Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7305
E-mail: joedorman@okhouse.gov
Dorman to File Legislation Promoting Alternative Fuel in Oklahoma
Oklahoma City (June 23, 2008) - To help Oklahomans deal with surging fuel costs, state Rep. Joe Dorman plans to file legislation providing tax credits for the purchase of compressed natural gas vehicles, hydrogen powered vehicles and other forms of alternative fuel vehicles.
Dorman said his legislation will offer a credit to individuals converting vehicles to run on an alternative fuel source. The proposal also includes an incentive for filling stations to install alternative fuel options for consumers. A similar bill was filed last session in the Senate, but no action was received on the legislation.
"It costs far less to run a car on natural gas than gasoline, but that option isn't realistic for most Oklahomans today," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "We have to provide incentives for both car buyers and fuel stations. People won't buy these cars unless they can fuel them anywhere in Oklahoma, and stations won't install alternative fueling options unless there is more demand. We have to meet both issues head-on to make this feasible."
While gasoline prices are edging closer to $4 per gallon, drivers of natural gas powered vehicles may pay 35 percent to 50 percent less, according to some estimates.
However, according to Consumer Reports, there are only about 1,600 compressed natural gas stations nationwide, compared to nearly 200,000 gasoline stations. Availability declines further with hydrogen filling stations, Dorman said.
Dorman will conduct a study this summer on the issue that will include an examination of what other states and nations are doing to promote alternative fuel vehicles. He expects to bring in experts in various fields to look at policies that can be adapted for Oklahoma standards. This study will also be open to the general public. Information on the meeting time and location can be requested through his capitol office.
"If we can't find a way to lower gasoline prices here in the state, we need to promote alternatives that lower oil demand and allow Oklahoma to lead the nation in conversion to cheaper, cleaner alternative resources," Dorman said. "I look forward to seeing results come from this study and helping Oklahomans save some of their hard-earned dollars."
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Oklahoma House of Representatives
Media Division
June 13, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7305
Rush Springs : (580) 476-3745
Deadline Approaching to Enroll Students in State's College Tuition Assistance Program
OKLAHOMA CITY - (June 13, 2008) - The deadline for parents to enroll their children into the state's college tuition assistance program is fast approaching, prompting state Rep. Joe Dorman to encourage his constituents to check to see if they are eligible and to fill out an application as soon as possible.
The deadline for eighth, ninth and tenth-grade students to enroll in Oklahoma's Promise, formerly known as the Oklahoma Higher Access Learning Program (OHLAP), is June 30.
"Oklahoma's Promise has proven to be one of the most popular education initiatives our state has ever undertaken, and I would hate for a deserving family to miss out on the opportunity to save tens of thousands of dollars on their child's college tuition," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "It is vital that parents take action now to check theirs and their children's eligibility for this assistance program and get their kids enrolled before the end of June. This program could literally be the difference between a child's success or failure as an adult - it is that important."
The program will pay for a student's education in any state college or university provided the student meets certain financial, educational and character requirements.
To be eligible, a student's family income must be less than $50,000 at the time of enrollment. In addition, each student must enroll in and maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA in certain courses in high school, maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA throughout college, attend class regularly and avoid legal trouble.
Students who commit crimes or are suspended from school or college could lose their eligibility.
Dorman was the House author of Senate Bill 2164, which would have increased the family income requirement from $50,000 to $75,000. After passing overwhelmingly out of the Senate, the bill was referred to the House Education Committee and never received a hearing.
Families interested in learning more about the eligibility requirements of Oklahoma's Promise or downloading an application can visit www.okhighered.org/okpromise/ online or call the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education at 1-800-858-1848.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Senator Jay Paul Gumm Representative Joe Dorman
Mobile: (580) 920-6990 Mobile: (405) 843-1117
Capitol: (405) 521-5586 Capitol: (405) 521-2711
Electronic Reporting Bill Becomes Law
Measure to Save Taxpayers Thousands of Dollars
OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill requiring the hundreds of reports submitted by state agencies to legislators be transmitted electronically was signed this week by Gov. Brad Henry.
