NRA, Jefferson Highway, Republican Senate Agenda

 

Senator Micheal Bergstrom

Senate District 1

March 8, 2021

Deadlines approaching

The deadline to hear bills on the Senate floor that originated in our chamber is March 11, so we’ve been working overtime to ensure bills get a fair hearing. Just this past week alone, we advanced more than 160 measures that now await a hearing in the House.

I authored 12 of those measures. Two of those – Senate Resolution 6 and Senate Bill 8 – are described briefly below. I appreciate my colleagues recognizing their importance and moving them forward.

SR 6 encourages the National Rifle Association (NRA) to move their headquarters from Fairfax, Virginia, to Oklahoma. As many of you may know, the NRA is looking to move their incorporation from New York to Texas and are considering moving their headquarters as well.

Oklahoma would be the perfect place for the NRA to call home. We’re extremely protective of our Second Amendment rights, rank in the top 10 in the country for firearms sales, and unlike many states across the country, we’re open for business. Personal freedom and liberty are a cornerstone in our state, and I know the NRA would appreciate our gun and business-friendly climate here in Oklahoma.

SB 8 designates a route that largely follows State Highway 69 in Oklahoma as the “Historic Jefferson Highway Route.” named for President Thomas Jefferson and his role in the Louisiana Purchase. Established in 1915, the Jefferson Highway is actually the oldest highway to pass through Oklahoma, beating Route 66 by nearly 10 years. It cuts through Oklahoma from the Kansas to the Texas borders, and the entire highway stretches from Canada to New Orleans.

Designating this highway stretch as the Jefferson Route with consistent signage will help us develop one more major tourist destination for history buffs from across the nation. The route meanders through many of our small towns and could provide an economic boom to mom-and-pop shops and restaurants along and near its path. This measure now moves to the House of Representatives for their consideration. If it’s approved, it will head to the governor’s desk for his signature.

Advancing Oklahoma

Our Republican Caucus has also released our agenda for the year: Rebound and Advance. We’re focusing on helping Oklahoma recover from the far-ranging effects of the pandemic to become a state that grows, thrives and prospers once again. Some of our key focus points are growing and diversifying the economy, modernizing government services, investing in Oklahoma families and increasing access to high-speed internet. I’ll keep you updated on these priorities.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve. If you have an issue or concern, I want to know about it. Please call my office at 405-521-5561 or email me at Micheal.Bergstrom@oksenate.gov if there is anything I can help you with.

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Every 10 years, the Oklahoma Legislature is constitutionally required to redraw legislative and congressional district boundaries using the latest U.S. Census data. For more information about the Oklahoma Senate's redistricting process, visit www.oksenate.gov, or submit your redistricting questions at redistricting@oksenate.gov.

Evaluating Oklahoma's CareerTech System

 

Immediate Release: Oct. 2, 2020

Bergstrom studies Oklahoma CareerTech systems 

and student outcomes

OKLAHOMA CITY – As cutting-edge technology advancements continue to change the modern workforce, it’s critical for Oklahoman’s economy and future that our students are prepared for the ever-changing workforce.

That’s according to State Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, who hosted an interim study on Thursday regarding how the CareerTech system is preparing and funneling qualified employees into the state’s workforce.

Study participants heard from 16 speakers including business leaders, CareerTech center administrators, K-12 school superintendents and Dr. Marcie Mack, director for the Department of Career and Technology Education.

“How well Oklahoma’s CareerTech systems are meeting the needs of Oklahoma businesses is critically important,” Bergstrom said. “We must train and retrain our citizens to help them be successful in meeting the needs of our businesses, and we need to be agile enough in our system to meet changing needs. We also need to be able to quickly adapt so Oklahoma can provide the workforce needed by the industries we want to see established in our state.”

Bergstrom said it’s important to focus on return on investment when it comes to CareerTech programs and its students.

“We want to look not at just what the state gets back in tax dollars as CareerTech graduates go to work or start a business, but also the return on investment for our citizens who invest their valuable time and money into the programs,” Bergstrom said.

According to Mack, state CareerTech programs had a 94 percent positive placement rate in 2019, meaning nearly all graduates were employed after finishing their program. She added that CareerTech works with K-12, higher education and business and industry leaders to develop curriculum and educational alignment for career pathways and needs across the state.

One example of CareerTech programs working with business and industry leaders to develop the state’s workforce is Tulsa Technology Center’s partnership with Oklahoma based aerospace manufacturing and repair company Nordam. Bailey Siegfried, Nordam’s vice president of culture, communication, IT, HR and corporate responsibility, said their partnership with Tulsa Tech has led to the training of about 500 of their employees in the last year alone.

