10 Golden Rules of Effective Taxation
(from “Rich States, Poor States” by Laffer, Moore, and Williams)

1 — When you tax something more you get less of it, and when you tax something less you get more of it.

2 — Individuals work and produce goods and services to earn money for present or future consumption.

3 — Taxes create a wedge between the cost of working and he rewards from working.

4 — An increase in tax rates will not lead to a dollar-for-dollar increase in tax revenues, and a reduction in tax rates that encourages production will lead to less than a dollar-for-dollar reduction in tax revenues.

5 — If tax rates become too high, they may lead to a reduction in tax receipts.

6 — The more mobile the factors being taxed, the larger the response to a change in tax rates. The less mobile the factor, the smaller the change in the tax base for a given change in tax rates.

7 — Raising tax rates on one source of revenue may reduce the tax revenue from other sources, while reducing the tax rate on one activity may raise the taxes raise from other activities.

8 — An economically efficient tax system has a sensible, broad two base and a low tax rate.

9 — Income transfer (welfare) payments also create a de facto tax on work and, thus, have a high impact on the vitality of a state’s economy.

10 — If A and B are two locations, and taxes are raised in B and lowered in A, producers and manufacturers will have a greater incentive to move from B to A.

What do you think of these “10 Golden Rules of Effective Taxation”?

I hope your summer is off to a great start! Just wanted to let you know about some upcoming events and ways to let your voice be heard. 

Bethany Fourth of July Parade — The Bethany Fourth of July Parade is one of the largest in the Oklahoma City Metro area! I would love for you and your family to join me in walking in the Parade on Monday, July 4, 2011.  Are you interested?  Send me an email at Elise@EliseHall.com. 

Interim Studies — The members of the House were able to request Interim Studies on subjects they would like further information about, ways to streamline agencies, and gain more information for future legislation, etc.  I requested a study on how the Legislature can make sure the State of Oklahoma does not grow faster than the private economy.  The Speaker of the House will announce next week which interim studies have been granted. 

Ideas of Legislation — Do you have an idea on how Oklahoma can be better? Send it to me at Elise@EliseHall.com.  I’d love to visit with you. 

Stay tuned for details regarding my first annual fall event! 

As always, let me know how I can continue to serve you. Have a great summer!  

The 2011 legislative session concluded this week as the House of Representatives and Senate finished work on a number of bills. First and foremost, we approved a balanced budget that dealt with a $500 million shortfall largely by cutting spending, just as you do in tough times. Through the tough times, I am blessed to serve HD 100 and work alongside Oklahoma’s finest public servants.  Thank you for the opportunity to serve. 

Here is an overview of the work the Oklahoma Legislature did this year… 

Economic Reforms: Lawmakers approved lawsuit reforms to make Oklahoma a more attractive place to do business.

• House Bill 2128 caps vague noneconomic damages (commonly known as “pain and suffering”) at $350,000 in all civil actions. Under the bill, individuals could still receive unlimited awards for actual economic damages, such as lost wages and medical expenses.
•  Senate Bill 862 eliminates joint and several liability, sometimes known as the “deep pocket” rule, where each and every defendant in a tort lawsuit is liable for the entire amount of a plaintiff’s damage regardless of their degree of fault. SB 862 ensures that plaintiffs seek defendants who are most at fault rather than defendants with the most financial assets.
•  Senate Bill 865 requires that juries be instructed in civil cases that no part of an award for damages for personal injury or wrongful death is subject to federal or state income tax; and the jury should not consider income taxes when determining a proper compensation award.
• House Bill 1953 to create an Oklahoma Quick Action Closing Fund. The governor could use the proposed fund in the future to provide incentives necessary to finalize deals and relocate companies to Oklahoma.
• Senate Bill 878 reforms workers’ compensation laws. The bill will reduce the fee schedule for medical reimbursement rates by 5 percent and require physicians and the workers’ compensation court to follow national treatment guidelines, called the Official Disability Guidelines, which is expected to also reduce medical costs.

