Children the focus of many approved interim studies

OKLAHOMA CAPITOL — Ninety-three separate interim studies were requested by state representatives this year. House Speaker Jeff Hickman approved eighty-three studies this week. Sixty-one separate studies are available to be scheduled between August 5 and November 12 because twenty-two of the approved studies were combined with similar studies. Ten requests were not approved. 

One-third of the approved studies will address issues related to children. Studies of the repeal of the Common Core State Standards earlier this year and the potential benefits of medical marijuana for children are among the 28 studies approved that concern children. Below is a list of these interim studies:

Related to adoption and foster care: 

• 14-047 requested by Rep. Ann Coody was combined with 14-054 seeks to explore “Reuniting foster children with biological families and other possible solutions in seeking their optimal welfare” including “the best possible solution in finding a permanent home environment for foster children.” 

• 14-048 requested by Rep. Ann Coody will study “the necessity of an additional background check for certified educators who work in DHS before- and after-school programs.” Assigned to the Common Education Committee. 

• 14-054 requested by Reps. Sean Roberts and Wade Rousselot will consider reforms to the state’s adoption laws. Assigned to the Human Services Committee.

Related to child trafficking and sexual abuse:

• 14-014 requested by Rep. Lee Denney will examine Erin’s Law, a “Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Education” program. Assigned to the Human Services Committee. 

• 14-055 requested by Rep. Sean Roberts will study child trafficking by studying “ways to combat the crime of human trafficking and identifying services available to victims.” Assigned to the Public Safety Committee.

Related to Common Core and academic standards:

• 14-049 requested by Rep. Ann Coody will consider the question, “After Common Core – what next? A study of the possible solutions in developing and implementing rigorous educational standards for Oklahoma’s students.” Assigned to the House Common Education Committee. 

• 14-059 requested by Rep. Ann Coody was combined with 14-049 and will explore the “impact of HB3399 on Oklahoma’s schools and steps which should be taken to mitigate the concerns of Oklahoma’s schools, administrators, teachers and students.  Costs and process for writing new standards.” 

• 14-064 requested by Rep. David Brumbaugh was combined with 14-049 and seeks to study “Common Ed testing.” 

• 14-076 requested by Rep. Jadine Nollan will study “The Transferability of High School Credits between Schools and its Effects on Student Graduation. The study would examine the standards and procedures for which public high schools accept transfer credits, as many transfer students fail to graduate on time due to insufficient credits.  A review of the different graduation credit requirements by school district should be included in the study.” Assigned to the Common Education Committee. 

• 14-092 requested by Reps. Joe Dorman, Donnie Condit, Curtis McDaniel and Dustin Roberts was combined with 14-049 and seeks to study “Education Standards, Assessments and Testing” including “Developing Age-appropriate Oklahoma Standards, Reviewing Standards Associated with Common Core, NCLB, and other Programs; What is Necessary to keep NCLB Waiver.”

Related to student testing: 

• 14-025 requested by Rep. Leslie Osborn was combined with 14-049 will study state and federal student testing policies. Specific issues to be reviewed include: “duplicative testing, testing alignment status, costs, use of tests to evaluate teacher effectiveness, testing special ed students, test results as a true criterion result, possible other testing options to meet career & academic guidelines, testing vendors and accountability on the product.” 

• 14-068 requested by Rep. Ann Coody will study “Proper Transition from K-12 to Higher Education / Career Technology” including “End of Instruction Exams” and “Alabama’s Experiment with ACT Aspire.” Assigned to the Higher Education Committee. 

• 14-070 requested by Rep. Jadine Nollan will study the “Implications of High-Stakes Testing for Students with Learning Disabilities. The study would address the most significant risks posed by high-stakes for students with learning disabilities, as well as the barriers to success on high-stakes testing for students with learning disabilities.” Assigned to the Common Education Committee.

Related to education funding:

• 14-004 requested by Rep. Dan Fisher will study “Funding for schools that find themselves surrounded by federal property and thus have their tax base greatly reduced and suffer from reduced operating funds to no fault of their own. We would like to add the 12 districts / schools that are affected by this issue at a later date.” Assigned to the Appropriations and Budget Committee. 

• 14-067 requested by Rep. Ann Coody will study the “State Funding Formula Weights for Special Education. What state/federal legal hurdles stand in the way of necessary data collection? How would Oklahoma update its school funding formula for special education weighting?” Assigned to the Appropriations and Budget Committee. 

• 14-089 requested by Reps. Joe Dorman, Donnie Condit, Curtis McDaniel and Dustin Roberts was combined with 14-004 and seeks to study “Education Funding for Per Pupil Spending and Adequate Resources for Classrooms.” 

Related to schools:

• 14-016 requested by Rep. Lee Denney will explore the future of K8 school districts. Assigned to the Common Education Committee. 

