House coalition’s income tax phase-out bill passes first legislative hurdle

 Legislation to responsibly phase out Oklahoma’s personal income tax over 10 years and spark long-term economic and job growth in the state cleared its first major hurdle this week.

            House Bill 3038, which is authored by a coalition of lawmakers making up nearly a fourth of the entire state House of Representatives, was approved Monday in a bipartisan vote of the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Revenue and Taxation.

            The measure would repeal Oklahoma’s progressive personal income tax without necessitating increases in other tax rates or cuts in funding to core government services.

            “Our goal is to make Oklahoma the best state in the nation for business and job growth,” said state Rep. Leslie Osborn, a Mustang Republican who is one of 23 primary authors of HB 3038. “We can achieve this goal by allowing each and every Oklahoman the ability to keep more of the fruits of their labor, which gives them greater incentive to pursue prosperity for themselves and their family.”

            HB 3038 would phase out the state personal income tax through a process of simplifying the tax code, making modest reductions in wasteful, inefficient and non-essential state spending at the outset of the phase-out process, and utilizing growth revenue from other sources as Oklahoma’s private sector grows in response to the state’s dramatically improved tax climate.

            Were Oklahoma to eliminate its personal income tax without raising or expanding any other tax rates, the state would have the lowest overall tax burden in the continental United States.

            “We want to place Oklahoma on a course of sustained, robust prosperity and job growth that will bear real fruit in the short term and continue well into the future for our kids and grandkids,” said state Rep. Josh Cockroft, a Tecumseh Republican who is another principal author of HB 3038. “Even though many of the policy reforms in Oklahoma over the last decade have put us on better economic footing, we’re not content to just be better than some other states. We have the potential to be the best state in America for business and jobs, and we need to take that transformational step.”

            Supporters of HB 3038 maintain that lower tax rates have historically proven to have a positive impact on work, output and employment. The result has been higher levels of economic growth, job creation and state revenue growth, on average, in low-tax states.

            “We have the opportunity to make Oklahoma a magnet for business creation, relocation and expansion,” said state Rep. Elise Hall, an Oklahoma City Republican and sponsor of HB 3038. “Experience from tax cuts at the national level, in other states, and even here in Oklahoma has shown that lower tax burdens lead to increased prosperity and greater individual economic freedom.”

            As a Feb 7 editorial in the Wall Street Journal pointed out, a state’s tax burden “is a major signal about how a state treats business, investment and risk-taking.”

            The editorial went on to state, in reference to efforts to repeal personal income taxes in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri, that, “The tax competition in America’s heartland is an encouraging sign that at least some U.S. politicians understand that they can’t take prosperity for granted. It must be nurtured with good policy, as they compete for jobs and investment with other states and the rest of the world.”

            The 23 initial primary authors of HB 3038 are, in alphabetical order:

• Rep. Don Armes, Faxon
• Rep. Gus Blackwell, Goodwell
• Rep. David Brumbaugh, Broken Arrow
• Rep. Josh Cockroft, Tecumseh
• Rep. Marian Cooksey, Edmond
• Rep. Lee Denney, Cushing
• Rep. David Derby, Owasso
• Rep. George Faught, Muskogee
• Rep. Randy Grau, Edmond
• Rep. Elise Hall, Oklahoma City
• Rep. Corey Holland, Marlow
• Rep. Mike Jackson, Enid
• Rep. Dan Kirby, Tulsa
• Rep. Randy McDaniel, Oklahoma City
• Rep. Glen Mulready, Tulsa
• Rep. Jason Murphey, Guthrie
• Rep. Tom Newell, Seminole
• Rep. Charles Ortega, Altus
• Rep. Leslie Osborn, Mustang
• Rep. Mike Sanders, Kingfisher
• Rep. Sue Tibbs, Tulsa
• Rep. Steve Vaughan, Ponca City
• Rep. Harold Wright, Weatherford

Committee Votes to Strengthen Sex Offender Laws

A greater number of registered sex offenders would be banned from living near schools or playgrounds under legislation approved by a House committee this week.

            House Bill 2437, by state Rep. Josh Cockroft, would impose the ban on rapists living near schools, child care centers, playgrounds or parks to include anyone convicted of molesting a child younger than 18. 

Current state law imposes the ban only if the victim was under the age of 13.

            “A pedophile who rapes a 14- or 15-year-old youth is just a dangerous as one who targets younger children,” said Cockroft, R-Tecumseh. “Sadly, the abuse often begins at an early age and last for years. We should not allow a technicality to give pedophiles access to schools or playgrounds where they can victimize other children.”

