The Oklahoma Ethics Commission voted Friday to increase lobbying and campaign finance fees to avoid a potential financial crisis.

Because the Legislature refused to give the agency any money from the general revenue fund, the commission could run out of money next fiscal year.

In the past, the commission was given an appropriation to use for operational expenses. It then used the money generated from fees to fund ethics investigations.

This year; however, the Legislature instructed the agency to use fees as its sole source of funding.

Commissioners claim lawmakers failed to fund the agency in retaliation for imposing strict ethics rules. The commission is expected to file suit with the Oklahoma Supreme Court to address the lack of funding.

All registration fees will increase $100 effective July 1.

The Second Regular Session of the 56^th Oklahoma State Legislature adjourned sine die on Thursday, May 3.

Prior to adjournment, lawmakers considered the 2018 Promulgated Ethics Rules previously submitted by the State Ethics Commission. Claiming the commission exceeded its authority, lawmakers rejected a revolving door provision prohibiting elected state officers and chief administrative officers from lobbying for two years following their terms of office or service.

Legislators did, however, approve changes affecting due dates of electronic filings as well as revised reporting periods for candidate election reports and independent expenditure reports. Approved changes became effective upon adjournment.

The First Regular Session of the 57^th Legislature will convene at noon on January 8, 2019.

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission recently submitted its 2018 Promulgated Ethics Rules to the governor and both houses of the Legislature.

Proposed changes include, but are not limited to, a revolving door provision prohibiting elected state officers and chief administrative officers from lobbying for two years following their terms of office or service, new rules regarding the due dates of electronic filings, and revised reporting periods for candidate election reports and independent expenditure reports.

If the Legislature chooses not to reject the proposed rule changes, all amendments will be effective upon adjournment sine die of the 2018 regular legislative session.

The Oklahoma Legislature adjourned an eight-week special session on Friday, November 17, after the Senate gave final approval on legislation to balance the state’s budget.

Just hours after the session ended, Gov. Mary Fallin line-item vetoed most of the budget bill’s provisions citing a failure to address the requests she made in calling the session and the lack of a long-term solution to re-occurring budget deficits. Provisions temporarily preserving funding for crucial health and human services were retained as the state continues to seek a solution.

The vetoed bill would have used cash reserves and made deep cuts to funding across all state agencies to close the $215 million hole in the state budget.

Gov. Fallin said she intends to call a second special session of the Legislature to come up with long-term funding solutions.

The Oklahoma Legislature adjourned an eight-week special session on Friday, November 17, after the Senate gave final approval on legislation to balance the state’s budget.

Just hours after the session ended, Gov. Mary Fallin line-item vetoed most of the budget bill’s provisions citing a failure to address the requests she made in calling the session and the lack of a long-term solution to re-occurring budget deficits. Provisions temporarily preserving funding for crucial health and human services were retained as the state continues to seek a solution.

The vetoed bill would have used cash reserves and made deep cuts to funding across all state agencies to close the $215 million hole in the state budget.

Gov. Fallin said she intends to call a second special session of the Legislature to come up with long-term funding solutions.

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission held an informal meeting this week to review a proposed amendment regarding a cooling-off period for elected officials and state employees.

The proposed amendment would require state employees and public officials to wait 2 years before registering as a lobbyist or representing another entity before the agency he or she previously served.

Supporters believe a cooling-off period prevents a conflict of interest while opponents to the proposed amendment feel it discourages involvement in government.

The proposal also includes a waiver of the restriction if the intent of the cooling-off period would not be undermined when waived.

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission temporarily moved to the Oklahoma Judicial Center, Room E118, at 2100 N. Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73105 on Friday, October 13, 2017, and will be at that location through Sunday, October 22nd, 2017.

The Oklahoma State Capitol is undergoing a building-wide electrical outage to transfer power to a new electrical room as a part of an ongoing restoration project, and the Ethics Commission office in the Capitol is closed.

The Commission staff will be available in person at the Judicial Center and by email and phone. This does not affect the Ethics Commission website or online reporting system.

Gov. Mary Fallin has called a special election to fill a vacant seat in Oklahoma Senate District 27.

Bryce Marlatt resigned his seat on Tuesday after being charged with a felony count of sexual battery for grabbing an Uber driver’s head and kissing her neck while she was driving him to a bar.

A special primary will be held December 12, with a special general to follow on February 13, 2018.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin wants a special legislative session to address a budget shortfall caused by a recent Oklahoma Supreme Court Ruling. The Court struck down a cigarette fee resulting in $215 million in lost revenue.

If the budget is not reappropriated, the ruling will force four state agencies to restructure their budgets due to loss of funds. Money cannot be transferred to the affected agencies without a legislative directive.

Though a special session is likely inevitable, legislative leadership has suggested the governor wait to call a session because there are other revenue-related court cases still pending.

Gov. Mary Fallin ordered a special election for Oklahoma Senate District 37.

Sen. Dan Newberry resigned in June to seek a promotion in his professional career; his resignation is effective January 31, 2018.

A special primary election is scheduled for September 12 with a general election to follow on November 14.

If a special primary is not necessary, the special general will be held on September 12.

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission voted last week to increase registration fees by $50 for all filers, including political action committees, lobbyists, and lobbyist principals.

The fee hike is expected to generate roughly $95,300, enough to cover its appropriation loss and address unmet software cost needs.

The new fee structure will take effect July 1, 2017.

The Oklahoma Legislature adjourned sine die on Friday, May 26. As a result, all rule amendments proposed and approved by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission became law.

Effective immediately the lobbyist registration renewal deadline has been extended from December 31 to January 15. Changes to lobbyist reporting include moving all executive lobbyist report due dates as well as the January and July legislative lobbyist reports due dates to the 15th of the month. All other legislative reports remain due on the 5th of the month. Campaign finance rule amendments include new requirements for committees formed for the purpose of influencing a state question. Such committees must include the number of the state question as part of the name of the committee. They must also file reports any time an expenditure of $5,000 or more is made to advocate the passage or defeat of a state question. The reports are due at the same time as those for independent expenditures and electioneering communications.

Effective January 1, 2018, the limit for lobbyist or lobbyist principal gifts given in recognition of infrequently occurring occasions of personal significance will drop from $200 to $100 in any calendar year. Such gifts will be required to be given and received contemporaneously with the occasion or at times when such gifts are traditionally given. Infrequently occurring occasions of personal significance will not include annual events such as birthdays or anniversaries; rather, they will refer only to major life events. Lastly, a lobbyist providing a meal to a state officer or employee will be required to be present for the meal. Similarly, a lobbyist providing a gift including attendance at an event will be required to attend the event with the recipient of the gift.

Oklahoma Sen. Ralph Shortey has been charged with engaging in child prostitution, transporting a minor for prostitution, and engaging in prostitution within 1,000 feet of a church. Police found him inside a motel room with a 17-year-old boy.

The Oklahoma Senate imposed sanctions on Shortey, accusing him of disorderly behavior.

The sanctions remove him from membership in and leadership of legislative committees, prohibits him from occupying his office or parking space, eliminates his expense allowance, prevents him from authoring any bills, and removes his right to an executive assistant.

The legislative body also reserved the right to take further action if, and when, additional facts are made available.

Jan Preslar is the new general counsel at the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.

She replaced former General Counsel Geoffrey Long.

Preslar previously served as deputy attorney general and chief of the General Counsel Unit at the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office.

Photo of Jan Preslar from the Oklahoma Ethics Commission Site.