OKLAHOMA CITY – State House Appropriations and Budget Vice Chairman Trey Caldwell recently praised the hard work of the House budget staff to negotiate a good budget for all Oklahomans. An agreement with the state Senate was reached last Wednesday for the Fiscal Year 2025 budget.
“Over many weeks and months, dating back to last fall, the House has been dedicated to a transparent budget process that addresses the needs of our citizens and is fiscally responsible for the future of our state. Today’s (May 22) budget agreement delivers a budget that will do exactly that,” Rep. Caldwell said in a press release. Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) Two bills co-sponsored by Rep. Boles and authored by Sen. Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle) were sent to the governor last week and are pending approval.
Senate Bill 1370 is designed to create the Oklahoma Low Carbon Energy Initiative and specifically addresses amending sources of funds and duties. The Initiative would serve as a strategic program to create, advance, and promote new and existing energy research and development, use, supply chain activity, and infrastructure related to Oklahoma’s core energy competencies. In part, the measure will also promote research and development in the areas of conventional and unconventional oil and natural gas development and production, hydrogen production, storage and distribution, CO2 enhanced oil recovery, wind forecasting, advanced biofuels, energy storage, water management, nuclear energy, energy policy and economic analysis, energy system optimization, renewable energy integration into the electrical grid, and similar energy technologies.
SB 1505 is set to provide rebates for emission reduction projects and creates a fund. The measure states that new and innovative technologies should be encouraged and incentivized and will create the Oklahoma Emission Reduction Technology Rebate Program. A rebate will be made available in the amount of up to 25% of documented expenditures made in this state and that is directly attributable to the implementation of a qualified emission reduction project. Rep. Trey Caldwell (R-Lawton) Two bills co-sponsored by Rep. Caldwell were approved by the governor in recent legislative action.
House Bill 2912, which pertains to emergency management and created the State Assistance Dedicated for Disaster-impacted Local Economies Revolving Fund. The measure appropriated funds and established expenditure procedures. The fund is a continuing fund and not subject to fiscal year limitations. Expenditures will be made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer’s Office against claims filed as prescribed by law with the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for approval and payment.
HB 2913 also pertains to emergency management and appropriating disaster and emergency management funding, revolving funds, amounts, sources and purposes. The measure went into effect immediately on the approval of the governor and appropriated $45 million to the fund. Rep. Dick Lowe (R-Amber) A 2023 carryover bill authored by Rep. Lowe, HB 2185, pertaining to agriculture pesticide application was approved by the governor last week. The measure will modify some rules and standards and create uniformity between the requirements of Oklahoma and those prescribed by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Due to an emergency tag attached to the bill, it immediately became law upon the governor’s approval.
A bill co-sponsored by Lowe, SB 5, was also approved by the governor last week. It pertains to city and county library commissions and modifies meeting dates. In part, the measure states that the commission will hold at least four meetings per year and at other times as deemed necessary by the commission. All meetings will be open to the public.
Rep. Marcus McEntire (R-Duncan) A bill pertaining to school suicide awareness and drug abuse policies, SB 175, co-sponsored by Rep. McEntire, was approved by the governor last week. The measure states, in part, that the Board of Education of each school district in the state is required to adopt a policy regarding suicide awareness and training and requires the staff to report student drug abuse. Each Board is also required to provide training to all staff members in their first year employed by their district and then no less than once every fifth academic year, addressing suicide awareness and prevention. The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services will provide curriculum at no cost to the school districts. The course outline for the curriculum will also be made available to the public online through the school district website. In addition, the law goes into effect on July 1. Rep. Daniel Pae (R-Lawton) A bill co-sponsored by Rep. Pae, SB 11, which, in part, is a restorative workforce bill requested by Prison Fellowship was approved by the governor. Last Thursday, Pae thanked Gov. Stitt in a press release for signing a bill that will encourage incarcerated individuals to learn a new skill or trade before they complete their sentence and reenter society.
“This gives incarcerated individuals an opportunity to apply for tuition aid assistance if they enroll in a degree program,” he said. “Research shows us that these individuals are 40% less likely to recidivate with this type of education and training, and every one dollar invested in correctional education leads to five dollars in cost savings to taxpayers.”
SB 11 allows an incarcerated individual who is within five years of being released to be eligible for a state tuition aid grant. The law takes effect on July 1.