Down the Home Stretch
Last week was deadline week at the capitol which means that there was plenty to do. And do we did. After many late nights, a lot got accomplished.
House Speaker Chris Benge and Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee announced this week that they plan to file a lawsuit against the federally-mandated health care recently passed in Washington. House Joint Resolution 1054 has been signed out of conference and now includes a statutory change that would allow Oklahomans to opt-out of mandated health insurance. The resolution also authorizes the Senate President and Speaker of the House to file a lawsuit against the United States Congress, the President of the United States and the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to prevent the provisions of the federal health care law from taking effect. Last week, Attorney General Drew Edmondson refused to join with 19 other states who have filed suit against the bill. He said he would only file a lawsuit if forced by the Legislature to do so. Legislative leaders noted that it makes no sense to force the attorney general to now file a lawsuit after he has made it clear he opposes it, meaning his efforts would be half-hearted at best if he was forced to pursue a lawsuit. State lawmakers are concerned that the high taxes required as a result of the federal law will be a burden on an economy already in recession and the unfunded mandates for state government will force cuts to the budgets for schools, roads, and other important programs. Benge and Coffee said every effort will be taken to keep costs down, including the possibility of using House and Senate legal staff and resources or pro bono opportunities. The resolution is currently pending before the House.
Legislation allowing state employees to take a voluntary buy-out package passed the House this week. House Bill 2363 creates a buy-out package that would include a cash payment of 5,000 dollars, 18 months of health care premiums and the employee’s next longevity payment. Agencies would also be allowed some meaningful managerial flexibility in developing compensation strategies to address budget needs. Under the legislation, if an agency has an employee take the buy-out, they must leave that position open for at least 36 months. The bill passed with a vote of 93-1 and will move to the Senate for final consideration.
Oklahoma school districts may soon be able to use buses to make some extra money during the state’s budget crisis. Senate Bill 421 would give school districts the right to sell advertising space on the exterior of transportation equipment. Another provision in the bill requires school districts to give top preference to advertisers that promote Oklahoma manufacturers and to businesses that are members of the Made in Oklahoma Program or retailers who promote Made In Oklahoma members. Revenue raised through advertising would go into school districts’ general funds. The proposed law would not allow bus advertisements that promote hostility, violence, any political candidate, bond issue, gambling, tobacco, firearms or religious or political organization. Currently, about half a dozen states are already allowing school districts to use bus advertising — including Colorado, Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Tennessee and Texas. Senate Bill 421 passed the full House of Representatives on an 81-18 vote this week and now returns to the Senate.
Under legislation approved by the Oklahoma House of Representatives this week, military personnel deployed outside the state would be exempt from a fine if they failed to renew their vehicle tag. Senate Bill 1816 would make military personnel deployed outside the state exempt from penalty during their assignment and for 60 days after that assignment ends. In addition to the numerous Oklahomans who serve in other branches of the military, around 400 members of the Oklahoma National Guard are currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maj. Gen. Myles Deering has recently said he expects some 4,000 Oklahoma National Guard soldiers and airmen will be deployed.
Under legislation passed by the Oklahoma House of Representatives, cities could make themselves more attractive to retirees through a Department of Commerce pilot program.
Senate Bill 1640 authorizes the Department of Commerce to establish an Oklahoma Certified Retirement Communities Program to market communities that apply and meet certification requirements as retirement destinations. The legislation authorizes the Department of Commerce to establish criteria to determine if a community’s application will be accepted. The legislation encourages the Department of Commerce to collaborate with the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service to develop an outreach program to assist communities seeking certification. Six other states have similar programs. The bill now returns to the state Senate.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call
1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“My experience in government is that when things are non-controversial and beautifully coordinated, there is not much going on.” –John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
It's About Freedom
It’s About Freedom
Last Thursday was probably the toughest political battle in my entire career. It was the final passage of HB3202, known to many as the “teeth floating bill”, known to some as the “vet bill”. I have never in my life seen so much misinformation spread by so many intelligent people who just did not understand an issue. In a time when we are raging against an over-zealous federal government that seems to want to run every piece of our lives, from health care on down, my thought was that this issue would be easy for people to “get”.
