Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin is considering calling a special legislative session for lawmakers to address the issue of teacher pay raises.

Budget cuts during the fiscal year were deeper than necessary, resulting in $140 million of unused and unallocated funds. She claims if legislators do not agree to a special session, the money would be distributed equally among all agencies.

While most lawmakers believe teachers deserve a pay increase, they are less than enthusiastic about a special session. Many feel the money should go back into the agencies suffering the most from the original budget cuts.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signed three ethics bills into law on Monday, May 19. The new laws coincide with proposed Ethics Commission Rules affecting the regulation of lobbyists and campaign finance.

The Rules, promulgated by the Ethics Commission in January, were submitted to the governor and both houses of the legislature on February 4, 2014. If the legislature does not reject them in their entirety prior to adjournment sine die, the Rules will become effective at staggered intervals between December 1, 2014 and February 1, 2015.

The three bills recently signed into law will become effective January 1, 2015 to facilitate the change in ethics rules. Senate Bill 1744 modifies campaign finance definitions, removes statutory contribution limits, and instead, references the limits established by the state Ethics Commission. The measure also prohibits contributions from corporations, labor unions, LLCs, and partnerships except as allowed by law or in the Ethics Commission Rules.

Senate Bill 1745 gives the Ethics Commission jurisdiction over municipal races and establishes enforcement mechanisms to coincide with local campaign finance laws.

Lastly, Senate Bill 1746 deletes statutory lobbyist registration and reporting requirements and, instead, references Ethics Commission Rules. The newly signed legislation moves the state one step closer to much needed ethics reform.

On September 9, 2013, the Oklahoma Legislature adjourned its special session sine die.

Gov. Mary Fallin had called the special session to address the issue of how lawsuits are filed, which became a problem after the Oklahoma Supreme Court invalidated a law on that topic. The special session, which began on September 3, produced 23 bills related to lawsuit reform.

In her press release, Fallin stated, “These measures will help to keep jobs in Oklahoma and further our reputation as a business friendly state.”

Governor Mary Fallin issued an executive order calling for legislators to return to the capitol for a special session to begin September 3, 2013.

The order specifies the special session will deal only with the issue of how lawsuits are filed, which became a problem after the Oklahoma Supreme Court invalidated a law on that topic.