Senate Bill 1507 could potentially save taxpayers thousands of dollars in printing and postage costs every year. The measure was sponsored by Senator Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, and Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs.
“State government kills an untold number of trees every year just to send reports to the Legislature; worse, agencies squander taxpayer dollars on slick printing that is no longer necessary,” said Gumm. “In the age of electronic documents, that printing is very wasteful; government can and should do better.”
Dorman said the plan also would require agency budget requests and the governor’s annual budget to be transmitted electronically rather than through hard copies in the mail. The transition, he said, from expensively printed documents to a paperless system will modernize state government and make it less wasteful.
“Here is a perfect example how the bill will save money,” Dorman related. “According to state records, it cost more than $5,700 to print the governor’s budget proposal to lawmakers this year. That is money that would be saved next year.”
The annual budget is just one of dozens of reports state agencies print and send to representatives and senators. Every year, Gumm said, lawmakers’ mail boxes are jammed with expensively produced reports from state agencies that could simply be transmitted as an attachment to an email message.
Gumm said Oklahomans should have no concerns about the lack of a “paper trail” for the information produced. “The work product trail that currently exists for these documents will still be there,” he said. “The only change is that the end result will be delivered in a far more cost-effective manner, resulting in reduced costs for taxpayers.”
Dorman said the measure will help save precious natural resources, and make state government more streamlined and more effective. “It is more important to put dollars into critical state services like schools and roads,” he said.
“Wasting money on expensive printing projects does not improve highways or make public schools better. That should be our focus, and this is a smart step in a new and better direction for efficiency and productivity in Oklahoma.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7305
Contact: State Rep. Randy Terrill
Capitol: (405) 557-7346
TIF Reform Goes to Governor
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 23, 2008)- Legislation reforming an economic incentive program cleared the Oklahoma Legislature today and now awaits Gov. Brad Henry's signature.
House Bill 3352, authored by Reps. Randy Terrill and Joe Dorman, cleans up provisions of the Local Development Act, primarily focusing on revisions to the law regarding Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts.
Tax Increment Financing allows property taxation to be frozen at the level set before the creation of a development project within the TIF district. Once a project is completed and growth occurs in the surrounding area, increasing property valuations on neighboring land and boosting sales tax collection in the area, the taxes generated through that growth are separated and directed to pay off bonding for the development.
Normally, TIFs are meant to encourage development funding in economically distressed areas that would not be available otherwise. "TIF districts are an excellent economic development tool that can spur economic growth in an area that might not otherwise experience it through manufacturing or retail development," said Terrill, R-Moore. "But we want to ensure TIF districts are serving their intended purpose."
"We've been working on this issue for months, starting with an interim study last year where we heard testimony from economic development officers around the state," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "The men and women charged with spurring economic growth agreed revisions were needed to make TIFs fairer and more successful, so that's what we're doing."
House Bill 3352 also requires the Oklahoma Tax Commission and state Department of Commerce to collect data on all TIF Districts within Oklahoma and generate reports on the successes and failures of each district. Currently, there is no data collection point regarding TIFs, including information on how many TIFs are currently in effect or proposed around the state.
"Additionally, the legislation will provide further definitions to assist the communities and entities that fall within the boundaries of a TIF district," said Dorman. "Citizens representing cities, counties, school districts, ambulance services, career techs and different state agencies all worked together to craft this compromise language that will assist the operation and creation of future TIF Districts."
"This was a great effort starting with the Revenue & Taxation Committee's work this past summer and finally culminating in this legislation," said Terrill, who serves as Chairman of the committee. "The effort put forth by all the entities will help see responsible growth and a better system of tracking where public dollars are invested."
House Bill 3352 passed the House of Representatives Friday by a vote of 95-3 and later passed the state Senate 44-3. It now goes to the governor to be signed into law.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7305
E-mail: joedorman@okhouse.gov
Dorman Encourages Lawmakers to Make Disaster Funding a Priority
Oklahoma City - State Rep. Joe Dorman said his legislation securing state dollars for Oklahoma's emergency disasters would prevent the delays now created by the legislative appropriations process.
