EDMOND —
Speaker of the House T.W. Shannon has set forth a bill to place a moratorium on agency fees.
The Oklahoma Appropriations and Budget Committee overwhelmingly passed the measure to place a moratorium on service fees Oklahomans pay to state agencies.
A fee hike is the same as a tax hike for hardworking taxpayers, Shannon said. Agency fees have increased by $113 million since 2007, according to Shannon’s office. House Bill 1914 will hold state agencies accountable, Shannon said.
“While we’ve done a good job in not raising taxes, if you look at the data, fees have risen over 34-36 percent in the last four years in Oklahoma,” Shannon said. “Those are expenses that are being passed down to families.”
HB1914 would allow time for lawmakers to evaluate taxation and the agency fee system, Shannon said. Existing fees could not be increased and new fees could not be implemented through Jan. 1, 2016. After that point, fees charged by an agency will be required to come forward with a fee justification statement if the legislation passes.
“I’m certainly a user-fee guy, but I do think we need to provide some type of oversight to state agencies that relates to fees,” Shannon said.
HB1914 would not prohibit an agency from benefiting its users and citizens, said state Rep. Mike Turner, R-Edmond.
“I think 1914 is a wonderful way to rein in an agency gone wild,” Turner said. “Fees can unfortunately act as taxes, or be an excess burden on users.”
Shannon’s goal to control and contain fee increases is also supported by state Rep. Randy McDaniel, R-Edmond. Agency fees are often increased with little to no legislative oversight, said state Rep. Randy Grau, R-Edmond.
“I support efforts to ensure fee increases are justified, so that individuals and families are not caught off guard by rising costs,” Grau said.
If approved, the measure will become effective Nov. 1.
jcoburn@edmondsun.com | 341-2121
Local News
Related Photos
-
PHOTO PROVIDED Rep. T.W. Shannon, R-Lawton, is Oklahoma Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Discussion
Speaker tries to rein in state agency fees
- Local News
-
-
Covell/I-35 work on track
The hotel and conference center project on Interstate 35 is very much on track, said John Weeman of Partners In Development told The Edmond Sun on Tuesday. Weeman is in the process of selecting one of three people for a construction partner, he said.
-
2 officers suffer injuries in drug-related pursuit
Two police officers suffered injuries during a call in which suspects fled in a vehicle and possessed meth, police said.
-
City Council approves church remodel
A request by Redeemed Christian Church of God Kingdom Chapel to remodel a facility at 307 E. Danforth for a church was approved recently by the City Council.
“The church wants to rent a 2,302-square-foot space in the office building on the north side of Danforth, east of the convenience store, south of the Timber Ridge Addition,” said Bob Schiermeyer, city planner. “There will be no new construction other than interior remodeling to accommodate the church.
The church does not request changes to the one driveway or sidewalk of the property, Schiermeyer said. No changes will be made to the outside of the two-story brick veneer building. A sprinkler system will not be required. -
Arcadia Lake nears reopening for summer season
Work on reclaiming Arcadia Lake has been ongoing since high water forced its closure earlier this month.
-
Professor: Constitutional heritage can bring sense of belonging to U.S. citizens
Education is fundamental in preparing a citizenry to live under a free constitutional republic, said Kyle Harper, founding director of the Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage at the University of Oklahoma. Harper is also the senior vice provost at OU as well as an associate professor of Classics and Letters.
A sense of identity by belonging to a tradition is an ingredient in being part of a free republic, he said while speaking to the Edmond Republican Women’s Club on Monday. An educated citizen must be aware, alert and intelligent to care about public affairs, he said. -
Red Cross seeks volunteers to aid in Moore storm recovery
Before arriving in Oklahoma last year, Edmond resident Sofia Griffith already had a growing Red Cross volunteer résumé.
-
DA files formal charge in Craigslist sex case
Prosecutors have filed a formal felony charge against an Edmond man arrested on a complaint related to the alleged solicitation of a minor via Craigslist, according to court records.
Friday afternoon, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Jessica Brown said a member of the OSBI Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested the man that morning after a two-month-long investigation into solicitation for sex with minors via Craigslist. -
Oreo stacking contest slated for Crest Foods in Edmond
Crest Foods is calling all stackers, ages 6-11, to visit the Edmond store from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday to try their hand at an Oreo stacking event. The store, 2200 W. 15th St., is one of several Crest sites where youth can attempt to stack Oreos. The team that builds the highest stack in 30 seconds qualifies for the finals round the following weekend, said Donna Kamas, public relations manager.
-
State photo-ID databases become troves for police
The faces of more than 120 million people are in searchable photo databases that state officials assembled to prevent driver's-license fraud but that increasingly are used by police to identify suspects, accomplices and even innocent bystanders in a wide range of criminal investigations.
-
Lucas: Farm Bill approval vital for state farmers
The U.S. House will approve a farm bill this year, Rep. Frank Lucas said Saturday.
The bill will be debated on the House floor Wednesday and Thursday and will pass after 30 to 60 amendments are considered. - More Local News Headlines
-
Rihanna Hits Fan With Microphone During UK Concert
Obama Renews Call for Nuclear Reductions
Miami Heat Wins in Overtime
Raw: Arizona Wildfire Scorches 8 Square Miles
Fists, chairs fly in restaurant brawl
Journalist Michael Hastings Dies in Fiery Hollywood Crash
Hairy Leg Stockings Aim to Deflect Male Attention
Inside Kim Kardashian's Premature Labor
Three Charged for Enslaving Mother and Daughter
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
Spurs' Popovich has no problem with Spurs' intensity
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Paige Butcher Scorches on Hawaii Beach
Video: worst way to load cargo onto a plane
Never-before-seen footage of '08 Times Square bomber
Obama: NSA Secret Data Gathering 'Transparent'
WATCH IT: Lil Wayne tramples American flag
Mariah Carey Looks Beautiful in a Tiny Cut-Out Swimsuit
Out of Control Boat Throws Passengers Overboard
See Lindsay Lohan in Rehab
