Cockroft Column

House lawmakers continue to review bills in both committee and on the House floor as we continue through the first month of our legislative session. Last Tuesday, while several school board elections were underway, I debated in favor of my legislation to tie school board elections to municipal and some county elections.

Although I have a great respect for the leaders in our community who step up to serve on our school boards, the case has been made to me again and again that the low voter turnout in school board elections shows a need to reform the election process. Tying it to municipal elections will add more voices and votes to the process as well as reduce the cost of elections since not as many ballots would be printed. However, unions and special interest groups have successfully controlled school board elections for years. When you control the way elections are held you can control who wins. I prefer transparency and engagement over control. Unfortunately, I did not receive the votes needed to pass House Bill 1887 as it failed on the floor 44-47. Meanwhile, many of the school board elections taking place did reflect low voter turnout. I will continue pushing this issue as we go forward.

I also have good news to report. My legislation to help counties convert their fleets to compressed natural gas and increase state CNG infrastructure was approved in the first step of the committee process on Monday by a vote of 10-0. The state transportation department’s numbers on utilizing CNG vehicles is staggering. After converting 174 vehicles to CNG, they recorded $163,451 in net savings in 5 months. That’s $32,690 per month. House Bill 2954 would aid counties in converting their fleets to CNG and further multiply those savings throughout the state.

The legislation would require tracking of fuel savings and help the counties develop CNG infrastructure that would be available to counties, municipalities, the state fleet and the general public. It expands on Gov. Mary Fallin’s efforts to advance Oklahoma’s energy policy. We will continue pushing this bill through the process and discussing alternate funding sources to make this policy effective. There is a long path ahead to the completion of this bill, but I am confident in this unique plan and believe it is the best path forward for our state.

 

It is an honor to serve you. It matter not if you are Republican, Democrat, or Independent; I am here to serve you. Please visit my website to see where I stand on any range of topics atwww.FriendsofJoshCockroft.com and my policy blog at www.RepJoshCockroft.blogspot.com. Communication is important to me. I want to know how to I can better serve and lead for our district and our state. I am always a phone call away at: 405-557-7349. You can also email me at:Josh.Cockroft@okhouse.gov.

 

 

House Approves Employee Privacy Protection Bill

OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation approved unanimously today by the Oklahoma House of Representatives would prohibit employers from requiring access to potential hires and their employees’ social media accounts.

 

House Bill 2372, by state Rep. John Trebilcock, would protect the right of Oklahomans to basic privacy, he said.

 

“A trend among employers right now is to invade the online privacy of potential hires and employees,” said Trebilcock, R-Broken Arrow. “The right of individuals to a certain level of privacy is a value we all hold and my legislation just ensures that we address this new trend and continue to protect privacy rights.”

 

The legislation would specifically prohibit employers from requesting or requiring the disclosure of a username, password or “other means of accessing a social media account;” from taking other actions to gain access to social media content that is not available to the general public; and retaliating against an employee or prospective employee for refusing access.

 

The bill would allow employees and prospective employees to bring civil action against an employee who violates the law within two years of the violation. If successful, the court could award a minimum of $500 per violation or actual damages in addition to court costs and “reasonable attorney fees.”

 

House Bill 2372 will now advance to the Oklahoma Senate for consideration.

Rep. Cockroft's Response to Gov. Fallin's State of the State Address

Gov. Mary Fallin gave the State of the State address to kick off the 2014 legislative session on Monday. I was pleased to hear the governor emphasize the important of CareerTech to our state, but not pleased to hear her call for the further implementation of Common Core standards. In my view, local control is always best and the price tag that will come with the standards will bankrupt our state.

On the other hand, I was pleased that she has a plan to help school districts provide local funding for storm shelters without committing the state to further expenses. I am against issuing bonds, which is what we would have needed to do to fund school shelters through the state. Once again, the priorities of a school should be decided on a local level.

Despite the naysayers out there, our economy is growing and our conservative policies are working. As the governor noted, unemployment numbers are down and incomes have risen. We still must continue along the path to create greater economic prosperity. Our goal should always be for greater freedom, not more government dependency.

The governor also presented her executive budget. I was pleased that it provided for an increase in funding to schools and to corrections while making targeted cuts to other agencies. I think if we went further in our cuts in unnecessary spending, we could do even more to improve our schools and provide pay raises to our teachers and other state workers.

I agree with the governor that a tax cut is the right thing. Tax reduction works. However, we must do it responsibly without pulling the rug out from under our schools and local communities. I also support her thrust to continue to reject any expansion to Medicaid and other elements of the implementation of ObamaCare.

It is an honor to serve you. It matters not if you are Republican, Democrat, or Independent; I am here to serve you. Please visit my website to see where I stand on any range of topics at www.FriendsofJoshCockroft.com and my policy blog at www.RepJoshCockroft.blogspot.com. Communication is important to me. I want to know how to I can better serve and lead for our district and our state. I am always a phone call away at: 405-557-7349.