Pension Reform: For decades, the financial soundness of our state’s pension systems has been declining. In the last 10 years, we have gone from having an unfunded liability of $6 billion to $16 billion. This year, lawmakers tackled that problem head-on, approving reforms that will collectively produce billions in savings over the next 30 years - the largest such debt reduction achievement in state history. The major reforms enacted require that cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) be funded when enacted, and adjust the retirement age for those now entering the system to account for the increased life expectancy.

Education

• House Bill 1456 requires that Oklahoma’s public schools be given an annual grade of “A” to “F” based on student performance on state tests. The new grading system will provide an easily understood way for parents to obtain a true apples-to-apples comparison between state schools.
• Senate Bill 346 ends social promotion by requiring students entering first grade in the 2011-2012 school year to master grade-appropriate reading skills by the end of third grade in order to be promoted to the fourth grade.
• House Bill 1380 makes it easier to dismiss underperforming teachers. Under the current system, tenured teachers who are dismissed by local school boards can appeal that decision in district court. The appeals process, known as “trial de novo,” is both lengthy and expensive for schools. The Oklahoman recently reported that it cost Purcell Public Schools around $80,000 to fire a teacher later charged with lewd acts with a child.
• House Bill 1380 eliminates “trial de novo” and reforms the system to allow locally elected school boards to let teachers go without a long and costly appeals process.
• Senate Bill 969 creates the “Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship Act.” The bill creates a tax credit for donations to scholarship-granting organizations or educational improvement grant organizations. Scholarships funded through the tax credit program would serve children from low-income families and allow them to attend private schools. The legislation also funds grants to help rural schools increase offerings in areas where private school is not an option.
• House Bill 2139 grants the State Superintendent of Public Instruction full authority over personnel issues at the Department of Education.
• Senate Bill 435 gives the governor the power to appoint each member of the State Board of Education (other than the elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction) with Senate approval. Board member terms would run concurrently with the governor’s time in office.

Revenue/Taxation: Legislation reforming Oklahoma’s property tax laws will go before the voters next year.

• House Joint Resolution 1002 allows Oklahoma citizens to vote to impose a 3-percent (or rate of inflation) annual cap that would limit future property tax increases. Under current law, property tax valuations can increase 5 percent each year.

Pro-life legislation

• House Bill 1888 creates the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which bans abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Scientific studies have shown that at 20 weeks an unborn child can feel pain. The bill exempts situations in which the life of the mother is at risk or when the mother faces serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment.
• Senate Bill 547 ensures standard health insurance policies sold in Oklahoma or sold through a state health insurance exchange do not include elective abortion coverage. The bill prevents Oklahomans from unwillingly subsidizing abortion coverage simply by purchasing health insurance. Under SB 547, those who want abortion coverage could acquire it through optional supplemental coverage with a separate premium.

Public Safety

• House Bill 2131 implements corrections reforms designed to reduce costs and ultimately increase public safety. House Bill 2131 expands community sentencing programs, modifies the governor’s role in the parole process for nonviolent offenders, and establishes requirements for members of the Pardon and Parole Board.

Government Streamlining and Transparency

• House Bill 1086 creates the Transparency, Accountability and Innovation in Oklahoma State Government 2.0 Act of 2011. Among other things, the bill requires that all payments disbursed from the State Treasury be made only through an electronic payment mechanism and that the “data.ok.gov” website include all spending data subject to publication by the “School District Transparency Act.” By implementing an electronic payment mechanism, the Office of State Finance predicts a savings of $3.6 million can be accomplished by moving from the current system to the electronic funds transfer system.  The assumption by the Office of State Finance is that the state will save a processing fee of $13.50 per check on 230,000 checks.
• House Bill 1304, the Information Technology Consolidation and Coordination Act, is designed to make state IT operations more efficient, secure and effective. Its key proposal is to place all IT operations under the state chief information officer (CIO) rather than spreading the operations out across the state’s hundreds of agencies, boards and commissions. Oklahoma’s current IT operation has 76 financial systems, 22 unique time and attendance systems, 17 different imaging systems, 30 data center locations and 129 email and mobile device services. One of the goals of placing IT operations under the CIO is to streamline those services into uniform systems across state government. It’s estimated that the bill could save the state about $360 million over the next five or six years.

