Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon is planning to release a list of legislative studies that lawmakers will take up before the 2014 Legislature convenes in February.
Shannon is expected to release the list on Friday, the deadline for study requests by lawmakers to be approved or denied. Former House Speaker Kris Steele approved studies on 59 topics out of 89 individual requests last year.
Interim studies give lawmakers an opportunity to receive testimony and examine issues in depth to decide whether to draft legislation on a particular topic.
Among study topics last year were education, government modernization, veterans' issues and public finance.
In the Senate, Pro Tem Brian Bingman is deferring to the chairmen of various committees whether to approve study requests from individual senators.
