate Republicans, and Governor Stitt's office are still talking about what that question will look like. And House Appropriations and Budget Chair Trey Caldwell also wants to see major changes made to the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, also known as TSET. He won approval of two resolutions from the House, but when those got to the Senate, there was not enough votes to get them out of committee and heard on the floor. So, Paxton amended one of those resolutions, lessening the impact of it, but it is still awaiting floor consideration. So that's a big issue yet to be resolved.
Dick Pryor: With the session nearing an end, sunset bills are something to watch. What are sunset bills?
Shawn Ashley: Well, we tend to think about state agencies, boards, and commissions as being permanent things, but there's a large group that aren't. The Oklahoma Accountancy Board, which licenses and regulates certified public accountants, is not a permanent state agency. Another example is the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, which oversees medical doctors and several other health professionals. And there are dozens more. And every year, the legislature conducts what are called sunset reviews of a group of those agencies, boards, and commissions to decide whether to allow them to continue to exist or if they should be terminated.
Dick Pryor: Governor Stitt has already vetoed a handful of bills that would extend sunset dates for some boards and advisory councils. In vetoing extensions of the life of agencies, boards, and commissions, what message is he sending?
Shawn Ashley: Well, in the case of those related to advisory councils, Stitt has questioned the need for them because the state agencies that they advise seem to be doing that work. In others, he has argued for the licensure of various health professionals to be centralized under one agency, not dispersed among several boards. And a common thread running through all those vetoes was that the legislature needed to be more thorough and delve deeper into the sunset review process.
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 YouTube 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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