First, let me say what this bill is not. This bill is not a pro-life issue. The opponents of this bill twisted the facts to make it seem as if some of these common ag pharmaceuticals might somehow be misused for rural abortions. In the floor debate, one of the veterinarians had a bottle of a common reproductive drug used in cattle and said that he had gotten it from the internet which flies in the face of his own argument because somehow they want us to believe that by allowing people to work in animal reproduction that those drugs would become more available. I vehemently disagree and am offended that someone would suggest that I would carry any legislation that would increase chances for abortions to occur. I am pro-life, PERIOD.
The other issue was some of the mild sedatives that are sometimes used in things such as equine dentistry and even horse shoeing might be used as date rape drugs. As a father of two girls, a 13-year ag teacher, as well as the director of the page program in the state House, I fight for and protect kids and have my entire career in one way or another. Those common sedatives such as Acepromazine are carried in almost every show box at almost every stock show and have been for years. Why don’t we hear about date rape at the stock shows? I will tell you why; because it is a bogus claim again aimed at protectionism. So, really, this is a bill aimed at a government agency that went a little crazy and tried to put people in jail for pursuing their calling.
I guess in politician years, I am an old man. With term limits that allow 12 years of service in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, I am in year eight. When I ran for office, I signed on to fight for rural Oklahoma. That is where I live and if you are in my district then it is where you live. My goal has been to defend and encourage our way of life and I take that very seriously. In the brutal floor battle last Thursday morning on the final passage of HB3202, some tried to belittle the issue by saying that it was less important than the budget or many other issues that were being examined in the legislature. I begged to differ. A good friend of mine had a great quote. It was: “fighting for liberty to pursue one’s calling can be more tiring than dispersing money to government employees in a budget process, but it is also more important.” In fact, liberty is really what this is about. This is more about the freedom for people to work and to pursue the American dream and to do that without undue government regulation standing in their way. This is a fight for freedom and, no matter how anybody spins it, that is the issue. It has come at a very high cost for me personally but because of what we are doing, I would do it again. It is not about catering to special interest groups or calling in favors or any of that. It is about clearing a path for regular people to go out and work and feed their families by doing what they love in a tough economy. Nowhere in this bill did we guarantee anybody a living, we just guaranteed them a chance. Their proficiency is up to them. It is kind of like the harder you work, the luckier you get. It is an attempt to move the government out of the way. I would even call it a right to work.
I have a favorite saying that I have used over the years. It says “it never is as good or as bad as either side says”. Under HB3202, good veterinarians that want to work on horses’ teeth can still do so. Skilled vets who want to do reproductive work can still do so. It also opens opportunity for other animal scientists who may specialize in some of these things, to provide that service to Oklahoma agriculture, free from overzealous government. Again, it is a freedom issue.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Men fight for freedom, then they begin to accumulate laws to take it away from themselves.” –Author Unknown
Last Thursday was probably the toughest political battle in my entire career. It was the final passage of HB3202, known to many as the “teeth floating bill”, known to some as the “vet bill”. I have never in my life seen so much misinformation spread by so many intelligent people who just did not understand an issue. In a time when we are raging against an over-zealous federal government that seems to want to run every piece of our lives, from health care on down, my thought was that this issue would be easy for people to “get”.
First, let me say what this bill is not. This bill is not a pro-life issue. The opponents of this bill twisted the facts to make it seem as if some of these common ag pharmaceuticals might somehow be misused for rural abortions. In the floor debate, one of the veterinarians had a bottle of a common reproductive drug used in cattle and said that he had gotten it from the internet which flies in the face of his own argument because somehow they want us to believe that by allowing people to work in animal reproduction that those drugs would become more available. I vehemently disagree and am offended that someone would suggest that I would carry any legislation that would increase chances for abortions to occur. I am pro-life, PERIOD.
The other issue was some of the mild sedatives that are sometimes used in things such as equine dentistry and even horse shoeing might be used as date rape drugs. As a father of two girls, a 13-year ag teacher, as well as the director of the page program in the state House, I fight for and protect kids and have my entire career in one way or another. Those common sedatives such as Acepromazine are carried in almost every show box at almost every stock show and have been for years. Why don’t we hear about date rape at the stock shows? I will tell you why; because it is a bogus claim again aimed at protectionism. So, really, this is a bill aimed at a government agency that went a little crazy and tried to put people in jail for pursuing their calling.
