Considering House bills

By Sen. Bill Coleman

We’ve now turned our attention back to our committees to work on House bills. Nearly 400 were sent over for further consideration.

According to my colleagues, this is less than normal.  Most of the bill counts have been much lower as members are focusing much of their attention on the budget and revenue measures.

This year, I’m serving as the principal Senate author on eight House bills.

HB 1024 allows certified peace officers to work as off-duty security at establishments engaged in the alcoholic beverage business.

HB 1175 provides that a funeral director, within 60 days of the issuance of a death certificate, can request the correction of information in a death record, except the medical certification portion. The funeral director will be responsible for all amendment fees imposed by the Commissioner of Health for the correction. Finally, up to 10  certified copies containing the erroneous information can be exchanged for certified copies with the correct information at no additional cost.

HB 1294 provides that a defendant is to be brought to the court within 48 hours of being taken into custody and has a right to counsel at the initial appearance.  The defendant will be entitled to counsel at the arraignment and will be provided a copy of the charge against him or her.  The court will schedule a preliminary hearing in applicable cases.

HB 1341 provides that someone with a mixed beverage license and a retail wine license or retail beer license isn’t prohibited from the on-premises sale of wine or beer, according to the license held, for off-premises consumption, subject to the limitations of the retail wine license or retail beer license.  Under the measure, a mixed beverage license holder isn’t prohibited from obtaining and holding a retail beer license or retail wine license; provided, that each holder qualifies and maintains the qualifications for each license.  It also provides that package stores licensed under the Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Control Act that are also mixed beverage licensees aren’t  prohibited from the exercise of the authorities granted them by Section 2-110 of this title.

HB 1349 allows a retail beer licensee to sell a malt beverage with up to 15 percent alcohol beverage volume.  It provides that a mixed beverage licensee that is also a retail wine licensee or retail beer licensee won’t be prohibited from the on-premises sale of wine or beer, according to the license held, for off-premises consumption, subject to the limitations of the retail wine license or retail beer license. It provides that someone with a mixed beverage license may obtain a retail beer license or retail wine license; provided, that each holder qualifies and maintains the qualifications for each license.

HB 1916 prohibits the transfer or lease of any tangible personal property between a for-profit business entity and a public trust if the fair cash value or acquisition cost to the for-profit entity exceeds $1 million. The prohibition will be effective for transactions occurring on or after the effective date of the bill.

HB 2009 is the same language as my SB 287.  This is an important bill and we want to make sure one of them makes it through the legislative process.  It provides that someone who has previously been convicted of a nonviolent felony or sexual offense who is convicted of a second or subsequent nonviolent felony, may be punished by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for up to the maximum sentence plus one-fourth of the maximum sentence that could have been imposed for a first conviction of the current offense.  Currently, these individuals are subject to twice the maximum sentence.

HB 2086 is the same language as SB 128.  It authorizes on-call pay for state agency employees when the individual  is off work premises but required to remain at, near to, or able to return to work when called upon.

Senate leadership spent this week assigning these and other House bills to the various committees.  Those that were assigned were taken up and sent on to the full Senate. The rest have to be out of committee by Thursday, April 11 to move forward.

You can contact me at the state Capitol by calling (405) 521-5581 or by email at [email protected].