Oklahoma Legislature has unfinished business in final week

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — State lawmakers enter the final week of the 2016 Oklahoma Legislature on Monday with a catalog of unfinished business.

Their to-do list includes measures to allow Oklahomans to openly carry guns without a license or background checks, a ballot measure that would expand beer and wine sales in the state, a proposal to raise teacher salaries, a $125 million bond issue to help repair and renovate Oklahoma's nearly 100-year-old state Capitol and a possible attempt to override Gov. Mary Fallin's veto of a bill that would essentially ban abortion in the state.

But nothing on lawmakers' agenda is more crucial that finalizing the state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Faced with a projected $1.3 billion hole in next year's budget due largely to falling energy prices and lower tax collections from oil and natural gas production, lawmakers have developed bills to raise or save hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to prevent deep cuts in funding for vital state services like schools, highways and public safety.

The Legislature is constitutionally required to adjourn on Friday — the last Friday in May — no later than 5 p.m.

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STATE BUDGET

Since convening Feb. 1, lawmakers have been working to close the $1.3 billion hole in the state budget that could result in steep funding reductions for public schools, prisons and other state services next year.

In recent weeks, the House and Senate have voted on proposals to cap or eliminate tax exemptions, credits and deductions in areas like marginally producing oil wells and items purchased online, to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in recurring revenue. But a proposal to raise Oklahoma's fuel taxes for road and bridge construction and maintenance was soundly defeated by a House committee.

The Oklahoma House last week rejected a proposed $1.50-per-pack tax on cigarettes to raise about $180 million a year and avoid cuts to the state's health care system, but the author of the bill indicated he may bring it back to the floor for reconsideration. That and other proposals to raise or save revenue were still being negotiated as the Legislature enters its final week.

OPEN CARRY

Legislation labeled constitutional carry would allow adults over 21 without a felony conviction to openly carry loaded handguns in public without a license, background check or training. Oklahoma residents currently can carry guns openly or concealed but must first obtain a license that includes a fingerprint check and mandatory firearms training.

A separate measure supported by the National Rifle Association seeks a statewide public vote on whether to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to make it more difficult for the Legislature to regulate firearms and to prohibit laws requiring registration or special taxation of firearms or ammunition.

Both bills are opposed by hospitals, colleges and the state's business community, including the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, which have voiced concern the measures could jeopardize existing gun bans.

ABORTION VETO OVERRIDE

The sponsor of a measure that would have made it a felony punishable by up to three years in prison for anyone to perform an abortion, including doctors, says he will decide during the upcoming week whether to attempt to override Gov. Mary Fallin's veto.

Fallin, a Republican who opposes abortion, vetoed the bill Friday, just one day after it was passed. She said the bill is vague and would not withstand a legal challenge. State law already makes it a felony for anyone who's not a doctor to perform an abortion, and the bill would have removed the exemption for physicians.

Republican Sen. Nathan Dahm said the measure was aimed at ultimately overturning the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide. A veto override would require a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate.

ALCOHOL SALES

Legislation that asks voters to decide whether to relax the state's liquor laws and allow grocery and convenience stores to sell wine and strong beer is pending in the Senate.

Currently, liquor, wine and strong beer are sold only at licensed package stores, which are strictly regulated and closed on Sundays. Oklahoma allows refrigerated low-point beer to be sold at grocery and convenience stores until 2 a.m. and on Sundays.

Supporters say 42 other states already allow the sale of strong beer and wine in grocery stores. A variety of other changes in state liquor laws are in a proposed constitutional amendment and related legislation, including altering operating hours and days for package liquor stores and permitting them to sell refrigerated beer and non-alcoholic items that are now prohibited, like corkscrews and can openers.

TEACHER SALARIES

Some teachers would get a raise of up to $10,000 a year under a proposal unveiled last week that asks voters to approve a slight increase in the state sales tax and expand it to include certain services.

The proposal would increase the sales tax from 4.5 percent to 4.9 percent and expand it to include repair, installation, delivery and maintenance services, laundry and dry cleaning, automobile repair services, satellite and cable TV, computer software delivered electronically, dry cleaning, pet grooming and a number of other services.

Legislative fiscal analysts have not released estimates of how much revenue the sales tax measure would raise. But it would pay for $5,000 raises for teachers with up to five years of service, $7,500 raises for teachers with 6-10 years and $10,000 for teachers with 11 or more years.

An initiative petition calling for a statewide vote on a separate 1-cent sales tax for education is under review by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to determine whether there are enough valid signatures to put the question on the ballot.

CAPITOL BONDS

A measure authorizing a second bond issue to repair and renovate Oklahoma's state Capitol is pending in the Senate.

Lawmakers approved a $120 million bond issue for repairs two years ago. Those bonds have helped builders launch the project, but contractors think it will take a similar amount to complete the work, which includes new plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems.

Work on the multi-year project is scheduled to kick off this summer. Officials say the new $125 million bond issue would not be phased in until 2018, when 40 percent of the state's existing bond principal rolls off the books.

TIM TALLEY, Associated Press

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The Gayly - 5/22/2016 @ 12:07 p.m. CDT