The Legislature will reconvene in February 2011.  In the meantime, I’d love to hear your ideas for improving our state and ways I can be of service to you— and, Go Thunder! 

The House of Representatives is preparing for adjournment next week. According to the Constitution, the Legislature must adjourn on (or before) May 27, 2011.  Because the 2011 Redistricting Act and the FY2012 Budget passed out of the House this week, we are planning on adjourning a week early.  The two Constitutional duties of the Legislature this year are the budget and redistricting. By adjourning early, we will save money spent on session staff and per diem expenses.  Nothing is set in stone, but we are working hard to save the state money!

Here is a quick synopsis of the week…

2012 Budget —  An agreement was reached to balance the state budget without raising taxes. Addressing a $500 million shortfall, the budget deal relies primarily on targeted budget cuts. However, the plan also calls for streamlining some areas of government through consolidating several state agencies under the Office of State Finance, consolidating the state’s Internet Technology services, and moving the Human Rights Commission into the Attorney General’s Office.

  Under the proposed FY 2012 budget, cuts to state agencies vary, generally ranging from 1 percent to 9 percent. However, efforts were made to shield core services. As a result, the Department of Education was cut just 4.1 percent, the Department of Public Safety was cut just 4 percent, and total spending for Health and Human Services was cut just 1.2 percent.

  Although transportation is receiving a 7 percent cut, the budget includes a $70 million bond issue that will offset much of that cut and allow the agency to complete its eight year work plan on time.

  In addition, the Department of Corrections received a cut of only 0.5 percent, preventing further furloughs.  The FY2012 Budget passed out of the House of Representatives today.

2011 Redistricting — A bill redrawing the lines for all 101 state House districts is advancing through the Legislature and gaining bipartisan support. House Bill 2145 creates the “State House of Representatives Redistricting Act of 2011.”

According to the 2010 Census, Oklahoma’s total population is 3,751,351. Based upon the total state population, each state House district should have an ideal population of 37,142 people. Under the plan contained in House Bill 2145, the districts populations range from 36,900 to 37,200, minimizing the variation in accordance with legal guidelines.

The State House of Representatives Redistricting Act of 2011 will be effective at the beginning of the terms of state representatives elected in November 2012.

I am excited to serve some new neighbors in HD100, and sad to have lost some friends.  Here is a new map of HD100 — http://www.okhouse.gov/Documents/Districts/2011/HD100.pdf.  For new district maps from the entire state — http://www.okhouse.gov/Research/RedistrictingBills.aspx.

Corrections Reform —  This week Gov. Mary Fallin signed into law new corrections reform legislation. House Bill 2131 is designed to relieve widespread fiscal and social strains caused by Oklahoma’s nation-leading incarceration rates.

House Bill 2131 has three key proposals:

1.  Expand offender eligibility for community sentencing programs

2.  Modify the governor’s role in the parole process for nonviolent offenders

3.  Establish requirements for members of the Pardon and Parole Board

Community sentencing is significantly less expensive than traditional incarceration. States such as Texas, Indiana and Kansas have seen dramatic cost savings and reductions in crime rates by adopting community sentencing policies like those proposed in HB 2131.

  In Oklahoma, it costs about $56 a day to incarcerate someone. By comparison, it costs about $3.50 a day to send an offender to supervised community sentencing.