House Bill 1519, as amended by Dorman, would require that money from the state's Constitutional Reserve Fund (also known as the Rainy Day Fund) be used to provide the matching 12.5 percent required state funding for federal disaster relief reimbursement as declared through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Dorman urged lawmakers to pass this bill so families and communities can start rebuilding their lives "immediately."
"House Bill 1519 will help meet the funding requirements of our counties and cities immediately after disaster strikes, such as the recent tornados and flooding, and secure funding to assist families," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "The bill would eliminate the delays we've seen in recent years or the need to discuss extraordinary measures such as bond debt to pay for emergency repair."
The bill would also establish that the emergency funding be provided before Rainy Day Fund money is used for any other purpose and be automatically appropriated within 30 days of the state's reception of the certification of disaster costs from the federal government.
Currently, in most cases, the federal government will fund 75 percent of the disaster relief leaving the local with 12.5 percent and the state 12.5 percent.
"The state still owed money from the ice storms of 2000 until just a few years ago when the Legislature finally appropriated the required state portion. That delay left the counties, communities, electric co-ops and many other entities with unpaid bills due to legislative negligence," said Dorman. "The costs went up significantly for the entities due to legislative neglect on those appropriations and many had to take funding from other areas to get the repairs finished, which hurt things such as road work."
At the request of legislative leadership, a safety mechanism has been placed into the language to provide a "roadblock" should the Constitutional Reserve Fund be depleted or another reason arise. The State Contingency Review Board, consisting of the Governor, the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, will have the authority to delay this deposit.
"This allows for the times when we are in legislative session and would like to pay for the match out of the General Revenue Fund through the legislative process," said Dorman. "If the legislature wants to assume that payment, we can avoid the debit from the Rainy Day Fund, but in the years of a budget shortfall, this will guarantee the opportunity to reimburse those waiting for this required expenditure."
Emergency reimbursement has not been an uncommon event through the years the Legislature has dealt with disasters. Much of the problem occurs when disasters strike Oklahoma when the Legislature is not in session.
"I remember several years ago when tornadoes struck Moore, Union City and other parts of Oklahoma and how the Legislature had to rapidly deal with that funding," said Dorman. "A shell appropriations bill had to be used in the final days of the session to provide reimbursement dollars. If either of those tornadoes had struck in June, the funding could not have been allocated immediately without the call for a special session."
Dorman said his measure will make sure that problem never happens again.
"Communities will not have to wait until we return to session or, as we have seen recently, for years to finally get the funds they are promised when they need a helping hand."
Dorman said the bill is waiting to have conferees assigned by the Speaker's office so it can go to a Conference Committee.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Mike Thompson
Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7403
"Fire Safe" Cigarette Legislation on Governor's Desk
OKLAHOMA CITY - Cigarettes start fires killing nearly 900 people every year in the United States, but legislation to prevent those tragedies now awaits Gov. Brad Henry's signature, state Representatives Mike Thompson and Joe Dorman said today.
House Bill 3341, by Thompson and Dorman, creates the Fire Safety Standard and Firefighter Protection Act. The bill would require
retailers to sell only "fire safe" cigarettes, meaning no cigarettes
could be sold in Oklahoma unless they have been tested and certified by
the manufacturer and are in compliance with the State Fire Marshal's
approved standards for being a fire safe cigarette.
"This is an effort to save lives, prevent injuries and protect Oklahoma
property from the devastating effects of fire," said Thompson,
R-Oklahoma City. "According to TobaccoFreeKids.org, cigarettes cause
about one out of four fires and almost every day someone in America dies
from a fire caused by a cigarette-and many of these deaths are
toddlers,
infants or the elderly."
"Cigarettes are the leading cause of fire fatalities in the United
States," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "And it is not just smokers who
are dying; smokers' children and spouses are also killed in these fires.
Cigarettes are not only unhealthy, but also highly dangerous to
everyone. I am proud my fellow lawmakers saw the need for this measure
and supported its passage."
Under the bill, manufacturers would be required to maintain copies of
reports on all tests on cigarettes offered for sale for a period of
three years and copies would be made available to the State Fire
Marshall and Attorney General upon written request. Failure of a
manufacturer to provide copies within 60 days of a written request
would
be subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day the copies are
not made available.
