Lawmakers Submit More than 200 Interim Study Requests

Oklahoma lawmakers are preparing to host more than 200 interim studies at the Capitol this fall.

Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, approved 77 requests from senators on July 2. About 150 requests from state representatives are awaiting approval from House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. This Friday, July 25, is the deadline for him to approve the studies and assign them to a committee.

The proposed study sessions span topics ranging from sports betting to pardon and parole board reform to recall elections for state and county officers. Committee chairs will soon set dates and locations for the meetings, which will take place during September and October.

While not binding, interim studies can provide a useful forum for lawmakers, advocates and the public to learn more about a certain issue. Similar to legislative hearings, public comment is generally not allowed at interim studies, but you can reach out to the requesting lawmaker’s office to request that a certain speaker be invited or a perspective be considered.

Legislators who host the study often file related bills in the next session. For instance, Rep. Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City, sponsored several fines and fees reform bills after hosting an interim study on the topic.

Some of the interim studies I’ll be keeping tabs on in the Senate include:

25-025 by Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City: Recall elections for state officers
25-010 by Mary Boren, D-Norman: Early voting
25-075 by Dave Rader, R-Tulsa: Options to modernize Oklahoma’s criminal corrections system

What interim studies caught your eye? Let me know at Kross@Oklahomawatch.org.

— Keaton Ross

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