Changes Come to State Government
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This week, House Republicans reaffirmed Charles McCall as Speaker of the House while Democrat Emily Virgin was elected to lead her caucus as Minority Leader. In addition to electing McCall, the Republican caucus chose state Rep. Harold Wright to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore-elect for a second term. The Senate Republicans had previously chosen Senator Greg Treat as President Pro-Temp and Senator Kim David as Floor Leader. Senate Democrats chose Senator Kay Floyd to serve as Minority Leader.
Before leadership could be elected, all 58 new members, plus those that are returning, were sworn in on Wednesday and Thursday in front of family and friends. During interviews following the swearing-in ceremony, both parties expressed that the budget and education issues will take center stage during the next legislative session.
While the Legislature is gearing up for next year, the new Governor is also preparing himself for his new role. On Tuesday, Governor-elect Kevin Stitt announced his transition team. Marc Nuttle, a lawyer from Norman, will chair the transition team which includes Lieutenant Governor-elect Matt Pinnell, current Labor Commissioner Melissa Houston, Aamon Ross, Sean Kouplen, Mike Mazzei, Corbin McGuire, Geoffery Long and Donelle Harder.
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Tri County Tech Receives National Baldridge Award
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“I could not be prouder of Tri County Tech for receiving a presidential award of this caliber,” said Lt. Governor-elect Matt Pinnell. “Their education and economic best practices have impacted thousands of lives and will be a valuable model for the future growth and success of our state.”
Tri County Tech has sustained top 25% national rankings for student completion/retention and placement for eight fiscal years. The institution also increased graduate wages to well above the national average while growing its own revenues 16 percent since 2009–without federal funding and despite a sizable reduction in state funding.
“Receiving the Baldrige Award is an amazing honor for our staff and students,” said Superintendent and CEO Lindel Fields. “We set a goal in 2009 to obtain the award knowing that our commitment to the process would provide world-class opportunities for the students we serve. Because of the Baldrige Excellence Framework and dedicated staff, I am proud to say we have achieved that goal.”
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Register Now for Public Affairs Forum!
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The 2019 legislative session is fast approaching. Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to hear from Oklahoma’s legislative leaders directly, as they discuss their upcoming agendas and the pressing issues facing your business in the coming year. We’ll also hear from one of Washington’s top political analysts, Bruce Mehlman. He'll break down the results of the midterm elections – and how shifts in Congress and emerging political priorities will affect the entire business community.
Learn more
or
register today
!
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
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1700 NE 63rd Street, OKC 73111
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Board of Directors Meeting (breakfast to be served)
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Public Affairs Forum Networking Hour
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Public Affairs Forum (lunch to be served)
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Enrollment for Member
Health Care Coverage Now Open!
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In October, we announced the launch of our new association health plan, Oklahoma Chamber Blue. The Oklahoma Chamber Blue program offers State Chamber members with 2-50 employees in all 77 counties access to affordable group health insurance coverage. In addition, small business employers that belong to local chambers of commerce may also be eligible through our Small Business Chamber Alliance program. Benefit options include medical, dental and vision plans.
Enrollment for Oklahoma Chamber Blue is now open! Our partners at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma (BCBSOK) are accepting enrollment paperwork for State Chamber members who are ready to sign up for this affordable group health insurance coverage.
Coverage can begin as soon as January 1, 2019. However, enrollment is open throughout the year. For any new members looking to enroll at a later date, enrollment paperwork must be submitted by the 15th of the month in order for coverage to be effective the following month.
Here are a few important dates to keep in mind for 1/1/2019 coverage:
- November 15, 2018 - Enrollment opens; BCBSOK begins accepting paperwork.
- December 7, 2018 - If enrollment paperwork is completed, ID cards guaranteed by 1/1/2019.
- December 14, 2018 - Enrollment closes; ID cards not guaranteed by 1/1/2019.
Click
here to learn more or contact your broker to obtain a quote.
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Workforce Development Program
Focuses on Adult Learners
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The State Regents for Higher Education announced an expanded adult degree completion program earlier this week to help adults close to finishing their degrees get started. The Reach Higher: DirectComplete program will offer adult learners a new opportunity to complete their degrees and advance within the workforce. Through a generous grant from the Lumina Foundation, Reach Higher: DirectComplete has funding to support the program in its first three years.
Reach Higher: Direct Complete will identify adult learners who are within a certain number of hours of completing an associate or baccalaureate degree but are not currently enrolled. The program will connect these individuals with financial assistance, among other support services, to ensure they are successful. The list of partners is statewide and covers a variety of industries.
“Oklahoma is a leader in engaging adult students to return and complete higher education degrees,” said Chancellor Glen D. Johnson. “Our new Reach Higher: DirectComplete program will provide access and affordability to adult learners around the state, while providing an educated workforce for Oklahoma’s businesses and industries. We are grateful to Lumina Foundation for their support of this effort.”
For more information, click
here.
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Our Event Sponsorship Program offers pre-purchased registrations to our four membership-wide annual events (Legislative Reception, Annual Meeting, Golf Classic at Karsten Creek and Public Affairs Forum) plus recognition as an event sponsor at these events.
It's a great way to get your company's name in front of hundreds of Oklahoma's most distinguished business leaders.
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PO Box 53217 | Oklahoma City, OK 73152
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