Monday, Feb. 1, 2021

Don't look now, but the Oklahoma Legislature is back.

But that also means the return of NonDoc's #MondayMinute newsletter, which you apparently signed up for during a prior legislative session. Below, you will find a weekly synopsis of top storylines and important topics as the Legislature convenes today for the start of its 2021 regular session.

If you know someone else who would like to learn more about their state government each Monday morning from February through May, please consider forwarding them this sign-up link.

Thank you for starting your week with NonDoc.

1 minute:
Pandemic precaution protocols

Last year, the Oklahoma Legislature had to scramble mid-session to come up with plans for how to handle politics in a pandemic. In March 2020, when a few dozen cases of COVID-19 had been identified in Oklahoma, legislative leaders took precautions and prohibited the pubic from entering the State Capitol because a handful of the early cases had been identified among lawmakers and staff.

Oh what a difference 10 months will make. Now, thousands of Oklahomans are diagnosed with COVID-19 each day, and dozens of deaths are typically announced as well. Businesses are back open, and Gov. Kevin Stitt has mandated masks inside state buildings (but not in schools or in the private sector). When the Legislature returns today, it will be operating under a variety of new "pandemic precaution protocols." Since legislators (not the governor) control the State Capitol, read up on the House and Senate protocols before heading to the people's house this year.

Some items to note:

• Committee meeting rooms and both legislative chambers will have seating capacity reductions, and all proceedings will be livestreamed online (see links at the bottom of this email);
• Spaces will be designated for committee room overflow capacity with the proceedings broadcast for observers;
• Public gatherings and floor appearances will be limited;
• Remote voting will be allowed, though House and Senate rules differ slightly;
• Masks will be required for staff, press and the public, but are only encouraged for legislators themselves. Legislative Democrats attempted to get a member mask mandate included in the year's rules, but Republican leaders said "no dice." The double standard for legislators was lampooned by NonDoc Sundaze cartoonist Mike Allen, and the topic topped The Oklahoman's front page Saturday. Some lawmakers may be hoping they can avoid wearing masks sooner than later, as the State Department of Health has prioritized their COVID-19 vaccinations. "By early in session, a large majority of the Legislature will have been vaccinated in the interest of continuity of government," the Legislature's Friday press release said. Still, the CDC recommends that even those vaccinated wear masks when they cannot socially distance because the agency says more information about the vaccine is needed in real-world scenarios.

2 minutes:
Stitt to deliver third State of the State address

The start of session annually involves the Oklahoma governor's State of the State address. Typically, dignitaries pack the House chamber gallery, and senators and representatives sit three-to-a-desk as the governor outlines his or her goals for the year.

As noted above, the 2021 session will look a little different owing to COVID-19 precautions, and the House gallery will be used to allow for better social distancing among elected officials.

This will mark Gov. Kevin Stitt's third State of the State address. In 2019, he called for teacher pay raises and an emphasis on savings during a good budget year. In 2020, he asked legislators to attack "government bureaucracy." The governor received pretty much everything he wanted in 2019, but in 2020 his relationship with the Legislature soured significantly and the year culminated in a slew of vetoes and a handful of veto overrides.

For an overview of what Stitt may call for today, check out Carmen Forman's story for The Oklahoman, in which Stitt says he will likely call for state appropriations to remain the same as this current fiscal year. (Of course, that was a roughly 4 percent cut across the board from the year prior.) In terms of policy, The Oklahoman reports that:

• Stitt still wants to see changes to state employee protections, aims to slash state regulations and bureaucratic red tape and still supports universal licensing so Oklahoma can automatically recognize professional licenses and certifications granted by other states.
• Citing an Oklahoma Department of Human Services decision to close half of its brick-and-mortar facilities, Stitt said he is supportive of efforts to consolidate state office space and increase the number of employees working remotely.

The governor's State of the State address will be broadcast by OETA, with commercial TV stations able to stream the event if they desire.

5 minutes:
New NonDoc page details past sessions

Have you ever had a tough time remembering what happened during past sessions of the Oklahoma Legislature? If so, you are probably a bit of political nerd, and you've subscribed to the right newsletter. Since you are a subscriber (and potentially a donor?), we are excited to have you be the first to learn about our new page on NonDoc.com: The History of the Oklahoma Legislature.

Launched today, this page offers overviews of recent Oklahoma legislative sessions, as well as synopses of key bills passed into law. While only 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 sessions appear for now, we hope to add more years on a fairly regular basis.

Visit and bookmark our History of the Oklahoma Legislature page now.

10 minutes:
Podcast previews the #okleg session ahead

If you need to kill/fill a little extra time before starting your work this Monday, make sure you catch the latest episode of NonDoc's podcast, Live from the News Dungeon.

House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols recently visited our podcast team to preview and answer questions about the 2021 Oklahoma legislative session, which starts today. So if you have some time, you can hear Echols and our hosts discuss the following topics at the following timestamps:

• 10 minutes: Discussion of the divides within the Oklahoma Legislature;
• 12 minutes: Budget battles, previews and complexities;
• 16 minutes: Medicaid expansion and overall health care funding;
• 25 minutes: Education funding, Epic Charter Schools and changes to be considered;
• 33 minutes: Medical marijuana and the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority
• 39 minutes: What “managed” Medicaid means and why it could be a fight;
• 50 minutes: COVID protocols in the State Capitol;
• 57 min: Sportsbook and legislative redistricting.

10 more seconds?

Online legislative resources