Week three and floor work is still at a crawl as many bills migrate their way through the committee process. I am batting a thousand on the three bills I have presented in committee.
Last week, My House Bill 2947, which would allow more mental health therapists in rural Oklahoma, passed committee, but I had to make some concessions to get it heard in oversight this week. This is the part of lawmaking most don’t see, as we massage bills to make them more palatable to a wider audience.
House Bill 3404, pertaining to controlled burns, and House Bill 2958, which would provide pay raises for state employees, sailed through committee with zero no votes. Hopefully this momentum will carry forward into the next round of committee hearings.
Sometimes we are asked by different agencies to carry bills that may or may not be priorities of mine. Such is the case with House Bill 3152, which pertains to giving Oklahoma Corporation Commission officers additional authority pertaining to our weigh stations and border patrols. I reluctantly agreed to carry this as it has been an ongoing issue for the past eight years that I am aware of. This needs to be settled and resolved once and for all. So, we will see.
I also am working on a carryover bill from last year on groundwater well permits, Senate Bill 133. Once again, the massage process starts as we try to incorporate all parties into something palatable.
Finally, several years ago I championed legislation to improve service and funding to our 911 call centers. My bill allows dispatchers to be more responsive to cell phones seeking assistance along with some additional dollars. Now I read where our state auditor has uncovered numerus cases or wrongdoing involving 911 funds in Lincoln County. I just have to shake my head and wonder why sometimes.
As always, I’m thankful to the constituents of House District 17 for allowing me to serve. If I can help you in any way, I can be reached at (405) 557-7381 or by email at jim.grego@okhouse.gov.
Jim Grego serves District 17 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes Latimer County and part and Pittsburg County.
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