Jeff Raymond
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND — EDITOR’S NOTE: Below is a scorecard provided by OKWatchdog.org exclusively for Edmond Sun readers. It offers a glance at how local legislators are voting on key issues monitored by the nonprofit consumer advocacy group. It also offers the organization’s opinion about the legislation. The following is compiled by OKWatchdog.org Executive Director Jeff Raymond.
House Bill 2745
Summary: This bill establishes voluntary licensing of dog and cat breeders.
Vote: Passed 63-30
Rep. Marian Cooksey: Aye
Rep. Ken Miller: Aye
Rep. Lewis Moore: Nay
Rep. Jason Murphey: Nay
Our take: This bill is the continuation of a more stringent pet-breeder bill last year that failed to make it out of conference committee. The bill’s author, Rep. Lee Denney, R-Cushing, a veterinarian, argued that the proposed pet quality assurance license provides for inspections and would be a stamp of approval for good breeding practices. She said the bill would keep outside groups from imposing breeder regulations in Oklahoma.
Next step: Senate consideration.
House Bill 3393
Summary: This bill provides scholarships for special-needs children to attend any accredited public or private school.
Vote: Passed 78-19
Rep. Marian Cooksey: Aye
Rep. Ken Miller: Aye
Rep. Lewis Moore: Aye
Rep. Jason Murphey: Aye
Our take: Bills such as this usually are a Trojan Horse to pull children (and state funds) out of public schools. This bill, however, has the support of some parents of special-needs children and offers an opportunity to tailor an appropriate education for each child by redirecting existing funds, as long as there is appropriate accountability for how the money is taken in by districts and spent by parents.
Next step: Senate consideration.
House Bill 3032
Summary: This bill creates a state energy stabilization fund.
Vote: Passed 86-4
Rep. Marian Cooksey: Aye
Rep. Ken Miller: Aye
Rep. Lewis Moore: Aye
Rep. Jason Murphey: Nay
Our take: This bill works sort of like the average-payment option on a utility bill. It allows the state to collect production taxes above a three-year average. In years when taxes fall below the average, the fund will automatically deposit the difference into the state’s general revenue fund. House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, said the legislation will allow the state to capture production money in high-revenue years and use them to offset low-revenue years, reducing the impact of energy price volatility on the state budget.
Next step: Senate consideration.
House Bill 3077
Summary: This bill makes it illegal for women to sell their eggs.
Vote: Passed 85-8
Rep. Marian Cooksey: Aye
Rep. Ken Miller: Aye
Rep. Lewis Moore: Aye
Rep. Jason Murphey: Aye
Our take: The bill’s author, Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, D-Oklahoma City, argued that egg donation was endangering women’s lives. Fertility doctors strongly disagreed and predicted a ban would sharply reduce egg donation and harm families who can’t have children. It’s telling that this bill does nothing to prohibit men from donating sperm. The House rejected an amendment to that effect.
Next step: Senate consideration.
House Bill 1686
Summary: This bill gives preferential bidding for state contracts to employers who offer health insurance to their employees, when bids are otherwise equal.
Vote: Passed 52-42
Rep. Marian Cooksey: Nay
Rep. Ken Miller: Nay
Rep. Lewis Moore: Nay
Rep. Jason Murphey: Aye
Our take: We’ve given Sen. Bill Brown, R-Broken Arrow, an insurance agent and the chair of the Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee, a lot of grief in the past. He should be applauded for co-authoring this bill, however. Rather than being a de facto insurance-coverage mandate, as opponents debated in the House, this bill is a measured approach to rewarding employers who do the right — and costly — thing by providing health insurance to their employees. These are the types of decisions government should incentivize, because costs otherwise will be shifted onto taxpayers and the insured.
Next step: Senate consideration.
House Bill 2316
Summary: This bill makes it illegal to sell a caller ID “spoofing” card or service that makes a number appear as a different number.
Vote: Passed 92-1
Rep. Marian Cooksey: Aye
Rep. Ken Miller: Aye
Rep. Lewis Moore: Aye
Rep. Jason Murphey: Nay
Our take: No one should be tricked into answering the phone, and Do-Not-Call lists are an obvious result of Americans’ frustration with telemarketing and scams. Every little bit of protection helps.
Next step: Senate consideration.
House Bill 2541
Summary: This bill, by Rep. Marian Cooksey, R-Edmond, and Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, requires municipal courts to keep personal identifying information confidential.
Vote: Passed 95-1
Rep. Marian Cooksey: Aye
Rep. Ken Miller: Aye
Rep. Lewis Moore: Aye
Rep. Jason Murphey: Aye
Our take: Although many media organizations think the Legislature went too far in exempting public employees’ birth dates from disclosure, this bill shouldn’t draw their concern. It directs municipal courts to seal Social Security numbers, credit card numbers and bank account numbers.
Next step: Senate consideration.
House Bill 2544
Summary: This bill raises co-payments for Medicaid patients.
Vote: Failed 56-32
Rep. Marian Cooksey: Aye
Rep. Ken Miller: Aye
Rep. Lewis Moore: Nay
Rep. Jason Murphey: Aye
Our take: Although co-payments for the state’s Medicaid program haven’t gone up in two decades, opponents said the current economic climate isn’t the time to force the poor to pay more. Adults currently pay a $3 co-pay, while children pay nothing. Supporters said increasing the co-pay would make patients use medical services more responsibly and argued that Medicaid patients often burden doctors with minor ailments.
