Table Meeting Notes (2/25/22)

Welcome & introductions

1. LFT updates

   1. Members survey coming soon

   2. Bill lists created, will likely post to our site this weekend

   3. Members-only section live soon as well
      
      

2. Discussion of Legislative updates

   1. Appears to be a bit of a shell game going on with moving bills between committees that might not be obvious or expected 

   2. ACLU

      1. SB1703 - Abortion (Texas copycat law)

      2. HB3240 - likely to be heard 3/2

      3. Concerned about a bill that would “prevent” bullying but could unintentional

      4. Concenred about SB1249 - anti trans bathroom bill

      5. HJR1050 - would put death penalty on ballot, 

      6. SB1738 - would modify death penalty procedures & mental health competency of inmate. There are some aspects of that process that are questionsable. 

   3. OEA

      1. No seroius or funding issues 

      2. Treat’s voucher bill

      3. Censorship bills

      4. Governor’s digital wallet bill - was pulled from last year

      5. Something seems to be going on w/ Pugh as committee chair - actions not matching what has been pledged publicly.
         
         

   4. MHAOK

      1. Funding for SQ781 dollars

      2. SB1442 (Jett) - social emotional learning bill (multiple sources say it wont be heard)

      3. SB1381 (Standridge) about homeless encampments bad in all kinds of ways, notably negative impact on city budgets

      4. HB3240 (also ACLU priority)

      5. HB3238 - evictions bill, very bad
         
         

   5. Election-related bills

      1. HB3677 - require everyone to re-register - scheduled for 3/1

      2. HB3945 - bans private funding of elections, passed committee

      3. HB3234 - would require 40% turnout to pass, didn’t get a 2nd

      4. Moving school board elections to November may still happen (Treat bill). Complex issue; if packaged with partisanization of nonpartisan races. Need to expand ballot access, perhaps including 

      5. Rep. Roberts has 3 bills scheduled for 3/1 (HB3364, HB3365, HB3367 - absentee, restrictions on valid address)
         
         

   6. OK Policy

      1. Taxpayers for a Better Oklahoma will be spinning up again. Details soon.
         
         

   7. SB1612 would reconfigure OKDPS by creating new divisions & possibly taking some authority from AG/DAs/etc.  (SB1613 is somewhat similar, but much less expansive.)
      
      

   8. SB1605 & HB3419 would move Motor Vehicles division from Oklahoma Tax Commission to OMES as a new “Service Oklahoma” division. Rumors are that doing so would open the door for tag agents to provide a wider range of state services, essentially privatizing those state services.
      
      

   9. House Republican Caucus being open about what McCall is saying to them. Maintains that vouchers are dead, but hard to know what the grand bargain might be.
      
      

   10. Some members are starting to waffle on some of the tax bills & other bills they’ve proposed. May be getting together to identify what can be killed and by whom. Fissures within the majority party starting to emerge.
       
       

1. Announcements

   1. Lethal injection trial beginning Mon 2/28, expected to last 3 days. ACLU legal team is attending; they are also working w/ media source to keep tabs on what’s happening.
      
      

   2. LWVOK advocacy day is Mar 5 from 11a-1p
      
      

   3. Civics Con will be Jun 10-11, theme will be “GeoCivics: Designing Stronger Communities”
      
      

   4. Upcoming Table meetings:

      1. March 11 (in-person) & 25 (virtual)

      2. April 8 (in-person) & 22 (virtual)

      3. May 13 (in-person) & 27 (virtual)

      4. June 10

      5. July 8

      6. August 12

      7. September 9

      8. October 14

      9. November 11

      10. December 9 

1. Adjourn