• 14-069 requested by Rep. Ann Coody will study the “Effectiveness of Oklahoma’s Public Charter Schools” and “What effective strategies are taking place in Oklahoma’s public charter schools that can be replicated in the k-12 setting?” Assigned to the Common Education Committee.

Related to student support: 

• 14-071 requested by Rep. Emily Virgin will study “Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and CareerTech.” Assigned to the Higher Education Committee.

Related to teachers:

• 14-046 requested by Rep. Ann Coody will explore preparing teachers and prospective teachers to recognize symptoms of dyslexia in students including the “role of higher education teacher preparation programs and professional development.” Assigned to the Common Education Committee.

Related to health:

• 14-043 requested by Rep. Dan Kirby will consider the “benefits of Athletic trainer required at youth sporting events in Oklahoma.” Assigned to the Public Health Committee. 

• 14-063 requested by Rep. Jon Echols will study “Allowing medical trials in the state of Oklahoma for the use of non-intoxicating CBD Oil for severe seizure disorders in children.” Assigned to the Public Health Committee.  

• 14-085 requested by Rep. Todd Thomsen was combined with 14-063 and seeks to study “Medical Marijuana for Children. The study would take a narrow look at the medical use of marijuana in childhood disorder; seizures, etc. Included would be experts in the field, parents, law enforcement, and pediatricians.”  

• 14-091 requested by Rep. Joe Dorman was combined with 14-063 and seeks to study “Medical Treatments for Children with Seizures & Regulation of Experimental Medicines.”

Related to Marriage and Families:

• 14-012 requested by Rep. Jeannie McDaniel was combined with 14-023. Rep. McDaniel seeks to “examine the cost and benefit to the state and its citizens concerning the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative.”  

• 14-023 requested by Reps. Mark McCullough, Lee Denney, Jason Nelson and Jadine Nollan will examine “Effective Interventions for the Potential Negative Impacts on Learning in Children from Single Parent, Divorced and Dysfunctional Homes.” Combined with 14-012 and assigned to the Human Services Committee.

Related to juvenile justice: 

• 14-065 requested by Rep. Todd Thomsen will study “Juvenile offender rehabilitation programs and incarceration options with low recidivism rates. The goal is to take a long term view of where we are currently in dealing with Juvenile offenders and evaluate effective options to be considered for the future.” 

• 14-075 requested by Reps. Seneca Scott and Kevin Matthews was combined with 14-065 and will explore “Ongoing data collection in Juvenile Justice and effective use of research and evaluation findings.” The study will “Gather and analyze data to document system problems and identify potential solutions based on available research regarding what may and may not work to reduce Disproportionate Minority Contact.” 

A study of “Educational Benefits of a Broad Education Focus” requested by Rep. Todd Thomsen was one of the ten requests not approved. The request described the study as, “an in-depth look at all programs including extra-curricular activities and elective classes such as music, art, sports that strengthen the education of a child.  Is the current direction of education promoting these important components of education?  What can be done to improve these aspects in the focus of education.  To include art educators, music educator, coaches.” 

Each approved interim study was assigned to a standing committee. The chairpersons of the committees to which studies were assigned will work with the requesting members to schedule hearings for each interim study. Questions about specific interim studies should be directed to the members requesting the study.  

Link to list of all approved studies: http://www.okhouse.gov/Committees/ShowInterimStudies.aspx

Link to related story: 2014 House Interim Studies Announced

2014 House Interim Studies Announced

OKLAHOMA CAPITOL — House Speaker Jeff Hickman today posted the list of approved 2014 Interim Studies.

Interim studies will be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays this year. Interim Studies can begin August 5th and must end no later than November 12th.

In an effort to keep permanent records of the important work that is conducted for current and future legislators, the author of each study will be required to file a report for each interim study that is conducted. Reports should include the date, time and location of the hearing/hearings and should also include contact information for any outside presenters or participants. A brief summary of the topics discussed by the author of the study and presenters should be included in the report. All handouts, PowerPoint presentations or documents used at the hearing/hearings should also be included. Interim Study Reports will be posted online on the House Website.

In a continued effort to increase transparency in the Interim Study process, reports will be archived with supporting documents so legislators, staff and the public can review in future years.

“This interim study period serves as one of our most important periods in the legislative process,” Speaker Jeff Hickman said. “The ability to meet, gather data, and query experts on matters that are important to the state is an invaluable tool.”

Link to 2014 Interim Studies: http://www.okhouse.gov/Committees/ShowInterimStudies.aspx

Related post: Children the focus of many approved interim studies

House Studies State Employee Compensation

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Rep. Leslie Osborn said conservative policy should include fair compensation for a quality state employee workforce.