            The legislation was requested by members of the Pottawatomie County Sheriffs Department.

            If the legislation is approved, it would be illegal for any registered sex offender who victimized children to live within 500 feet of any elementary, junior high or high school, permitted or licensed child care center, playground, or park.

            House Bill 2437 has passed out of the House Judiciary Committee and now goes to the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

Cockroft Column: The Governor’s Tax Reform Plan

Rep. Josh Cockroft

I was very excited by the tax reform plan that Governor Mary Fallin unveiled in her State of the State address. It would reduce the number of tax brackets to three and completely eliminate the income tax for those Oklahomans in the bottom tax bracket, married couples making less than $30,000 a year or an individual making less than $15,000 per year. Married couples making between $30,000 and $70,000 would pay 2.5 percent and the married couples making more than $70,000 a year would pay 3.5 percent.

The governor’s plan would create a revenue trigger for future cuts. Every time revenue grows by a certain percentage, the tax rate would drop by a quarter of a percent. I do not think the trigger is necessary. We simply need to continue to make responsible cuts.

Now it is up to lawmakers to pay for the plan. We are going to have to eliminate a lot of wasteful spending to pay for the plan, which would take effect on January 2013. It is critical that we eliminate nonessential services and focus spending on core services such as education, public safety and roads and bridges. There are also a number of ideas on how we can reduce costs to our corrections system, without hurting the quality of service.

One thing that is not on the table: property tax increases or an expansion of the sales tax. We will not raise taxes to cut taxes – period.

I look forward to updating you throughout the 2012 session.

If you have questions or need information, please contact my office at josh.cockroft@okhouse.gov or (405) 557-7349. Rep. Cockroft is on Facebook and on Twitter, @votecockroft27.

Committee Approves Open Records One Stop Initiative

Under legislation approved unanimously today in the House Government Modernization Committee, open records requests concerning any state entity could be made on a single online site.

            House Bill 2379, by state Rep. Josh Cockroft, would authorize the chief information officer to create and maintain openrecords.ok.gov, where the public could make open records requests. The chief information officer would then make the requested documents available on data.ok.gov.

            “This legislation would make filing open record requests more straightforward,” said Cockroft (R-Tecumseh). “My bill would cut through the bureaucracy. Our goal is to make state government as transparent as we can.”

            House Bill 2379 now proceeds to the House floor for consideration.

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Legislative leaders move to block elected official raises

 Legislative leaders on Wednesday filed a resolution to reject a proposed six percent pay raise for judges and statewide elected officials.

The measure, House Joint Resolution 1093, is authored by House Speaker Kris Steele, Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, House Minority Leader Scott Inman and Senate Minority Leader Sean Burrage.

The Board on Judicial Compensation last September approved a six percent pay raise for judges. Statewide elected official salaries are based on judicial salaries, so the judicial pay raise would also increase the salary of all statewide elected officials by six percent.

Steele, R-Shawnee, in October publicly opposed the judicial pay raise and urged the Legislative Compensation Board to leave legislative salaries unchanged, which it did.

“I said it in October and I say it now: This is not the time for raises. Once session starts, we’re putting a stop to it,” Steele said. “Oklahoma is still coming out of a recession. State revenues are rebounding, but certainly not enough to justify raising the salaries of elected officials. As good stewards of the taxpayer dollar, we cannot in good faith allow these raises to occur.”

Bingman, R-Sapulpa, praised the resolution as an exercise in common-sense fiscal responsibility.

“We may not agree on every issue out here, but we all agree these raises are the wrong move at the wrong time,” Bingman said. “Let me be clear: Our justices serve Oklahoma with great distinction, and neither they nor our statewide office holders asked for a raise. But we know our priority this session needs to be growing the economy and reducing the size and scope of government.”

Inman, D-Del City, said the state needs to focus on funding core services of government.

“When state employees haven’t seen a raise in six years, when education has seen 10 percent budget reductions, and when our roads and bridges are crumbling, the taxpayers’ dollars should be spent on meeting Oklahoma’s pressing needs. Allowing $350,000 in pay raises is simply not the fiscally responsible thing to do at this time,” Inman said.

Burrage, D-Claremore, said he expects the Senate Democrat Caucus to support the resolution.

“We must compensate our judiciary at a level that attracts high-quality attorneys to the bench. That being said, in light of the current budgetary situation, this is not the year for pay raises for elected officials,” Burrage said. “As our revenues continue to grow I am hopeful the issue can be revisited in an upcoming year.”