He explained their partnership with CareerTech is collaborative – rather than the educational material being built without input, the company works with Tulsa Tech to develop practical curriculum that can translate immediately to the workforce.

Student organizations through CareerTech, like the National FFA Organization, can also create a pipeline of qualified workers into industries in need of a skilled workforce like the meat packing industry.

COVID-19 underscored the vulnerability of the meat packing industry and how quickly it can be taken down by a nationwide event such as a health pandemic, explained Jake Nelson from the Oklahoma/Texas Meat Processors Association.

He said agricultural education programs and FFA through CareerTech can help create interest in the meat packing industry through meat judging teams and related curriculum, which will help train and produce skilled professionals to expand and grow local processing plants.

“While Oklahoma has probably the best CareerTech infrastructure in the nation, there’s always room for improvement,” Bergstrom said. “This study was eye-opening because it truly showcased how many students and businesses across the state are touched and trained by CareerTech programs. I will continue to be a huge supporter of our CareerTech programs and strongly encourage my colleagues to take a look at the positive steps these programs have taken to train our students to be productive and skilled employees in the ever-changing workforce.”

For more information, contact:
Sen. Micheal Bergstrom at 405-521-5561, or email Micheal.Bergstrom@oksenate.gov. 

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MAKE IT COUNT OKLAHOMA!  An undercount in the census of just 2 percent can cost the state $1.8billion in lost federal money over the next 10 years. Fill out your census form, Oklahoma. Learn more at: www.2020census.gov.

Understanding the McGirt ruling -- Oklahoma property rights, criminal law & the U.S. Supreme Court

Oklahoma State Senate
Senator Micheal Bergstrom

Senate District 1

July 13, 2020

Capitol Considerations by Senator Micheal Bergstrom

Understanding the McGirt ruling     

     The Supreme Court handed down an opinion last week that will drastically change the court system in our state, specifically in Eastern Oklahoma.

     For those that need a little background—this case centered around Jimmy McGirt, a Seminole man who argued that he could not be found guilty of his sex crimes by the state of Oklahoma because the actions in question took place on Muscogee Creek Nation lands that were guaranteed to the nation in an 1866 treaty.

     Ultimately, the Supreme Court sided with McGirt in a split 5-4 decision ruling that the Muscogee Creek Nation reservation was not officially terminated at Oklahoma statehood. This ruling now means that essentially all of Eastern Oklahoma is still considered an Indian Reservation when it comes to criminal law.

     For those concerned about what this ruling means, please do not panic. It doesn’t take away your property rights, and you still live in the state of Oklahoma. However, this ruling will impact crimes committed by a tribal member on Native American lands, as well as crimes committed by non-tribal members against tribal victims on this land.

     Basically, tribal members serving sentences on state law crimes now have a cause of action and a path to potentially have their conviction overturned and release granted, since the ruling stated that Oklahoma didn’t have jurisdiction over these crimes. This does not mean that every incarcerated Native American will suddenly be released from prison, and any crime committed by a non-tribal member on tribal land will still be prosecuted by the state. Cases impacted by the ruling will be litigated on a case-by-case basis, and some crimes could be newly prosecuted if they fall under the federal Major Crimes Act, General Crimes Act, or Assimilative Crimes Act; or the crime is not included as a crime in the tribal code; and it is not beyond the statute of limitations.

     Because of the impact this ruling will have on the judicial system, Attorney General Mike Hunter and the Muscogee Creek, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole Nations announced that they’ve made substantial progress toward an agreement in addressing the significant jurisdictional issues raised by the Supreme Court’s decision. They will present this plan of action to Congress and the U.S. Department of Justice. In a joint statement, the group also reiterated that they remain committed to ensuring all offenders face justice for crimes they’ve committed.

     It will be interesting to see how this ruling plays out over the course of the next few months and years. I’ll keep a close eye on this and update you as more information becomes available.

     Finally, thank you for the confidence you have placed in me to serve as your State Senator for another four-year term. I know we have our work cut out for us, but I’m positive we can make a true difference in our state by working together. As always, if there is something I can help you with, please feel free to reach out to my office. You can email me at Micheal.Bergstrom@oksenate.gov or call 405-521-5561.

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MAKE IT COUNT OKLAHOMA! An undercount in the census of just 2 percent can cost the state $1.8 billion in lost federal money over the next 10 years. Fill out your census form, Oklahoma. Learn more at: www.2020census.gov.