“A well-compensated workforce that is efficient is a reasonable idea for a fiscal conservative to look at,” said Osborn, R-Mustang. “As lawmakers, we are responsible for the recruitment and retention of the highest performing members of the workforce to deliver core state services.”

The Oklahoma Public Employees Association (OPEA) worked with Rep. Osborn in requesting yesterday’s study. According to the OPEA website, “House and Senate leadership as well as the governor’s office all voiced support for this study.”

Oklahoma Secretary of Finance and Revenue Preston Doerflinger said he opposes across-the-board pay increases and longevity-based pay, but supports an appropriate level of compensation based on performance appraisals, and believes it is necessary to recruit high performers.

Doerflinger said lawmakers should strive to pay state employees 75-85 percent of the private sector market value of their position to be competitive.

The State has consistently lost ground on competitive compensation, according to Lucinda Meltabarger, state administrator of human capital management. As of fiscal year 2011, classified state employees are paid about 19.17 percent below market value.

Meltabarger said not all positions are paid equally in relation to the market. For example, IT professionals are paid about $20,000 more at certain local oil companies than at the state, she said.

An ideal turnover rate might be about 5 percent, Meltabarger said. According to Ron Wilson, state director of talent management, the fiscal year 2011 voluntary turnover rate for classified state employees was approximately 10 percent. The state loses $68 million annually due to turnover, he said.

Meltabarger recommended a more thorough study of state benefits to get a sense of their true value to potential employees rather than their cost to the state.

Oklahoma Department of Transportation Deputy Director and Chief Financial Officer Mike Patterson said it is difficult to recruit for the agency’s positions requiring the highest level of training or education. Highly trained agency employees are generally paid between 25-40 percent below the market value of their positions.

Oklahoma Treasurer Ken Miller said his office has trouble recruiting employees. He said as conservative lawmakers continue to reduce the size of state government, some of the savings should be used to recruit quality employees.

Jonathan Small, policy analyst for the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, said the state’s retirement system is outdated and encourages early retirement. Small recommended that the state move to a defined contribution plan for all new state employees. Another factor that affects turnover is employment security, especially with unclassified positions.

“I definitely agree that there are a number of jobs and classifications that need pay raises,” said Small. “However, we need to understand that we will never be able to match private sector pay. I think we should try to get close as we restructure our benefit design.”

Small recommended statutory changes that would increase the flexibility agency heads have to provide compensation on a per job, per employee basis; allow for one-time bonuses; modernize the state benefit structure; and remove onerous barriers to compensation systems based on performance.

Small specifically highlighted the need for competitive pay and benefits for corrections employees.

OPEA Executive Director Sterling Zearley noted that entry-level child welfare specialists are paid on average at 23 percent below the market and that corrections officers begin at $11.83 per hour while an oil field worker is generally paid $25 per hour.

Zearley said he believes state employee pay should be 90 percent of market value, partially because benefits have been gradually reduced. He said he agrees with proposals to modernize benefits and move towards a performance-based system.

School Deregulation Favored Over Consolidation

OKLAHOMA CITY – In response to Gov. Mary Fallin’s call for a debate about the structure of Oklahoma’s school systems, House Speaker Pro Tempore Jeff Hickman and Ringwood Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Tom Deighan presented an interim study on the issue to the House Common Education Committee last week. 

Hickman, who requested the study, came away with a number of concerns and ideas.

“Governor Fallin said this summer that it was time to have a debate about the structure of our school systems, so I decided to ask ‘How do we restructure?’ or ‘Do we restructure?’ now rather than waiting until another busy legislative session begins,” said Hickman (R-Fairview). “Our interim study raised serious doubts about whether widespread consolidation is even necessary, and if it is, to what extent. Most committee members felt that deregulating all districts and splitting up large, struggling urban districts is a better route.”

Oklahoma currently has 523 school districts, ranging from urban school districts serving large student bodies from small geographic areas to rural school districts serving smaller student bodies from vast geographic areas.  More than 75 percent of Oklahoma school districts have fewer than 1,000 students and more than half have less than 500 students, Deighan told the committee. Those smaller, rural districts are often pointed to as targets for consolidation.

“I’m a little bit frustrated that school consolidation always seems to be a rural issue,” Rep. Doug Cox, M.D. (R-Grove), said during last week’s interim study hearing.

Cox, a member of the Common Education Committee, added: “In my mind, our rural schools are not where the problem is. Those kids come out with the best work ethic. Those kids in rural schools come out with respect for authority. They are taught to say, ‘Yes, sir’ and ‘No, ma’am.’  The problems are urban schools, and yet when you talk about consolidation, it is always rural.” 

Hickman said consolidation isn’t as simple as it sounds.

