Friday, April 27, 2018
It was a busy week at the Capitol as yesterday marked the deadline for bills and joint resolutions to pass the floor in the opposite chamber of origin (i.e. – House bills must pass the Senate floor and vice versa). In addition to the typical bustle of deadline week, legislators this week introduced and began the process of passing the FY 2019 budget, contained in this year’s general appropriations bill,  SB 1600 . After passing both House and Senate appropriations committees early in the week, the measure passed the Senate floor Wednesday and is expected to be considered in the House today. Legislative leaders previously announced a goal of adjourning session in early May, and it appears they are serious about sticking to that timeline. If the budget bill passes today, they could wrap up session as early as next Friday, May 4 th
Bills we’ve been watching this week:

a.       HB 3220 by Rep. Jadine Nollan (R-Sand Springs)
HB 3220 directs the State Board of Career and Technology Education to develop a certification system for teachers and instructors in the technology center school districts. The certification system must be competency based and shall reflect industry standards and skills.
  • HB 3220 has passed the Senate floor and been sent back to the House to accept or reject Senate amendments.

b.       SB 1212 by Sen. Nathan Dahm (R-Broken Arrow)
SB 1212 was originally a bill that made it unlawful to carry a firearm into a wildlife refuge. It was amended on the House floor by Rep. Jeff Coody (R-Lawton) to add several new provisions, including constitutional carry. The amendment adds a new language to allow any person at least 21 years of age or a person who is at least 18 years of age and in the military to carry a firearm concealed or unconcealed if the person is not otherwise disqualified from the possession or purchase of a firearm. It excludes persons convicted of certain crimes from carrying a firearm. It also makes it unlawful for an illegal alien in the United States to possess or have in their control a firearm or imitation or toy firearm.
  • SB 1212 passed the House floor by a vote of 59-28. It will now be sent back to the Senate to accept or reject House amendments.

c.        SB 1370 by Sen. Jason Smalley (R-Stroud)
SB 1370 allows additional flexibility for students who choose to follow core curriculum graduation requirements. For these students, it adds successful completion of one year of a full-time, three-hour career tech program or any other mathematics course with content and/or rigor equal to or above Algebra I to the courses that meet the mathematics requirement for high school graduation. 
  • SB 1370 passed the House floor Thursday by a vote of 70-0 and will now be sent back to the Senate to accept House amendments.

d.      SB 1398 by Sen. Stephanie Bice (R-Edmond)
SB 1398 gives local school districts the option of using building fund money for district operations.
  • SB 1398 passed the House floor this week and has been sent to the Governor for her approval.

e.       SJR 70  by  Sen. Stephanie Bice  (R-Edmond)
SJR 70 is a companion measure with SB 1398 mentioned above. It proposes a vote of the people on a constitutional amendment to expand the use of ad valorem taxes collected for a school building fund to be used for school district operations.
  • SJR 70 also passed the House floor this week and has been sent to the Governor for her approval. If approved, this measure will appear on the ballot in the November general elections.

e.       SB 1600 by Sen. Kim David (R-Porter) and Rep. Kevin Wallace (R-Wellston)
SB 1600 is the general appropriations bill for FY 2019. The measure appropriates $124,337,661 to the Department of Career and Technology Education. You can view a bill summary here.
  • SB 1600 passed the Senate Wednesday and is expected to be heard on the House floor today. 

f.  SB 1475 by Sen. Adam Pugh (R-Edmond) and Rep. Mike Osburn (R-Edmond) creates the Occupational Licensing Review Act. The bill establishes membership requirements for the 12-member Occupational Licensing Advisory Commission. It establishes meeting requirements. The bill states the purpose of the commission is to conduct a review of each occupational or professional licensing act in the state not less than once every four years and make recommendations to the Legislature. The bill requires the commission to develop a four-year schedule showing when each licensing act will be reviewed. It requires any new licensing act or new category of license enacted by the Legislature for regulation by an existing licensing board, agency or commission be added to the four-year schedule and be initially reviewed within 90 days of enactment.
  • Senate Amendments have been read on the House floor.
 If you have questions about any of the information provided in this update, please contact our office, or you may contact Skye McNiel, 918-645-1289 or by email at smcniel@okacte.org or Hayley Jones at (405) 524-1191. 

  RESOURCES:





Contact Superintendent Hofmeister: http://sde.ok.gov/sde/webform/contact

OkACTE Website: http://www.okacte.org