LEGISLATIVE GUIDE the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Is the Voice of Business and the Visionary Organization in Oklahoma City
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E ID U G E IV AT SL EGI 2011 L 2011 LEGISLATIVE GUIDE The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber is the voice of Business and the visionary organization in Oklahoma City. A leader in Customer Satisfaction Kelly Brander, President and CEO, and Brad Krieger, Chairman Ranked highest in the region*. Arvest has been honored for outstanding customer satisfaction by actual customers. We’d like to thank them for ranking us “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Retail Banking in the Southwest Region” in the latest J.D. Power and Associates study. Categories included transactions, account statements, conveniences, fees and problem resolution. Ready to see for yourself? Stop by Arvest today. Oklahoma City Del City Choctaw Moore Norman Yukon Edmond Midwest City Stillwater *Arvest Bank received the highest numerical score among retail banks in the Southwest region in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Retail Banking Satisfaction StudySM. Study based on 47,673 total responses measuring 12 providers in the Southwest region (AZ, CO, NM, NV, OK, UT) and measures opinions of consumers with their primary banking provider. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed in January 2010. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com. taE bL of conES T nT a Message From the Chairman ........................2 Legislative agenda ...........................................3 Joint Legislative agenda ...................................8 greater Oklahoma City Chamber PaC .............11 Legislative action Center................................12 Oklahoma Prosperity Project ..........................13 Ried scores ...................................................14 elected Officials directory ..............................16 Chamber Leadership ......................................34 government relations benefactors government relations sponsors The boeing company cox communications 123 Park Ave. | oklahoma city, oK 73102 oGE Energy corp. 405.297.8900 | www.okcchamber.com 2 0 1 1 L e g i s L a t i v e g u i d e 1 AmSSAGE E from ThIm E chA r An With a new year comes a new voice heard, and the Legislative action Center makes it easy to legislative session and new call, mail, e-mail or visit your elected officials. opportunities to create an Last year, the Chamber took its involvement at the capitol a step even more business-friendly further with the creation of the greater Oklahoma City Chamber environment in Oklahoma. We Political action Committee (greater OKC Chamber PaC). through enter this year’s legislative the PaC, we are able to support candidates for elected office who session with a new governor share the Chamber’s vision for creating a business-friendly city. and many new legislators. in 2010, the PaC supported 22 candidates – with 21 of those this will undoubtedly present candidates elected to office. Carl Edwards opportunities and challenges, 2011 Chamber Chairman but i’m certain that if we i hope you’ll take a closer look at each of the avenues of remain focused on our priorities involvement, and see how you can play a part in our efforts. and work together toward their success, we will see significant through a concerted grassroots effort, i’m certain we can continue progress made. to have a positive impact on the important work done at the capitol. While the Chamber is the voice for the business community at the capitol, the individual voices of our members are invaluable when sincerely, it comes to pursuing our efforts. there are a number of ways you can help us ensure that our voice is heard. through the Chamber’s Legislative action Center, www.LegislativeactionCenter.net, you have access to the Carl edwards current issues and legislation being discussed at the capitol. Chairman, greater Oklahoma City Chamber Communicating with our elected officials is key to making our Partner, Price edwards & Company cb hAm Er GoVErnmEnT rELATIonS STAff Mark vanLandingham derek sparks true Wallace drew dugan vice President government Relations government Relations vice President government Relations & Policy Manager Project Manager education & Workforce [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 2 2 0 1 1 L e g i s L a t i v e g u i d e LEGISLATIVE AGEA nD WorE K rS’ comPEnSATIon rEform economic development incentives are revenue positive, meaning incremental change to the workers’ compensation system in that they provide net new revenue to the state. the Chamber Oklahoma in the past has not provided the changes needed to supports a number of incentive programs that have positioned the adequately protect Oklahoma businesses and maintain our state’s state