According to The Coalition for Fire Safe Cigarettes, cigarettes are the
leading cause of home fire fatalities in the United States, killing 700
to 900 people per year.
In 2003, there were more than 25,000 structure fires caused by
cigarettes, which killed 760 people and injured 1,520 others. Property
losses from smoking-material fires total hundreds of millions of dollars
each year.
Various firefighting organizations endorsed all the early versions of
this legislation and have continued to support the idea through this
final compromised version.
A manufacturer or anyone who sells cigarettes in violation the law would
be subject to a penalty of up to $500 for each pack sold; however, the
penalty could not exceed $100,000 during any 30-day period.
A retailer who sells cigarettes in violation of the proposed law would
be subject to a penalty of up to $500 for each pack sold with a maximum
penalty of $25,000 during any 30-day period.
Currently, 22 other states have already passed fire safe cigarette
legislation.
"A collateral effect of the legislation will be a reduction in the
number of people exposed to second-hand smoke from cigarettes because
the "fire-safe" cigarettes automatically extinguish themselves when left
alone and also the opportunity to greatly reduce the number of wildfires
from cigarettes being thrown from vehicles," said Dorman.
"As soon as the governor signs this in to law, lives will start being
saved and that is something I am proud to support," said Thompson.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Chuck Hoskin
Capitol: (405) 557-7319
U.S.A.-Made American and Oklahoma Flags Bill Signed Into Law
OKLAHOMA CITY – (April 22, 2008)— A bill requiring the Oklahoma and American flags flown over state government agencies be made in the United States was recently signed into law by Gov. Brad Henry.
House Bill 2969, by state Rep. Chuck Hoskin, requires that all state agencies and political subdivisions purchase only U.S. flags and Oklahoma state flags that are manufactured in the United States.
"Too many men and women have died defending our nation to reduce the purchase of the symbol of the freedoms they fought for to a bargain-hunting expedition," said Hoskin, D-Vinita. "I certainly recognize that when we are talking about taxpayer dollars the bottom line is the driving force behind many purchasing decisions; but without 400 years of military men and women laying it all on the line to defend the ideals our flag represents, we wouldn’t even be having this discussion. Some things should not be beholden to the bottom line."
Hoskin said the bill was filed at the request of local veterans who were upset to learn that some U.S. flags flown on a local government building had been manufactured in another country.
Rep. Joe Dorman, a coauthor on the bill, was also pleased with the governor's action to sign this bill into law.
"This bill just makes sense to me," said Dorman. "I think when we salute our American flag here in Oklahoma, we should know that it was made by Americans."
House Bill 2969 passed unanimously out of both the House and the Senate, before heading to the Governor.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7305
E-mail: joedorman@okhouse.gov
Lawmakers Request Study of Property Tax Issue
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 10, 2008) - This week Senate Joint Resolution 59, the legislation to send to a vote of the people a reduction in the cap on property valuation increases by county assessors (which lowered the maximum increase allowed from 5 percent to 3 percent annually) was shucked of its language and amended to become a senior property tax freeze. However, members of the House Rules Committee rejected the proposal. Now, two legislators that serve on the committee want to study this tax freeze further.
"I've heard from constituents on both sides of this issue over the past few weeks," said state Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "I was asked by many folks back home to vote against both the original proposal
and the amended version due to the decreasing revenue coming in to fund services this year. I'm worried any major tax cut we pass this session could devastate our rural schools, and quite likely lead to consolidation of schools and other service providers that all citizens rely upon, including those seniors."
State Rep. Guy Liebmann and state Rep. David Dank (both R-Oklahoma City), joined with the author of SJR 59, state Rep. Mike Reynolds (R - Oklahoma City) to work on a proposal that would allow property taxes to be frozen at the level on the person's property when they turn 65. This would change the law to allow an across-the-board cap for all seniors. Current law freezes property valuations only for lower-income seniors.
"It was a tough vote to reject this, but something needs to be done to assist those who truly need tax assistance," said Dorman, a member of the Rules Committee and the Revenue & Taxation Committee. "Representatives Liebmann and Dank made very good arguments for those who might lose everything in their elder years due to long term assistance and medical costs."