CNG Fleet, Infrastructure Bill Could Save State Millions

OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill that would help counties convert their fleets to compressed natural gas and increase state infrastructure devoted to CNG fuel stations could save the state millions, according to the bill’s author.

 

“The state transportation department’s numbers on utilizing CNG vehicles is staggering, said state Rep. Josh Cockroft, author of House Bill 2954. “After converting 174 vehicles to CNG, they recorded $163,451 in net savings in 5 months. That’s $32,690 per month. My legislation would aid counties in converting their fleets to CNG and further multiply those savings throughout the state.”

 

There are two important things to understand about counties, Cockroft said. First, they utilize a large number of vehicles. Second, there are 77 counties and 231 county commissioner districts in Oklahoma, meaning that there is a great potential for cost savings, he said.

 

Throughout Oklahoma, there are about 2,400 light duty vehicles, or 5,000 if you include law enforcement, Cockroft said.

 

“Imagine the cost savings for 5,000 vehicles,” said state Sen. Kyle Loveless, the Senate author of the legislation. “It would be a great leap forward in government modernization.”

 

The legislation would require tracking of fuel savings and help the counties develop CNG infrastructure that would be available to counties, municipalities, the state fleet and the general public, Cockroft said. It expands on Gov. Mary Fallin’s efforts to advance Oklahoma’s energy policy, he said.

 

“The fueling stations would benefit everyone and there would be stations in all 77 counties,” Cockroft said. “The legislation uses existing general revenue funds within the gross production tax and funding expires after the fleets and infrastructure is in place. This legislation is a great investment for everyone involved. This is a solid plan for the future of Oklahoma in energy.”

 

County Commissioner Quotes on HB2954

 

“Natural gas is a proven fuel source that comes from right here in Oklahoma. The fuel cost savings and lower emissions make it a great alternative for county fleets.” – Oklahoma County Commissioner Ray Vaughn

 

“I recently purchased CNG trucks for my district and it was a great investment. CNG technology breaks us away from foreign oil dependency and delivers massive fuel savings with lower emissions.” – Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan

 

“I love the idea of CNG vehicles coming to the counties. This legislation will be a great tool to get rid of our old gas guzzlers and replace them with clean, efficient vehicles. Representative Cockroft did a great job with this legislation.” – Canadian County Commissioner Jack Stewart

 

“Converting all Oklahoma’s counties fleets to natural gas would be a huge step in the right direction. I would love the ability to use my fuel costs savings towards preservation of roads and bridges in my district. This is a great legislative idea.” – Ottawa County Commissioner Russell Earls

 

“CNG is good for the environment and good for Oklahoma. When we go to fuel our CNG truck, the gas could very well be from an Oklahoma gas well.” – Commissioner Rod Cleveland District 1 Cleveland County

 

“The addition of CNG vehicles to our Fleet has been a great benefit to Cleveland County.  We have tracked our dollars saved for the citizens in fuel savings and have been very pleased.  This proposed legislation will be an outstanding benefit for all 77 counties as we move forward in this initiative.” – Cleveland County Commissioner Darry Stacy

 

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Governor Mary Fallin Delivers 2014 State of the State Address

Governor Mary Fallin Delivers 2014 State of the State Address

 

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin today delivered her 2014 State of the State address (see attached document for complete address) to a joint session of the Oklahoma Legislature. In it, Fallin outlined her legislative priorities and agenda for the coming year. The governor focused on job creation, reducing government spending and waste, improving school safety, supporting education, cutting taxes and standing up to federal intrusion and Obamacare.

Governor Fallin also released her FY2015 Executive Budget. Click here to read the FY 2015 Executive Budget and here for the Executive Budget-Historical Data book.

The following includes highlights and excerpts from Fallin’s State of the State address.

Oklahoma’s economy: Fallin discussed the dramatic turnaround the Oklahoma economy has made since the Great Recession.

“We know we’re on the right track because the policies we’ve implemented over the last three years are working. Oklahomans are getting back to work and earning more.

“Our 7.2 percent unemployment rate is now down to 5.4 percent. Oklahoma families have seen their incomes rise by over 6.3 percent since January 201l. That’s 44 percent higher than the national average and second in the nation.”

School safety and security: Fallin proposed a plan to help local school districts pursue safety upgrades like storm shelters, safe rooms and precautions against active shooters.

“This is a responsible plan for improving safety and security at Oklahoma schools. We aren’t forcing new taxes on Oklahoma families or businesses. We aren’t passing new mandates. Most importantly, we are making our schools safer.”

Education: Fallin highlighted plans to increase educational outcomes for all levels of education.

