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Good Friday morning, early birds! We are living in history. Gov. Kevin Stitt declared a heath emergency Thursday under the provisions of the Catastrophic Health Emergency Powers Act. It is the first time the act has been invoked since it was passed in 2003.
Doing so expands the emergency powers of the governor and gives the designated public health authority -- in this case Commissioner of Health Gary Cox -- certain added powers.
Stitt can now suspend any regulatory statute prescribing procedures for conducting state business, for example. He also has the ability to transfer up to $50 million under certain conditions from one fund to another to address the emergency.
Any money transferred must later be repaid with a subsequent appropriation or other transfer. Cox becomes the state& #39;s lead authority in coordinating the state& #39;s response, under the statute.
The statute requires the Legislature to affirm or terminate the health emergency in a special session. That will be held Monday, beginning at 8 am. The Legislature also plans to use their mandated return to the Capitol to address the pending FY20 revenue shortfall.
The Board of Equalization will meet via videoconference Monday afternoon to consider declaring a revenue failure. That will tell lawmakers how deep the revenue hole is. Lawmakers will look at using the Rainy Day Fund, which has an $806.2 million balance, to fill that hole.
Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat said he hoped lawmakers will be able to fill the hole, replace the anticipated lost revenue with money from the Rainy Day Fund, but it will depend on how big the revenue shortfall is.
Access to the Capitol will continue to be limited to elected officials, essential Capitol staff, the press, state officials invited for critical meetings and construction personnel. The public galleries of each chamber will remain closed.
Treat & House Speaker Charles McCall said their chambers will limit the number of staff members who come in. Special procedures will be used on the chamber floors to maintain social distancing and large groups in one place. That means votes will take longer, Treat said.
Senators, he said, will enter the chamber and vote in waves. McCall said members will be brought into floor and committee proceedings individually or in small groups to vote, ask questions, debate and present legislation.
House members and staff also will have their temperature taken. No one with a temperature above 100.4F will be admitted, McCall said. Treat said Thursday Senate protocols were still being developed.
Treat and McCall stressed Thursday that all Senate & House proceedings will be live streamed.
Stitt also amended his state of emergency executive order to ensure public school support staff can be paid through the remainder of their current contracts despite schools& #39; closures.
Under statute, teachers and administrators were able to continue receiving compensation after the State Board of Education voted March 16 to close schools until April 6. The same protections, however, are not automatically provided to school support staff.
The order also clarifies any ambiguity that existed relating to the amount of paid leave and benefit coverage these employees can have during this health emergency. It waives any such statutory or rule-based limitations on which these individuals may accumulate or receive leave.
The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission reported Thursday initial unemployment initial claims for the week of March 28 totaled 44,970. That dwarfs the previous record-setting week ending March 21 that saw almost 22,000 Oklahomans file an initial unemployment claim.
Depending on whether the Legislature is able to use an existing bill or must file a new bill to address the FY20 revenue shortfall will determine whether lawmakers can complete their work next week in one day or whether it will take four days, Treat said.
An existing bill can be passed by both chambers in one day. A new bill would require additional time because of the constitutional requirement a bill be read 3 times in each chamber before a final vote is taken.
In either case, I know what I am doing Monday. And I have put a reminder in my calendar: Wear pants.
Enjoy your weekend. Stay home as much as you can. Social distance if you must go out. Stay safe!
Enjoy your weekend. Stay home as much as you can. Social distance if you must go out. Stay safe!