I guess in politician years, I am an old man. With term limits that allow 12 years of service in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, I am in year eight. When I ran for office, I signed on to fight for rural Oklahoma. That is where I live and if you are in my district then it is where you live. My goal has been to defend and encourage our way of life and I take that very seriously. In the brutal floor battle last Thursday morning on the final passage of HB3202, some tried to belittle the issue by saying that it was less important than the budget or many other issues that were being examined in the legislature. I begged to differ. A good friend of mine had a great quote. It was: “fighting for liberty to pursue one’s calling can be more tiring than dispersing money to government employees in a budget process, but it is also more important.” In fact, liberty is really what this is about. This is more about the freedom for people to work and to pursue the American dream and to do that without undue government regulation standing in their way. This is a fight for freedom and, no matter how anybody spins it, that is the issue. It has come at a very high cost for me personally but because of what we are doing, I would do it again. It is not about catering to special interest groups or calling in favors or any of that. It is about clearing a path for regular people to go out and work and feed their families by doing what they love in a tough economy. Nowhere in this bill did we guarantee anybody a living, we just guaranteed them a chance. Their proficiency is up to them. It is kind of like the harder you work, the luckier you get. It is an attempt to move the government out of the way. I would even call it a right to work.
I have a favorite saying that I have used over the years. It says “it never is as good or as bad as either side says”. Under HB3202, good veterinarians that want to work on horses’ teeth can still do so. Skilled vets who want to do reproductive work can still do so. It also opens opportunity for other animal scientists who may specialize in some of these things, to provide that service to Oklahoma agriculture, free from overzealous government. Again, it is a freedom issue.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Men fight for freedom, then they begin to accumulate laws to take it away from themselves.” –Author Unknown
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Redbud Time
Redbud Time
A redbud tree has a lot of meaning for me because it always takes me back to my favorite Great Aunt. Her name was Vera Clifton and during my childhood she and my Great Uncle lived on a wooded acreage in Nicoma Park, Oklahoma. She was my maternal grandfather’s sister. I never met my grandfather because he died before I was born. It was interesting looking back how much I knew about my grandfather and what kind of guy he was through being around his sister. I learned a lot from who became my stand-in grandparents. From my Uncle Junius Clifton, who most people called Cliff, I learned a lot about chainsaws and power tools at a very young age. Stuff a boy just needs to know. From my Aunt Vera, I learned about the everyday beauty in the world around us. Her favorite tree in the entire world was a redbud. Just a native Oklahoma tree that shows up for a couple of weeks in the Spring. She was a very special woman in my life not only because she thought I walked on water, but because looking back, I know that I knew my grandfather because she made him seem alive to me through all of her stories. I remember she always had bird feeders out and could always identify each of the birds outside her big picture window. Being at the Cliftons’ house was just kind of a magical time. I planted a redbud tree in our front yard just because it reminds me of Aunt Vera and it says Spring is here. Time to enjoy the turn of that season, fish for crappie or hunt mushrooms. Redbud trees are almost like a flare shot into the pitch dark night. Whether they are wild on the creek or planted in a yard, they always take me back to great childhood memories of people long gone who helped make me who I am.
Well, that was nice. But, I guess since we are about halfway through session, I better throw you some politics in here. Here are a couple of things that we have seen in the last week or so come through the capitol. They are a lot more boring than redbuds. But, it is like an old friend of mine says “we have got it to do so let’s get on with it”.
Legislation modernizing the Commissioners of the Land Office is headed to the governor.
House Bill 3026 creates the Commissioners of the Land Office Reform and Modernization Act. The legislation puts in place a modern management infrastructure for the land trust, improves accounting practices in accord with best practices and recent audit recommendations, and updates or repeals obsolete statutes and rules. The bill has already cleared the House and passed the Senate this week. It now goes to the governor for his signature. In recent years, outdated institutional practices and accounting systems led to the opportunity for mismanagement of the agency. The Commissioners of the Land Office, better known as the "School Land Trust," is a constitutional, non-appropriated agency that administers the school land trust funds for the production of income for the support and maintenance of the common schools and the schools of higher education.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner would receive a new facility near the world-class University of Central Oklahoma’s Forensic Science Institute if legislation passed by House committee this week becomes law. Senate Bill 1337 would require that the Medical Examiner’s office be located in "close proximity" to the Forensic Science Institute in Edmond. The title is off the bill, meaning it is still a work in progress and will go to conference for further work. The newly-opened Forensic Science Institute trains much sought-after pathologists who could assist the Medical Examiner’s Office in its work. The University of Central Oklahoma has built a nationally-renowned forensic science program with a new state-of-the-art facility, which will help bring the medical examiner’s office into the Twenty-First century. The bill passed the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Judiciary and Public Safety today with a vote of 9-1. It will next been considered by the full House.