“The issue of restructuring school districts is complicated, and in Oklahoma, due to our geography, is even more complex,” said Hickman. “Most consolidation advocates believe you just do it based on enrollment and pick the magic number of students a district must have to remain open. That simple approach just doesn’t work when you have districts like Freedom that covers 500 square miles but only has 75 students K through 12. Where are you going to take those students, who already ride an hour and a half one-way on a bus to get to school, if you close the school at Freedom?”

If policymakers do decide to restructure school districts, Hickman said they might start by reviewing the 104 dependent school districts that only offer classes through eighth grade before sending students to a neighboring high school while keeping all the property tax money within their district for the K-8 school. 

Deighan said the average dependent school district only serves 1/7^th of the students of independent districts, and only covers 1/3^rd of the area. Keeping those sites open but moving them under the umbrella of a neighboring independent district as an elementary or junior high school would leverage purchasing savings and reduce administrative costs. Hickman said that would reduce the number of school districts in Oklahoma by 20 percent without closing the door on a single student.

“Beyond folding the dependents into an independent district, when you analyze the data on Oklahoma schools, you quickly find that it is difficult to develop criteria for consolidation,” Hickman said. “Would we want to close a school that is doing an outstanding job just because they fall under a minimum number of students that we identify out of thin air? I hope not.” 

Solely as a means of spurring committee discussion, hypothetical criteria on district consolidation was presented at last week’s interim study hearing. Using that hypothetical criteria of less than 250 students, serving less than 200 square miles, receiving state aid of at least $200,000, and having an average composite ACT score below the state average or unreported, only 32 of Oklahoma’s 523 school districts would be identified for consolidation.

“That’s such a small percentage of districts and there are serious doubts about whether such a consolidation would even be worthwhile. It may create more problems than it solves,” Hickman said. “Deregulation seems a more logical path than blanket consolidation.”

As a school superintendent, Deighan said he appreciated recent efforts by some legislators to deregulate districts even though major deregulation legislation has failed to be signed into law.

“You let schools like mine or any other school in the state live under the same rules as a charter school, and give us the bar and tell us to reach it, and hold us accountable, and you’ll see amazing things happen in this state,” Deighan said. “In our area, students come and go freely. Superintendents have a great relationship with the boards. We allow transfers. If the kid doesn’t want to be in our district, we want them to go where they’re happy.”

During last week’s interim study hearing, Common Education Committee member Rep. Jason Nelson (R-Oklahoma City) asked: “Would it be premature to start a program of consolidation or redistricting without trying these other options such as deregulation and easier inter-district school choice? Should those come first? Letting the parents make the decisions and drive that through greater inter-district public school choice would help sort it out instead of imposing something on a town or school district.” 

Brandon Dutcher, vice president for policy at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, a conservative think tank, wrote this summer that focusing entirely on consolidation may be missing the goal of giving parents more opportunities for the best education possible for their children. 

“Indeed, historian Bob Blackburn has a point when he says of consolidation that the idea of giving up control over your school district in your local community is not the conservative way,” wrote Dutcher in August.

During last week’s interim study, some Common Education Committee members questioned whether the discussion should be about more school districts in Oklahoma instead of less. 

“Wouldn’t it make a little more sense rather than looking at some of the smaller schools that spend the least amount of money and do some of the better jobs to look at the two larger districts that do the worst job in terms of education in several areas, and spend the most amount of money, and deconsolidate Oklahoma City and Tulsa schools to make three or four good school systems out of one that continually and perennially causes headaches for the Legislature?” asked Rep. Gus Blackwell (R-Laverne), member of the Common Education Committee.

According to an analysis of State Department of Education data by the Organization of Rural Oklahoma Schools, 11 of the top 20 schools with the highest ACT scores in the state are in districts serving less than 500 students. Graduation rates in districts under 500 students are significantly higher than in larger districts – seven percent higher overall and 21 percent higher than the largest districts in the state. Non-instructional costs in Oklahoma’s smallest schools are $266.69 less per pupil than in the largest schools.

Maintaining access in all corners of the state while reducing overhead costs is also an issue in higher education. In an interview this summer, former state legislator and Oklahoma Gov. David L. Boren, now president of The University of Oklahoma, was asked if Oklahoma had too many school districts and too many college campuses. Boren said the answer is potentially yes to both. 

“You’ve got to take in consideration such things as distance,” Boren said in the interview with former Oklahoma Watchdog Editor Peter J. Rudy. “If you’ve got five school districts all within five or six or eight miles of each other, that’s one situation that probably shouldn’t exist. If you go out west and you’ve got a school district that may be graduating 10 from the high school but they’re 50 miles away, it is hard to say that there’s a hard-and-fast rule as to where they should be. I think the key is sharing overhead costs. In higher education, you may want delivery points to remain in certain places, but at least you could do away with some additional administrative overhead by bringing them together in some kind of partnerships.”