Overall, the bill is expected to eventually save the Department of Corrections at least $5 million a year. Oklahoma’s prisons are at 96 percent capacity, but staffing levels at the Department of Corrections are at 69 percent of authorized levels. This bill becomes effective November 1, 2011.

Art in Public Places Act —  Governor Mary Fallin has signed into law House Bill 1665 (which I co-authored), which suspends the Art in Public Places Act.  In the last three fiscal years, the law required $3.4 million to be spent on “public art” as part of various public building projects.HB 1665 suspends the requirements of the Art in Public Places Act for state agencies during fiscal years 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Child Safety Reform — Legislation designed to ensure children are placed in safe environments when they leave state custody is on its way to the governor.

In order to achieve this goal, House Bill 2136 makes several reforms to the child safety investigation procedures used by the Department of Human Services.

The bill’s three main proposals are to:

• Require background checks on all adults living in homes that children in state custody may be placed into as part of a reunification with their family or legal guardian;
• Make more records about a child’s past available to child welfare officials, courts and families;
• Require child welfare officials to investigate all abuse or neglect complaints made against those who have had three or more past abuse or neglect complaints made against them.

Pension Reforms — Gov. Mary Fallin signed several major pension reform bills into law this week.The pension bills signed into law include the following:

• House Bill 2132 requires that all cost of living adjustments (COLAs) have a funding source, reducing the total unfunded liability of all six of Oklahoma’s pension systems by $5.4 billion;
• Senate Bill 377 raises the normal retirement age for new teachers from 62 to 65 years of age and establishes a minimum age of 60 for full retirement benefits for teachers who meet the rule of 90 (age plus years of service equals 90);
• Senate Bill 794 reforms state law so elected officials are treated the same as public employees when calculating retirement benefits;
• Senate Bill 347 requires that municipal employees forfeit retirement benefits if they have been convicted of crimes related to their office; and
• House Bill 1010 increases the retirement age for new members of the Uniform Retirement System for Justices and Judges (URSJJ) who started work after January 1st of this year.

Transportation Transparency — House lawmakers voted this week to allow easier public scrutiny of state road revenue.House Bill 1489, the Taxpayer Transparency Act, passed unanimously in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and goes to the state Senate for final approval.The bill requires specific data on road funding to be placed on the Open Books Web site. The information must include historical and current revenue collections and apportionment data on fuel tax collections, gross production tax collections, motor vehicle collections and motor vehicle excise tax collections.

Crack Down on Child Abusers — Under legislation signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin, individuals who were exploited as a child in the production of pornography will have a new tool to seek justice.House Bill 1549 would allow any individual who was exploited as a child in the production of pornography to “bring a civil action against the producer, promoter, or intentional possessor of such child pornography, regardless of whether the victim is now an adult.”The new law will take effect Nov. 1, 2011.

Let me know how I can continue to be of service to you — and, Go Thunder! 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 11, 2011

Governor Fallin Signs Legislation Suspending Art in Public Places Act

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today signed into law House Bill 1665, a measure that suspends the Art in Public Places Act.  In the last three fiscal years, the act set aside a total of $3.4 million to be spent on public art alone as part of various public building projects, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society.

“While we all appreciate the aesthetic and cultural value art can bring to public building projects, it’s not appropriate to set aside millions of dollars for public art when the state is facing a $500 million budget deficit,” Fallin said. “By suspending the Art in Public Places Act, we will be able to save tax dollars by reducing the overall costs of public building projects for the immediate future.”

HB 1665 suspends the requirements of the Art in Public Places Act for state agencies during fiscal years 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Governor Fallin, House Speaker Kris Steele and Senate Pro Tempore Brian Bingman today announced a budget agreement laying out a plan to balance the state budget without raising taxes. 

Addressing a $500 million shortfall, today’s budget deal relies primarily on targeted budget cuts. 

