ACEC OKLAHOMA UPDATE
February 12, 2021
In This Update:

  • A legislative updated from our President and CEO, Mike Thompson

  • ODOT Survey

  • PPP Tracking

  • EEA Nominees

  • ACEPAC Update
A Legislative Update from President and CEO, Mike Thompson
The legislative session is in full swing after the governor’s State of the State speech and legislative leaders have outlined their priorities: education reform, medicaid enrolleesbudget challenges. Similar to last session, the legislature and executive branch have tension with the release of the Legislative Office of Financial Transparency’s (LOFT) report on Governor Stitt's use of CARES Funds and the legislatures desire to participate in crafting the managed Medicaid system. The Oklahoma State Medical Association is suing the Governor over the contracts issued for Medicaid expansion by the Health Care Authority and the governor has lost a series of tribal lawsuits in state and federal court. As the tension continues to increase, political insiders are asking if the 2021 session will be a repeat of the last year including multiple veto overrides and volatile relations between the governor and legislature.  

ACEC Priority Bills: SB748 INT.PDF (state.ok.us) (Peer Review) by Senator Jech passed on the senate floor 42 to 4! We issued an action alert for this bill, and thanks to your responsiveness, we had a great outcome. You can see how your senator voted here. The bill will now move to the house.

HB1934 (Identification) by Representative Martinez requires any provision in a design professional services agreement that requires an entity or that entity's insurer to indemnify, insure, defend or hold harmless another entity against liability for damage arising out of death or bodily injury to persons or damage to property which arises out of the negligence or fault of the indemnitee, its agents, representatives, subcontractors, suppliers or an entity for whom an indemnitor is not otherwise legally responsible, to void and unenforceable. It provides exemptions. The bill will be scheduled for a committee hearing next week and we will have a CALL TO ACTION when it will be heard on the floor. 

AOGC is beginning an educational campaign for legislators to understand how quickly transportation funds move through the Oklahoma economy. The campaign will last through the legislative session to give momentum on funding for ODOT. They need our member support to make it effective. If you plan to participate please send an email to [email protected].

ODOT Business Owner Survey
ODOT has requested our help. They need our members to complete a brief online survey for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s Disparity Study. If you haven't completed the survey, you may do so here.

The survey is part of the Study’s anecdotal data collection and seeks to gather feedback from prime contractors and subcontractors, both certified and non-certified, that have done work or potentially could seek work with ODOT. It is important for our members to complete the survey. Survey results will be used to help assess the impact of ODOT’s current DBE program and identify potential program improvements.
PPP Loan Tracking
As discussed in our January meeting, Mike Thompson, is working closely with our federal delegation, who received a form letter from ACEC National. Senator Inhofe, Senator Lankford and Congresswoman Bice are taking the lead for Oklahoma's delegation and are supportive of our efforts. We are in close talks with their offices as events progress. We will keep you posted on news related to PPP.
Congratulations to our EEA nominees!
Though we couldn't gather in person, ACEC OKLAHOMA was proud to present the 2020 Engineering Excellence Grand Conceptor Award to CEC for their brilliant work on Camp Trivera on behalf of the Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma
You can read more about the amazing project here. Thank you to our other deserving honorees: CP&Y, Inc. and Freese and Nichols, Inc.
ACEPAC Update
We are into the second month of 2021 and ACEC Oklahoma has reached 2% of our goal. We currently stand 19th out of 52 in total dollars raised nationally.
Mike Thompson
President & CEO
220 N.E. 28th Street, Suite 135
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
Phone: (405) 525-7696
Cell: (405) 819-4790
Fax: (405) 557-1820
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