OKLAHOMA CITY – State House leadership released preliminary budget numbers to the state Senate onTuesday, which allowed bills passed to the Senate Appropriations Committee to be heard and processed.
Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) Two bills co-sponsored by Boles were approved by Governor Kevin Stitt on April 18. Senate Bill 1569, which pertains to the Oklahoma Carbon Sequestration Enhancement Act and modifies agency jurisdiction over carbon sequestration, was authored by Sen. Dave Rader (R-Tulsa). Senate Bill 1535 pertains to modifying the duties and membership of the Oklahoma Low Carbon Energy Board, and was authored by Sen. George Burns (R-Pollard).
Three additional bills were sent to the Governor’s desk last week. They include:
•SB 1514, authored by Sen. Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle) and co-sponsored by Boles, which pertains to providing certain statutes of limitations be applied to the Commissioners of the Land Office as it relates to oil and gas leases.
• House Bill 4095, authored by Rep. Trey Caldwell (R-Lawton) and co-sponsored by Boles, which pertains to the Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Act.
• HB 3050, authored by Boles, and pertains to petroleum storage tanks and will modify the time frame for appeal and remove certain statutory references.
Rep. Trey Caldwell (R-Lawton) Two bills authored by Caldwell were sent to the Governor’s desk last week. They are:
• HB 4091, which pertains to fire districts and addresses specifically agreements for fire protection services by municipalities, procedures for disagreements over service areas, and directing disputes to be arbitrated by the Fire Marshal’s Commission, and
• HB 4095, which is the Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Act.
Rep. Toni Hasenbeck (R-Elgin) A bill authored by Hasenbeck, HB 3642, which pertains to crimes and punishments related to the Oklahoma Law on Obscenity and Child Pornography was sent to the Governor’s desk last week. The measure is intended to strengthen prosecution penalties for individuals who possess or create child pornography through artificial intelligence.
It ensures individuals who are convicted of child pornography crimes will face up to 20 years in prison and $25,000 in fines, according to a legislative press release. The bill amends existing law to also include computer-generated or altered images of children that are being used for exploitation.
In addition, two bills co-sponsored by Hasenbeck were sent to the Governor’s desk last week. They are:
• SB 1929, authored by Sen. Chris Kidd (R-Waurika) and pertains to modifying various provisions of the State Dental Act.
• SB 1470, authored by Sen. Pro Tem Greg Treat (R-Oklahoma City), will, if signed into law, create the Oklahoma Survivors’ Act. The measure will also direct the courts to consider certain mitigating factors in sentencing and establishing procedures for resentencing under certain circumstances. Rep. Gerrid Kendrix (R-Altus) Five bills authored or co-sponsored by Kendrix were approved by Gov. Stitt on April 18. The majority are related to the Oklahoma Sunset Laws and include:
• HB 2957, removing the State Capitol Preservation Commission from the Sunset Law.
• HB 2995, removing the Oklahoma Real Estate Commission from the Sunset Law.
• HB 1235 will eliminate termination dates of the Advisory Committees of licensing boards.
• SB 1231 will extend the sunset date for the Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners.
• SB 1232 will extend the sunset date for the Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.
Four additional bills were sent to the Governor’s desk last week. They include:
• HB 3560, which pertains to public finance annual reports and terminology.
• SB 1234, which will extend the sunset date for the State Board of Examiners of Perfusionists.
• SB 1229, which will extend the sunset date for the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Board, and
• SB 1230 which will extend the sunset date for the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission. Rep. Dick Lowe (R-Amber) A bill authored by Lowe, HB 2190, which will permit the Board of Education to establish funds to purchase high-deductible property insurance policies and transfer of money, was approved by Gov. Stitt on April 18.
Rep. Marcus McEntire (R-Duncan) Two bills co-sponsored by McEntire were sent to the Governor’s desk last week. They are:
• SB 1752, which pertains to Medicaid and modifying requirements for participation in certain premium assistance programs and modifying certain authority of the Insurance Department, and
• HB 1019, which pertains to the Central Purchasing Act and the sole source acquisition or sole brand acquisition. It also addresses the State Department of Health exemption for certain programs. Rep. Daniel Pae (R-Lawton) One bill, HB 4150, co-sponsored by Pae was sent to the Governor’s desk last week. It’s an act relating to homestead and exemptions and would amend a statute which relates to property exempt from bankruptcy proceedings. The measure would also expand exemption to include proceeds related to retirement plans or arrangements qualified for tax exemption or deferment purposes.
Rep. Rande Worthen (R-Lawton) Two bills co-sponsored by Worthen saw legislative action this week.
• SB 1711, which pertains to court proceedings and will extend authorization for videoconferencing to certain appearances was sent to the Governor’s desk on April 17.
• SB 1994, which addresses unlawful occupation of property, assistance from sheriff, complaints, exemption of liability and property damage passed the House floor last Wednesday. The measure would allow a property owner to request the sheriff of a county in which the property is located to immediately remove a person or persons unlawfully occupying real property if certain conditions are met.
Worthen pointed out in a House press release that the measure does not allow anyone in a landlord-tenant relationship to circumvent the Landlord- Tenant Act. It only applies to someone who is occupying private property and refusing to leave when asked.