OML Advocate Legislative Bulletin 4-26

One Week To Deadline - OML Priorities Keep Moving

Legislative momentum continues as we head toward the March 5th committee deadline for House and Senate bills to be heard in committee.

This week brought positive movement for municipalities, with four additional OML priority bills passing through oversite committees and advancing in the process. With one week to go, advocacy efforts remain focused on ensuring key municipal priorities successfully clear this critical milestone while slowing down those that harm us.

OML Priority/Firearms/Judges: HB 3062 by Rep. Derrick Hildebrandt (R-Catoosa) and Sen. Christi Gillespie (R-Broken Arrow) allows a retired municipal judge, having served as a municipal judge for twenty (20) cumulative years as certified by OMJA, and who is qualified to serve as a municipal judge, to carry a firearm throughout the state to use only for personal protection; provided, however, the retired municipal judge shall not be authorized to carry the firearm into any district court of this state. Retired district judges, district attorneys or assistant district attorneys who are currently authorized to carry firearms throughout the state pursuant to state law shall be exempt. The chief judge of the district court may issue a written order allowing a municipal judge to carry a firearm within the district court during the time period in which he or she serves as the chief judge.

The bill passed the House Judiciary & Public Safety Oversight Committee on Thursday by a vote of 13 to 0. The bill moves to the House floor.

OML Priority/Revenue & Taxation/Intercept: HB 3319 by Rep. Ryan Eaves (R-Atoka) and Sen. Tom Woods (R-Westville) authorizes a qualified entity that is a municipal public authority or public trust to file a claim with OTC requesting that the amount owed to the qualified entity for delinquent utility charges, including, but not limited to, water, sewer, sanitation, and related service fees be deducted from any state income tax refund due to that individual, provided that the utility charges are at least ninety (90) days delinquent and the utility service associated with the delinquent account has been lawfully disconnected for nonpayment.

The bill passed the House Judiciary & Public Safety Oversight Committee on Thursday by a vote of 13 to 0. The bill moves to the House floor.