As part of the budget agreement, both the speaker and the pro tem have committed to passing key government modernization bills, including legislation to consolidate several state agencies under the Office of State Finance and legislation to consolidate the state’s Internet Technology services. Both items include projected savings and were included as part of Fallin’s legislative agenda. 

Under the proposed FY 2012 budget, cuts to state agencies vary, generally ranging from 1 to 9 percent. 

Both the governor and legislative leaders made shielding core government functions a priority. For that reason, cuts to the Department of Education (4.1 percent), the Department of Public Safety (4.0 percent) and total spending for Health and Human Services (1.2 percent) are significantly less than cuts to other agencies. Transportation, also identified as a priority, is receiving a 7 percent cut, although the budget proposes a $70 million bond issue that will allow the department to complete its eight year work plan on time. 

Governor Fallin said, “At the beginning of this legislative session, I asked lawmakers to send me a plan that accomplishes three things: balance the budget without raising taxes; prioritize spending to protect core government agencies like education, public safety, transportation, and health and human services; and pass legislation that makes our state government smaller, smarter and more efficient. 

“This budget accomplishes all of those goals. It makes tough, but realistic spending cuts while shielding government priorities from the highest reductions. Furthermore, I have received a commitment from our legislative leaders that important government modernization efforts will be passed and sent to my desk, so that we can keep our promise to voters to make government operate more effectively.” 

Speaker Steele said, “We faced a challenging financial situation again this year, but I am pleased we were able to put our heads together and come up with a balanced budget that protects the core services our citizens expect,” said Steele. “Oklahomans will be pleased with the results this budget will produce.” 

Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman said, “This budget reflects our commitment to fiscal responsibility while preserving core services to the citizens of Oklahoma. We are prioritizing our needs in the areas of public safety, education and transportation funding. I want to thank Governor Fallin and Speaker Steele for their work in this effort, and my Appropriations Chair Senator David Myers for his hard work in leading the Senate budgeting process.” 

Other notable items within the budget agreement: 
· The budget includes three supplementals targeted at higher education, common education and career technology for a total of $21M. 
· The Department of Corrections receives a cut of only .5 percent, preventing further furloughs 
· The Human Rights Commission is consolidated into the Attorney General’s Office.

With the acceptance of the 53rd Legislature’s most open and transparent rules earlier this spring, the House instituted new rules regarding our Conference Committees. In previous years, Conference Committees have not met, but with our new rules, Conference Committees now have open meetings!  I have the opportunity to serve on the Conference Committee for Education.  We had our first meeting this week.  

With only a few weeks left in session before we wrap up on May 27th, the House and Senate are working together to come to terms on the remaining legislation.  

Here’s a quick synopsis of the week…  

School Grade — Legislation requiring that Oklahoma school districts be issued letter grades based on student performance was sent to Gov. Mary Fallin and signed into law this week.  Under House Bill 1456 (which I co-authored), Oklahoma’s public schools would be given an annual grade of “A” to “F” based on student performance on state tests. Under the legislation, annual reports would be issued giving letter grades to schools based on student performance on the Oklahoma School Testing Program.  The grades would be as follows: “A” means schools making excellent progress; “B” means schools making above average progress; “C” means schools making satisfactory progress;  ”D” means schools making less than satisfactory progress; and  ”F” means schools failing to make adequate progress.  Under the bill, 33 percent of a school’s grade would be based upon test scores, 17 percent learning gains in reading and mathematics, 17 percent on improvement of the lowest 25th percentile of students in the school in reading and mathematics, and 33 percent on whole school improvement.  For middle school grades and elementary school grades, total school improvement will be based upon the drop-out rate, the percentage of students taking higher level coursework at a satisfactory or higher level, and any other factors selected by the superintendent of public instruction.

Social Promotion — Legislation requiring grade school students to master reading skills before advancing to more challenging courses was sent to the governor and signed into law his week. 

