2013 Legislative Thread

[guido911]

I thought a general thread on what is happening in OKC this legislative term was worth it. Here is a bill that is making its way throughout the medical community.

http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2013-14%20FLR/HFLR/HB1020%20HFLR.PDF

As always, a distinct, new thread should be started when asinine, right wing zealotry bills make it through. I never want to miss out on how f'd up this state can be.   

[Teatownclown]

I thought a general thread on what is happening in OKC this legislative term was worth it. Here is a bill that is making its way throughout the medical community.

http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2013-14%20FLR/HFLR/HB1020%20HFLR.PDF

As always, a distinct, new thread should be started when asinine, right wing zealotry bills make it through. I never want to miss out on how f'd up this state can be.   

And all this time i thought the state righties wanted less government.

Explain this to me. More regulation?

[Townsend]

Okla. House OKs money for marriage campaign

http://www.news9.com/story/21537217/okla-house-oks-money-for-marriage-campaign

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A bill that takes money from a program for needy Oklahoma families and directs that it be used to create an advertising campaign to promote marriage has cleared the Oklahoma House.
The House voted 71-27 Wednesday for the bill sponsored by new Republican House Speaker T.W. Shannon of Lawton.

The bill calls for the creation of a statewide public service announcement campaign that promotes marriage as a tool against poverty. It directs that the campaign be paid for by funds allocated to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, program.

TANF provides temporary cash assistance to poor families for up to 60 months in cases of a parent's death, incapacity, absence or unemployment.

Online:

House Bill 1908: http://bit.ly/W69t7V

[Townsend]

Oklahoma House Democrats seek more funds for public schools

Oklahoma House Democrats say Republicans should abandon plans to cut the state's personal income tax and instead invest more in public education.

http://newsok.com/oklahoma-house-democrats-seek-more-funds-for-public-schools/article/3762447

Flanked by public school superintendents, Oklahoma House Democrats called on Republican legislative leaders and the governor Wednesday to increase funding for public schools.

Funding for public schools, which makes up the largest percentage of the legislatively appropriated budget, has been cut nearly 20 percent the past five years, said House Minority Leader Scott Inman, D-Del City.

Oklahoma's cuts to public schools are the third-highest in the nation, he said.

Yet enrollment in public schools has grown by about 22,000 students in the same time period, Inman said.

"Our children need to be properly funded," he said.

Public schools received about $2.3 billion of the $6.8 billion legislatively appropriated budget for the 2013 fiscal year, which ends June 30.

Republican Gov. Mary Fallin has proposed an increase of $13.5 million for the 2014 fiscal year. Inman reminded those at a Capitol news conference that state schools Superintendent Janet Barresi, a Republican, told lawmakers public schools needed a $300 million increase.

Inman urged Republican legislative leaders to pull back plans to cut the state's personal income tax and put the money needed to finance the tax cut into public schools.

Fallin has proposed cutting the 5.25 percent top personal income tax rate to 5 percent, which would cost the state about $40 million for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1, and about $120 million annually when fully implemented.

Inman said calculations show about 42 percent of Oklahoma taxpayers wouldn't see a reduction in their state personal income taxes under Fallin's proposal. Those who did would see an average savings of about $39 a year.

"While our students have larger class sizes, fewer new textbooks and fewer resources, we're giving $39 back a year to Oklahoma citizens," he said. "We believe that if the people of Oklahoma hear that case ... that they'll join with us and call on a bipartisan group of leaders to put a stop to this income tax push.

"Instead of cutting $120 million, let's put that $120 million into the common education system in Oklahoma," Inman said.

[guido911]

Income tax reduction passes house.

http://www.twshannon.com/2013/03/measure-to-reduce-state-income-tax-passes-house/

This pleases me immensely.

[Townsend]

Cutting funding for OETA.  Bunch of dumbasses.

[Red Arrow]

Cutting funding for OETA.  Bunch of dumbasses.

PBS/OETA is in the Spring Festival money begging process.  Send a few extra bucks.

[Hoss]

Cutting funding for OETA.  Bunch of dumbasses.

This.

And the income tax reduction?  Watch. They'll either jack up ad valorem taxes or try and justify raising the state sales tax rate to make up the difference.  We pay no matter what.

[guido911]

Cutting funding for OETA.  Bunch of dumbasses.

Is that more important than tax cuts?

[guido911]

PBS/OETA is in the Spring Festival money begging process.  Send a few extra bucks.

There's your solution T. And boom goes the dynamite.

[Townsend]

It seems like they do these things out of spite.  If it doesn't help back their beliefs, it's evil.

Cutting education funding of any kind seems to say "Quick, don't let the public learn.  If they do, they'll stop falling for our BS."

I think a quantity of the Oklahoma state legislature is still asking each other "What was wrong with the rape thing last election?"

[Ibanez]

PBS/OETA is in the Spring Festival money begging process.  Send a few extra bucks.

Cutting public TV budgets is going on all over the country. Several states have already done so. A few have even turned public TV into a non profit entity. Seems to be working fine.

Seriously, how many people are really watching PBS these days? Kids especially are more likely to be watching things like Nickelodeon or one of the other kid centric stations. If people are really worried about their children's education shouldn't they be doing something other than plopping them in front of a TV?

I have nothing against public television, it's just that I don't feel it should be a priority in times of budget cuts.

Neither should moronic pro marriage PSA's......  FFS is there really an anti marriage movement that we need to be creating propaganda against?

[heironymouspasparagus]

Seriously, how many people are really watching PBS these days?

Only the ones with a functional brain.

I guess you are right...in Okrahoma, not that many....

[guido911]

Only the ones with a functional brain.

Not sure if accurate, bu there is the OETA programming schedule.

http://www.oeta.tv/schedules

If it is, I think we all now know what a function brain is required to watch in heiron's world.  Especially during the day..But then again, heiron is getting up in age, "Daniel Goes to the Potty" (10:00 am) might be useful to him .

[heironymouspasparagus]

Not sure if accurate, bu there is the OETA programming schedule.

http://www.oeta.tv/schedules

If it is, I think we all now know what a function brain is required to watch in heiron's world.  Especially during the day..But then again, heiron is getting up in age, "Daniel Goes to the Potty" (10:00 am) might be useful to him .

Daytime is always all about the kids...is that why you are so familiar with that schedule??

But let's get past the annual begging event and look at evening schedule for next week...say, Tuesday.  The adults out there will find much substance.

http://www.oeta.tv/schedules

And once we get to Friday - well, it looks like they have made their annual schedule adjustment, so will have to re-find some favorites...but Dr. Who is still at the right place.

http://www.oeta.tv/schedules