The Oklahoma Senate

(Most of the work in the Legislature occurred behind the scenes in budget meetings or conference committee. House and Senate budget writers will spend the coming days trying to reach agreement on the funding allocations to the budget subcommittees. The next deadline is April 29 when all conference committee reports for non-GCCA bills must be filed.)

• The Senate approved SB 1059 which would require insurance companies to give some mental illnesses the same coverage benefits they provide for physical illnesses. Opponents claimed the measure would drive up insurance costs, hurting small business. Supporters, however, pointed out that 13 other states have adopted similar laws, including Texas. One Senator quoted a recent study by the Rand Corporation which indicated the mental illness provision accounted for just a 97 cent increase in annual insurance premiums, or about 8 cents a month. The measure now goes to Governor Keating, who vetoed a similar bill last year.
  
  
• A number of legislators and the Governor criticized a House resolution which would weaken poultry industry regulations recently adopted by the Agriculture Department. HJR 1105 by Rep. Terry Matlock was withdrawn from a House committee after the author acquired enough signatures from committee members to bring it to the floor. Matlock of Garvin said his action was designed to protect poultry growers in southeastern Oklahoma. Poultry industry representatives had initially supported the new rules.
  
  
• The Senate approved SB 1216, a measure which would require contractor-operated private prisons to pay for emergency response provided by state and local law enforcement. A supporter of the legislation said the measure would be good for both the state and private prison operators, allowing the state to be compensated for its expenses and allowing private prisons to have state law enforcement at their disposal in times of need.
  
  
• The Senate approved SB 886 which would outline procedures for correctional officers and others who felt they may have been exposed to an inmate infected with HIV. The measure is designed to allow for the testing of such inmates to determine if they are carrying a infectious disease.

• The House gave final approval to a proposed cut in the unemployment tax that would also increase benefits for displaced workers. HB 2792 would cut the business tax by $136 million over the next five years while increasing benefits by $156 million. Oklahoma's growing economy has created large surpluses in the state unemployment fund, making the tax cut possible. If signed by Governor Keating, it will be the third such tax reduction in the last four years.
  
  
• The House approved Senate amendments to a measure designed to preserve white deer, sending HB 2619 to the Governor's desk for his signature. The bill states that no person may possess, hunt, chase, harass, capture, shoot at, wound or kill a white deer without specific permission from the director of the Wildlife Commission. Offenders face a fine of up to $1,000 or up to $30 days in jail. Senator Frank Shurden said the legislation is needed to preserve the dwindling numbers of white deer, which are normally grayish-brown.
  
  
• The Senate gave final approval to a bill that would allow exemptions to courthouse security requirements in Tulsa County. SB 1072 is designed to prod the Tulsa County Commissioners to develop an identity card system for regular courthouse employees and visitors so they won't have to go through the metal detector on every visit. The measure now goes to the Governor.
  
  
• The Senate approved a plan to amend the state's Do-Not-Resuscitate Act approved by last session's Legislation. SB 840 by Senator Brad Henry spells out specific parameters for withholding or providing CPR in the event of cardiac or respiratory failure in a minor child. The issue of minor children had not been appropriately addressed in the original DNR act. The measure now goes to the Governor.
  
  
• A bill designed to protect rural hospitals by placing a one-year moratorium on new ambulatory surgical centers was assigned to conference committee. HB 1665 was passed by the House on a motion to reconsider after the Senate amendments were rejected.
  
  
• The House approved HB 2978, a measure designed to crack down on national florist companies which give people the impression they are local companies. The measure would modify the definition of a deceptive trade practice, making it illegal to misrepresent the geographic location of a business.

• Governor Keating vetoed a bill which would have required insurance companies to cover treatments for severe mental illness. The Governor claimed SB 1059 would have increased the costs of insurance by thousands of dollars, but a study by the Rand Corporation indicated such coverage would only cost an additional dollar per policy per year. Supporters of the measure point to numerous other states which have adopted similar laws, including Texas under the guidance of Governor George Bush.
  
  
• The Senate sent a second bill to Governor Keating designed to offset a large health insurance increase for state employees, retirees and teachers. The measure expresses legislative intent to appropriate $25 million from the rainy day fund to OSEEGIB. Governor Keating vetoed a similar bill earlier this session, saying he didn't want to subsidize state employee health premiums. Attempts to override the veto in the Senate were unsuccessful. The latest measure does not contain the emergency clause which means it requires only a two-thirds majority to override, rather than three-fourths.
  
  
• House and Senate leaders agreed to set aside $63.6 million for a state employee pay and teacher benefits program. The details of the pay package will be worked out by a House-Senate panel. The funding agreement includes:
  
  - $40.0 million for state employee pay raise;
  - $ 2.5 million for law enforcement pay increase;
  - $14.8 million for increased health insurance benefit for teachers;
  - $ 6.3 million to annualize deferred compensation plan.
  
  Uniformed and line officers would receive both the blanket pay hike for state workers and the additional $2.5 million of law enforcement funding. Cost-of-living increases for state retirees will be addressed in other legislation.
  
  
• Governor Keating vetoed HB 3184, a measure which would have details specific reasons for the firing of public school administrators. The Governor claimed the measure would have diminished local control of schools.
  
  
• The Senate confirmed Virgil Jurgensmeyer of Miami to a position on the State Board of Agriculture.

• The Senate adjourned for the weekend. It will reconvene at 1:30 p.m. on Monday.

• The Oklahoma Department of Human Services reported a significant decline in the number of food stamp recipients. According to the DHS, recipients have dropped from 378,000 to 295,000 in the last four years. Of those recipients, 111,000 are children and 21,000 are elderly. Most of the other recipients are classified as "working poor."
  
  DHS officials are attributing the decline in food stamp recipients to the steady economic growth Oklahoma has experienced in recent years. The $20 million a month program is funded by the federal government, except for administrative costs.

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