Hickman said education discussions should focus first on quality.

“Ultimately, it’s not about how many schools we have in Oklahoma. It’s about the job they’re doing,” Hickman said. “Who cares how many districts we have if they’re performing well?  If you consolidate a poorly performing school district with another poorly performing district, all you get is a bigger poorly performing school district. Does the number of districts matter as much as the performance?  The answer is no.”

Nelson, Dorman Team Up, Study Administrative Law Judges

OKLAHOMA CITY – Average Oklahomans come into contact with administrative laws frequently, former administrative law judge Gary Payne told lawmakers today.

Administrative law is created by state agencies when lawmakers enact legislation that authorize agencies to create rules. Administrative law judges interpret these laws and try cases affecting everything from professional licenses to corporate regulations when a state agency takes action against those they license or regulate.

In Oklahoma, administrative law judges are often imbedded in or contracted with by the state agencies, creating an inherent conflict of interest, according to state Reps. Jason Nelson and Joe Dorman, who jointly requested the study.

“An administrative law judge can certainly act impartially even while imbedded in a state agency,” said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. “But how does a citizen feel when they are before the ‘DHS judge’ in appealing a DHS decision? How does a business feel when they are arguing with a licensing or regulatory authority and are dealing with the agency’s administrative law judge? I think we need to find a way to address this inherent conflict of interest.”

Judge Gary Payne speaking at a legislative study on
Administrative Law Judges at the Capitol today 

Nelson said imbedded administrative law judges create circumstances where agencies serve as the “prosecutor, judge and jury.”

“I have personally witnessed several blatant instances of a bias in favor of the agencies where the citizens paid the price,” said Nelson, R-Oklahoma City. “Citizens deserve and have a constitutional right to an impartial process before an impartial administrative law judge when their ability to make a living is on the line.”

“This bias benefits many state agencies because they assess fines and penalties that are used help fund the agency.”

Lydia Lee, an administrative law judge for the Oklahoma Merit Commission and the Oklahoma Department of Labor, said agencies cannot all be treated in the same manner. She also said that she is aware of cases in which citizens were not properly served.

Lee and Kay Floyd, another administrative law judge, said the Oklahoma Merit Commission is an excellent example of an appropriate process.

Five sets of procedural rules govern administrative law judges, Floyd said. She also noted that licensed administrative law judges are observed by colleagues, who can turn in complaints to them to the Oklahoma Bar Association or Council of Judicial Complaints if actions are inappropriate.

Hearing officers are not licensed and have less oversight of their actions, she said.

Tony Mastin, executive director of the Oklahoma Tax Commission, said he does not believe moving around the location of administrative law judges and hearing officers will improve the perception of impartiality or increase impartiality.

Nelson and Dorman co-authored a bill to address administrative law judges in the 2012 legislative session that failed to make it through the process. They plan to file a new bill for the 2013 legislative session, Dorman said.

House announces major DHS reforms

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Speaker Kris Steele and the House DHS Working Group today announced plans to finalize legislation designed to significantly improve components of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.

The legislation comes as the agency prepares to implement the Pinnacle Plan, the child welfare services improvement plan the agency is developing with a panel of national experts.

“DHS is on the verge of the sweeping culture change it has so desperately needed for years,” said Steele, R-Shawnee. “The House DHS Working Group was just as involved in making the Pinnacle Plan the strong plan it is today as it was in developing these vital reforms. If these measures pass and the Pinnacle Plan is implemented, the most vulnerable Oklahomans will be far better served and the state as a whole will benefit tremendously.”

Among the group’s policy recommendations this session are to:

• Vertically integrate the agency’s child welfare division;
• Abolish the Commission for Human Services;
• Allow for gubernatorial appointment of the DHS director;
• Disclose more information on child welfare cases;
• Establish a worker certification program.

Specific legislative language outlining those proposals and others will be introduced this week into DHS reform measures that are awaiting action in conference committees.

The policy proposals were developed collectively by the bipartisan House DHS Working Group comprised of Reps. Jason Nelson, R-Oklahoma City, Pam Peterson, R-Tulsa, Pat Ownbey, R-Ardmore, and Wade Rousselot, D-Okay.

“This legislation is about culture change from the top to the bottom,” said Nelson, the leader of the working group.

Since October, the House DHS Working Group has engaged in an aggressive, four-pronged strategy to improve DHS through significant study of and reforms to the agency’s governance, structure, personnel policy and resource allocation. Steele formed the group in response to a shared desire between House members, agency officials and other stakeholders to improve delivery of services by DHS, particularly for children in state custody.

