This week was spent hearing bills that passed through committee and made it on to the Floor to be voted on by the entire chamber of origin.
All bills that passed through committee by last Thursday, are now vying for an opportunity to be heard on the House or Senate floor (depending on where the bill was authored) until the next deadline, which is next Thursday, March 11th.
Session will be going late this week as legislators work to get all priority bills heard and voted on by the floor before the next deadline, so the bill may be sent to the opposite chamber to go through the same process.
Here are some highlights from last week’s session:
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need help reaching out to your representatives.
Voting Rights
SB 253 by Rader; Include the date of when they chose their political party and the voter ID number would be included on registration.
The bill passed: 35 ayes; 10 nayes
HB 1751 by Crosswhite; House version of SB 253. Requires candidates to submit the date of registering for their party as well as their voter ID number.
The bill passed: 72 ayes; 26 nayes
HB 1793 by Pae; Constituent request bill. Allows a voter with a physical disability to deliver their absentee ballot in person.
The bill passed: 80 ayes; 15 nayes
SB 710 by Jech; Aims to improve the accuracy of voter registration. Authorizes the state election board to join ERIC (Electronic registration information center), a multi-state partner tool that uses date to accurately match voter registration information.
The bill passed: 42 ayes; 3 nayes
SB 712 by Jech; Request bill from state election board. Authorize election board to purchase “e poll books”.
The bill passed: 43 AYES; 0 NAYES
Civil Rights
SB 503 by Jett; Prohibits the teaching, instruction, or training of any public or charter school students to believe any divisive concepts relating to race or gender, and teachers may be dismissed if such concepts are taught.
Dormant pursuant to the rules.
HB 1888 by Williams; Prohibits public bodies from conducting gender and sexual diversity training and counseling.
Bill was laid over
SB 815 by Bullard; Allows national motto on county and municipal buildings. No fiscal impact and no requirement. (this is the more relaxed version that passed through the house. The house version requires rather than allows)
The bill passed: 41 ayes; 5 nayes
HB 2648 by Hill; Even in an emergency, people are free to gather in places of worship as is guaranteed by the first amendment.
The bill passed: 80 ayes; 18 nayes
SB 118 by Hall; Oklahoma municipal power authority may hold “executive sessions” when discussing matters of security plans and procedures, such as cybersecurity
The bill passed: 46 ayes; 0 nayes
Criminal Justice and Police Reform
SB 968 by Haste; Request from Tulsa county sheriff supported by the Oklahoma press association. Strengthens the protections of body cameras. Denies access to body cam footage that depicts the death of an officer.
The bill passed: 39 ayes; 7 nayes
HB 1892 by Boatman; Establishes task force of law enforcement and other groups to help victims of sex trafficking.
The bill passed: 94 ayes; 0 nayes
HB 1633 by Hardin; Relieves sheriff or jail of financial responsibility if an inmate hurts themselves.
The bill passed: 72 ayes; 17 nayes
See CAIR-OK Policy Platform here https://www.cairoklahoma.com/blog/cair-ok-2021-policy-platform/
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