Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 2023 was not a boring year for our members! We did have great news with OTA and ACCESS Oklahoma, another excellent and well attended Partnering Conference and our Leadership Class was outstanding with a bright future. Our Quarterly luncheon speakers were substantive and relevant----Evan and I cannot Thank You Enough for having the opportunity to work with your firms and employees. 2024 will continue to build on our success!
The legislature will begin February 5, 2024 and bill filing has already began in the senate. The board of equalization met and confirmed $13.9B for lawmakers and the Governor to spend this upcoming session. Governor Stitt is considering a January Special session while Speaker McCall has already filed a series of tax cut efforts McCall Tax Cuts. With the new Senate budget process, disagreements over tax cuts between the House, Governor and Senate 2024, each leader of the House and Senate terming out and election filing in April it will likely be a contentious session.
Be sure to sign up TODAY for the PSMJ Principals Bootcamp held in OKC. See Details Below!
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Register Now: PSMJ Principals Bootcamp!
What: PSMJ Principals Bootcamp
Where: 1601 NW Expressway, OKC OK 73118
When: Feb 7-8
Early Bird (before Jan 3) Member $1,795 / Non-Member $1895
Regular Member $2,095/ Non-Member $2,195
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ACEC National College Scholarships
- Morrissey Goodale Helping Hand Scholarship - $15,000
- Morrissey Goodale is proud to offer a $15,000 needs-based scholarship to provide an exceptional financial opportunity for a low-income student pursing a career in the field of engineering.
- Morrissey Goodale Diversity in STEM Scholarship - $15,000
- With a commitment to promoting diversity and educational opportunities in engineering fields, Morrissey Goodale is proud to offer a $15,000 scholarship grant towards tuition.
- College of Fellows Scholar of the Year - $13,000
- This scholarship will be awarded to a Senior who has demonstrated a high level of excellence in academics and leadership, work experience and an understanding of consulting engineering.
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IMEG Scholarship - $10,000 (30 - $10,000 awards available)
- IMEG awards individual scholarships of up to $10,000 to 30 students nationwide who are pursuing a degree in engineering.
- NCEES Professional Licensure Scholarship - $5,000 (one $5,000 available for each state plus the District of Columbia)
- This scholarship will award funding to students who have a career goal of becoming a professional engineer or professional surveyor.
- ACEC Land Surveyors True North Scholarship - $5,000
- The ACEC Land Surveyors True North Scholarship was created to assist in the continued growth of young Surveyors / Geospatial technicians and Professionals, and to ensure advancement of future Professionals.
- ACEC Life/Health Trust Scholarship -$5,000
- This scholarship should be awarded to any engineering student with a priority to students with a high-Grade Point Average and those with financial need.
- J.A. Watts Diversity in Engineering Scholarship - $5,000
- The J.A. Watts, Inc. Diversity in Engineering Scholarship will award funding to students of color who have been traditionally underrepresented in the field of engineering.
- Kimley-Horn Diversity in STEM Scholarship - $5,000
- This scholarship will award funding to students of color who have been traditionally underrepresented in the field of engineering and attend a Historically Black College or University.
- Kimley-Horn Diversity in STEM Scholarship (Need-Based) $5,000
- This scholarship will award funding to students of color who have been traditionally underrepresented in the field of engineering.
- Lee Rice LRE Water Scholarship - $7,500
- Students must be enrolled in their junior, senior or 5th year, or pursuing a master’s degree in engineering geology, water engineering or natural resource engineering related fields.
- POWER Engineers Empower Scholarship - $5,000
- This scholarship will award funding to students who demonstrate a critical financial need ($55,000 or lower adjusted gross family income) studying in the field of Engineering.
- POWER Engineers Inclusion Scholarship – $5,000
- This scholarship will award funding to students from minority groups who have been traditionally underrepresented in the field of Engineering and attend.
- Stanley Consultants Diversity in Engineering Scholarship - $5,000
- This scholarship will award funding to students of color who have been traditionally underrepresented in the field of engineering.
- Stanley Consultants Helping Hand Scholarship - $5,000
- This scholarship will award funding to students facing financial barriers in their pursuit of higher education.
- CASE Scholarship - $2,500
- This scholarship will award funding to a student enrolled in a Master’s degree program for Structural Engineering.
- Small Firm Coalition Scholarship - $2,500
- This scholarship will be awarded to a student who has demonstrated a high level of excellence in academics and leadership, work experience and an understanding of consulting engineering.
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R&D solution on hold until Congress comes back.
The good news is we’ve made considerable progress in building support for R&D relief, and the unfinished business carrying over into the new year gives us multiple options that could serve as a vehicle for a tax package that includes an R&D fix:
- Congress faces two appropriations deadlines – January 19 and February 2 – to approve funding for federal agencies, either of which could carry a tax package;
- The supplemental appropriations bill to provide funding for Ukraine and Israel;
- A pending tax bill to facilitate broader investment between the United States and Taiwan; and
- The FAA reauthorization bill.
Indications continue to be very positive that House and Senate tax writers are making progress on a deal that fixes the R&D problem while also including an expanded child tax credit. The two sides continue to have active discussions and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden was quoted this week as saying “We’re making real progress.” House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal said that these discussions have been fruitful. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith also made similar comments in off-the-record settings. We’ve also had many conversations with rank-and-file lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, who have heard from our members and want the R&D problem fixed.
ACEC’s grassroots and media campaign is continuing to make an impact. Our ad has run 145 times on cable, 21 on radio, and 13 on local DC broadcast channels. On the digital side, we’ve made over 3.4 million video impressions. And on the earned media side, we have secured 20 media hits across four of our target states. The media campaign will continue through the end of the month and we’ll continue to leverage all of these pieces in our advocacy with Congress when they return to D.C. in early January.
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PAC Giving
Thank you for your generous support of our pac. We are about to enter an election year and your contribution will be critical in electing legislators supportive of our agenda.
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Upcoming Events
Feb 7-8
PSMJ Principals in OKC
1601 NW Expressway, OKC OK 73118
Early Bird (before Jan 3) Member $1,795 / Non-Member $1895
Regular Member $2,095/ Non-Member $2,195
Feb 8
Board and General Membership Meeting + EEA Ceremony
4 PM Board / 5 PM General Membership / 6 PM EEA Ceremony
Oklahoma City, OK TBD
May 9
Board and Quarterly Membership Meeting
Tulsa, OK
Save the Date(s)
ACEC National Conference
Washington DC
May 13-16
ACEC Midwest States Conference
Kansas City, MO
June 12-14
ACEC Fall Conference
New Orleans, LA
October 20-23
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Mike Thompson
President & CEO
220 N.E. 28th Street, Suite 135
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
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Phone: (405) 525-7696
Fax: (405) 557-1820
Email: mike.thompson@acecok.org
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