Pension Reform — The Oklahoma House of Representatives voted this week to shore up the state’s pension systems, which rank among the worst funded in the nation.  House Bill 2132 would require lawmakers to fully fund any cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) approved in the future.  Current law assumes an automatic 2-percent COLA each year without designating a funding source.  The state’s seven retirement systems currently have $16 billion in unfunded liability, a dramatic increase compared to $6 billion in unfunded liability just a decade ago.  To be considered actuarially sound, pension systems must have a minimum 80-percent funded status.  Passage of House Bill 2123 would help improving the status of the state’s major pension systems.  According to Legislative Actuary calculations, removal of COLA assumptions will impact the Unfunded Actuarially Accrued Liabilities (UAAL) and the Funded Ratios of the pension systems as follows: Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System- UAAL will decrease by approximately $2.9 billion and increase OTRS’s funded ratio from 48 percent to 56 percent; Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System - UAAL will decrease by approximately $1.4 billion and increase the OPERS funded ratio from 66 percent to 77 percent; Uniform Retirement System for Justices and Judges - UAAL will decrease by approximately $43.4 million and increase the URSJJ funded ratio from 81 percent to 96 percent; Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System - UAAL will decrease by approximately $472.4 million and increase the FPRS funded ratio from 53 percent to 63 percent; Oklahoma Police Pension And Retirement System - UAAL will decrease by approximately $414.3 million and increase the PPRS funded ratio from 75 percent to 91 percent; and Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System - according to officials at OLERS their Funded Ratio increase would be minimal because OLERS has a statutory provision that adjusts retiree benefits, in the place of ad hoc COLAs, based on increases in active employee pay. House Bill 2132 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives today on a 64-25 vote.  The bill now goes to Gov. Mary Fallin to be signed into law.

Governor Mary Fallin’s “Oklahoma Now” Column

Strong Finish: More Reforms Needed in Last Month of Legislative Session

May is the last month of the 2011 legislative session, and I’m happy to say this legislative year is on track to be a productive one. Several key reforms already having been signed into law and more are on the way.

We have delivered, for instance, on landmark lawsuit reform that will help to create more jobs in Oklahoma by establishing a better business climate and placing a cap of $350,000 on non-economic damages.

Where education is concerned, the legislature has worked with me to pass bills making it easier to let go ineffective teachers, ending a lengthy and costly legal appeals process known as “trial de novo” that had previously made it nearly impossible to fire even the most ineffective instructors.

We have also passed important pro-life measures, prohibiting abortions after 20 weeks (when an unborn child begins to feel pain) and ensuring that those citizens who purchase private health insurance are not unknowingly or unwillingly subsidizing abortion.

Finally, legislative leaders and I have agreed to reject $54 million in federal funds to ensure that the state of Oklahoma sends a clear signal to Washington: we do not want, in any shape or form, to be tied to ObamaCare. And while we continue to fight the president’s health care plan, both legislatively and in court, we’re also moving to establish our own Oklahoma-based health solutions, including the creation of a new online insurance network where businesses and families can shop for affordable, high quality private health insurance.

The first three months of the legislative session have been a testament to the goals and values that many conservative lawmakers, including myself, outlined during their campaigns: encouraging more private sector job growth and boosting our economy, reaffirming our commitment to conservative values and standing up to the Obama Administration when it overreaches.

All of this is good news. But we have a long way to go before we reach the finish line.

During my campaign for governor, I promised voters I would bring Oklahoma a smaller, smarter government able to operate more efficiently and effectively. To deliver on that promise, my administration is proposing two important reforms: the consolidation of several agencies under the Office of State Finance, and the restructuring and consolidation of the state’s Information Technology resources.

Together, these two reforms will save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars a year – with the potential for much more – while eliminating government waste and duplication of services. Our IT reform bill, for instance, will reduce the number of financial payment systems the state uses from over 70 to just one, delivering a more streamlined, efficient way of doing business.

