As temperatures continue to hover around the century mark, the stress is showing in various ways. Efforts are underway to help mitigate effects of the extreme heat.
TRANSCRIPT
Dick Pryor: This is Capitol Insider - taking you Inside politics, policy and government in Oklahoma. I'm Dick Pryor with Quorum Call publisher Shawn Ashley. Shawn, the oppressive heat in Oklahoma has continued unabated for several weeks. Are state elected officials doing anything to respond to this extreme weather that we all have to endure in Oklahoma?
Shawn Ashley: Yes, they are. For the past year, the Emergency Drought Commission has distributed more than $20 million to Oklahoma farmers and ranchers who have been dealing with a drought that began in 2021. Now, the drought had subsided some in the late spring and early summer, but the most recent drought monitor showed the area affected by drought doubling in the state, state climatologist Gary McManus told the commission on Wednesday. And he said it is likely to get worse before it gets better. That money is being used for things like pond clean outs, new wells and pumps and piping to get water to livestock and crops. Lawmakers appropriated $37 million of new money to the commission that it will be looking at how to spend in the coming months, including funding projects it had been unable to fund because its previous appropriations were running out.
Dick Pryor: It would have been possible for the State Board of Education meeting on Thursday to take over Tulsa public schools, but instead the board gave the district “accredited with deficiencies” and required an improvement plan. Was the board's handling of Tulsa unique?
Shawn Ashley: Yes, it was. According to information provided to the State Board of Education in July, there were 65 other districts that were accredited with more than one deficiency, just like Tulsa. There were also nine districts granted accreditation with warnings and three districts accredited on probation - worse standards than those applied to Tulsa. But none of those districts received specific improvement plans like Tulsa Public Schools did, and none are required to appear before the board monthly to provide progress reports.
Dick Pryor: The new state law allowing private and home school parents to apply for tax credits has now gone into effect. What is the Tax Commission doing to put procedures in place to administer that new law?
Shawn Ashley: Well, the commission is working through putting in place the various policies, procedures and even the forms that parents and guardians will have to use to claim the credit. While the bill, House Bill 1934, took effect on Thursday, the credit does not become available until tax year 2024, which begins January 1. Now, that creates kind of an interesting situation. Tax years are based on calendar years, January 1 to December 31st. School years follow a fall, spring, summer calendar, August to July and cross from one calendar year into the next. So, it appears the credit will cover students’ spring, summer and fall expenses rather than their fall, spring and summer expenses that of the normal school year.
Dick Pryor: So, it could get confusing.
Shawn Ashley: Indeed it could.
Dick Pryor: It's August, eight months away from filing for the 2024 elections. And already, Shawn, we are seeing some openings in the state House and Senate.
Shawn Ashley: Well, we could even see two new members join the legislature for the 2024 session. Senator John Michael Montgomery resigned August 1st to become CEO of the Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce. And a special election is being held to fill that vacancy. Governor Kevin Stitt is expected to call a special election to fill the vacancy created by Representative Ryan Martinez’s resignation on September 1st. Martinez was no longer qualified to serve after pleading guilty to a felony DUI offense. And several other members have said they will not seek reelection in 2024. Senator Joe Newhouse from Tulsa, Senator Cody Rogers also from Tulsa, and Representative Sherri Conley from Newcastle. Representative Jeff Boatman has announced he will not seek reelection to the House but will seek Newhouse’s seat in the Senate. So, we're seeing some movement there. And on top of that, there are nearly a dozen members who will be term limited in 2024, including House Speaker Charles McCall, Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, and Senate Minority Leader Kay Floyd. So, there's a lot of chairs being moved on the deck of the legislature’s ship.
Dick Pryor: Get ready for some change. Thanks, Shawn.
Shawn Ashley: You're very welcome.
Dick Pryor: That's Capitol Insider. For more information, go to quorumcall.online. You can find audio and transcripts at kgou.org and listen to Capitol Insider where you get your podcasts. Until next time, with Shawn Ashley, I'm Dick Pryor.
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