The working group operated in an unconventional manner by holding nearly all of its meetings outside the Capitol, often times on the front lines with DHS workers across the state. So far, the group has met with more than 400 workers in 22 counties. The group will continue working in the future.

“Many of our recommendations are based on what we’ve learned from the DHS workers who do these critical jobs day in and day out. We wanted to hear from them rather than them hearing from us,” Peterson said. “A lot of our group’s ideas went into the Pinnacle Plan. Some of these bills complement parts of the Pinnacle Plan and others go beyond it with reforms that will reshape DHS for the better.”

THE LEGISLATION

Senate Tax Review Complete, Report Issued

OKLAHOMA CITY –The task force charged with recommending reforms in Oklahoma’s tax system has completed its work. Copies of the report were given to Gov. Mary Fallin, President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman and Speaker Kris Steele on Friday.


Senator Mike Mazzei served as Co-chair of the task force. He told the governor and legislative leaders that as they and members of the Legislature consider the panel’s proposals, it was his hope that the taxpayers of Oklahoma would be the main priority throughout the process.

“The non-partisan Tax Foundation has rated Oklahoma’s overall tax structure 30th in the nation when rating our job creation environment,” said Mazzei, R-Tulsa. “We must transform the tax code; it is simply wrong when a special interest group benefits from an obsolete or ineffective tax preference at the expense of hardworking Oklahomans who deserve to keep more of their hard-earned income.”


The report includes recommendations on reforms which will enable reductions in the top income tax rate from 5.25 to 4.75 percent over a two-year period as well as reducing corporate income taxes from 6 to 5 percent. Additional recommendations would offset those reductions through the elimination of select tax credits and a thorough review of existing tax preferences with an expectation of reduction or elimination of a number of tax credits.

Sen. Rick Brinkley, R-Owasso, served as Vice-chair of the task force.


“These reforms are aimed at simplifying tax law and reducing rates for individuals and businesses,” Brinkley said. “The overall goal is to grow our economy while continuing to make crucial investments in core government services such as education, transportation and public safety,” Brinkley said.


The final recommendation of the task force stresses that other important reforms must be examined should the Legislature consider making Oklahoma a no income tax state.


Throughout the interim, the task force heard from a variety of speakers, including representatives from the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, the Oklahoma Policy Institute, the National Conference of State Legislatures, state and local chambers of commerce, economists, specialists in tax and business law and the National Federation of Independent Business.


“I want to thank the members of the task force and all those who participated for their hard work throughout this process,” Mazzei said. “This report is a blueprint that will benefit Oklahomans while attracting the jobs and businesses that will result in the kind of economic development necessary to boost per capita income and quality of life throughout our state.”

DHS Commission Votes to Settle Class Action Lawsuit

Reform Effort Shifts Gears

Oklahoma City—The Human Services Commission of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services held a special meeting December 20, 2011 at 5:30 PM to consider a settlement proposal in the DG vs. Yarbrough class action lawsuit.  Commission members approved a motion by a vote of 6 to 3 to authorize Chairman Brad Yarbrough to sign a settlement if approved by the Contingency Review Board. 

“While the terms of the settlement remain confidential, I can say that the terms are unique in this kind of litigation,” said Howard Hendrick, Director of OKDHS.  “Both sides were willing to entertain a new approach to resolving class action civil rights claims involving child welfare systems.  The strength of our defense and the excellent work our child welfare workers do every day changed the conversation about how these kinds of cases should be resolved.  The future improvements, the details of which must yet be developed, are outlined in a framework that both sides hope will satisfy our shared desire to meet the needs of vulnerable children and families.”

The Contingency Review Board consists of the Governor, Speaker of the House, and the Senate Pro Tem.  The board is expected to meet on Wednesday, December 28 to review the settlement proposal.

The commission first met in executive session for more than five hours before returning to open session to vote on the proposed settlement.

Attorney General Scott Pruitt intervened in the lawsuit shortly after taking office earlier this year. Intense work by Pruitt and his staff along with DHS commissioners taking a more active role in the litigation in recent months led to the proposed settlement. 

The settlement is good news because the state is avoiding a potential takeover of our foster care system by the federal courts. It's good news for children in foster care because the agreement is focused on improving safety for children in state custody.

A working group created by Speaker Kris Steele in September continues meeting around the state with DHS stakeholders exploring ways to improve the entire child welfare system. 

The speaker has positioned the House of Representatives well by beginning work on significant structural reforms well before last night's vote by the commission. The working group plans to present a report containing findings and recommendations before the start of the 2012 legislative session. 

Task Force Evaluates Proposed Tax Credit Reforms

OKLAHOMA CITY (November 30, 2011) – State Rep. David Dank, chairman of the Task Force on State Tax Credits and Economic Incentives, today challenged task force members to rethink the role of government in tax policy.