to compete well for capital investment and job creation of competitive position for economic development. primary job or traded sector firms. the Chamber supports an the Chamber supports the overall restructuring of the state’s premier incentives, state’s workers’ compensation which help to differentiate system to: Oklahoma from competing • Produce lower cost to locations. We feel they cannot Oklahoma employers. be eliminated/diminished • Be more responsive without calling into question to injured workers in our reputation as a pro- a spirit of fairness. business and economic • streamline the development state. process to eliminate • Retain the Quality Jobs delay and waste. Act (and the small Employer Quality Jobs act) LWSUITEA r form • Retain the 21st Century the Chamber supports major Quality Jobs act lawsuit reform, including: • Reinstate the aerospace (engineer) employer & employee • elimination of joint and several liability tax Credit programs • Hard cap on non-economic damages • Retain the Prime Contractor Quality Jobs Program • Class action lawsuit reform • Retain the Film & Music Profit Reinvestment tax Credit and • Product liability reform Oklahoma Film enhancement Rebate programs • Legislation appropriating money to the indemnity Fund to purchase insurance to pay non-economical damage awards the Chamber also supports the state’s foundational incentives in excess of $400,000 in professional negligence cases. – which are basic incentives offered by virtually every other state and competing location. Without these programs Oklahoma will not Econom Ic DEVELoPmEnT be considered a viable location by most manufacturing, warehouse business Incentives and distribution firms.s ome of these programs, however, could be the economic growth Oklahoma has experienced over the last modified in such a way that local, regional and state governments decade, as well as the state’s economic resilience during the could recover their “cost of services” while still offering significant recent recession, is due in no small part to the effectiveness of value to a new or expanding firm. Oklahoma’s business climate and incentives. Most of Oklahoma’s 2 0 1 1 L e g i s L a t i v e g u i d e 3 • the 5-year ad valorem tax abatement and sales tax permanent funding source that will ultimately allow the edge Fund exemptions on facilities, equipment, inputs and energy to reach $1 billion. used in manufacturing and warehouse & distribution operations Health CarE • the Freeport (inventory) exemption mandates • the investment/New Jobs income tax Credit Programs the Chamber opposes new health insurance mandates and liability that will undermine an employer’s ability to provide quality the Chamber also recommends the continuation of several health insurance at a reasonable cost to employees. industry specific incentives to support the growth and development of industries important to Oklahoma’s economic future. Uninsured the Chamber supports programs and initiatives that work to • the Oklahoma Quality events act reduce the number of the state’s uninsured. • tax credit for gas used in manufacturing medicaid • tax credit for electricity the Chamber supports a long-term generated by zero-emission solution, such as a provider fee, facilities to address full reimbursement • tax credit for qualified funding for Medicaid services rehabilitation expenditure for provided by hospitals to the federal historic buildings upper payment limit and no less • tax credit for energy efficient than 100% of Medicare rates for residential construction physicians. • sales tax exemption & refund for aircraft repairs the Chamber opposes fees that and modifications are unreasonably burdensome on • sales tax exemption & Oklahoma businesses, such as the 1% access tax on health claims refund for aircraft maintenance or manufacturing facility that was enacted in 2010, and later declared unconstitutional. • excise tax on aircraft services Wellness research and Development the Chamber supports state wellness and prevention programs the Chamber supports funding for programs currently managed that serve to improve the health of Oklahoma citizens. by OCast. the Chamber will oppose all efforts to unreasonably restrict the continued development of the state’s bioscience the Chamber supports the repeal of state pre-emption laws and research programs and will support efforts to foster an in an effort to increase the wellness of Oklahomans, therefore environment that is conducive to further research. decreasing the cost of health care. Liquor Laws Workforce the Chamber will work with all significant stakeholders to examine the Chamber supports incentives and appropriate funding the consequences and benefits of changing the state’s liquor laws of state medical schools to enhance the number of Primary to allow the sale of wine in grocery stores (and other changes). Care