Oklahoma Legislature bill status

The status of some of the major legislation in the 2002 session of the 48th Oklahoma Legislature as of May 24: <br><br>HB 1968 by Corn _ The Larry Dickerson Education Flexible Benefits Allowance Act. Would

Saturday, May 25th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The status of some of the major legislation in the 2002 session of the 48th Oklahoma Legislature as of May 24:

HB 1968 by Corn _ The Larry Dickerson Education Flexible Benefits Allowance Act. Would appropriate about $35 million to raise the level of financial support for health care benefits to 75 percent for state teachers and 100 percent for school support personnel, effective July 1. Committee substitute passed by House Appropriations and Budget Committee's Education Subcommittee; committee substitute passed by House Appropriations and Budget Committee; amended and passed by full House; committee substitute passed by Senate Appropriations Committee; floor substitute adopted and passed by full Senate; returned to House for consideration of Senate amendments; House accepts Senate amendments and passes bill; signed by governor.

HB 2041 by Pope _ Tax Reform. Would lower the state's maximum 7 percent income tax rate to a flat 5 percent of federal taxable income. Committee substitute passed by House Revenue and Taxation Committee and full House; amended and passed by Senate Finance Committee; passed by full Senate; House rejects Senate amendments and requests conference; House names conferees; Senate names General Conference Committee on Appropriations as conferees; died following adjournment.

HB 2635 by Toure _ Executing the Mentally Retarded. Would prohibit the state from sentencing mentally retarded defendants to death. Assigned to the House Criminal Justice Committee; withdrawn from the House Criminal Justice Committee and assigned to the House Judiciary Committee; committee substitute passed by the House Judiciary Committee; amended and defeated by the full House; held on notice to reconsider; reconsidered and passed by full House; sent to Senate Appropriations Committee; withdrawn from Senate Appropriations Committee and assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee; amended and passed by Senate Judiciary Committee; amended and passed by full Senate; returned to House for consideration of Senate amendments; House rejects Senate amendments and requests conference; House names conferees; Senate grants conference, names conferees; House approves conference committee report and passes bill; Senate approves conference committee report and passes bill; sent to governor.

HB 2637 by Toure _ Wrongful Conviction. Would authorize claims under the Government Tort Claims Act for wrongful criminal felony convictions resulting in imprisonment and limiting recovery to a maximum of $200,000. Passed by House Judiciary Committee; floor substitute amended and passed by full House; amended and passed by Senate Judiciary Committee; passed by full Senate; emergency provision failed; returned to House for consideration of Senate amendments; House rejects Senate amendments and requests conference; House names conferees; Senate grants conference, names conferees; conference committee report submitted; House rejects conference committee report and requests further conference; Senate grants further conference; House accepts conference committee report and passes bill; Senate approves conference committee report and passes bill; sent to governor.

HB 2772 by Tibbs _ Voter ID. Would require that proof of identity be presented when voting but would allow persons without proof of identity to vote after signing a statement under oath affirming that the voter is the person identified on the precinct registry. Committee substitute passed by House Rules Committee; amended and passed by full House; passed by Senate General Government Committee; amended and passed by Senate; House rejects Senate amendments and requests conference; House names conferees; conference committee report submitted; House accepts conference committee report and passes bill; defeated by Senate.

SB 815 by Rabon _ Moment of Silence. Would require local school boards to require one minute of silence in public school classrooms each day for students to meditate, reflect or engage in any other silent activity. Passed by Senate Education Committee and full Senate; committee substitute passed by House Rules Committee; passed by full House; Senate rejects House amendments and requests conference; House grants conference and names conferees; Senate names conferees; conference committee report submitted; Senate accepts conference committee report and passes bill; House accepts conference committee report and passes bill; sent to governor.

SB 1683 by Taylor _ Congressional Redistricting. Redraws Oklahoma's six congressional districts into five. Direct to Senate Calendar; passed by Senate; emergency provision failed; sent to House; motion to reconsider vote by which emergency provision failed; bill released to House; sent to House Congressional Redistricting Committee; pulled from House Redistricting Committee and sent to House calendar; defeated by House.