The House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee has passed a bill that would allow law enforcement officers of the Department of Public Safety to obtain part-time employment during any period of furlough. Senate Bill 1810 would allow Highway Patrol and other law enforcement officers prohibited from part-time employment elsewhere to seek that employment during a period of furlough. Although legislators hope to avoid a situation in which furloughs occur, with uncertain state revenue and a massive downturn, it is important to create a safety net for officers by allowing them to seek part-time employment. The restriction from part-time employment would go back into effect two weeks after the furlough. Senate Bill 1810 will be heard next on the House floor.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Nature never goes out of style.” –Author unknown
A redbud tree has a lot of meaning for me because it always takes me back to my favorite Great Aunt. Her name was Vera Clifton and during my childhood she and my Great Uncle lived on a wooded acreage in Nicoma Park, Oklahoma. She was my maternal grandfather’s sister. I never met my grandfather because he died before I was born. It was interesting looking back how much I knew about my grandfather and what kind of guy he was through being around his sister. I learned a lot from who became my stand-in grandparents. From my Uncle Junius Clifton, who most people called Cliff, I learned a lot about chainsaws and power tools at a very young age. Stuff a boy just needs to know. From my Aunt Vera, I learned about the everyday beauty in the world around us. Her favorite tree in the entire world was a redbud. Just a native Oklahoma tree that shows up for a couple of weeks in the Spring. She was a very special woman in my life not only because she thought I walked on water, but because looking back, I know that I knew my grandfather because she made him seem alive to me through all of her stories. I remember she always had bird feeders out and could always identify each of the birds outside her big picture window. Being at the Cliftons’ house was just kind of a magical time. I planted a redbud tree in our front yard just because it reminds me of Aunt Vera and it says Spring is here. Time to enjoy the turn of that season, fish for crappie or hunt mushrooms. Redbud trees are almost like a flare shot into the pitch dark night. Whether they are wild on the creek or planted in a yard, they always take me back to great childhood memories of people long gone who helped make me who I am.
Well, that was nice. But, I guess since we are about halfway through session, I better throw you some politics in here. Here are a couple of things that we have seen in the last week or so come through the capitol. They are a lot more boring than redbuds. But, it is like an old friend of mine says “we have got it to do so let’s get on with it”.
Legislation modernizing the Commissioners of the Land Office is headed to the governor.
House Bill 3026 creates the Commissioners of the Land Office Reform and Modernization Act. The legislation puts in place a modern management infrastructure for the land trust, improves accounting practices in accord with best practices and recent audit recommendations, and updates or repeals obsolete statutes and rules. The bill has already cleared the House and passed the Senate this week. It now goes to the governor for his signature. In recent years, outdated institutional practices and accounting systems led to the opportunity for mismanagement of the agency. The Commissioners of the Land Office, better known as the "School Land Trust," is a constitutional, non-appropriated agency that administers the school land trust funds for the production of income for the support and maintenance of the common schools and the schools of higher education.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner would receive a new facility near the world-class University of Central Oklahoma’s Forensic Science Institute if legislation passed by House committee this week becomes law. Senate Bill 1337 would require that the Medical Examiner’s office be located in "close proximity" to the Forensic Science Institute in Edmond. The title is off the bill, meaning it is still a work in progress and will go to conference for further work. The newly-opened Forensic Science Institute trains much sought-after pathologists who could assist the Medical Examiner’s Office in its work. The University of Central Oklahoma has built a nationally-renowned forensic science program with a new state-of-the-art facility, which will help bring the medical examiner’s office into the Twenty-First century. The bill passed the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Judiciary and Public Safety today with a vote of 9-1. It will next been considered by the full House.
The House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee has passed a bill that would allow law enforcement officers of the Department of Public Safety to obtain part-time employment during any period of furlough. Senate Bill 1810 would allow Highway Patrol and other law enforcement officers prohibited from part-time employment elsewhere to seek that employment during a period of furlough. Although legislators hope to avoid a situation in which furloughs occur, with uncertain state revenue and a massive downturn, it is important to create a safety net for officers by allowing them to seek part-time employment. The restriction from part-time employment would go back into effect two weeks after the furlough. Senate Bill 1810 will be heard next on the House floor.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Nature never goes out of style.” –Author unknown
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