Kiger Announces State Employee Bill Approved

OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill to assist state employees who owe back state income taxes has been sent to the governor for his consideration to be signed into law.

State Rep. Lundy Kiger, R-Poteau, announced today that House Bill 3068 passed off the floors of both the House and Senate and the House restored the title to the measure. The bill now awaits the governor’s action. Kiger thanked House and Senate members for their support and Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, for being the senate author.

“This bill will benefit all state employees who may owe back state income taxes from before they went to work for the state,” Kiger said “This provides garnishment of wages of taxes owed instead of other discipline and possible job loss.”

Kiger said currently any state employees who may owe the state for a delinquent income tax debt or who have failed to file their taxes may face such discipline or job loss. This could occur even if their spouses may owe back taxes and they were unaware of this before becoming a state employee.

Kiger said before filing the bill he talked to state employees who found themselves in difficult or embarrassing situations when called in by a supervisor to be told they owed taxes and were facing possible discipline that could include termination. Another state employee told him there was a mistake made when his taxes were paid and the Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC) didn’t show his taxes paid. This caused him problems and embarrassment in trying to correct the issue.

The new language in HB 3068 allows the OTC to communicate directly with the state employee on the amount owed and terms of wages that will be garnished. Kiger said this should make the situation better for all state employees and the state should more quickly receive taxes owed.