“I believe that every child can learn.  Our job as a state is to empower our students, parents and teachers to succeed by setting the bar as high as we can. …

“That’s why we need to work relentlessly on two fronts: First, we must improve K-12 public school results. … Second, we have to increase the number of Oklahomans who continue their education beyond high school, either by attending college or a career technology center. A high school diploma is not enough.”

Budget Reductions: Many agencies in Fallin’s executive budget receive 5 percent budget cuts and have been asked to find ways to operate more efficiently and effectively.

“…my budget proposes targeted spending cuts and asks our agencies to continue to find ways to operate more efficiently and effectively and to cut waste.

“In the coming days and weeks, we know what we’ll hear. Those who like bigger government and higher taxes will say the sky is falling. Entrenched interest groups and even some agency heads may say the same thing.

“But guess what? It’s not. The cuts we’ve proposed this year amount to five percent or less of agency budgets, and in total amount to about one percent of state spending. Any business worth its salt can find five percent costs savings without crippling the services it provides.”

Pension reform and employee compensation: Fallin called on the Legislature to work with her to address the imbalance between state employee pay and benefits.  She advocated for new hires under the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System to be moved from a defined benefit to a defined contribution plan.

“…new hires within the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System should be moved from an outdated, mid-20^th century pension system and to the more portable and flexible 401k-style benefits used in the private sector. 

“Businesses made this change a long time ago, recognizing that the old pension model didn’t appeal to a more mobile workforce in today’s modern economy. It’s time for state government to stop playing catch-up.”

Capitol Repairs: Fallin asked legislators to support a bond issue to fix the crumbling State Capitol building

“Raw sewage is literally leaking into the Capitol basement. On “good” days, our visitors and employees can only see the disrepair. On bad days, they can smell it.

“We must begin repairing the People’s House now. The best, most realistic way to accomplish this is through a bond issue.”

Rejecting Obamacare: Fallin reiterated her opposition to the Medicaid expansion in Obamacare

“We cannot plunge this nation further into debt, or place Oklahoma on a fiscally unsound path, by expanding Medicaid. Both the president’s plan and alternative proposals that rely on federal dollars in the Affordable Care Act amount to the same thing: a dramatic growth in unsustainable government spending.

“Washington wants to lead this nation in the wrong direction – but Oklahomans will not be led astray. We will find our own way forward, a better way.

Tax Cuts: Fallin called for a .25 percent reduction in the state income tax.

“I believe responsibly lowering the income tax is the right thing to do. This is the people’s money; it should stay with the people. It is the people and the private sector, not state government, that are the true engines of job creation. When we lower taxes we allow them to invest in their businesses, spend dollars in the economy, and help to create Oklahoma jobs.”

 

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Governor Mary Fallin Orders Priority Status for Low-Income Propane Users, Extends Emergency

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today ordered the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) to give priority status to requests for assistance from families who use propane as their primary or only source of heat.

 

Fallin issued an executive order (click here to read the order) instructing DHS to expedite applications for both the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Energy Crisis Assistance Program. The federal assistance programs help low-income families with heating costs in the winter, cooling costs in the summer and home insulation.

 

“I want to make sure we are making assistance available to Oklahomans who are struggling to keep warm because of the high propane prices,” Fallin said. “Many Oklahoma residents depend on the use of propane for survival during the winter months and the effects of the shortage are being felt throughout the state.”

 

DHS, in cooperation with the federal government, provides seasonal assistance to low-income households to assist with winter heating bills and to provide help for some families who have received utility cut-off notices. In order to qualify, persons must be Oklahoma residents and must need financial assistance for home energy costs.

 

Fallin also ordered DHS Director Ed Lake to open the Energy Crisis Assistance application period immediately for qualifying individuals and families who depend on propane for heat. The Energy Crisis Assistance application period was not scheduled to open until March.

 

Fallin’s order also asks the attorney general to continue investigating reports of price gouging, as defined by the Oklahoma Emergency Price Stabilization Act. Her order requests the attorney general “to take and any all steps necessary to ensure that no one doing business in this State is violating the Act and that those who choose to violate the Act are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

 

Propane is commonly used for heating homes in rural areas not served by natural gas. There are approximately 400,000 propane consumers in Oklahoma.

 

What can Oklahomans can do to cope with high propane costs and frigid temperatures?

Apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP offers assistance to low-income families with heating costs. Governor Fallin has ordered DHS to give priority status to LIHEAP applicants who use propane as their primary or only source of heating. To apply, call (405) 521-3444; Monday - Friday. 

 

Dial 2-1-1. 2-1-1 is a non-emergency service that can provide assistance or referrals to individuals who need help. For more information click here: http://www.211oklahoma.org/about-2-1-1/

 

Seek shelter at faith-based centers. Governor Fallin has asked the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and other faith-based facilities to help provide shelter to those in need.