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Oklahoma Reopening & Unemployment Issues

Oklahoma State Senate
Senator Micheal Bergstrom

Senate District 1

May 1, 2020

Capitol Considerations by Senator Micheal Bergstrom

Uemployment and reopening the state

As Oklahoma prepares to fully reopen over the next month, there have been many questions about unemployment benefits and who will remain eligible, as well as how the reopening will take place.

As most everyone knows, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) has had its problems. Let’s just say they started off understaffed and with an antiquated system to deal with the situation that COVID-19 put us in.

OESC’s call center staffing started at 26 and now it’s at more than 500. The website has undergone a major upgrade to allow a higher volume of applications to be processed in a quicker time period. So, if you have lost your job, the easiest way to apply for unemployment benefits should be online at oesc.ok.gov.

But for many, that has not been the reality. In the last couple weeks, my assistant and I have assisted hundreds of individuals who couldn’t get their benefits straightened out. That, by the way, is what we’re here to do.

For those of you without an income because of the pandemic, it is imperative that you get the help to get by. However, it’s important to remember that unemployment compensation is not a long-term solution.

It is great that those who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic may receive not only the standard unemployment benefit, but also an extra $600 per week from the federal CARES Act. As a result, there are some making more money on unemployment than they made at their jobs.

But what if your employer reopens? What if the business gets the federal Payroll Protection Plan funding and tells employees to come back to work?

First, remember that unemployment benefits are intended to be a stopgap; temporary.

If an employer reopens and an employee chooses not to return thinking he or she can make more on unemployment, that’s a big mistake.

If you don’t go back to work you will lose your unemployment benefits.

This point was emphasized during a conversation I participated in with U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia a couple days ago. He made it clear that a person’s eligibility for unemployment expires when he or she fails to return to work.

So, let’s look at where we are in Oklahoma and at the Governor’s recommended guidelines.

Phase one of the state’s reopening began on April 24 when personal care businesses like nail and hair salons, barbershops, spas and pet groomers were to open in most of the state as long as they follow social distancing and health protocols from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Restaurants, entertainment and sporting venues, movie theaters and gyms were to open on May 1 with similar protocols. Churches are asked to leave every other pew or row open.

If we do not see a surge in cases, we should move to phase two of the plan on May 15 with the reopening of organized sports activities and bars, again with social distancing.

Should everything remain stable, phase three begins on June 1.

What’s in phase three? Not much detail yet, but summer and church camps should feel free to open at this point.

The steps to reopen the economy are in place and I’m excited for Oklahomans to get back to work. Although there is light at the end of the tunnel, please remember that things will not simply go back to normal. We will want to be careful as we move forward, especially in regard to protecting our most vulnerable.

At the same time, Oklahoma must get back to work so we can rebuild our economy and return to our daily lives.

Thank you for allowing me to serve you. If I can help you during this time, please reach out to my office. You can email me at Micheal.Bergstrom@oksenate.gov or call 405-521-5561.

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MAKE IT COUNT OKLAHOMA! An undercount in the census of just 2 percent can cost the state $1.8 billion in lost federal money over the next 10 years. Fill out your census form, Oklahoma. Learn more at: www.2020census.gov.

Budget Failure, Oklahoma Reopening, Legislature At Work

Capitol Considerations by Senator Micheal Bergstrom

A whirlwind of a week

This past week brought a whirlwind of events that are critical to Oklahoma’s future.

Monday, April 20 marked a historic day in our nation when the price of oil plunged nearly 300 percent to minus $37 a barrel. This is the first time in history that oil futures dropped below zero. This is also a severe blow to Oklahoma’s tax revenue and an important industry in our state. The reasons for this are a steep drop in demand for oil as folks avoid traveling, exacerbated by the oil production feud between Saudi Arabia and Russia. Simply put, too much supply and too little demand for oil.

The Board of Equalization also met on Monday and officially declared a revenue failure for the 2020 budget. The legislature had previously passed legislation that allows money from our state’s savings account to backfill this year’s budget gap since it is a Senate priority to ensure no core services are cut during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Next year’s budget is a different problem.

The state will receive an estimated $2.2 billion in CARES Act funds from the federal government to provide relief from the virus. The vast majority of these monies—approximately $1.5 billion—will go to the general Coronavirus Relief Fund. The state will receive 55 percent of this $1.5 billion, and the remaining 45 percent will go to Oklahoma County, Tulsa County and the City of Oklahoma City. About $340 million of our state’s CARES Act funds will be allocated to education, with common education receiving a little more than $160 million, higher education receiving about a $144 million, and $40 million has been given to the discretion of the executive branch to spend in support of education. Other miscellaneous groups will receive the remaining funding, like childcare and development centers, community health centers and congregate and home-delivered meals programs.

