A D V O C A C Y
E D U C A T I O N
As the voice of business at the State Capitol, the Chamber focused on advocating in support of legislation to make central Oklahoma the best business climate in America. This commitment was never more evident this year, when in the midst of a historic session that was interrupted for more than a month by COVID-19, the Chamber successfully achieved passage of two major priority measures: expanding the state’s new Software and Cyber Security Engineering Tax Credit and, facilitating the transfer of operational and financial control of the Oklahoma County Jail to the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority. These critical measures were two of a record low 176 bills that reached the govenor’s desk during this session. ENSURING EFFECTIVENESS OF KEY INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO BOOST TINKER AND 21ST CENTURY JOBS During the 2019 session, the Chamber led an effort to pass legislation creating a new software and cybersecurity program to provide a tax credit up to $2,200 annually for qualifying employees who have received a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited institution, or $1,800 annually for qualifying employees who have been awarded a certificate from a technology center. This program is designed to address an extensive shortage of qualified software and cyber engineers at Tinker AFB and in many industries across the state.
HELPING SCHOOLS FACE 2020 CHALLENGES The business community worked with state and local education leaders to face the unique 2020 challenges that have affected every segment of our economy and lives. On the local level, the Chamber continued to work with Oklahoma City Public Schools leadership including Board Chair Paula Lewis and Supt. Sean McDaniel to move the district forward. The Chamber encouraged and supported the district’s transformational Pathway to Greatness initiative launched in 2019 that reduced the number of district buildings and increased utilization from 66% to 88%. The changes also provided direct benefits to students including full-time art, music and PE teachers in every elementary school as well as dedicated STEM spaces. OKC PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMPACT - EMBRACE OKC AND READOKC Another effort related to Pathways to Greatness that was made even more important by the COVID-19 pandemic was EmbraceOKC. The OKC Schools Compact, comprised of Oklahoma City Public Schools, City of Oklahoma City, United Way of Central Oklahoma, The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools and the Greater OKC Chamber, has been working for three years to help implement a robust plan to improve the mental and emotional health of OKCPS students.
In 2020, EmbraceOKC helped OKCPS provide full-time counselors to every elementary school and provided evidence-based training for teachers/ staff. In direct response to the challenges of virtual learning, there is a new helpline for students and parents, allowing them to talk to a counselor or social worker at any time. The OKC Schools Compact also continued the ReadOKC program that promotes reading and increased literacy. There was a special focus this year to encourage more reading in the summer and during the quarantine. Over the summer alone there were more than 1.3 million minutes read, and all students who achieved the goal of reading 20 minutes a day were recognized as an outstanding leader with a sign in their yard.
Following the 2019 session, it was discovered that additional legislative changes were necessary to broaden the program to make it work as intended. Therefore, the Chamber advocated throughout the 2020 session for SB 1204 to be enacted during the condensed session. Ultimately, SB 1204 was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt, allowing qualifying employees to use this incentive program beginning in Fiscal Year 2021. ALLOWING OKLAHOMA COUNTY JAIL TRUST TO FOLLOW STATUS QUO ON LEGAL JUDGMENTS During the last week of the abbreviated session, the Chamber advocated supporting important legislation to ensure the newly formed Oklahoma County Jail Trust Authority (Jail Trust) could operate effectively in terms of administering liability judgments against the trust. The Chamber requested legislation on behalf of the newly formed Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority (Jail Trust), which assumed financial and operational control of the County Jail on July 1. HB 2668 allows county commissioners to treat liability judgments against the Jail Trust in the same manner as judgments against Oklahoma County are treated by placing such judgments on the county tax rolls. This legislation aided the transfer of operational and financial control of the County Jail to the Jail Trust on July 1, 2020 alleviating the need for the Jail Trust to purchase prohibitively expensive liability insurance.
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G R E A T E R O K L A H O M A C I T Y C H A M B E R
G R E A T E R O K L A H O M A C I T Y C H A M B E R
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