The Oklahoma House and Senate are back in session Monday, after a largely inactive week. The legislature has already passed one big deadline this session - bills that have not made it through their chamber of origin are now dead.
On this episode of Oklahoma Voices, The Journal Record’s Capitol reporter Dale Denwalt and eCapitol’s Shawn Ashley talk to KGOU’s Jacob McCleland about accomplishments during the first few weeks of the session, legislation that could pass, and surprises during the session’s opening weeks.
eCapitol’s Shawn Ashley said the legislature has considered few bills that address structural issues that lead to budget crises like the current $1.3 billion shortfall Oklahoma will face in Fiscal Year 2017. He said measures that would have scaled back tax credits or rolled back the individual income tax cuts never made it to the full chamber for consideration.
“On the House side, however, one did make it across the floor and it contains a large number of different tax credits and rolls them back in one way or another,” Ashley said. “But in the grand scheme of things, it really doesn’t generate that much money that could be used to offset that $1.3 billion shortfall.”
Denwalt said there is one possible explanation for the lack of legislative action on the budget. Lawmakers are dealing with two budgets simultaneously: One for Fiscal Year 2017, and one of the current fiscal year, which has been slashed mid-year due to revenue failure.
“When you start thinking about cuts, you start thinking about painful cuts,” Denwalt said. “It makes sense that the legislature would wait a little bit, make sure they have everything right, and I’m sure we’ll have something fairly late.”
Ashley said a bill that allows public schools to choose not to follow some state mandates, like the minimum teacher salary and contributions to the teacher’s retirement systems, will likely reach Governor Mary Fallin’s desk. Senate Bill 1187, by state Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, would also allow districts to hire part-time teachers instead of a full-time teacher for certain classes. Ashely says that would create savings for the districts.
“Keep in mind, it isn’t just that a school can say, ‘This is how we’re going to operate and we’re not going to follow those mandates anymore’,” Ashley said. “They have to develop a plan that has to be approved by a local board, and must also be approved by that local bargaining unit if there is one. It then goes to the state board of education for review and approval.”
Denwalt expects judicial reform to pass, but doesn’t think the legislature will approve an elected judiciary. Instead, he believes a bill by House Speaker Jeff Hickman, R-Fairview, will gather support.
“It will take a lot of the power away from the Judicial Nominating Commission. That’s a group of people who recommend to the governor who to appoint to appellate and Supreme Court vacancies,” Denwalt said. “Now the legislation introduced by Hickman, which is a compromise and I think is primarily meant to quiet the voices of those who want judicial elections … it forces the JNC to present all of the eligible candidates to the governor and not just the top three.”
Denwalt said the bill also requires confirmation by a panel of lawmakers.
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