Monday, May 1, 2017

It was a full week of floor work and budget negotiations at 23rd and Lincoln, as last week marked the final major deadline of this legislative session. At this point, any bill that wasn't voted off the floor in the opposite chamber is dormant. The state budget will be the major focus going forward. Below is a brief summary of a few of the bills with potential to impact our association.  If you have questions about any of the information provided below, 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. 
I. State Budget and Funding: HB 1837 by Rep. Leslie Osborn (R-Mustang)

HB 1837 directs a portion of Oklahoma Lottery proceeds be placed in a lockbox revolving fund administered by the SDE and allocated to schools on the basis of ADM for the purposes of implementing Pk-3rd grade reading initiatives or STEM programs. 


II.  Curriculum and Instruction : HB 2155 by Rep. Jadine Nollan (R-Sand Springs)

HB 2155 requires the State Board of Education to adopt a new system of college and career planning tools known as the Individual Career Academic Plan (ICAP). Beginning with students entering the ninth grade in 2019-2020, each student shall be required to complete the process of an ICAP in order to graduate from a public high school with a standard diploma. The ICAP shall include but not be limited to components such as: career and college interest surveys, written postsecondary and workforce goals and progress towards those goals, intentional sequence of courses that reflect progress toward a student’s postsecondary goals, the student’s academic progress, and a service learning component.


III. Teachers Retirement : HB 1162 by Rep. McDaniel (R-Edmond)

HB 1162 creates the Pension Protection Act, which increases the vesting schedule from five years to seven years for TRS members who enter the system on or after November 1, 2017.
  • HB 1162 was signed by the Governor on Monday

  • SB 242 by Sen. Adam Pugh (R-Edmond)
    SB 242 adds the State Treasurer or designee of the State Treasurer to the board of trustees for both the Public Employees Retirement System and the Teachers Retirement System.

    SB 242 passed the House floor this week by a vote of 51-34.
  • SB 428 by Sen. Jason Smalley (R-Stroud)
    SB 428 allows TRS members who retired as active classroom teachers to be eligible to be reemployed as an active classroom teacher with no limitations on earnings for a period of three years beginning July 1, 2017.

    SB 428 passed the House floor on Wednesday by a vote of 85-0.
 

IV. State Board of Career and Technology Education: HB 2316 by Rep. Charles McCall (R-Atoka)

HB 2316 amends current law to provide that members of the State Board of Career and Technology Education serve at the pleasure of the Governor and may be removed or replaced without cause.  

V. OHLAP: SB 529 by Sen. Jason Smalley (R-Stroud)

SB 529 modifies the qualifications and criteria required for students to participate in the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program. It requires an award for eligible Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program students enrolled in a postsecondary vocational-technical program offered by a technology center school that meets the requirements to be eligible for federal student financial aid be satisfied for both vocational-technical and college work in which enrolled. It expands to the scope of student ineligible for the program with parents that meet updated income requirements. 
  • SB 529 passed the House floor on Tuesday by a vote of 87-3.
 
  RESOURCES:

Oklahoma Legislature:   http://www.oklegislature.gov/index.aspx