Oklahoma received $767 million of the $2.2 billion in funding on Friday, April 17. We are still waiting for clarification on how exactly the funds can be used and if they could be used in the 2021 budget. The latest prediction from the Board of Equalization is that we could have a little more than a billion dollars less to spend in 2021 than we had in 2020. This situation is very fluid, but I’m hopeful some of these Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars could go to help stabilize the 2021 budget.

The governor unveiled his plan to get Oklahomans back to work and re-open our economy on Wednesday. As of Friday, April 24, personal care businesses like hair and nail salons, barbershops, spas and pet groomers could re-open for appointments only. Social distancing and Centers for Disease Control recommendations should still apply.

On May 1, dining, entertainment, movie theaters, sports venues, gyms, tattoo parlors and places of worship can also re-open, as long as they follow the same social distancing and CDC guidelines. If hospital and incident rates remain at a manageable level for 14 days, Governor Stitt will implement phase two of the three phase re-opening plan. More detailed information can be found at www.okcommerce.gov.

The legislature is still working while taking the proper precautions to keep everyone safe. I was at the Capitol this past week participating in committee meetings to confirm executive nominations to numerous boards and commissions across the state. Most folks joined the meetings virtually, but there were a few of us that came in-person. We are also working with leadership to determine which bills are essential to complete action on this legislative session. As always, writing and passing the budget is of the utmost importance.

If I can help you during this time, please reach out to my office. You can email me at Micheal.Bergstrom@oksenate.gov or call 405-521-5561.

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MAKE IT COUNT OKLAHOMA! An undercount in the census of just 2 percent can cost the state $1.8 billion in lost federal money over the next 10 years. Fill out your census form, Oklahoma. Learn more at: www.2020census.gov.

Getting Oklahoma Back To Work - Covid-19 Recovery

Capitol Considerations by Senator Micheal Bergstrom

Let’s get Oklahoma back to work

It's time to prepare our state and nation for a COVID-19 recovery. If we don’t, we risk destroying our economy and local businesses.

It’s been a little more than a month since the first positive case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Oklahoma. Since then, much of our economy has come to a screeching halt for the safety of our citizens.

The virus is extremely contagious and can be very deadly, especially for those older than 65 or with underlying health issues. So keeping our citizens safe must remain the top priority.

But should the cure be worse than the illness?

Our country and state are on a slippery slope to a recession or even worse. Unemployment records have been shattered. More than 50,000 Oklahomans filed claims for unemployment last week. Prior to the outbreak, the record weekly high was 9,778 claims. Before mid-March, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission typically processed 1,500 to 2,000 claims per week.

We must plan NOW for our recovery.

While it is important to keep everyone safe and healthy, hiding out in our homes and keeping our businesses closed is not a long-term solution to the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve shared warnings about how dangerous this disease is, and my opinion on this has not changed. But we also need to find a better way to move forward as soon as possible. We must recharge our economy–sooner rather than later.

Phased In Approach

The question is how do we get there.

A phased in approach is probably a good idea. I was pleased to hear Governor Stitt say today that he is developing a plan to get the state’s economy up and running as fast as possible since the modeling is showing that Oklahoma has been very successful at “flattening the curve.” He announced that hospitals may begin performing elective surgeries on April 24.

It makes sense to allow businesses that have been deemed “non-essential” to institute social distancing and preventative measures and reopen if that is possible. In areas of the state where infections have been low or non-existent, he should consider modifying his restrictions.

A few days ago I listened to Dr. Tom Frieden, the former director of the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention, offer a plan to get the country recovering. Calling his proposal “Box It In,” in a nutshell, his plan has four steps: test widely, isolate the infected, locate those who have had close contact with the infected, and self-quarantine anyone who has come in contact with a positive COVID-19 patient for two weeks.

This may sound like what we are currently doing, but there is one difference: once we have expanded accurate testing, we urge those who are not infected to go back to work and/or open their businesses.

We must continue to practice social distancing.

We must continue preventative measures like cleaning surfaces frequently with disinfectants and washing hands.

Those who are the most vulnerable to serious illness from the virus should continue to be careful and self-isolate for the time being.

BUT–this is a way forward for those of us who are able to work.

Testing

Unfortunately, we don’t have wide enough testing yet for Frieden’s plan to be successful.

Still, progress is being made, and when antibody tests ramp up we will be able to tell not only who is infected with the virus, but also who has recovered from the virus–often without even knowing they had it.