If passed by both legislative chambers, HJR 1093 would reject the Board of Judicial Compensation’s vote and pay would remain the same for all statewide elected officials.

Under Title 20, Section 3.2, the Legislature can nullify the board’s actions upon a majority vote of each chamber.

Outline of 2012 Legislation

Since I first ran for office, I have fought to bring accessibility and accountability to this office. I believe the best way I can serve my constituents it to keep you updated and well-informed on legislative issues.

As part of that effort, this column discusses each bill I filed this year. I realize that we won’t all agree on every issue, but I believe as we work through each issue we can find solutions that benefit everyone. The most enjoyable part of my job is talking with you and addressing your concerns while working towards a common goal: making Oklahoma better.

The bills I have filed for the 2012 legislative session are as follows:

• HB3038 implements a 10-year phase-out of Oklahoma’s personal income tax.
• HB1544 changes all school board election dates to a regular November election cycle and institutes a uniform four-year term for all board members.
• HB2379 creates a one-stop initiative website for all Open Records requests.
• HB2380 allows correctional officers with the Office of Juvenile Affairs to be served the same meals served to the youth within the institution at no charge to the officer.
• HB2381 requires physicians to be present when prescribing, dispensing, or otherwise providing the drug mifeprestone(RU-486) and prohibits “Webcam abortions.”
• HB2382 modifies the Ambulance Service District Act to reduce red tape and decrease percentage needed for petition to create a district.
• HB2383 allows firearm training and qualification course providers to determine course fee, and provides instructors immunity from frivolous lawsuits.
• HB2384 modifies the manner in which handguns may be transported on certain public properties.
• HB2385 creates the “Emergency Medical Service Survival Act” and permits the Trauma Care Assistance Fund to be used for establishing the Rural Emergency Medical Technical and Paramedic Scholarship Program.
• HB2437 strengthens the Sex Offender “Zone of Safety” that bans rapists from living near schools (requested by members of the Pottawatomie County Sheriffs Department).
• HB2438 designates the portion of State Highway 39  between Asher and Konowa as the “Deputy Mike Roberts and Tim Lowery Memorial Highway” to honor the lives of these men who gave our community so much.
• HB2439 creates the “Volunteer Firefighter Protection Act” to prohibit public and private employers from firing a worker who is late or absent due to a first-responder call.

            To see the complete language of each bill, visit my blog at www.repjoshcockroft.blogspot.com. To view all legislation filed in the House and Senate, visit: http://www.oklegislature.gov/tomshell.aspx. Realize that all legislation constantly undergoes changes and some will change dramatically before their final form is voted on. 

I look forward to visiting with you and hearing your suggestions, questions, and concerns. Once again, I am always available. If I can help you in any way, please call my office at 405-557-7349 or email me at: Josh.Cockroft@okhouse.gov. Also follow me on Facebook: "Friends of Cockroft for OK State House", and on Twitter: @VoteCockroft27. 

Cockroft Seeks November School Board Elections

OKLAHOMA CITY – Seeking to increase voter participation, state Rep. Josh Cockroft has filed legislation that would place all local school board elections on the November general election ballot.

            “Under the current system, instead of electing school board members who represent the views of a majority of Oklahomans, we find school board members who represent the views of the establishment are elected through voter-turnout machines,” Cockroft said. “Little emphasis is put on these elections in odd times of the year; therefore our students suffer as a result. If we are really as committed to education as we say we are during campaign years, then this is an easy step to take.”

            Currently, school board elections are held on the second Tuesday in February or on the date of the presidential primary every fourth year.

            House Bill 1544 would place all school board elections on the second Tuesday of November in odd-numbered years and the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of any even-numbered year.

            The legislation also changes the terms of school board members so that every board member in Oklahoma serves a four-year term with elections staggered every other year. Currently school board members have terms of three, four, or five years, depending on the size of the school board.

            Cockroft noted growing support for moving school board elections to November, including a September 26, 2011 editorial in The Oklahoman  (“Moving school board elections might help counter voter apathy”) and a Journal Record column by Oklahoma City University law professor Andrew Spiropoulos (“Taking back control of our schools”).  Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb has also endorsed the proposal.

            “If we want our schools to truly improve and thrive, we must do more to involve the entire community in their future,” Cockroft said. “Forcing school board candidates to appeal to a broad electorate instead of status-quo special-interest groups will result in better policy in each district and a better future for Oklahoma students.”