The Fifty-fourth Oklahoma Legislature was the meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma from January 8, 2013 to January 5, 2015.Publications - Senate Journals, Oklahoma Senate (accessed May 28, 2013) The first session met from February 4, 2013, to May 24, 2013, in the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City, during the third year of the first administration of Governor Mary Fallin. After the 2012 elections, the Republican Party held more than two-thirds of the seats in the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

The 2013 session resulted in an overhaul of the workers' compensation system, funding for relief and recovery efforts in response to a 2013 tornado outbreak, and employee development initiatives to improve care at veteran care centers.

Dates of sessions Organizational day: January 8, 2013 First regular session: February 4, 2013 – May 24, 2013 First special session: September 2–6 and 9, 2013 Second regular session: February 3, 2014 - May 30, 2014 Previous: 53rd Legislature • Next: 55th Legislature

Major legislation

Enacted 2013 Legislative Session Budget - HB 2301 contained the state budget that began July 1, 2013 and ends July 1, 2014. Abortion - HB 1361 requires 48-hour written notice to parents before a minor has an abortion. Abortion - HB 2226 requires a prescription for emergency contraception to women under the age of 17. Criminal procedure - HB 1068 enables those convicted of violent crimes to request DNA testing of evidence.Capitol Updates, The Oklahoman, May 26, 2013. Disaster recovery - SB 249 transfers $45 million from the constitutional reserve fund to fund relief and recovery efforts resulting from the 2013 tornado outbreak. Education - HB 1658 revises state A-F grading system scoring. Income tax cut - HB 2032 reduces the top income tax rate from 5.25 percent to 5 percent on 2015 and sets up a mechanism to cut the rate to 4.85 percent in 2016 if the total revenue growth in the 2016 fiscal year is equal to or greater than the fiscal impact of the 0.15 percent tax cut; funds Capitol repairs.McNutt, Michael. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signs tax cut measure, Newsok.com (accessed May 13, 2013) Ruled unconstitutional by Oklahoma Supreme CourtState Supreme Court Rejects Tax Cut Law as Unconstitutional, Tulsa World, 2013-12-18 Infrastructure planning - HB 1910 forms Long-Range Capital Planning Commission with goals to repair the Oklahoma State Capitol and develop an eight-year plan to address the maintenance of state assets. Smoking - SB 501 gives municipalities and counties the right to ban smoking on government property and makes state property smoke-free.http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/Fallin_signs_bill_to_ban_smoking_at_state_city_owned/20130430_16_A12_OKLAHO264386 - Tulsa World, April 30, 2013 (accessed May 8, 2013) Workers' compensation - SB 1062 moves the state from a court-based workers’ compensation system to an administrative system, allowing for more timely processing of claims and reducing the adversarial nature of the process for both workers and employers.Oklahoma workers' compensation measure signed into law, The Oklahoman, May 7, 2013 (accessed May 8, 2013 at Newsok.com) Veteran care - SB 228 creates employee development initiatives at veteran care centers to improve care.Gov. Fallin signs bill to improve Oklahoma veterans care, Tulsa World (accessed May 8, 2013) Government reform - HB 2201 privatizes CompSource Oklahoma, an agency which provides workers' compensation insurance to private business, into a private insurance company Drugs - HB 1783 prohibits automatic refills on products containing hydrocodone Welfare reform - SB 887 prevents those convicted of illegally transferring food stamp benefits from enrollment in the program Public safety - HB 1871 grants federally-recognized Indian tribes' law enforcement agencies the power to enforce state law

2013 Special Session Lawsuit reform - SB 1x provides for an affidavit of merit for negligence lawsuits that are required to include expert testimony if necessary for the case.Ellis, Randy and Graham Lee Brewer. "Oklahoma lawmakers conclude special session," The Oklahoman, September 9, 2013. (accessed September 10, 2013)Krehbiel, Randy and Barbara Hoberock. "," Tulsa World, September 9, 2013. (accessed September 10, 2013)

2014 Legislative Session Budget - SB 2127 contained the state budget that begins July 1, 2014 and ends July 1, 2015. Abortion - HB 2684 bans the off-label use of the drug RU486. The drug is used during the first seven weeks of a pregnancy to induce an abortion. Education - HB 2625 modifies the Reading Sufficiency Act by allowing a student reading proficiency team to recommend promotion for a student who fails a reading test. The district superintendent would ultimately decide to promote or retain the student based on their recommendation. The legislation would also allow students to use a screening assessment at any point prior to the third-grade reading test to qualify for promotion. Income tax cut - SB 1246 gradually lowers Oklahoma’s top income tax rate from 5.25 percent to 4.85 percent over several years, if general revenue increases during that time. Under the legislation, the top personal income tax rate will fall to 5 percent in Fiscal Year 2016 or later when state revenue projects are greater than projections in the previous year. The rate will further fall to 4.85 percent at a minimum of two years after the first cut, if revenue increases again. Pension reform - HB 2630 switches new state employees who participate in the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System to a 401(k)-style defined contribution plan. Under the new plan, workers contribute between 3 and 7 percent of their salaries into the retirement system and receive a dollar-for-dollar match from the state. Participants can become 20 percent vested in the retirement system after one year and are completely vested after 5 years. Employees could also leave their jobs and receive their contributions back plus a percentage of the state’s contribution. The defined-contribution system would take effect Nov. 1, 2015.

