OK Farm Bureau’s PAC Endorsed Candidates

OKAgFund endorses, funds candidates in state elections

The OKAgFund, Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s political action committee, has endorsed 22 candidates and donated to 71 candidates running for election in statewide, state Senate and state House races.
The OKAgFund board met Friday, May 18, to donate a total of $63,000 to candidates and to choose candidates for endorsement based on input from farmers and ranchers across Oklahoma.

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Teacher Pay Raise Plan

Plan Overview

The Legislature passed the LARGEST teacher pay raise plan in Oklahoma history

  • Gov. Fallin has already signed it

Moves Oklahoma to NUMBER 2 in the REGION for teacher pay

  • Moves Oklahoma from 48th Nationally to 34th (12th when factoring cost of living adjustments)
  • Oklahoma is already FIRST in the REGION for Benefits

 

The Teacher Pay Raise is ALREADY FUNDED

The Legislature already passed (and Governor signed) the FY-2019 education budget

  • The budget was a 19.74 percent INCREASE (more than $480 million) over the FY-2018 education budget
  • Included funding for:
    • Teacher Pay Raises = $353.5 million
    • Support Staff Pay Raises = $52 million
    • Textbooks = $33 million
    • Flex Benefits = $24.6 million

The plan adjusts the statutory minimum salary schedule

  • The state is on the hook for the raises every year

Every teacher will receive a minimum $5,000 pay increase on AUGUST 1

  • Raises will be based on experience and education level
  • A teacher with 25 years of experience and a doctorate degree will receive a nearly $8,400 raise
  • 15-18 percent increases on average
  • $6,100 average pay increase

AVERAGE NET PAY

 

Funding Mechanisms for Teacher Pay Raise Plan

House Bill 1010XX

  • Raises $405 MILLION Annually
  • Tobacco Tax
    • Adds 50 mills/cigarette tax ($1.00/pack) on cigarettes
    • Adds 50 mills/cigar tax on little cigars
  • Gross Production Tax
    • Increases GPT on all wells from 2 percent to 5 percent
  • Motor Fuel and Diesel Tax
    • Increases tax on gasoline .03 cents/gallon and diesel .06 cents/gallon
  • Hotel/Motel Lodging Tax
    • Adds a $5 per room lodging tax on rented rooms
    • HOUSE REPEALED (Senate would not pass HB1010 with lodging tax)
    • DOES NOT AFFECT TEACHER PAY RAISES
      • Those have already been funded with passage of education budget
    • IT DOES create a $32 million shortfall that must be addressed
    • MULTIPLE OPTIONS available to replace that $32 million
      • Chairman Wallace expects a surplus from FY-2018 growth revenue
      • REVOLVING FUNDS
      • 51 VOTE measures
    •  Still TWO MONTHS of session left to craft a budget for remaining agencies

House Bill 1011XX

  • Raises $84 million annually
  • Places cap on itemized deductions (exempts charitable and medical expenses)

 

THE STATE IS NOT TAXING TEACHERS TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN RAISE

  • The average teacher will see a NET increase in pay of nearly $400/month
  • The average driver will pay approximately $1/month extra in fuel costs
  • Motor Fuel Tax (.03 cents/gallon)
  • FY-2019 = tax will raise $52 million DIVIDED by 2.6 million drivers = $20/year or $1.06/month
  • And ODOT estimates up to 40 percent of motor fuel purchased by out-of-state drivers

 

Bill Allowing Sale of Insurance across State Lines Passes House

Communications & Public Affairs
April 27, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Lewis Moore
Phone: (405) 557-7400

Bill Allowing Sale of Insurance across State Lines Passes House

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives today unanimously passed a bill that will allow individuals to purchase health insurance from any state participating in a yet-to-be-determined compact. The bill passed by a vote of 80-0.

Senate Bill 478, by state Rep. Lewis Moore and Bill Brown of the Senate, will allow the Oklahoma Insurance Department to compact with other states in offering more affordable and better tailored individual health insurance policies across state lines. The plans would still have to be approved by each participating state legislature, but would require all compacted states to offer coverage that minimally matches mandated coverage required in Oklahoma.

“This bill will make individual insurance more affordable and will increase coverage options for Oklahomans,” said Moore, R-Arcadia.

He said the bill will allow individuals to keep their current Oklahoma plans if they wish, or they can shop for more affordable plans or ones better tailored to meet their individual needs. The compact also will allow individuals to find better coverage in some instances, such as for autism care. Thirty-two other states offer coverage with more mandates to include more comprehensive coverage for those with autism, Moore said.

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak recently issued a statement in favor of the bill saying the measure will not circumvent Oklahoma coverage mandates, and in some cases could result in better coverages than now offered.

Moore said this bill puts in place the mechanism for the insurance department to move forward on negotiating plans and forming a compact. The bill has protections for Oklahoma companies as they compete to match policies offered by other states.

The bill now goes to conference committee before returning to the Senate for final passage.

“Many groups combined to take ownership of SB478 and make it better,” Rep. Moore said.

Press Release: Bill Allowing Sale of Insurance Across State Lines Passes Committee

Communications & Public Affairs
April 11, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Lewis Moore
Phone: (405) 557-7400

Bill Allowing Sale of Insurance across State Lines Passes Committee

OKLAHOMA CITY – The House Insurance Committee today passed a bill that will allow individuals to purchase health insurance across state lines.

Senate Bill 478, by state Rep. Lewis Moore and Bill Brown of the Senate, will allow the Oklahoma Insurance Department to compact with other states in offering more affordable and better tailored individual health insurance policies across state lines. The plans would still have to be approved by each participating state legislature.

“In support of the president’s and the Republican’s desire to make individual health care affordable again, the Oklahoma House of Representatives’ Insurance Committee today passed Senate Bill 478,” said Moore, R-Arcadia.

He said the bill will allow individuals to keep their current Oklahoma plans if they wish, or they can shop for other competitive plans to meet their individual needs. The compact also will allow individuals to find better coverage in some instances, such as for autism care that is better provided for by 46 other states than in Oklahoma, he said.

“The free market works every time,” said Moore. “This bill allows individuals to find more comprehensive or catastrophic coverage if that is what is desired, and it should reduce the cost of individual coverage.”

Moore said this bill puts in place the mechanism for the insurance department to move forward on negotiating plans and forming a compact. The bill has protections for Oklahoma companies as they compete to match policies offered by other states. He added the National Association of Insurance Commissioners said they are against the federal government mandating such compacts, but they favor each state choosing participation for itself.