Members of the committee heard discussion from both sides of the issue on Wednesday in committee. Wade Patterson, Garfield County Assessor, spoke on problems with the bill. He stated all seniors that turn 65 cannot be tracked easily due to current allowances under the law. Another issue that arose was that the proposal would apply to even the richest Oklahomans. Some officials also noted the cap would be awarded only to those who file paperwork showing they qualify under the standards of the law.
"I personally feel we need to do what we can to help seniors keep their homes and allow them the chance to make it on their own," said Dorman. "That being said, I also do not want to take millions of dollars out of our schools, ambulance services, libraries and the other groups that rely on ad valorem taxes by giving a tax break to those that
truly do not need the assistance. Everyone has to pay their fair share in taxes to provide for the services in our society and those that do not need the break should not receive it."
Dorman and state Rep. Ryan Kiesel, D-Seminole, have filed paperwork to request an interim study on this issue to see if common ground can be found on this subject. Interim studies are heard by the legislators following the conclusion of the legislative session in May, often times in multiple meetings in the summer and fall.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7305
E-Mail: joedorman@okhouse.gov
Dorman Recognizes Athletic Organization on House Floor
OKLAHOMA CITY -The Oklahoma House of Representatives honored Athletes First on the House floor this week and passed House Resolution 1063.
HR 1063, by state Rep. Joe Dorman, honors Athletes First for the contribution in the lives of so many student/athletes and for bringing a national championship back to Oklahoma.
The Athletes First Foundation is nonprofit organization that uses basketball to prepare young people for college-level competition both in and out of the basketball arena. The group's goal is to open the doors to a college education for more young people. The organization also works with the students to better learn life skills to help survive once
they graduate from high school.
"Athletes First has had over 50 student athletes move on to participate in athletics at the collegiate level and several even make it to professional athletics," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "This is evidence that Athletes First is providing opportunities for Oklahoma athletes to enhance and display their skills nationally, but also providing the opportunity to further their education. This opens a world of possibilities for these young adults and they deserve proper recognition."
In 2007 Athletes First defeated the Birmingham Stars to win the Amateur Athletic Union National Showcase Championship in Orlando, Florida.
Dorman said this is not merely a summer league basketball program but an organization that is committed to young people, providing them the best opportunities to showcase and develop their skills and learn the essential lessons of life, competition and hard work.
Dorman serves on the advisory board for the team.
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Dorman Recognizes Athletic Organization on House Floor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2nd, 2008
House Democratic Caucus
Contact: Joe Hartman
State Capitol Building Rm. 548
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
405-521-2711, ext 213
Cell- 405-641-7428
Full Funding For Schools Needed
Bill Passed Today Does Not solve School Funding Crisis
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 2nd, 2008) Democratic Caucus Members pointed out today that the funding bill passed today on the House Floor does not solve the current funding crisis that schools are facing.
“The bill passed today only gets our public school districts thru May 1st,” said Representative Joe Dorman, D- Rush Springs. “We need to ensure that our schools have the money to educate our children and this bill does not do that.”
“I don’t know why they keep calling this ‘supplemental funding’,” said Representative Jerry McPeak, D- Warner. “We promised our public school districts that they would get the funding that we promised them last year. We never did that and there is a huge hole in their budget. This is simply the money that we owe them this year.”
School districts are facing a funding shortfall for this year. The Legislature did not fully fund the current year and districts have to make cuts to their budgets. The Department of Education has requested $41 million to make up for the shortfall.
“We can’t short change the children of Oklahoma,” said McPeak. “If we don’t get school districts the money that they need soon, then teachers will be cut and our children will suffer.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1st, 2008
Representative Wallace Collins
State Capitol Building Rm. 500A
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
405-557-7386
CORRECTION: House Passes Collins AED Bill
Bill Could Save Student’s Lives
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 1st, 2008) Yesterday the House of Representative voted to approve the Automatic External Defibrillator bill that Representative Wallace Collins , D-Norman, has authored for two years. The original bill Collins presented was HB 1847, but after failing to get it heard, he added the language as an amendment to SB 923. The Senate Bill was authored by Senator Susan Paddack, D-Ada and Representative Dr. Doug Cox, R-Grove.
