OML Advocate Legislative Bulletin 8-26

FULL SPEED AHEAD: LEGISLATURE ADVANCES BILLS AT MIDPOINT

The Legislature has reached the midpoint of session, with bills being heard in their chambers of origin. Following a slower pace last week due to Spring Break, both the House and Senate returned ready to move legislation forward at full speed. The House and Senate both worked past midnight on Wednesday night and returned early Thursday morning to meet the deadline.

The bills that failed to meet this latest deadline will not move forward, and those that were passed are awaiting committee assignments in the opposite chamber. As of now, a few committee meetings have been scheduled for next week, though agendas have yet to be released.

OML’s priority measures continue to advance through the legislative process.

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 they serve as the chief judge.

The bill passed the House on Wednesday by a vote of 88 to 3. The bill moves to the Senate.