“Are we truly satisfied with the culture that has emerged here at the state Capitol in recent years that places so much emphasis on what state government is willing to give away?” Dank, R-Oklahoma City, said.

Dank said there is broad agreement that transferable tax credits must end and listed other proposed reforms, including an end to late-session bills containing tax credits, a requirement that tax credits be tied to job creation or retention, an annual audit of every tax credit, a sunset provision for every tax credit, and “full and complete” transparency.

“I want to remind everyone of a very basic truth: every dime we hand out in tax credits results in one of two things – either someone else has to pay that extra dime to make up the difference or we have to reduce state services,” Dank said. “But we are not talking about dimes. We are talking about tens, or even hundreds, of millions of dollars. I refuse to tell the taxpayers we represent that they could not get a road repaired or that they had to pay more taxes because we gave a bushel basket full of money to someone else.”

The task force will meet Dec. 21 to approve the final report, which must be submitted to legislative leaders and the governor by Dec. 31. The report will be used to craft legislation for the 2012 legislative session.

NOTE: For accompanying video, see http://www.okhouse.tv/iViewVideo.aspx?VideoID=397

Dollars to the Classroom Looked at by Lawmakers

OKLAHOMA CITY – With years of watching an expanding percentage of budget dollars spent on education costs, legislators are looking at how to get more dollars to the classroom for direct instructional expenditures where they belong.

Education currently makes up well over half of appropriations statewide, noted state Rep. David Brumbaugh, who today sponsored an interim study on the subject.

Rep. David Brumbaugh
R-Broken Arrow

Although Oklahoma is a relatively low-income state, Brumbaugh said statistics indicate Oklahoma still ranks high in spending on education as a percentage of income.

“Oklahomans spend $5.4 billion on education, or $8,411 per student a year according to the Friedman Foundation, which doesn’t include the dedicated revenues that are going to schools that don’t go through the appropriations process,” said Brumbaugh, R-Broken Arrow. “That alone indicates we need greater transparency and accountability on actual costs. Furthermore, funding for things like debt service, CareerTech, bursars, pensions, or depreciation on buildings and assets are not currently included in those figures; I believe that data should be made easily accessible to the public. Overall, costs continue to go up, yet in many school districts less than half of expenditures are getting to the classroom.”

 It is estimated that only 51 percent of state public education employees are actually teachers, Brumbaugh noted. The rest is compromised of support services, administration, and other services.

“The alarming situation is that non instructional costs continue to rise yet we are still seeing flat results over the years with all our reforms,” Brumbaugh said. “In Tulsa County alone we have seen only a 6.9 percent rise in student population yet we have seen a 45.4 percent rise in school employees over a 10-year time period according to the County Assessors Office. Yet we are flat or seeing diminishing results with 28 percent of students dropping out of school while those who do go on to higher education are needing more and more remediation in basic subjects. That is not a very good report card. We need to get dollars to the classroom where they belong.”

The solution to this growing problem, Brumbaugh suggests, lies in looking at the whole process and overhauling how the state spends education dollars to be more effective at both state and local levels.

“We have to ask ourselves are we privatizing or jobbing out those services that can better be handled by the private sector such as food, medical and janitorial services. That would allow us to cut out certain salaries and benefits in some areas while promoting competitive bidding and increased quality in the process,” he said.

As a member of the Government Modernization and Select Pension Oversight Committees at the state level, Brumbaugh said officials also have to ask the basic business questions everyone in the private sector asks.

“Are we doing enough in employing business analytics to insure we are spending our precious resources effectively?” Brumbaugh said. “We really need to do a better job inquiring into whether we can we realize savings through things such as shared services, better streamlined supply chains, and reining in out-of-control pension costs. Some school districts are doing a good job at trying to reduce facility and utility costs, but others do not and should be asked to do more. It’s just not enough for us as legislators to point our finger at administrative costs and say that’s where the problem is. We need to find real-world business solutions to address the predicament we are in as a state and get more out of our education dollars and get them where they belong. We hope this study will plant those seeds.”

Related Links:

Lawmakers Call for Putting More Money in Classroom

AG Says Funds From Sale of School Property Financed by Bonds Cannot be Diverted

Bill Benefiting Classroom Teachers Signed into Law

UPDATED ADVISORY: Speaker DHS announcement WEDNESDAY

WHO: House Speaker Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, House members who are reviewing the state Department of Human Services, DHS leaders, incoming DHS Commission Chairman Brad Yarbrough, and an Oklahoma Public Employees Association representative.

WHAT: Press conference to discuss strategies the House will use to improve DHS.