In a truly bipartisan effort Representative Collins and Representative Cox worked together to find palatable language so the bill could pass. “I believe we passed a bill that is good for all of Oklahomans,” Collins said, “and it would not have been possible without the help of Dr. Cox. The bill will place the defibrillators, AED’s, in every public school in the state.
The families of two victims of accidental deaths watched the presentation and vote from the House gallery. Kathleen Treanor is the mother of Zachary Eckles, a soccer player that collapsed and died in 2006. Allen and Kristi Davis are the parents of Luke Davis, a young athlete from Dickson , OK who died several weeks ago during a basketball game. The families believe that had AED’s been close at hand, these young men might have survived.
Collins added an amendment to name the bill “The Zachary Eckles – Luke Davis Automatic Defibrillator Act” to honor the young victims and their families. SB 923, which passed 100-1, would be financed through private donations or Federal grants, if available. “I believe there are plenty of people that will want to help save lives,” Collins added. The bill will now go to the Senate for approval.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Mike Thompson
Capitol: (405) 557-7403
House Supports “Fire Safe” Cigarettes
OKLAHOMA CITY –Legislation to help prevent the spread of dangerous fires caused by cigarettes passed the full House this week.
House Bill 3341, by state Rep. Mike Thompson and state Sen. Don Barrington, creates the Fire Safety Standard and Firefighter Protection Act. The bill would require retailers to sell only “fire safe” cigarettes, meaning no cigarettes could be sold in Oklahoma unless they have been tested and certified by the manufacturer and are in compliance with the State Fire Marshal’s approved standards for being a fire safe cigarette.
“This is an effort to save lives and prevent injuries from cigarette-ignited fires,” said Thompson, R-Oklahoma City. “According to TobaccoFreeKids.org, cigarettes cause about 1 out of 4 fires and almost every day, someone in America dies from a fire caused by a cigarette—and many of these deaths are toddlers, infants or the elderly."
“This is an effort to save lives and protect Oklahoma property from the devastating affects fire can have on the community,” said Barrington, R-Lawton. “I was happy to work with Rep. Thompson on such an important piece of legislation.”
Barrington worked in the fire services industry for 32 years, serving as the Lawton fire chief for 6 of those years.
Under the bill, manufacturers would be required to maintain copies of reports on all tests on cigarettes offered for sale for a period of three years and copies would be made available to the State Fire Marshall and Attorney General upon written request. Failure of a manufacturer to provide copies within 60 days of a written request would be subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day the copies are not made available.
A manufacturer or anyone who sells cigarettes in violation the law would be subject to a penalty of up to $500 for each pack sold; however, the penalty could not exceed $100,000 during any 30-day period.
A retailer who sells cigarettes in violation of the proposed law would be subject to a penalty of up to $500 for each pack sold with a maximum penalty of $25,000 during any 30-day period.
Currently, 22 other states have already passed fire safe cigarette legislation.
House Bill 3341 has passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on a 97-0 vote and now proceeds to the state Senate.
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Added note:
"I wrote a similar bill that was consolidated in to Rep. Thompson's bill. I am currently a co-author on HB 3341. This will be very important to our local firefighters in that it will decrease the number of house fires around the state and has the potential to reduce the amount of wildfires generated from people throwing cigarettes out of their vehicles. Most of the cigarette industry is switching to this paper over the next year. I'm glad to see us hopefully joining those other states that have passed this legislation and speeding up that process."
Rep. Joe Dorman
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7305
E-mail: joedorman@okhouse.gov
Dorman and Corn Want Priority on Disaster Funding
Oklahoma City - State Rep. Joe Dorman and State Sen. Kenneth Corn have filed legislation to secure state matching dollars for Oklahoma's emergency disasters through a self-executing funding system that will avoid the legislative appropriations process.
House Bill 3087, by Dorman and Corn, requires that money from the state's Constitutional Reserve Fund (also known as the Rainy Day Fund) be used to provide matching funds for federal disaster relief reimbursement through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The bill establishes that the emergency funding be provided before Rainy Day Fund money is used for any other purpose and be automatically appropriated when the state receives the certification of disaster costs from the federal government.
