{"id":32321,"date":"2020-01-30T07:00:38","date_gmt":"2020-01-30T13:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/?p=32321"},"modified":"2020-01-29T17:06:10","modified_gmt":"2020-01-29T23:06:10","slug":"issues-to-watch-during-oklahomas-2020-legislative-session","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2020\/01\/30\/issues-to-watch-during-oklahomas-2020-legislative-session\/","title":{"rendered":"Issues to watch during Oklahoma&#8217;s 2020 legislative session"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the legislative session begins Monday, state lawmakers will have more than 4,500 pieces of legislation they can consider. StateImpact reporters have been combing through the bills and have this preview.<\/span><\/p><p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.simplecast.com\/93f18184-b7a3-455f-bf16-55dbcfa657a7?dark=false\" width=\"100%\" height=\"200px\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h1><strong>Education<\/strong><\/h1><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the wake of the teacher walkout almost two years ago, continuing to reform education is a major priority for lawmakers. Here are some of the topics and bills worth watching in education:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Combating the teacher shortage:<\/span><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2019\/12\/23\/oklahoma-legislators-file-bills-to-fight-statewide-teacher-shortage\/\">Oklahoma\u2019s teacher shortage<\/a> is one of the top concerns for legislators. There are more than 3,000 emergency certified teachers, teachers who don\u2019t have all the required training, in the state\u2019s classrooms. Legislators want to change that.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_30097\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 451px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-30097\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/05\/180402_Walkout01_HR-1920x1277.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"451\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/05\/180402_Walkout01_HR-1920x1277.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/05\/180402_Walkout01_HR-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/05\/180402_Walkout01_HR-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/05\/180402_Walkout01_HR-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/05\/180402_Walkout01_HR-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/05\/180402_Walkout01_HR-620x412.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/05\/180402_Walkout01_HR-1624x1080.jpg 1624w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 451px) 100vw, 451px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Jacob McCleland \/ KGOU<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Teachers rally at the state capitol during the 2018 teacher walkout.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They\u2019re taking a varied approach, looking to retain teachers and find new ones. Measures introduced would take actions like allowing school boards to renew emergency teaching certificates under certain circumstances, allowing teachers with out-of-state teaching experience to obtain a teaching certificate and apply that experience to an Oklahoma teaching schedule and give bonuses to exemplary teachers.<\/span><\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Virtual charter school reform:<\/span><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legislators also want to <a href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2020\/01\/18\/legislators-file-bills-that-would-curtail-virtual-charter-school-practices\/\">reign in virtual charter schools<\/a>. That includes measures that would likely impact Epic Virtual Charter Schools. Public school districts are losing students to the state\u2019s virtual charter schools. As enrollment has grown by thousands of students in virtual charters like Epic, it\u2019s declined by similar amounts in the state\u2019s largest districts like Tulsa and Oklahoma City.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_32326\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignright\" style=\"max-width: 284px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-32326\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-1920x1440.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"284\" height=\"213\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-1920x1440.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-672x504.jpg 672w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-620x465.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-1832x1374.jpg 1832w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-1376x1032.jpg 1376w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-1044x783.jpg 1044w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-632x474.jpg 632w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad-536x402.jpg 536w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Epic-ad.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 284px) 100vw, 284px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Quinton Chandler \/ StateImpact<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">An Epic advertisement at an Oklahoma City mall.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lawmakers have introduced measures to limit charter school funding and to help public schools prevent transfers to virtual charters. Sen. Gary Stanislawski, chairman of the Senate\u2019s Education Committee, has also introduced a bill to reform the statewide Virtual Charter School Board, changing its name and increasing the number of members.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Miscellaneous:\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lawmakers are also looking at a number of other issues including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2019\/12\/05\/oklahoma-doesnt-screen-students-for-dyslexia-the-most-common-learning-disability\/\">Dyslexia<\/a>: a number of bills have been filed by Rep. Mike Sanders, R-Kingfisher, and Rep. Sherrie Conley, R.-Newcastle, that would create mandatory screening for dyslexia. Oklahoma doesn\u2019t screen for dyslexia but has done a number of reforms in recent years.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HB3046&Session=2000\">Tribal regalia at graduation<\/a>: House Bill 3046 would prevent a school district or school from banning tribal regalia, specifically eagle feathers, at graduation ceremonies. (Rep. Trey Caldwell, R-Lawton).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nondoc.com\/2019\/10\/16\/oklahoma-high-school-concussion-data-lacking\/\">Concussions<\/a>: House Bill 3561, would create a concussion review board to track and report on concussions and sudden deaths of student athletes. (Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HB3347&Session=2000&Tab=0\">NCAA likeness<\/a>: House Bill 3347, would allow college athletes to seek endorsements and be paid for their likeness. (Rep. Mickey Dollens, D-Oklahoma City and Rep. Monroe Nichols, D-Tulsa).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><strong>Criminal Justice Reform<\/strong><\/h1><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because of political infighting at the end of the 2019 legislative session, several criminal justice bills stalled. If an agreement has been reached in the interim, lawmakers could take them up shortly after they convene. State Senator Roger Thompson told a public forum in January he expects that to happen, especially in the case of bail reform.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bills to watch in 2020 include:\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HB1100\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">House Bill 1100 would give courts clear rules for determining when a defendant should be prosecuted for a felony drug crime<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as possession with intent to distribute. (Rep. Garry Mize, R-Guthrie and Sen. Stephanie Bice, R-Oklahoma City)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HB2009\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">House Bill 2009 shortens prison sentences<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for repeat offenders convicted of most nonviolent felonies. This bill has an uncertain future. Sentencing reform advocates have launched an effort to put this same issue before voters in this year\u2019s general election. (Rep. Garry Mize, R-Guthrie and Sen. Bill Coleman R-Ponca City)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HB2273\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">House Bill 2273 focuses primarily on parole.