Cantrell: Legislative update, floor work

We only had a little floor work this week as the bills we received from the Senate were still being assigned to their House committees, but it should pick up next week!

I want to review three Senate Bills: SB775, SB776 and SB239.

First, Senate Bill 775 allows county commissioners to determine the years of service required for full-time county employees to qualify for a continuing education program. It also includes any other instate or out-of-state programs or courses relevant to the employee’s responsibilities as approved by the county commissioners.

Currentlawrequiresfiveyearsof consecutive service before employees are eligible for a paid education. SB775 brings it within the same standards the state currently has.

Next, Senate Bill 776 is a shared service for counties bill. It allows boards of county commissioners to enter into intergovernmental cooperative agreements with local governmental units. It is designed to be a more efficient use of county funds and increase efficiency when working with other cities, counties and the state.

It improves the quality of local government services and brings innovation into county government!

Last, Senate Bill 239 allows cities and counties to form agreements with state agencies, enabling the agencies to use city or county equipment in search and seizures in exchange for compensation.

I am the House Principal Author for these bills and look forward to getting these bills through the process!

With session progressing, I wanted to update everyone on how to look up bills to stay informed.

Filed bills may be viewed at okhouse. gov by visiting “Legislation,” then “Basic Bill Search,” where you can enter the bill number to view the full text of the bill.

To view bills filed by a certain legislator, select “Advanced Bill Search” under “Legislation.” From there, you can select the legislator’s last name to view bills they’ve filed.

You can also view all the bills that have been filed to date by visiting “Selected Step Reports” on the far left and select “Introduced.” Here, you can choose bills filed only in one chamber or you can select everything and view all the bills.

You can also view committee meetings and floor proceedings at okhouse.gov by visiting “News & Media,” where you can watch live proceedings or recordings.

We start committee work this week and I plan to keep you informed!

Again, thank you for electing me to serve District 49. It is truly an honor and privilege to represent you at the State Capitol. Please do not hesitate to contact me at 405-5577383 or josh.cantrell@okhouse.gov.

Rep. Josh Cantrell, a Republican, serves District 49 Oklahoma House of Representatives, which covers Carter, Love and Marshall counties.