"This will secure the funding needed to assist Oklahoma families when disaster strikes," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "These individuals should not have to wait to rebuild their lives. This should be our number one priority when it comes to tapping our state's emergency fund."
"The swift reaction from state government can help our communities to rebuild and move forward. I believe that the purpose of the Rainy Day fund is to meet emergency needs," said Corn, D-Poteau. "There is no greater need than coming to the aid of our communities and our people."
Currently, in most cases, the federal government will fund 75 percent of the disaster relief leaving the local with 12.5 percent and the state 12.5 percent.
"The state still owed money from the ice storms of 2000 up until just a couple of years ago when the Legislature finally appropriated the required state portion of the money. That delay left the counties, communities, electric co-ops and many other entities with unpaid bills
due to legislative negligence by not providing the 12.5 percent match," said Dorman. "This measure will make sure this never happens again. Communities will not have to wait until we return to session or, as we have seen recently, for years after to finally get their funds."
House Bill 3087 establishes a constitutional amendment that would be voted on by the people of Oklahoma in November. The bill currently sits in the Rules Committee of the House of Representatives. Dorman and Corn have requested a hearing for this legislation from Speaker Chris Benge before the deadline for bills to be discussed in committee.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7305
E-mail: joedorman@okhouse.gov
FFA/4-H Tax Exemption Gets Committee Approval
OKLAHOMA CITY (February 19, 2008) - Legislation declaring FFA and 4-H livestock awards to be tax-free cleared a House subcommittee on Tuesday.
House Bill 3081, by state Rep. Joe Dorman, provides that "any payment received by a person as an award for participation in a competitive livestock show event" will not be considered taxable income under Oklahoma law. Under the legislation, those payments will instead be treated as scholarship awards.
"Students don't make money on the animals they show," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "This is truly an educational opportunity given to these kids and it's ridiculous to require some 16-year-old 4-Her or FFA student to file taxes on a prize."
The checks received by students involved in competitive livestock shows can range from a few hundred dollars at local events to tens of thousands at national events.
However, Dorman noted that the cost of breeding, caring and showing the animals "usually far exceeds the amount of prize money the kids may win, if they do win."
Carolyn Doyle, FFA Sentinel for the Elgin FFA, told state lawmakers the bill would allow students to make their dollars stretch further.
"Most of the kids in our FFA chapter pay for their animals and feed, and any money we make at a show is usually the only income generated to pay for our projects," Doyle said. "If we have to pay income tax on those awards, we won't be able to do as much. FFA students
are not getting rich off our projects and we want to be able to do more with our limited resources."
By declaring the prize money will be treated as a scholarship and therefore tax exempt under state law, legislators will indirectly exempt the prizes from federal taxation as well because of an existing federal tax exemption for scholarships and awards (Code Sec 117 Reg. 1.117-1).
"The federal tax code clearly exempts scholarships and awards," Dorman said. "House Bill 3081 will dictate that these livestock show prizes will be classified as Scholarships and Awards and, therefore, nontaxable at both the state and federal level. That doubles the benefit for Oklahoma's FFA and 4-H students."
Dorman filed House Bill 3081 at the request of Elgin FFA instructor Jerry Renshaw and Mike Doyle, a CPA and father of two students who show animals in Elgin.
House Bill 3081 passed out of the House Revenue and Taxation Subcommittee on a unanimous vote. It now advances to the full House Appropriations & Budget Committee.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7305
Oklahoma Hunters May Soon be Hunting Bears
OKLAHOMA CITY -To keep the bear population from increasing to dangerous amounts in Oklahoma, state Rep. Joe Dorman filed legislation to establish permitting guidelines for the state black bear hunting season.
House Bill 3077, by Dorman, allows the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife (ODW) to sell a special black bear hunting license to be used during a specific time period or when the number of killed bears reaches a certain quota.
"There have been many complaints of these bears tearing into cabins to raid the food," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "These bears are large and can easily harm people and destroy property. We need to do what we can to control their population so they are not endangering people either camping or by causing increased wrecks by wandering on to the roads."
