Ken Cook Day at the Capitol

Monday, March 7th, I was honored to recognize my good friend and constituent Ken Cook for his awesome achievements after thirty plus years on the pro bass fishing circuit. The presentation was made amid lots of turmoil on the House floor but none the less, we were able to recognize his lifetime of dedication to the sport of professional fishing. Ken was the last Oklahoman to win the Bassmaster Classic which he did in 1991. He was inducted in February into the Bassmaster Hall of Fame. Ken is like the Nolan Ryan of bass fishing, the Energizer Bunny if you will. He was able to continue on that very competitive tournament trail when most of the young whipper snappers would have hung up their tackle. He has been a wonderful advocate for not only the fishing scene but also for all other outdoor pursuits. He was accompanied Monday by his wife Tammy, his son Hunter and wife, as well as his adopted daughter Monica, as we recognized his achievements and wished him well on the House floor. Congratulations Ken. We wish you well as you continue to enjoy our state’s great outdoors.

I thought you might like to see some key issues that have taken place on the House floor in the past week. The paragraphs listed below address the topics and their progress thus far.

Transportation Transparency Act Passes House
House lawmakers voted this week to increase public scrutiny of state road revenue. House Bill 1489, the Taxpayer Transparency Act, passed through the Oklahoma House of Representatives with no opposition. It would create a single state Web site where the public can access all state road funding data. The bill’s author noted that over half of some transportation-generated revenue, such as motor vehicle fees, currently goes to non-transportation sources and agencies. With billions of dollars in unfunded road and bridge repairs, he argued that citizens should know where those tax dollars are actually going. House Bill 1489 passed 96-0 and will now go to the Oklahoma Senate for consideration.

Citizens Could Decide Open Carry
Oklahoma voters could decide whether or not to authorize the open carry of firearms under legislation approved by a House committee this week. House Bill 1796 calls for an election to determine if state law should be changed to allow citizens to openly carry firearms. Under the bill, Oklahomans with a valid handgun license (which would be the equivalent of the current concealed carry license) would have the right to carry a weapon openly without concealing it. Those with the license would have to undergo background checks and firearms training before being licensed. House Bill 1796 passed out of the House Public Safety Committee on a 17-0 vote today. It will next go to the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

Lawmakers Approve Bill to Require Initiative Petitions to Identify Funding Source
Legislation approved by the Oklahoma House of Representatives would require initiative petitions that mandate new spending to identify a funding source. House Bill 1225 would require those submitting a petition to include a statement “outlining all sources of funding to be used in the measure.” House Bill 1225 passed by a vote of 52-46 and now proceeds to the Senate.

Committee Approves Bill to Improve Appropriations Process
Under legislation passed by a House committee this week, lawmakers would have more information before passing a state budget. House Bill 1422 authorizes the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board to begin education employees’ insurance plan year on July 1, starting in 2012. Changing the insurance plan’s start date allows lawmakers to know the cost of the plan before they put together the state budget. In the past, it was not unusual for entities to have to ask for a supplemental due to rate increases when a new plan started in January – the halfway point of the fiscal year. It was also not unusual for the plan to be less than fully funded, requiring school districts to address the shortfall by diverting money from other school programs. House Bill 1422 was approved by the House Insurance Committee and will now proceed to the House floor for consideration.

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:

“Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.” –Napoleon Hill