WHEN: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19

WHERE: Governor's Blue Room, 2nd Floor Broadcast Press Room, Room 432-B, State Capitol

Speaker Steele and other House members will unveil the House’s strategy to produce better outcomes for those who come into contact with DHS, particularly children in state custody. The representatives will unveil an aggressive, four-pronged strategy to improve DHS through significant reforms to governance structure, agency structure, personnel policy and resource allocation. Steele will outline plans to work with DHS officials, commissioners and others in effort to improve the agency and increase accountability.


STATEMENT: Speaker comments on Ahonesty Hicks

According to a report by the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth, 17-month-old Ahonesty Hicks died May 3 from abuse. In the weeks preceding Ahonesty’s death, DHS officials decided against removing Ahonesty from her mother’s custody despite knowing her mother had recently tested positive for PCP and been involved in a domestic dispute with her boyfriend. Ahonesty’s mother’s boyfriend has been charged with Ahonesty’s murder.

“Ahonesty’s tragic and untimely death is another indication of the need to reform the policy, infrastructure and delivery of services at DHS. These outcomes must end. The House has been and will remain fully engaged in working with DHS officials at every level of the agency to identify better methods to protect our children and all our vulnerable citizens.” – House Speaker Kris Steele, R-Shawnee

Lawmakers Examine Possible Higher Education Savings

OKLAHOMA CITY (October 11, 2011) – If Oklahoma’s institutions of higher education and state government simply streamlined processes it could result in significant savings on behalf of the taxpayers, presenters told members of the House Higher Education Committee today.

The legislative study on Oklahoma’s colleges was requested by state Reps. Corey Holland and Jason Murphey after higher education institutions were successful in winning exemptions from several government modernization reform initiatives.

Of particular interest to the legislators is higher education’s ongoing exemption from the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act. A 2006 consultant report from IBM found that the state could save millions of dollars by reforming its central purchasing system and by working with state colleges to leverage spending power.

While the Legislature acted on this report and enacted purchasing system reforms that are saving millions of dollars, the state’s centralized purchasing system has yet to include higher education institutions. It appears that millions more could be saved if state purchasing officials collaborated with Oklahoma’s universities and colleges.

Rep. Jason Murphey
R-Guthrie

Committee members were also told that another important savings opportunity could be realized if higher education’s OneNet fiber network would be consolidated under the state’s centralized technology infrastructure. This network could be used to lower to cost of bandwidth to state agencies and provide a solution to the state’s public safety interoperability challenges.

“As the government modernization effort continues to demonstrate tangible savings on behalf of the taxpayers, it becomes very important for Oklahoma’s policy makers to provide institutions of higher education with access to these money saving processes,” said Murphey R-Guthrie.

Rep. Corey Holland
R-Marlow

“At a time when Oklahoma families struggle to pay the ever-increasing cost of tuition and fees, it makes no sense for our state not to consider real cost savings,” said Holland, R-Marlow. “If by the colleges making some modernization reforms the cost of government for the taxpayers can be reduced, then I believe these reforms should be seriously considered.”

Oklahoma Higher Education exemption subject of legislative interim study

By Billie Rodely at www.CapitolBeatOK.com (Published: 11-Aug-2011) 

Among the 80 interim studies under way in the Oklahoma House of Representatives this year is one which could result in more Legislative control over tuition and fees at the state’s institutions of Higher Education. But that’s a big “could.”

Rep. Jason Murphey

Representative Jason Murphy, a Guthrie Republican, requested the study in order to have a review of statutory exemptions granted to Oklahoma Higher Education entities.

“This year, several legislators were critiquing our Government Modernization reforms based on the fact that Higher Ed had been exempted. I think some of the opposition was tongue-in-cheek,” Murphey said. He thought the members opposed to the reforms used the fact that Higher Ed was exempted in order to camouflage their real agenda.

Representative Murphy believes lobbyists for higher education in Oklahoma are strong enough to have killed the modernization reforms had higher education not been exempted. “We badly needed the reforms and I knew we could not risk having Higher Ed kill our proposal. However, I felt it was important for the legislators to know that we were going to ask for a study to examine the exemptions in order to keep them from throwing the baby out with the bath water and voting against the reforms. This kept us from being attacked from all sides.”

Besides examining and highlighting the number of exemptions granted, Murphey says the state Constitution comes into the picture.

“Higher Ed claims that they are exempted from the application of certain reforms because of the Constitution. If this is the case, then maybe we need to decide if the people should be given the opportunity to vote for a Constitutional change.”

Rep. Corey Holland

The Guthrie Republican says Representative Corey Holland a Marlow Republican, is also on board in support of the interim study and helped push for its approval out of the more than 125 interim study requests made this year.

While Interim Study 1019 is assigned to the House Committee on Higher Education, as of this writing, no hearing on the study has been scheduled. Interim study hearings can be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, with meeting notices posted under existing posting guidelines in the House.