Oklahoma Senate President Pro Temp-designate Greg Treat releases list of approved interim studies

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore-designate Greg Treat, R-Edmond, released the list of approved 2018 interim studies. A total of 43 requests were approved.
Treat requested an interim study on the development of a legislative budget office that would provide additional data and resources to state lawmakers.

“Other states have entities that provide legislatures with analytical research, reports, and other data on state programs and agencies. This helps lawmakers in those states have better data as they make policy and spending decisions. This interim study request will look at how the Oklahoma Legislature could benefit from a legislative budget office as we work to write policy and hold state agencies accountable,” Treat said.

Interim studies provide senators another opportunity outside the legislative session to take an in-depth look and hear from subject-matter experts on a particular issue. The interim studies have been assigned to the Senate committee with jurisdiction over the subject matter contained within the request. The committee chairs will be responsible for scheduling committee meetings on the requests. All interim studies must be completed by Nov. 9.

Agriculture and Wildlife Committee
    • Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, a study of hunting and fishing licenses.
    • Murdock, a study of tamarisk and Eastern Red Cedar.
    • Sen. Paul Scott, R-Duncan, a study on wildlife land acquisition.

Appropriations Committee
    • Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, a study of energy taxation.
    • Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, a study of online sales tax.
    • Rader, R-Tulsa, a study on aquifer recharging.
    • Sen. John Sparks, D-Norman, a study on SQ 800.
    • Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, a study on the funding formula for virtual and brick and mortar schools.
    • Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, a study on school bonding flexibility based on state assets.
    • Sen. Gary Stanislawski, R-Tulsa, a study on equitable funding of charter schools.
    • Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, a study on transitioning from supplemental financial systems to CORE. 

Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee
    • Sen. Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa, a study on House Bill 2131: tourism investment enhancements.
    • Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, a study of telecommunication services for deaf elderly.
    • Sen. Jason Smalley, R-Stroud, a study on the work-based learning initiative.
    • Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, a study on workforce development.

Education Committee
    • Sen. Gary Stanislawski, R-Tulsa, a study on virtual charter school performance.
    • Sen. Allison Ikley-Freeman, D-Tulsa, a study of Senate Bill 1435.
    • Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, a study on classification reform for OSSAA members.
    • Sen. Wayne Shaw, R-Grove, a study of teacher mentoring.
    • Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, a study of LEAP for deaf children.
    • Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, a study on school bullying.
    • Standridge, a study on innovation in education.

General Government Committee
    • Sen. Kim David, R-Porter, a study of state agency land acquisitions.
    • Sen. Wayne Shaw, R-Grove, a study on law enforcement video storage and retention.

Health and Human Services Committee
    • Sen. J.J. Dossett, D-Owasso, study of child custody and parental visitation.
    • Dossett, a study on the health effects of vaping.
    • Sens. Greg McCortney, R-Ada, and Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, a study on adverse childhood experiences.
    • Sen. Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa, a study on suicide prevention best practices.
    • McCortney, a study of the National Health Service Corps state loan repayment program.
    • Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, a study on efforts to attract and retain neurologists.
    • Sen. Paul Scott, R-Duncan, a study for the licensure of radiologic technologists.

Judiciary Committee
    • Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, a study on flawed forensic scientific evidence and wrongful convictions in Oklahoma.
    • Sen. Allison Ikley-Freeman, D-Tulsa, a study of Oklahoma’s mental health courts.

Public Safety Committee
    • Sen. Allison Ikley-Freeman, D-Tulsa, a study of prison re-entry programs in Oklahoma.
    • Ikley-Freeman, a study on implementation of the governor’s justice reform task force recommendations.
    • Ikley-Freeman, a study of mental health and police relations.
    • Sen Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa, a study on first step male diversion: pay for success.
    • Sen. Wayne Shaw, R-Grove, a study on law enforcement training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Rules Committee
    • Sen. Greg Treat, R-Edmond, a study on the creation of a legislative budget office within the Legislature.

Transportation Committee
    • Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, a study of truck platooning.
    • Sen. Mark Allen, R-Spiro, a study of third-party commercial driver’s license (CDL) examiners.
    • Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, a study of autonomous vehicles in Oklahoma.

Veterans Committee
    • Sen. J.J. Dossett, D-Owasso, a study on Oklahoma veterans suicide rate.