Oklahoma
State Senate
Senator
Micheal Bergstrom
Senate
District 1
April 29, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Senator Micheal Bergstrom
State Capitol: (405) 521-5561
by Senator Micheal Bergstrom
Progress In the Capitol
Much has been accomplished in the
Oklahoma legislature this session so far. In the Senate we have been vetting
and confirming the Governor’s agency and cabinet appointments while working
through the normal legislative process.
Last week marked the twelfth week
of session and the deadline to have House bills off the Senate floor. By the
end of the legislative week, 255 House bills had passed off the Senate floor,
and on the House side, 288 Senate bills had passed off the House floor.
As
of the end last week, Governor Stitt has signed 64 Senate bills, including four
of mine.
Budget
negotiations are advancing.
We
anticipate a $400 million deposit into the Rainy Day Fund due to a revenue
surplus, bringing the total amount in the Rainy Day Fund close to $850 million.
The
Republican Senate caucus will do a deep dive into budget numbers this week as
the final budget discussions get underway. Education, of course, remains a top
priority. Our intent is to give a significant increase to K-12 education
funding. Whether much of that goes to another teacher pay raise or if the funds
go into the formula to improve classroom funding is still being negotiated.
The four priority items for
Senate Republicans this year continue to progress well.
The
government accountability measure has already been signed into law, while the
other three items are still advancing.
The
LOFT (legislative budget office bill) has passed off the House floor with the
title off and House and Senate leadership is working together to see this bill
through.
Criminal
justice reform saw advancement last week as well. The Senate advanced a series
of eight criminal justice reform measures that continue to build on the reforms
started last year to provide uniformity of certain drug offenses, improve
parole supervision and cap excessive sentences for nonviolent offenses. These
bills strike a fair balance between protecting public safety and adopting
comprehensive criminal justice reforms that can provide opportunities for
rehabilitation.
Senate
Bill 441, the bill that encourages more instructional time for the students of
Oklahoma, passed in the House last week, after they added an amendment to
include a $1,500 pay raise for teachers. The proposal would allow school
districts to utilize either 180 days of classroom time, 1,080 hours of
classroom time with a minimum of 165 days of classroom time, or 1,080 hours
with no minimum of days of classroom time if districts are granted an exemption
for meeting guidelines for the school’s academic performance and financial
savings. These avenues provide for local control and increased flexibility, but
still prioritize public education and Oklahoma students.
Correctional
officer pay is also being addressed this session as well, with the Senate
advancing House Bill 2622, which provides a $2/hour pay raise. Correctional
officers have a crucial role in public safety and it’s my hope we can give them
a well-deserved raise, either through legislation or the budget process.
Workers’
compensation reform was advanced last week when the Senate advanced House Bill
2367 to align legislation with Oklahoma Supreme Court rulings and clean-up
previous reforms. The measure was approved with the title off so there is still
more work to do. Replacing the old worker’s comp court system is important, as
it helps create a more hospitable climate for the creation of jobs across the
state.
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