Lobbyist Spending Nears Record Levels
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Lobbyists seeking to influence elected officials in Oklahoma continue to spend some of the highest amounts ever in spite of rules intended to curb their practices.
Making the Cut: What Lawmakers Did, and Didn’t Do, This Year
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Oklahoma lawmakers closed out the 2019 session Thursday after nearly four months of debate on hundreds of bills that could impact the state for years to come. Here’s what the Legislature did, and didn’t do, this year, from the $8.1 billion spending bill to criminal justice reform.
Donations to Lawmakers Keep Flowing Even As They Vote on Bills
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The fight over Oklahoma’s recently changed liquor distribution laws shows how donors get around a partial fundraising blackout during the legislative session. One donor in the fight, and his wife, have given at least $95,000 since Feb. 6.
Five Questions Surrounding Criminal Justice Reform Bills
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This year’s criminal justice reform measures include changing bail bonds, making State Question 780 retroactive and giving greater clarity to prosecutors on when to charge drug possession with intent to distribute. Here are five questions surrounding the bills.
Bucking Ethics Proposal, Legislators Become Lobbyists
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Three former legislators who left office in November are now lobbyists, embodying a practice that state ethics officials have unsuccessfully tried to ban in the face of opposition from the Legislature.
Annotating Stitt’s ‘State of the State’ Speech: What He Proposed, and Omitted
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Gov. Kevin Stitt used his first State of the State address to call for an additional pay raise for teachers, a more modernized state government and greater control over state agency leaders’ employment.
What was absent, however, might be as important as what was included.
The Failed Effort to Bring Transparency to Groups Lobbying on Legislation
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Opposition to proposed Ethics Commission rules to require disclosure of who’s behind grassroots lobbying efforts united groups on the right and left. The commission discussed but declined to take up the proposed rules, effectively killing the measure.
After Walkout, What’s Next for Public Education at the Capitol?
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The first legislative session since the teacher walkout ended will convene Feb. 4, and education is likely to be a prominent theme. But proposed bills go beyond teacher pay and school funding. Here are several of the bills Oklahoma Watch is tracking.
State Rule Would Disclose Hidden Backers of Groups Trying to Influence Legislation
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The Oklahoma Ethics Commission is proposing to close a gap in state campaign finance laws that keeps certain funding and spending on efforts to influence legislation a secret. Some groups immediately objected.
How Closely Will Stitt, Legislators Scrutinize State Agencies?
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Incoming Gov. Kevin Stitt and lawmakers have proposed a three-pronged look into state agencies’ spending and activities: accountability audits, a new financial transparency office and expansion of the governor’s power to appoint agency heads. How much transparency will it bring?