We have a number of other important reform measures that we must deliver on this session. Overhauling our workers compensation system, in order to reduce skyrocketing legal and medical costs that continue to drive jobs out of state, is a priority. We must pursue additional education reform, including an A-F grading system for our schools. And the creation of a Quick Action Closing Fund to lure new businesses and jobs to the state of Oklahoma is necessary before we can truly say we are doing everything in our power to create the best business climate possible.

All of these are substantial reforms that require political courage and willpower. But each one of them is necessary for our conservative lawmakers to fulfill their promises to voters.

I appreciate the hard work and dedication of our legislative leaders to date. Now it’s time to finish the heavy lifting and close out the legislative session by delivering on the important reform measures we promised voters we’d act on. I look forward to our lawmakers working to send these bills to my desk.

###


Alex Weintz
Communications Director
Office of Governor Mary Fallin
phone: (405) 522-8819
cell: (405) 535-7317
Alex.Weintz@gov.ok.gov


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:NE 21st St,Oklahoma City,United States

Another deadline week has come and gone.  Thursday was the deadline for Senate bills to be heard in the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives finished hearing the Senate’s bills on Wednesday evening — a day early, saving the State money by finishing early!

Here’s a quick synopsis of the week… 

Gun Rights: This week, Gov. Mary Fallin signed legislation that strengthens Oklahomans’ Second Amendment rights. House Bill 1439 expands the right to use deadly force to business employees who have reason to fear death or great bodily harm. Previously, state law allowed individuals to use deadly force only in their homes; HB 1449 expands that right to include their place of business.

Scholarship Act for Needy Children:  Senate Bill 969 would create the “Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship Act.” The bill would allow a tax credit equal to 50 percent of the amount contributed to a scholarship-granting organization up to $1,000 per person, $2,000 per couple or up to $100,000 per business entity. The total credit authorized could not exceed $1.75 million annually.  Scholarships funded through the tax credit program would serve children from low-income families and allow them to attend private schools. The privately funded scholarships would pay up to $5,000 or 80 percent of the average per-pupil expenditure in the school district where the recipient student resides. Scholarships for special needs students under the bill would cover up to $25,000. Overall, the bill provides for a maximum $5 million in annual credits allowed - $3.5 million would go to individual scholarships, while the remaining $1.5 million would fund grants to help rural schools in areas where private school is not an option. Senate Bill 969 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on a 64-33 vote. It now returns to the state Senate for further consideration.

Teachers’ Retirement Reforms: Lawmakers voted this week to implement reforms that will shore up the financially troubled state teacher’s retirement fund and put it on a path to greater solvency. Senate Bill 377 will increase the retirement age for future teachers.  The increased retirement age would apply only to those entering the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma on or after November 1, 2011. Under the bill, career teachers whose age and years of service equal 90 would be allowed to retire at age 60 in order to receive full benefits.  Non-traditional teachers with fewer years of service could retire at age 65 with full benefits. The changes to the Oklahoma Teachers’ Retirement System take into account changes that have occurred since plan was established in 1943. During the 1940s, life expectancy was age 64, but the normal retirement age for teachers in the system was 70. Today, life expectancy is 78, but many teachers can retire in their 50s. Offering early retirement benefits coupled with increased longevity have been significant factors to the poor funding status of OTRS. The Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma is currently one of the worst-funded public pension plans in the country at 48 percent funded with $10.4 billion in unfunded liability.  The reforms in Senate Bill 377 will help reverse that status. According to estimates, the proposed changes would produce $1.4 billion in savings over the next 30 years, and achieve even greater savings of $4.8 billion over 50 years. Senate Bill 377 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives today on a bipartisan vote of 66-24. The bill now returns to the state Senate for consideration.

