Some very emotional and blessed news comes with the knowledge that the Governor has signed the bill which names the portion of Highway  71 from the intersection of State Highways  71 and 9 extending approximately nine miles to the intersection of highway 31 as Spc Joshua Dean Sheppard Young Memorial Highway.   This dedication is the result of his combat death in Iraq in 2006.

                       I co-authored HB 2236 which took 2 hours of heated debate between those who want to discontinue the state funding portion of OETA and those of us who know the need to keep this very important state-wide quality TV services.  There are numerous people who depend on this media to receive an objective view of state news as well as more traditional and historical entertainment programs like Lawrence Welk, Masterpiece Theatre, Ag Reports, and others.  It passed on a vote of 53 yes to 28 no.  This bill extended the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority to 2014.  If this had failed, OETA would have not only lost the state’s $3 million contribution to its programming but also its legislative oversight.  I am bewildered that there is such opposition to this service that so many of our citizens, especially senior citizens, are dependent on.

             I ended the week by attending the Teacher/Leader Effectiveness Commission.  This was created by SB 2033 which required that a “state wide teacher/leader evaluation system” be selected by December 15, 2011.   We selected, by a large majority, to use the Tulsa Public School Qualitative Evaluation System as the state-wide system or default to be used by schools to evaluate their teachers.  However, State Superintendent Barresi made it public that they did not have to follow that law, SB 2033, but could choose one of three different systems.  This information provides the backdrop for our May 3^rd meeting.  As this law also required, we had to select a Leader Evaluation and we did by choosing the McRel system to be used by all state schools to evaluate their principals.   Well, here we go again!!   Superintendent Barresi had as our agenda the presentation of the Marzano Leader Evaluation even though the Commission had previously rejected it.  As I indicated in my previous Journal, Ms. Barresi seems to conclude that she is above the law and disregards specific statutory rules based on her own preferences.  This may be the reason for the rejection of her rules on the A-F formula for evaluation of school districts and sites.   This was the second consecutive Commission meeting where there was not a quorum—perhaps the reason for this is that the State Superintendent ignores the decisions made by the Commission so why should we attend? 

             As we prepare to address our state budget, I have been reminded by our County Commissioners of the impending crises in our senior citizen nutrition centers’ budget.  With the rising cost of food products, fuel, utilities, and the increase in minimum wage, the centers have had to let some of their staff go.  This decreases their ability to provide the nutritional supplement that our elderly citizens so desperately need.   Part of this is an 85/15 federal/state match so that if we do not come up with the 15% we lose the 85%.  That does not make sense to me!  It reminds me of what one senior citizen told me that if she was not at the center for lunch she would be at home in her night gown.  We need to keep focused on these folks on both their nutritional and quality of life needs.    

             It was good news to find that the federal mediator overseeing the lawsuit between the state and the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations has appointed a 19 member task force to discuss and consider possible solutions to the problem.  This will include Governor Fallin, Choctaw Chief Greg Pyle and Chickasaw Gov. Bill Anoatubby and their assistants.  Of District 15 interest, I am excited to tell you that Pennie Embry, executive director of Oklahomans for Responsible Water Policy, has been selected to serve on this Task Force.  She is a former editor/writer for the “Stigler News Sentinel”.   She is very knowledgeable on water issues and has been very helpful to me in my addressing this very important issue for the citizens of District 15.             .         

 If you would like to have my weekly Notes sent to by email each week, please contact me at the address below.  If you wish to contact me please utilize any of the following: PO Box 98, Porum, OK  74455, by email at ed.cannaday@okhouse.gov , home phone: 918 484 5701, cell: 918 448 5702 or  Legislative Assistant, Gene Fowler, at 1 800 522 8502 or 405 557 7375 and fax 405 962 7685 at the Capitol. Web Site http://www.edcannaday.com  Ed Cannaday

            Volunteering is often one of the critical attributes of a true community that is willing to serve those less fortunate.  Stigler’s Jean Peck was selected to receive the Oklahoma Department of Human Services highest award for volunteer service.  Ms Peck volunteers with the Tamaha Senior Citizens and Haskell County Historical Society and Stigler VFW. 

            We ended last week with SB 1264 which deserved my co-authoring it because it was a total declaration of honesty and transparency in government.  This bill creating the “Oklahoma Debt Reduction Fund” makes public what I have been arguing for six years as your Representative that we are not a debt free state.  Our debt ranges between $1.5 to $2 billion which demands annual revenue of between $150 to $200 million each year.  This would require the Office of State Finance to transfer 30% of surplus funds to the Oklahoma Debt Reduction Fund.  We are constantly hearing those crying out that we need our federal government to have an amendment to our US Constitution which would require a balanced budget.  I guess since our state is so far in debt it is somewhat hypocritical for us to criticize our national government for doing the same thing as Oklahoma. 

            I was honored to represent you last week by appearing on OETA’s “The Peoples Business” with Senator Ford, R-Bartlesville.  Our topic was public education.  Several of the questions called in expressed concern with the proposed tax cuts that cuts more funding for our schools.  We also discussed the problems caused by the Department of Education when they fail to comply with laws thus causing confusion on the part of our school leaders.   A case in point is the passage of HB 2970 which states the State Board of Education shall adopt rules establishing an appeal process” for those seniors who fail to qualify under state mandates.  However, Supt. Barresi put out a press release the day the Governor signed this bill stating “the bill formalizes the process the SDE already has in place for high school seniors who do not meet the current graduation requirement…..”  This was made before the State Board met to consider the required  “appeal process.”  Prior to this the Supt. stated in an email that the SDE would use its template to consider these students.   Both of her statements indicate that this law that was passed by the House and Senate and signed by the Governor is irrelevant to Ms. Barresi. She stated that the Governor’s signing of this bill was merely validating what the State Department of Education already has in place.  Really??  The bill states that the State Board of Education shall create a process of appeal for those high school seniors who have failed to meet the graduation requirements.  How can she or the Board ignore this law with impunity?  Is she above the law?   This same disrespect for the laws passed includes SB 1797, SB 2033, and SB 222.  I challenge you to read them and see if you do not agree that our State Superintendent has demonstrated a total disregard for our laws.

            It was very impressive to have two or our local public school leaders testify before the House Rules Committee, Mr. Scott Farmer-Sallisaw and Mr. Dart Drummond-McCurtain.   Their expressed views and others helped the passage of House Joint Resolution  1125 which rejected the State Department of Education’s proposed Permanent Rule on the A-F School District/Site Grading System.   This rejection passed on a bi-partisan basis of  9 yes to 1 no.  It is seldom that we find this level of unity in rejecting a SDE Rule.  It indicates that the legislature, both Republican and Democrat, recognize that the intent of the original bill, HB 1456 was to simplify the way we identify the success or failure of our local school districts and or sites. It is very obvious to the members that the SDE failed to achieve this goal.   This will now move to the House Floor and it is my hope that you will contact Representatives to insure that this Resolution will be heard.  The very after noon that this occurred the Governor put out  a press release stating that she “approved the submitted rules by the SDE….”   She actually has no authority to approve or disapprove of these rules until the House has heard them.   Apparently this was a press release to tell people that she joins Superintendent Barresi in attempting to usurp the House’s legislative authority.         

If you would like to have my weekly Notes sent to by email each week, please contact me at the address below.  If you wish to contact me please utilize any of the following: PO Box 98, Porum, OK  74455, by email at ed.cannaday@okhouse.gov , home phone: 918 484 5701, cell: 918 448 5702 or  legislative Assistant, Gene Fowler, at 1 800 522 8502 or 405 557 7375 and fax 405 962 7685 at the Capitol. Web Site http://www.edcannaday.com  Ed Cannaday

            During week twelve I would proclaim that the citizens of District 15 were represented on a level never before achieved.  This had nothing to do with my work in the House, but that the House was served by three pages from the District during the same week.  It was such a special week to have Lori Allen--Stigler, Kameko Asamen--Gore, and Brooke Meek – Eufaula all seniors from their respective high schools. The district had another honor – Autumn Kinsey from Panama won 3rd place in the OERB Poster Contest.  One more plus for the district -- Dr. Chris Carey, a former Stigler student now practicing general surgery in OKC visited the capitol.

            Last week an interesting observation was made by Jenk’s Middle School Principal Rob Miller that the State Department of Education (SDE) has been ignoring a three year old state law, SB 222, signed by Gov. Henry in 2009.  It mandated the creation of the Educational Quality and Accountability Board that was to provide independent oversight of state mandated testing.  This can be found as statute in Title 70-3-165 which states “the Board shall hold meetings at least on a quarterly basis.”  That would be twelve mandated meetings that have been ignored.  While the SDE under both Superintendents Garrett’s and Barresi’s administration, the law was never implemented.  This is especially curious in that the Legislature, Governor, and SDE have implanted high stakes testing that has the potential of preventing numerous high school seniors from graduating this year.  The ACE End of Instruction Exams may very well be unenforceable on the basis of serious litigation since contracts have been entered in with test companies or vendors without this Board’s approval or oversight.   The law states specifically the board,  “…review processes for selection and approval of contracts and bid specifications for contracts by the SDE with vendors for administration of testing and approval  of test specifications….”  In addition the Board is to “serve as an independent auditing entity for the purpose of evaluating the systems and processes by which the Oklahoma Testing  Program Act is implemented, ascertaining the validity and reliability of information or deficiencies thereof….”   Those two items are fundamental to accurate assessment of student achievement.  Why has our State Department of Education been consistently violating this law? I wonder what would happen if your school district’s administrators failed to have monthly school board meetings?  I wonder what the Attorney General would say about that violation. Stay tuned—this may prove very interesting. 

            As an Oklahoma legislator I frequently hear my colleagues call for a balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution.  However this week these same members voted 58 to 31 for SB 1535 which will place the state further in debt by committing to create a source for  a $2.4 million bond to be dedicated to the remodeling of the Capitol.  It is strange that those years when we had surplus revenue none of this was spent for that purpose.  Instead of standing up for their beliefs in a balanced budget, they voted to take the state further in debt by proposing another bond expanding the total for the state’s debt $1.5 billion with an annual mandated payment of $180 million annually. 

            Since the Oklahoma Senate, House, Governor’s Office and all executive offices are controlled by the Republican Party we have not dealt with the question of veto over-ride by the legislature.  Well that has changed.  The House by a vote of  91 to 0  and the Senate 40  to 1  passed HB 2296.  But this very popular bill was vetoed by the Governor this week.  The bill limits liability for owners of manufactured mobile home or recreational vehicle parks who provide access to the park office as a shelter during times of severe weather.  If these owners acted in good faith and the damage or injury was not caused by willful or wanton negligence or by misconduct they could not be held liable for any civil damages.  Well, to my amazement, as the House considered an over-ride vote of the veto, 50 Republicans changed their vote, therefore allowing the bill to die.  Governor Fallin stated that she vetoed the bill because it only applied to a narrow group of people. Why did they change their vote when this would place many of our citizens in harm’s way as was seen in the 6 deaths in the recent Woodward tornado that struck a mobile home park?  These same 50 Republicans would claim to be committed “pro-life” voters!! They like to talk the talk but can’t walk the walk!         

If you would like to have my weekly Notes sent to by email each week, please contact me at the address below.  If you wish to contact me please utilize any of the following: PO Box 98, Porum, OK  74455, by email at ed.cannaday@okhouse.gov , home phone: 918 484 5701, cell: 918 448 5702 or  legislative Assistant, Gene Fowler, at 1 800 522 8502 or 405 557 7375 and fax 405 962 7685 at the Capitol. Web Site http://www.edcannaday.com  Ed Cannaday

            Mia  Mayo from Stigler Grade School is this year’s State Second Place winner in the Trash Poster Contest.  Her poster was focused on “Springtime Clean-up” with the theme of “Jump in to Cleanin’ up  Oklahoma.”  It was great to recognize and honor her on the floor of the House.

            The House Democratic Caucus held a press conference this week to warn that the proposed state income tax cuts will come at the expense of our senior citizens by cuts in Department of Human Services funding for our Senior Citizen Nutrition Centers.  One of the speakers was Rebekah Williams, Outreach Representative for the Southern Oklahoma Nutrition Program.  As a single parent she also had the responsibility of caring for her aging father, a recipient of a senior nutrition program.  She stated that although her father has passed away, she sees him every day in the eyes of those she serves at the centers.  She went on to make a very profound statement that we should all reflect on as we approach the issue of budget cuts in this area.  She stated, “I believe the voices that demand validation of life at conception should have the same moral, concise compassion and personal conviction to follow that validation through to age 60, 80 or even 100 years of age, without hesitation or partisanship.”

            Continuing with the issue of the proposed state income tax cuts and ultimately eliminating them by Gov. Fallin and other Republican leaders, I appreciated Rep. John Bennett hosting a town hall meeting last week at the Sallisaw Indian Capital Technology Center Campus.   The program speaker was Dave Bond on behalf of the Oklahoma Council on Public Affairs which is an organization that is promoting this tax reform plan.  It was well attended but the speaker seemed to be thrown off message when the majority of the audience reacted politely, but negatively to his views of doing away with the state income tax.  The audience was very diverse ranging from retired citizens, city, county, and state employees, members of the Chamber of Commerce, and others like myself who wanted to hear first hand what the spin on this proposal would be out in our rural communities rather than the metro areas.  There was one young lady that will graduate from college this year with a major in education who stated that if this were to become a reality she would have to consider moving to another state due to the anticipated cuts in funding for education and other core state services.  The wife of a retired military veteran stated that they had moved to Oklahoma due to the state’s having veteran friendly programs that could be done away with if this were to become a reality.  Mr. Bond stated that the plan was to cause business growth incentives for businesses to move into the state and expand employment.   I asked him how would a business be encouraged to move to this state due to their future employees not being required to pay income taxes.  While he attempted to explain this, others in the audience brought up the issue of potential increases in property and sales taxes to pay for core services that would cause businesses to think twice about moving to Oklahoma.  A recent article in the Journal Record by Sean Murphy titled “Okla. Tax cut proposals remain on life support” captures the problem this idea has run into as the legislature wrestles with the reality of the Republican leadership’s agenda which sounds better than its reality.  Perhaps several of our rural legislators should follow Rep. Bennett’s example and host rural town hall meetings on this issue before the issue is decided at the state level.  

            OETA hosted The People’s Business featuring  Rep. Mike Brown, D-Tahlequah debating against Senator Stanislawski, R-Tulsa concerning the proposed tax cuts and eventual elimination.   There were three noticeable features about the program.  First, all of the calls were hostile to the idea of eliminating the state income tax.  That was very similar to the previous event at Sallisaw.  Secondly,  I was shocked and amazed at the Republican Senator who, when asked the question about the loss of the 5% of all state income tax revenue going into the Teacher Retirement System, did not  know this even though  he had heard this debate on the Senate floor that day.  I assume he was either absent or had his mind turned off.  Thirdly, Rep. Brown captured the essence of the debate when he concluded with the following statement.  Drawing from ancient history he noted that people for years observed ships leaving an ocean port and never returning.  “Just because ships sail out of sight and some never returned, many people held the belief that one should stay close to the shore line because their voodoo science said if they sailed out too far you would fall off the edge of the ocean because the world was flat.  The sad part of this is that our Governor and her advisors have purchased tickets to be on board one of those ships.”          

If you would like to have my weekly Notes sent to by email each week, please contact me at the address below.  If you wish to contact me please utilize any of the following: PO Box 98, Porum, OK  74455, by email at ed.cannaday@okhouse.gov , home phone: 918 484 5701, cell: 918 448 5702 or legislative Assistant, Gene Fowler, at 1 800 522 8502 or 405 557 7375 and fax 405 962 7685 at the Capitol. Web Site http://www.edcannaday.com  Ed Cannaday

            There are times when we in the Legislature come together without any political agenda or posturing.  This week was such a time when the House and Senate joined together to celebrate the accomplishments and welcome home of our 45^th Infantry Division of the Oklahoma National Guard.  As a veteran of the 25^th Infantry Division, I have a special appreciation for the members of this unit and the role they have played in the post 9/11 terrorist era in Iraq and Afghanistan.  We joined together to memorialize the fourteen  45^th Soldiers who gave their lives in this effort to protect this nation and its citizens.  It was pointed out that our state’s National Guard is truly the 1% which symbolizes the greatness of our citizen soldiers of our great state.      

            This week was made special by having dinner with Cookson Hills Electric Coop’s Board and General Manager Kendall Beck to be brought up to date on issues that impact this very critical service to our area. It was good to visit with the recently appointed Board member Ronnie Pevehouse.  As a rural resident I have come to have a special appreciation for being provided electric services that are provided above our expectations.  During ice storms and spring storms when lightening strikes we have come to anticipate uninterrupted electric service due to their staff’s dedication to service. 

            Our final bill in Common Education this years was SB 1443 and it passed by a unanimous vote.  It extended for two more years until June 30, 2014 the time period for which the State Board of Education will not withdraw accreditation for school districts not meeting requirements for media materials and equipment.  School districts also will not be assessed a financial penalty for receiving a deficiency during   their accreditation for this area within the designated time period.  While this sounds good, it should be looked at with caution in that some will say that schools can get by without funding for these items and will begin to approach school funding without it being considered critical.  I realize we are in a period of transition to greater dependency on technology but we must remain focused on students’ needs to have traditional materials available to them as well as the new technology. 

            On the issue of education, I am pleased to inform you that SB 1530 which came to be called the “deregulation of common education bill” failed in Education A and B Committee and will not be heard by the full House.  It claimed to allow all public schools to become charter schools and was being promoted by Supt. Barresi.  This bill would have allowed the public schools to be dismantled and teachers and staff members to be “at will employees.”  It is a sad day when we celebrate the defeat of a bill but that is where we are in public education in the Oklahoma State Legislature. 

            We are constantly hearing on the national media about health care reform and the need to find a way to reduce the skyrocketing cost of health care while making sure that we are providing needed care for our citizens.  It is in that context that I voted for and co-authored SB 1390 in the Public Health Committee.  It instructs the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to evaluate various methods of reducing unnecessary emergency room visits and ambulance usage for non-emergency transportation and develop a written plan to encourage the timely and appropriate use of primary care services in lieu of emergency room utilization among the Medicaid population.  This plan must be submitted on or before December 31, 2012.  While this is not a giant step in addressing the health care problem, it is a step in the right direction. 

            Now that the “Comprehensive” Water Study is complete, the question that must be answered is what will be the focus of the revenue dedicated annually to the Oklahoma Water Resource Board (OWRB).  In addressing this, I co-authored SB 1040 which created the Community Water Infrastructure Development and Planning Revolving Fund.  This will require that the OWRB to budget and expend 50 percent of its annual funds received from state revenue and fees and licensures for allocated water throughout the state.  In District 15 we often have needs to expand our rural water infrastructure needs.  Hopefully this will be allowed to be combined with our local water associations to address the extreme seasonal needs on the Lower Illinois River. 

If you would like to have my weekly Notes sent to by email each week, please contact me at the address below.  If you wish to contact me please utilize any of the following: PO Box 98, Porum, OK  74455, by email at ed.cannaday@okhouse.gov , home phone: 918 484 5701, cell: 918 448 5702 or  legislative Assistant, Gene Fowler, at 1 800 522 8502 or 405 557 7375 and fax 405 962 7685 at the Capitol. Web Site http://www.edcannaday.com  Ed Cannaday

            This week was made special in that Zack Olinger from Checotah High School served as my Page.  It is always a great treat to have students spending time here at the Capitol.  In addition to helping with the work of the legislature, they perform their own mock legislative session.  During that experience Zach served as Lt. Governor.  In addition we had a special day with 4-H students visiting the Capitol.    I had the pleasure of spending time with Lyndall Warren, a senior at McCurtain High School.  We were also visited by Rachel Lockwood who serves as OSU Extension and Haskell County 4-H Director. 

          This week I co-authored SB 1210 which adds medical foster homes approved by the Veteran’s Administration that care for three or fewer veterans to the definition of a “residential care home.”  This exempts these institutions from the requirements of the Continuum of Care and Assisted Living Act, the Nursing Home Care Act and the Home Care Act.  Its importance is based on the current expanding need to provide assistance to veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.  While this will be initially located in  Oklahoma City the plans include expansion out into the rural areas.

            I was hopeful that we would find a final commitment to fund the National Board Certified Teacher program in the form of a bill by Senator Ford and Representative Coody in SB 1879. This was defeated on the first attempt, in part, because it allowed funds not used for NBCT as it was being phased out to go to the “Merit Pay” program in the Teacher/Leader Effectiveness program and discontinue any additional scholarships for this program. It was heard in the Education Appropriation and Budget sub-Committee where it was defeated by a 9 to 2 vote.  Its author, Rep. Coody, realized that she had to correct parts of this bill that was designed to end the NBCT after those teachers enrolled since June 30, 2010 will receive their annual stipend.  While the modified bill still sets a deadline for this program, it dedicates funding through the remaining 10 years and to select no more that one hundred future applicants with scholarships not to exceed $2,750.   With changes it passed on a 10 to 1 vote.  It is a mixed blessing but hopefully it will make it through the full House.

            This week we had a Democratic Press Conference concerning the proposed tax reforms that will reduce funding for public education in the state.  We had parents, teachers, administrators, and retired teachers address the anxiety that those in education are experiencing.  A parent expressed concern over the limited choices that her child will have as she moves into the high school curriculum because her school has cut back on elective classes and  anticipate even greater reductions.  The superintendent from Jenks, Mr. Kirby Lehman,    documented the current crises and how future cuts in the state income tax are shocking with class sizes increasing and funding per student decreasing by $200 per year. 

            During my six years as your state representative I have often been frustrated by bills that are filed, debated and passed for purely political reasons.  The problem with these is that they seldom withstand the test of our state Constitution.  The reason I am concerned beyond the political gamesmanship involved is that they result in a major drain on our state revenue as the state battles these out in court for several years with high priced lawyers earning a rather handsome income from their work defending such politically driven legislation.  This month we have been informed that two such bills were declared unconstitutional by the courts.   First, was the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships Act which was in conflict with Article Two Section Five of our state Constitution.  The court found that this portion of the Constitution was being violated by state revenue going to private religious based schools through that legislation sometimes referred to as the state’s first “voucher” legislation.  Secondly, a state court ruled that the Ultra Sound Act that was passed over Governor Henry’s veto in 2010 was unconstitutional in that it required doctors or their technicians to show pregnant women ultrasound images of their fetus and discuss those images prior to abortions being performed.  During the 2010 campaign many of those voting against this legislation were criticized as not being pro-life but now that the law has been thrown out, I wonder if those claims were valid.  Either way, the state has spent a sizable amount of revenue in two lost causes and those that advocated for those laws are curiously quiet when they are ruled unconstitutional.  Perhaps those voting for unconstitutional measures should have to pay for them.

If you would like to have my weekly Notes sent to by email each week, please contact me at the address below.  If you wish to contact me please utilize any of the following: PO Box 98, Porum, OK  74455, by email at ed.cannaday@okhouse.gov , home phone: 918 484 5701, cell: 918 448 5702 or  legislative Assistant, Gene Fowler, at 1 800 522 8502 or 405 557 7375 and fax 405 962 7685 at the Capitol. Web Site http://www.edcannaday.com  Ed Cannaday

            As I indicated in Journal Seven we had finished hearing House Bills and would spend the next week hearing Senate Bills in Committee.  Well, that was an  overly ambitious point of view.  The fact is that we did nothing of substance during the week of March 19 through 22.  In fact we closed down on the 22^nd or Thursday.  We should have closed down all week long and saved the state an estimated $90,000 in legislative per diem costs plus travel .  Wow!! That could have been used as a talking point for the Republican leadership as their effort in “shrinking government.”  On the other hand they would not have received their per diem dollars and that is not how they want to shrink government.

            In summary we started the year with 962 bills and 26 joint resolutions filed in the Oklahoma House of Representative.  At this time just 321 House Bills and Joint Resolutions remain active.  We now start the cycle of review of Senate bills which total just 317 bills and joint resolutions.   Right now there are only 10 weeks of session remaining.   It is my prediction that the most controversial issue during this time will involve the reduction and/or elimination of the state income tax while doing away with the tax exemptions for those over 65 receiving Social Security, Teacher Retirement and numerous other middle to lower income tax exemption credits. In addition we will see the replacing of state income tax revenue with an increase in state sales taxes or depending on more diverse use of property taxes or an increase in both.  We will either implement these forms of increased revenue or reduce state services and infrastructure maintenance.  The next 10 months will be critical and will require your vigilance and involvement through communication with your state government.

            On another topic that will require our continued focus is the changes in our state education policies.  This is currently in the form of the Oklahoma State Board of Education (OSBE) and State Superintendent’s rule making procedure.  We find that they have taken legislation that has been passed for a specific purpose of providing school district patrons an A to F letter grade for each of its district’s sites.  This was done for the purpose of simplification from the 1500 potential score on the Academic Performance Index and Adequate Yearly Progress.   Instead the rule making procedures appear to be attempting to manipulate it into a form that allows the OSBE and its Superintendent to remove local control from our local boards and administrators by using it to give a school site a classification that allows state oversight involvement in schools that become classified as “Targeted Intervention” or “Focus” school sites.  A recent e-mail from the Oklahoma School Board Association which has traditionally been “in synch” with the OSBE and Superintendent is cautioning its members that “the complexity of the formula to earn the grade does not provide any parent with an understanding of what services are being provided to their child by the public school system.”  In other words, we again find that the OSBE and its Superintendent refuse to follow the intent of legislative statutes. 

            There is another irony that we have experienced in the area of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.  This is the recent investigation by State Auditor and Inspector, Gary Jones, of the financial activities of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Sandy Garrett. He described her activities as having “expended funds from an unofficial and unauthorized bank account for questionable items and purchases related to an OSDE sponsored Conference with no official oversight while also avoiding public scrutiny.”  This came to be referred to as a “secret slush fund.”  The irony comes to play when this same State Auditor is made aware of a comparable financial procedure by the current Superintendent, Janet Barresi.  There has been a request for him to take action on the current “secret slush fund” but to this point the Auditor’s Party loyalty seems to take precedence over a focus on investigatory equity. 

            Several of us in the legislature have been working to address the negative impact of the State Department of Education’s graduation requirements that could have more than 1,000 of current high school seniors not being allowed to graduate based on mandated testing.  There is an effort to require the OSBE to formulate an appeal procedure to address this.  I mention this again due to the fact that for several years we have been told that we should follow Florida’s educational programs and their former Governor Jeb Bush has been here frequently to lecture us on their great successes.  Well, here is the breaking news from our role model, Florida!  It is estimated that at this time over 6,000 of their seniors will not be qualified to graduate.  Maybe it is time for Oklahoma to look for another educational role model.     

If you would like to have my weekly Notes sent to by email each week, please contact me at the address below.  If you wish to contact me please utilize any of the following: PO Box 98, Porum, OK  74455, by email at ed.cannaday@okhouse.gov , home phone: 918 484 5701, cell: 918 448 5702 or  legislative Assistant, Gene Fowler, at 1 800 522 8502 or 405 557 7375 and fax 405 962 7685 at the Capitol. Web Site http://www.edcannaday.com  Ed Cannaday

            For those of us in Southeastern Oklahoma we received some very good news last week and this news had nothing to do with the legislature.  It deals with the US Department of Justice in the lawsuit concerning protecting our area water rights from exploitation by Oklahoma City Water Authority with complicity by the Governor, Attorney General and the Oklahoma Water Resource Board.  The good news is that the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations’ suit to stop this exploitation was given a real shot in the arm when the case between the state and the tribes was moved out of state court and into federal court. This is the best news we have had concerning the protection of our regional water assets for some time. 

            We ended the first phase of the 2^nd Session by passing on    House Bills to the Senate last week.  We will begin hearing Senate bills this week.  According to the House leadership, the greatest accomplishment was to send legislation to the Senate that calls for the minimizing and eventually abolishing the state income tax.  While that may tickle one’s itching ears, the down side of this is the eventual increase in property and sales taxes to cover needed state services.  Some will say that we can shrink government by privatizing these service and infrastructure needs.  It sounds as if they want us to believe that the private entities will do these functions for free.  If you believe that, I have some Briartown ocean front property that is for sale -- just for you -- real cheap!!

            Let’s consider the real effectiveness of our State Legislature as it strives to save the taxpayers money.  101 State Representatives spent close to an hour discussing placing an issue on our next General Election Ballot.  The critical issue that will be put to a vote of the people after squandering over 100 man hours of legislative work  is HJR 1015 concerning whether retail privately owned package (liquor) stores should be allowed to sell bottle openers, cork screws and other  wine and spirit accessories in their stores.  Wow!!  That is really government operating at its best!!  No! Not quite!  We also spent considerable time considering and passing a bill that will allow the use of physical or deadly force against an intruder in places of worship.  I know that Scriptures refer to Jesus using  physical force to clear out the Temple Complex of money changers but this legislation lacks any Scriptural endorsement that I am aware of. I realize that an affirmative vote to this is good for one’s NRA Rating but is this the best use of  the legislature’s time? 

            For those of us attempting to protect local control of our public schools we had hoped to have legislation considered which would allow local districts to have Seniors who had successfully  completed all state and district curriculum high school graduation requirements to actually graduate.  There was a compromise worked out in the form of HB 2970 which states that, “The State Board of Education shall adopt rules establishing an appeal process for students who have been denied a standard diploma…..”  The student would have 30 days to file an appeal and the Board 45 days to respond.   I was told that this was the best we could get through the Senate and it was thereby passed in the House.  This was suddenly made irrelevant when an email sent by Superintendent Barresi was sent to her staff and mistakenly also to the Broken Arrow Superintendent.  This was in response to a Broken Arrow parent’s letter concerning her daughter’s not being allowed to graduate.  The problematic nature of  Supt. Barresi’s response is found in the following quote.  “We will use OUR response as a template for all responses.  I will no longer take the heat for districts failing to do their job! Joel (Barresi’s Chief of Staff), the legislature needs to be aware of the appeal process.  Janet”  This exact quote indicates that Supt. Barresi sees HB 2970 and its requirement of the Board’s creating an appeals process as totally irrelevant.  I would recommend she review the role of Legislative statutory authority.      

If you would like to have my weekly Notes sent to by email each week, please contact me at the address below.  If you wish to contact me please utilize any of the following: PO Box 98, Porum, OK  74455, by email at ed.cannaday@okhouse.gov , home phone: 918 484 5701, cell: 918 448 5702 or  legislative Assistant, Gene Fowler, at 1 800 522 8502 or 405 557 7375 and fax 405 962 7685 at the Capitol. Web Site http://www.edcannaday.com  Ed Cannaday