Moving forward

So perhaps what we need is a combination of the steps I mentioned earlier for the businesses where safe practices can most quickly be instituted, then as testing improves implement a “Box It In” approach so we can get every business open.

Most Oklahomans are taking this seriously. Most realize the death rate, especially for the elderly and those with existing health issues, is far worse than the seasonal flu. But I also believe most Oklahomans know the current shutdown cannot and should not last any longer than absolutely necessary. Oklahomans want to get back to work.

We should start planning to re-open our businesses. I am encouraged by the data and by the Governor’s latest statements that Oklahoma will soon be moving toward getting our economy up and running and hopefully become a model for other states across the country.

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MAKE IT COUNT OKLAHOMA! An undercount in the census of just 2 percent can cost the state $1.8 billion in lost federal money over the next 10 years. Fill out your census form, Oklahoma. Learn more at: www.2020census.gov.

Why is Covid-19 treated different from flu? An Excellent Question

Capitol Considerations by Senator Micheal Bergstrom

Why is COVID-19 treated different than the flu?

I have often been asked why we are behaving differently toward the COVID-19 virus than we do the seasonal flu. After all, tens of thousands tend to die each year in the United States from the flu.

I consider that to be an excellent question, not just because it was the first thing I wondered when we began hearing about this virus, but because it points us to the heart of this pandemic.

For the flu we have three important things: testing, treatments and vaccines. Without those, our flu season would often be an even more terrible season of death.

Here is what we didn’t have when COVID-19 hit America: TESTING, TREATMENTS AND VACCINES.

Another thing we are missing is data, and we are still missing a lot of this. Part of this is because China lied to the world about the danger of this virus and how it is transmitted. They also continue to lie and cover up the extent of the epidemic in their own country.

As we look across the world, we have seen hospitals overwhelmed because governments failed to act quickly. Death rates have escalated quickly as supplies, hospital beds and ventilators ran out.

That is what we are trying to avoid here in the United States and in Oklahoma.
We do know that Covid-19 is far deadlier than the seasonal flu. (See comparison chart.)

President Trump took extraordinary measures to mitigate virus spread in our nation, beginning with the travel bans instituted in January. He was initially insulted and mocked for these actions, but now is being accused by the same folks of not acting fast enough. 
(And yes, President Trump is correct in calling for an end to the restrictions as quickly as possible, to reopen our businesses, get our citizens back to work, and return our economy to running on all cylinders.)

Governor Kevin Stitt began ratcheting up restrictions in Oklahoma in hopes of flattening the transmission curve of the virus among Oklahomans, and he has been working with the State's agencies to get our healthcare system prepared and properly supplied, and able to know who has been exposed to the virus.

One of the things we need now is widespread testing to determine all who are infected and all who are recovered. As we have been able to acquire test kits, Oklahoma has ramped up testing, with about 1,970 positive tests as of April 12, but also about 21,000 negatives. This is good news. While it is too early to make any general determinations from this, it does suggest we are moving in the right direction. It would seem that the vast majority of Oklahomans are free of the disease. It also means that we are probably catching a large percentage of those who have the virus (but not those who have fully recovered and didn't know they had it.)

TESTING:

More tests are arriving. Plus, there is a new antibody test which will let us know who has had the virus, perhaps without even knowing it.

Why is this Important? If you have had the virus, you are now immune and safe to be in the community and work. Recovered patients can also donate blood plasma, which can be used to treat up to three people who are seriously ill with the virus.

TREATMENTS:

There have been some experimental treatments that appear to be working, like chloroquine combined with antibiotics, as well as the plasma treatments I just referenced. Other “off label” drug treatments are also showing promise. There are other possible treatments also being developed, like synthetic antibodies.

VACCINES:

There are currently two vaccines beginning human trials in America, and there are more coming. Researchers at OU Medical Center are also working on a vaccine. This is extraordinary. Oxford University's vaccine could be ready as early as September.

MOVING FORWARD:

Once we start receiving significant empirical evidence and data, which is starting to come in, we need to reevaluate how our governments have responded to this pandemic. Those who have immunity need to go back to work right away. The restrictions in place need to be lessened and/or removed as quickly as possible.

I am hopeful that as we receive more robust testing and data, our nation and state will be on the way to recovery. However, until then, the focus must be on protecting the lives and health of Oklahomans.

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MAKE IT COUNT OKLAHOMA! An undercount in the census of just 2 percent can cost the state $1.8 billion in lost federal money over the next 10 years. Fill out your census form, Oklahoma. Learn more at: www.2020census.gov.