Anti-Discrimination: Oklahoma voters will have the opportunity to outlaw state-sanctioned discrimination under legislation approved by House lawmakers. Senate Joint Resolution 15 submits a proposed constitutional amendment to a vote of the people. The proposed amendment declares, “The state shall not grant preferential treatment to, or discriminate against, any individual or group on the basis of race, color, sex, ethnicity or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education or public contracting.” Senate Joint Resolution 15 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on a 59-14 vote. It now goes to the November 2012 ballot.

Restrictions on Telemarketers:  Senate Bill 398 amends the Telemarketer Restriction Act so that cell phone numbers and text messages are off-limits to telemarketers if a citizen is on the statewide registry for those not wishing to be contacted by telemarketers.
Senate Bill 398 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on a 97-0 vote. The measure will now return to the state Senate for further consideration.

Legislation moving 2012 presidential primary:  Following Senate passage this week, House Bill 1614 now awaits the governor’s signature. The bill would move Oklahoma’s presidential primary from February to March. New national rules adopted by Republicans and Democrats are forcing states like Oklahoma to move their primaries to March if they want to participate in the national conventions. Under the new national rules, only Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada can have February, 2012 presidential primaries. Oklahoma’s primary will be the first Tuesday in March, the earliest date allowed under the new rules. The measure now heads to the Governor.

Rail Expansion: Gov. Mary Fallin has signed into law HB1686, the Eastern Flyer Passenger Rail Initiative. This measure originated as an interim study and has evolved through the process to emerge as a vehicle to advance mutual understanding of Transportation P3 (Public-Private Partnership) with the goal of extending passenger rail to Tulsa. The Heartland Flyer presently carries passengers from Ft. Worth to Oklahoma City, and according to studies done by the Texas Transportation Institute, small towns along the route are benefiting to the profit level of $18 million in lodging, meals, shopping and entertainment, annually.  New projects either now in development or on the drawing board for future development could benefit from exposure to the proposed Tulsa route. Chandler, Bristow and Sapulpa are directly in line to receive rail traffic.

Let me know how I can continue to be of service to you — and, Go Thunder!

Join Me. Stand Up. 

[a blog I wrote for Emerge46.com]

I was 12 years old when I first remember stepping foot in the Oklahoma State Capitol. My mom was making me attend a class, a government class, and it was Spring Break. I remember thinking, “Who in their right mind would spend their Spring Break at the Capitol?” I wanted nothing to do with politics or government.

Fast-forward nine years. On a sunny day in June 2010, I entered the Oklahoma State Capitol with a cashiers check and paperwork stating that I was filing to run for State Representative. I was 21 years old.

What happened over those nine years that caused me to do something like this? It all started when I had an opportunity to travel across the United States as a 19-year old – teaching high school students the political process, leadership, and how they could make a difference even at a young age. You see, our generation is falling away. Our generation is not standing up. Our generation is apathetic. While I was traveling, I was inspired by the young people I saw – people willing to stand up for what they believed in and work to make a difference, even though they may not even be able to vote.

When I signed my name on the dotted line to become a candidate, I was signing my name for our generation. I was running to stand up for us. In order for our generation to live in the Oklahoma we want to live in when we are 40, 50, 60 years old, we must get involved today. Standing up will not be a walk in the park. It should not be. A good friend once told me, “I don’t want to be the same person tomorrow that I am today.” Running for State Representative changed me. Standing up will change you. You and I are better because of the hard times we face when we stand. We don’t go through hard times on a whim; we go through hard times for a reason. We go through them so we can change — so we can be better tomorrow than we are today. As you and I grow, everything we experience, the good and the bad, will cause us to become a better Oklahoman. The question is, are you having those types of growing experiences? Experiences where you stepped out of your comfort zone, stood up for what you believed in.

Don’t waste these years of your life. Join me. Stand up. Do good. Make a difference for our generation and our future.

“I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.” – Frank Lloyd Wright

“It is time for us to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever, the one who recognizes the challenge and does something about it.” – Vince Lombardi

(Source: emerge46.com.php5-17.dfw1-2.websitetestlink.com)