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The legislation would create an accelerated parole process for prisoners who have six months or less left on their sentences. In addition, the bill dictates what kind of parole violations should allow authorities to send a person back to prison. It\u2019s unclear what will happen to the bill this session because several of its changes have already been adopted by the state Pardon and Parole Board. (Rep. Josh West, R-Grove and Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB252&Session=1900\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Senate Bill 252 failed in the House 45-49. <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This bill would require courts to give affordable bail terms to most defendants charged with nonviolent crimes. The authors\u2019 goal was to make sure most people could afford to get out of jail before their trials. Exceptions are included for people considered to be dangerous and defendants who are unlikely to come back to court. (Rep. Chris Kannady, R-Oklahoma City and Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_32339\"  class=\"wp-caption module image aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-32339\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Prisoners-in-Mabel-Bassetts-dog-program-1920x1504.jpg\" alt=\"Women incarcerated at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center attend a ceremony commemorating a dog training program at the prison.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1504\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Prisoners-in-Mabel-Bassetts-dog-program-1920x1504.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Prisoners-in-Mabel-Bassetts-dog-program-672x527.jpg 672w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Prisoners-in-Mabel-Bassetts-dog-program-768x602.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Prisoners-in-Mabel-Bassetts-dog-program-150x118.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Prisoners-in-Mabel-Bassetts-dog-program-300x235.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Prisoners-in-Mabel-Bassetts-dog-program-620x486.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2020\/01\/Prisoners-in-Mabel-Bassetts-dog-program-1378x1080.jpg 1378w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Quinton Chandler \/ StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Prisoners at Oklahoma&#8217;s largest prison for women attend a ceremony celebrating a dog training program designed to teach them skills for life outside prison.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other criminal justice, public safety measures:<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span>Multiple bills including\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB%201236\"><span>Senate Bill 1236<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0(Sen. George Young, D-Oklahoma City) and\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB1298\"><span>Senate Bill 1298<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0(Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City) would authorize or require the Department of Corrections to create prisoner reentry programs. The legislators\u2019 goals are to see more prisoners rehabilitated before they are released.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB1164\">Senate Bill 1164<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would require the Department of Corrections to give the governor, and legislative leaders annual reports on the use of contraband cell phones in state prisons. (Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB1081\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Senate Bill 1081<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would preempt federal and state government agencies from seizing guns from individuals determined to be dangerous and issued an extreme risk protection order. It also would also would challenge attempts by government agencies to prohibit gun ownership by individuals issued an extreme risk protection order. (Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.oklegislature.gov\/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HB3357\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">House Bill 3357<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> attempts to repeal a law that allows most Oklahomans aged 21 and older to carry guns without obtaining a license. (Rep. Jason Lowe, D-Oklahoma City)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><strong>Healthcare<\/strong><\/h1>\n<h3>Medical marijuana:<\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_30615\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignright\" style=\"max-width: 360px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-30615\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/08\/20180712-mmj-pics004_HR-500x333.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/08\/20180712-mmj-pics004_HR-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/08\/20180712-mmj-pics004_HR-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/08\/20180712-mmj-pics004_HR-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/08\/20180712-mmj-pics004_HR-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/08\/20180712-mmj-pics004_HR-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/08\/20180712-mmj-pics004_HR-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2018\/08\/20180712-mmj-pics004_HR-1620x1080.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Joe Wertz \/ StateImpact<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">States have different rules regarding in packaging for medical marijuana products.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At least 17 bills address medical marijuana. Some of those bills would expand rights, and others would impose restrictions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legislation filed by Representative Jim Olson, a republican from Roland, prohibits marijuana establishments from being located \u201cnear a place of worship.\u201d Other bills take aim at taking a cut from the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/oklahomawatch.org\/2019\/10\/14\/the-tax-take-from-medical-marijuana-by-county\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> taxes imposed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on medical marijuana in the state.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Opioid litigation money:<\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2019, Teva pharmaceuticals agreed to an $85 million settlement with the state, to keep them out of court. That move left Johnson & Johnson as the only defendant in the case.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lawyers hired by the state were entitled to $13 million under the terms of their agreement with Hunter\u2019s office.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because Teva <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2020\/01\/15\/heres-what-happened-to-829-million-oklahoma-was-awarded-to-treat-opioid-addiction\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">settled after legislators hurriedly changed state law<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the remaining $72 million Teva settlement is in the state treasury, waiting to be allocated by lawmakers.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In January 2020, Endo International also agreed to a settlement to keep them out of court. Oklahoma had threatened litigation, claiming the drugmaker contributed to the opioid crisis by inappropriately marketing its addictive painkillers.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hunter\u2019s office says the $8.75 million Endo settlement will join the Teva settlement in the state treasury after lawyer\u2019s fees have been deducted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now state lawmakers will have their opportunity to divvy up the money. Shell bills have been filed, with titles like Oklahoma Opioid Reform Act, but it\u2019s unclear where the legislation would allocate the funds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>StateImpact reporters combed through 4,500 pieces of legislation. Here are some trends they found.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":209,"featured_media":31515,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,17,23],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32321"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/209"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32321"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32321\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32340,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32321\/revisions\/32340"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31515"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}