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03-10-2007, 11:44 AM
It's crunch time for the Oklahoma Legislature
The Norman Transcript
— CNHI News Service
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The clock is ticking for the state's lawmakers to vote on legislation before the House and Senate swap bills in a week.
Next week marks the sixth week of the session, which is the last time bills filed in their original body, the Senate or the House, can be heard before exchanging for further consideration.
This process helps to dwindle down the close to 2,500 bills filed by legislators.
Here are some that survived this week:
Health CareSenate Bill 424, authored by Sen. Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa, passed on the Senate floor with a 28-14 vote Thursday. The bill, known as the "All Kids Act," would increase the number of children covered by Medicaid benefits in the state.
Under the bill, the Medicaid eligibility would raise from 185 percent of the federal poverty level to 300 percent. If a family makes less than $60,000 a year, the bill would allow children to qualify for Medicaid, as opposed to the current $37,000. The estimated cost to the state would be about $8.5 million.
Senate Bill 951, authored by Sen. Charlie Laster, D-Shawnee, passed on the Senate floor. The bill would ban the sale of spray paint and cough medicine containing dextromethorphan to anyone under 18 years of age.
The legislation would also require those who have or are selling unfinished DXM, used in manufacturing, to register with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.
Education
Senate Bill 820, authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater, passed out of the Senate on Wednesday. The bill is aimed at securing a permanent funding source for the Oklahoma's Promise scholarship program, also referred to as the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program. The scholarships from the program go to students who complete a specific curriculum, stay out of trouble, make good grades and whose family makes less than $50,000 a year.
Senate Joint Resolution 1, authored by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, passed out of the Senate Wednesday. The bill would allow voters the opportunity to decide whether to consolidate schools in a particular area.
"This measure puts the power to determine the future of rural Oklahoma in the hands of rural Oklahomans," Gumm said in a release.
House Bill 1601, authored by Rep. Jeff Hickman, R-Dacoma, passed out of the House Education Committee. The bill would change language in current law to state that recess does not count in the 60-minute physical education requirement in schools. It would also set up a task force to look at the physical education curriculum and requirements in schools. Parents would also receive a letter each year detailing what physical education activities their child participated in and the benefits of fitness.
http://www.normantranscript.com/localnews/...story_069001620 (http://www.normantranscript.com/localnews/local_story_069001620)
The Norman Transcript
— CNHI News Service
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The clock is ticking for the state's lawmakers to vote on legislation before the House and Senate swap bills in a week.
Next week marks the sixth week of the session, which is the last time bills filed in their original body, the Senate or the House, can be heard before exchanging for further consideration.
This process helps to dwindle down the close to 2,500 bills filed by legislators.
Here are some that survived this week:
Health CareSenate Bill 424, authored by Sen. Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa, passed on the Senate floor with a 28-14 vote Thursday. The bill, known as the "All Kids Act," would increase the number of children covered by Medicaid benefits in the state.
Under the bill, the Medicaid eligibility would raise from 185 percent of the federal poverty level to 300 percent. If a family makes less than $60,000 a year, the bill would allow children to qualify for Medicaid, as opposed to the current $37,000. The estimated cost to the state would be about $8.5 million.
Senate Bill 951, authored by Sen. Charlie Laster, D-Shawnee, passed on the Senate floor. The bill would ban the sale of spray paint and cough medicine containing dextromethorphan to anyone under 18 years of age.
The legislation would also require those who have or are selling unfinished DXM, used in manufacturing, to register with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.
Education
Senate Bill 820, authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater, passed out of the Senate on Wednesday. The bill is aimed at securing a permanent funding source for the Oklahoma's Promise scholarship program, also referred to as the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program. The scholarships from the program go to students who complete a specific curriculum, stay out of trouble, make good grades and whose family makes less than $50,000 a year.
Senate Joint Resolution 1, authored by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, passed out of the Senate Wednesday. The bill would allow voters the opportunity to decide whether to consolidate schools in a particular area.
"This measure puts the power to determine the future of rural Oklahoma in the hands of rural Oklahomans," Gumm said in a release.
House Bill 1601, authored by Rep. Jeff Hickman, R-Dacoma, passed out of the House Education Committee. The bill would change language in current law to state that recess does not count in the 60-minute physical education requirement in schools. It would also set up a task force to look at the physical education curriculum and requirements in schools. Parents would also receive a letter each year detailing what physical education activities their child participated in and the benefits of fitness.
http://www.normantranscript.com/localnews/...story_069001620 (http://www.normantranscript.com/localnews/local_story_069001620)