Currently, students at Oklahoma State University are researching black bear population numbers to see how many can be taken during the hunting season without causing harm to the species.
"The bear population grew to dangerously low levels in surrounding states, but conservation efforts have led to their repopulation," said Dorman. "Now that the levels have increased to safe amounts, we can allow hunters to assist in the population control."
Dorman serves as the House vice-chair of the Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus, a group affiliated with the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus. This group seeks to educate elected officials on hunting and outdoors activities enjoyed by many wildlife enthusiasts.
A spokesman from the ODW predicted 15 to 20 bears per year will be the average number covered by the new seasonal guidelines. He also said there would be a 1-800 number set up for hunters to call and report their kill so as to not go above that limit.
HB 3077 passed out of the House Sub-Committee on Wildlife on Monday with a unanimous vote.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman
Capitol: (405) 557-7305
Lawmakers Work to Solve Rural Mail Problems
OKLAHOMA CITY (February 8, 2008) – State Rep. Joe Dorman (D-Rush Springs) and U.S. Rep. Dan Boren (D-Muskogee) are working with federal postal authorities to solve problems with rural delivery service.
"Unfortunately, I have constituents who aren’t receiving their mail due to glitches in implementing the E911 system," Dorman said. "It’s creating real hardship."
E911 (also known as enhanced 911) is a North American telephone network feature of the 911 emergency-calling system that automatically associates a physical address with the calling party's telephone number as required by the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999.
As part of the new process, old rural route addresses were eliminated and specific location addresses were implemented.
But the Post Office cannot deliver mail to the new addresses until they receive a notice of change of address. However, some county governments administering E911 have not been updating addresses as quickly as necessary, creating delivery problems.
Joining forces with Dorman, U.S. Congressman Dan Boren also raised concern with U.S. Postal Service officials in Oklahoma and Washington, D.C. about the E911 delivery issues affecting Oklahomans.
"If the citizens of Oklahoma are not receiving their mail in an orderly fashion due to mail delivery inefficiencies stemming from the E911 system, then I believe we've got some work to do," Boren said. "In recent days, I've discussed possible solutions with postal officials, some of which include improving coordination between the local levels of government and the U.S. Postal Service. I'm confident we can work with the U.S. Postal Service in Oklahoma to find a solution to this problem."
Dorman became aware of the problem after a constituent missed a doctor appointment because her x-rays didn’t get mailed to her prior to a cancer treatment.
Dorman has also seen problems stemming from constraints on local post offices requiring mail be sent to a post office box instead of a physical address due to the size of a community.
"When a person sends mail to your home address, common sense should dictate you will receive that letter," said Dorman. "The postal service needs to find a way to let local postmasters deliver this mail to towns with population of less than 1,500.
"I appreciate Congressman Boren assisting me and the citizens of our state by contacting postal officials to work through these issues," said Dorman.
Boren and Dorman were both elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2002 and have since worked together on issues.
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Capitol Experience Awaits Students Through New Office Aide Program
OKLAHOMA CITY – High school seniors from House District 65 wanting an insider view of the legislative process can gain it through a new program offered by the office of state Rep. Joe Dorman.
"There’s been an increasing amount of requests from high school students seeking Capitol experience this year, so we’re offering an office aide program that will allow more high school seniors to work at the Capitol and see how the legislative process really works," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "I think this can be a very rewarding and educational experience."
Individuals participating in the program will serve as office aides and shadow Dorman for two days of session activity (Monday and Tuesday) each week. Participants must be a senior and accompanied by an adult chaperone in the evening or have arrangements to travel home at night. Students will also be responsible for the cost of some meals.
"Representatives are only allowed a few page spots each year, but the requests are so much greater in numbers," said Dorman. "I wanted to find a way to allow some of these other students to have the chance to experience working at the Capitol and learn."
In addition to observing the workings of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, the students will also participate in the House Page Mock Legislature on Tuesday evening. This program was co-founded by Dorman during his service as a member of the House Staff.
"The page program is important to me because that is where I got my first experience with government," said Dorman. "I paged for Senator Ray Giles and the government bug got me then and there, so I want to give other students that want to learn about their state government that same opportunity."
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