MIKE JACKSON

Issue Areas: Economic Development, Taxation and Financial Services; Energy/Natural Resources

2019 Legislative session is here! On Monday, newly elected Governor Kevin Stitt kicked off session with his State of the State address. Governor Stitt focused on important items: creating jobs and investment, increasing government accountability and creating and improving programs that help Oklahomans who are hard at work, taking risks, opening new businesses and creating jobs.

Two specific areas of focus were direct governor appointments to improve accountability and efficiency in government and increasing the Governor’s Quick Action Closing Fund. Currently, state leaders are working out details to implement direct appointments. We'll continue to follow SB 456-460 as well as other direct appointment bills aligned with our legislative agenda. The chamber has long supported additional funding for the Governor’s Quick Action Closing Fund. Our partners at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce have tracked the success of the fund. Since 2014, four awards have been made to companies, totaling $8.5 million. Those four companies have added a combined 1,445 jobs to the state and more than $700 million in investment. We look forward to working with Governor Stitt and the leaders in the House and Senate to enact these crucial reforms and programs.

This year the legislature filed nearly 2,800 bills. Many of them threaten Oklahoma businesses and job creators. Oklahoma’s oil and natural gas sector has made tremendous strides and continues to be the backbone of the Oklahoma economy. HB 1378 could reverse advances made in the industry and increase liability on horizontal and vertical well drillers, creating risk and uncertainty for the companies, their employees and mineral owners. HB 1404 and SB 440 would levy a new tax on gross revenue of aggregates, increasing the cost of concrete, asphalt and other building materials. We have also had many bills filed that would impede eminent domain and the ability to affordably deliver energy and products to customers.

House Bills 1118 , 1864 and 2182 seek to create Mandatory Unitary Combined Reporting (MUCR), which arbitrarily assigns reporting of corporate income to different states. Implementing MUCR would make Oklahoma less competitive with other states, putting jobs and investment at risk. MUCR creates new burdens on businesses, complicates the tax code and can reduce the state’s economic output, which could actually lead to lower state tax revenues.

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EMILY CROUCH

Issue Areas: Health Care; Workforce Development

Two bills have been filed to support association health plans in Oklahoma. HB 1053 (Rep. McEntire, R-Duncan) and SB 943 (Treat, R-OKC) reflect the new federal rules published by the Trump administration in 2018. The State Chamber supports these changes and looks forward to continuing to grow our association health plan, Oklahoma Chamber Blue, in 2019.

Following last year’s historic teacher pay raise, a bill has been filed to offer student loan repayment assistance to classroom teachers who are employed in school districts with high needs. HB 2521 (Rep T. West, R-Bethany) will further support the teaching profession but through a targeted approach that encourages higher education students to enter the career.

Governor Stitt mentioned his support for criminal justice reforms this session during his State of the State earlier this week. A bill that he said he would support focuses on occupational licensing reform for individuals with criminal records. HB 2134 has been introduced by Rep. Munson (D-OKC) and would allow an individual to apply for an occupational license, as long as their past conviction does not relate to the occupation. 

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CORDON DEKOCK

Aerospace, Defense, Technology and Telecommunications;

Transportation & Infrastructure

This legislative session will see important legislation in transportation, technology and aerospace. At the top of that list is legislation (like SB 22 by Sen. Bergstrom) to reform and improve testing for commercial drivers’ licenses. A recent study shows that commercial driver testing delays resulted in $1.5 billion in economic losses across the country. Additionally, numerous bills like HB 1151 by Rep. Grego seek to put more money into transportation infrastructure, while bills like SB 432 by Sen. Pugh will invest more into programs to alleviate workforce needs in the aerospace industry. 

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ADRIA BERRY

Human Resources & Labor Law; Legal Reform; Workers' Compensation

We know that workplace safety is a top priority for our members, so our HR & Labor law policy committee made it a priority to address the complications related to drug testing and legal liability found in State Question 788. We worked together diligently throughout the interim with experienced employment attorneys to craft a bill that addresses the most pressing problems with the new medical marijuana laws and allows Oklahoma employers to maintain safer workplaces. Legislative leaders have assured us that they share the concerns of the business community and therefore included this language in their recently released “Unity” bill, which is set to be heard in a special committee next Wednesday, February 13th at 9 a.m. Please listen to the first episode of our podcast, In Session with the State Chamber, for more details regarding medical marijuana from Senator Greg McCortney and employment attorney Courtney Warmington. We will keep you updated as session progresses, but if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.  

Further, the State Chamber will continue supporting commonsense tort reform with a specific focus this year on improvements to the discovery and pleading processes that will improve efficiency and decrease costs associated with litigation. We'll continue to strongly defend the reforms and oppose any attempt, such as the one found in HB 2409, to roll back the hard-fought progress in this area. 

In the area of Workers' Compensation, it's important to remember that while we have seen significant benefits from the reforms of 2013, we must remain diligent to ensure continued success in the face of challenges. There were several bills filed this year that would attempt to roll back some of the reforms as well as increase costs associated with workers’ compensation in Oklahoma. We are working with legislative leaders right now to address concerns on behalf of our members and will keep you updated as the legislative session progresses. One bill to watch for is HB 2367, which is set to be heard in the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, February 12. 

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You won't want to miss the biggest event of the season! Join us for this premier reception offering high-level networking opportunities with Oklahoma’s legislators, state officials and business leaders, as we kick off the 2019 legislative session.

Date:

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Location:

Oklahoma History Center

800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Schedule:

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.    Board of Directors Meeting & VIP Reception

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.    Legislative Reception (cocktails & hors d'oeuvres will be served)

Pricing:

Member: $100        Non-Member: $150

For questions, contact the Events Department at 405-272-4430 or  lsparks@okstatechamber.com. Be sure to register by Friday, February 8!

When the Oklahoma Legislature is in session, so are we! Each week on our new podcast, In Session with the State Chamber of Oklahoma, we'll delve into hot-topics currently being debated at the state capitol. Together with some of the state’s top policy experts, elected officials and business leaders, we’ll explore what these issues mean for our state and our economy.

In our first episode , Senator Greg McCortney, attorney Courtney Warmington of Fuller Tubb & Bickford, PLLC and State Chamber VP of Government Affairs Adria Berry break down how employers and the legislature are navigating — and working to solve — the legal and workplace challenges introduced by the passage of SQ 788 (medical marijuana). Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Google Play . You can also access the podcast via our website or listen on Soundcloud .

The Sac and Fox Nation is a federally recognized tribal nation of over 4,000 enrolled members. The Nation is led by the Business Committee, comprised of five elected officials: Principal Chief Kay Rhoads, Second Chief Audrey Rose Lee, Secretary Jacklyn King, Treasurer Jared King and Committee Member Robert Williamson. The Nation’s jurisdiction lies in portions of Payne, Lincoln and Pottawatomie counties, with the capitol complex located outside of Stroud. The annual Sac and Fox Pow Wow is held at the Jim Thorpe Memorial Park, located at the capitol complex. This popular event brings thousands of visitors to Stroud every year. Sauk Business Enterprises and Sac and Fox Economic Development Holdings, LLC are the Nation’s economic development entities. The Nation owns two casinos located in Stroud and Shawnee.

The Nation’s impact in central Oklahoma is significant. In addition to being a major employer in Lincoln County, the Nation expended $17,888,908.00 on repairs, maintenance, and new construction of roads and bridges over the last decade. Over the last five years the Nation has donated $467,803.00 to local charities, schools and organizations.  Learn more .