Failed Insure Oklahoma - SB 700 would have redirected $50 million on state tobacco tax money to fund Insure Oklahoma program, which provides insurance for low-income Oklahomans.Oklahoma lawmakers wrap up session, The Oklahoman, May 25, 2013. Trooper pay raise - HB 2145 would have given Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers a 16 percent pay raise.Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers given false hope about possible pay raise, The Oklahoman, May 26, 2013.

Leadership

Since the Republican Party held the majority of seats in both the Oklahoma Senate and Oklahoma House of Representatives, they held the top leadership positions in both chambers.

In Oklahoma, the lieutenant governor serves as President of the Oklahoma Senate, meaning that he serves as the presiding officer in ceremonial instances and can provide a tie-breaking vote. Todd Lamb served as the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. The President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate, who presides over the state senate on the majority of session days. was Brian Bingman. He was aided by Majority Floor Leader Mike Schulz and Majority Whip Rick Brinkley.Senate Majority Leadership (accessed May 27, 2013) The Democratic Minority leader of the state senate was Sean Burrage. Paul Ziriax served as the Secretary of the Oklahoma Senate.

The first session of the legislature was led by Speaker T.W. Shannon. Jeff W. Hickman succeeded Shannon on February 10, 2014. Speaker Pro Tempore was Mike Jackson, Majority leaders were Fred Jordan and Dennis Johnson, Majority Floor Leader was Pam Peterson and Majority Whip was Todd Thomsen.House Leadership (accessed February 27, 2014) The chair of the Republican caucus was Weldon Watson. The Democratic Minority leader was Scott Inman. Joel Kintsel served as Chief Clerk of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Rick Rose serves as Chief of Staff of the House and Special Counsel to the Speaker.

Membership

Senate DistrictNamePartyHometownFirst electedSeat upLt-GovTodd Lamb RepOklahoma City20102014 1 Charles Wyrick Dem Fairland 2004 2016 (term-limited) 2 Sean Burrage Dem Claremore 2006 2014 3 Wayne Shaw Rep Grove 2012 2016 4 Mark Allen Rep Spiro 2010 2014 5 Jerry Ellis Dem Hugo 2008 2016 6 Josh Brecheen Rep Coalgate 2010 2014 7 Larry Boggs Rep Wilburton 2012 2016 8 Roger Ballenger Dem Okmulgee 2006 2014 9 Earl Garrison Dem Muskogee 2004 2016 (term-limited) 10 Eddie Fields Rep Pawhuska 2010 2014 11 Jabar Shumate Dem Tulsa 2012 2016 12 Brian Bingman Rep Sapulpa 2006 2014 13 Susan Paddack Dem Ada 2004 2016 (term-limited) 14 Frank Simpson Rep Ardmore 2010 2014 15 Rob Standridge Rep Norman 2012 2016 16 John Sparks Dem Norman 2006 2014 17 Ron Sharp Rep Shawnee 2012 2016 18 Kim David Rep Tulsa 2010 2014 19 Patrick Anderson Rep Enid 2004 2016 (term-limited) 20 Ann "AJ" Griffin Rep Guthrie 2012 2016 21 Jim Halligan Rep Stillwater 2008 2016 22 Rob Johnson Rep Piedmont 2010 2014 23 Ron Justice Rep Chickasha 2004 2016 (term-limited) 24 Anthony Sykes Rep Moore 2006 2014 25 Mike Mazzei Rep Tulsa 2004 2016 (term-limited) 26 Tom Ivester Dem Sayre 2006 2014 27 Bryce Marlatt Rep Woodward 2008 2016 28 Harry Coates Rep Seminole 2002 2014 (term-limited) 29 John Ford Rep Bartlesville 2004 2016 (term-limited) 30 David Holt Rep Oklahoma City 2010 2014 31 Don Barrington Rep Lawton 2004 2016 (term-limited) 32 Randy Bass Dem Lawton 2004 2016 (term-limited) 33 Nathan Dahm Rep Tulsa 2012 2016 34 Rick Brinkley Rep Owasso 2010 2014 35 Gary Stanislawski Rep Tulsa 2008 2016 36 Bill Brown Rep Broken Arrow 2006 2014 37 Dan Newberry Rep Tulsa 2008 2016 38 Mike Schulz Rep Altus 2006 2014 39 Brian Crain Rep Tulsa 2004 2016 (term-limited) 40 Cliff Branan Rep Oklahoma City 2002 2014 (term-limited) 41 Clark Jolley Rep Edmond 2004 2016 (term-limited) 42 Cliff Aldridge Rep Midwest City 2002 2014 (term-limited) 43 Corey Brooks Rep Washington 2012 2016 44 Michael Brooks-Jimenez Dem Oklahoma City 2017 2018 45 Kyle Loveless Rep Oklahoma City 2012 2016 46 Al McAffrey Dem Oklahoma City 2012 2016 47 Greg Treat Rep Oklahoma City 2011 2016 48 Constance N. Johnson Dem Oklahoma City 2006 2014

House of Representatives