Friday, March 13, 1998
From: Bryce Fair & Carolyn McCoy
The following document consists of three sections. Section I provides a brief narrative of legislative highlights and a summary of actions on bills during the week. Section II is an index of the bills we are tracking and Section III provides a short description of each bill and the latest legislative action on the bill. If you need copies of any of the bills, please contact Carolyn McCoy at (405) 225-9165 or e-mail her at "cmccoy@osrhe.edu".
Bill Would Create Graduation Incentives for Institutions:
On Tuesday, the Senate passed SB 1000, which would create the "Higher Education Completion Incentive Revolving Fund". The bill calls for any monies in the fund to be allocated to four-year colleges which achieve graduation rates (over a six-year period) of 50% for full-time degree-seeking students. Two-year colleges achieving a 30% graduation rate (over a three-year period) would also be eligible. The bill was approved by a vote of 38-8 and now moves to the House for further consideration.
Faculty Employment Bill Amended and Passed by the Senate: As approved by the full Senate, SB 1372 would require higher education institutions to provide written reasons for the termination of any full-time faculty member, if the written explanation were requested by the faculty member. The earlier version of the bill passed by the Senate Education Committee would have required written reasons for any employment decision affecting a faculty member, not just termination. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 34-14 and has been assigned to the House Education Committee.
OU/OSU Tulsa Bill Advances: SB 1426, which would create a single campus administered by OU and OSU for upper division and graduate courses in Tulsa, was passed by the Senate on a 34-13 vote. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives where it has been assigned to the Appropriations and Budget Committee.
House Approves Early "Sunset" on Teacher Preparation Commission: In its original form, HB 2652 would have placed the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation (OCTP) under the state's Sunset Law and authorized the Commission to exist at least until 2004. However, the bill was amended on the House floor Tuesday to shorten the Commission's "sunset" date to 1999. Entities subject to Oklahoma's Sunset Law are created in statute for a limited period of time, usually six years, and are automatically terminated (or "sunset") unless the Legislature passes a bill to extend their life. The House approved the amended form of the bill by a vote of 98-0. The bill now goes to the Senate Sunset Review Committee.
Legislative Meetings Next Week:
Agenda: On the agenda are 11 bills including 4 we are tracking
HB 2557 - Minority Teacher Recruitment Advisory Comm.
HB 3086 - quality control review of internal audit functions
HJR 1073 - technology transfer
HJR 1088 - use of facilities; equity interest
Agenda: On the agenda are 7 bills including 6 we are tracking
HB 2288 - Benefit Enhancement Account for Retirees Act
HB 2290 - life insurance benefit for state & education employees
HB 2500 - death benefits; retirement systems
HB 2568 - retirement systems; domestic orders
HB 2668 - appropriation to OTRS from Rainy Day Fund
HB 2855 - reduction-in-force plans
Agenda: On the agenda are 10 bills including 3 we are tracking
SB 772 - teacher professional development
SB 774 - Oklahoma Advanced Placement Incentive Program
SB 1406 - high school diploma with distinction
Agenda: FY'99 Budget Requests for:
Common Education
Department of Libraries
Commission for Teacher Preparation
Upcoming Legislative Deadlines:
March 26, Thursday -- Bills from Committee of Opposite House
April 16, Thursday -- Bills from Floor of Opposite House
May 29, Friday -- Sine Die Adjournment
Actions on Bills This Week:
SENATE ACTIONS
Bills Passed on Senate Floor:
Bills Failed on Senate Floor:
Bills Passed in Senate Committees:
Bills Failed in Senate Committees:
HOUSE ACTIONS
Bills Passed on House Floor:
Bills Failed on the House Floor:
Bills Passed in House Committees:
Bills Failed in House Committee:
CHANGES TO THE LIST
Bills Added to the List:
Bills Deleted from the List: