Autism Bill Draws Support, Discussion

Democratic Floor Leader Mike Brown, D-Tahlequah, and Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs, today praised the passage of a bill designed to enhance services for autism in the state, but cautioned that the bill may not do enough to help families of children with this disease.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Speaker Pro Tem Kris Steele to ensure this bill is as effective as possible,” Brown said. “I’ve always believed that we can craft good legislation by reaching across the aisle to share our concerns and then allow full debate by the good public servants of the House of Representatives."

Brown and Steele, R-Shawnee, collaborated on improving language to HB2027 before it was introduced on the House floor to ensure that the bill would remain in full compliance with existing statutes.

“I’ve visited with administrators at Northeastern State University, and they’re ready to implement this training program. As soon as this funding comes through, they are set to start training autism providers,” Brown added.

“This bill, however, remains only a partial solution to the greater problem of helping families of children with autism,” Brown stated. “They face greater challenges not addressed by this bill, such as paying for costly treatment for their children. Since many insurance companies don’t cover care for autism, even families who can afford private insurance may not be able to afford treatment – so how will these new providers afford to stay in Oklahoma?”

Dorman joined Brown in praising passage of the bill, but also held reservations whether this bill does enough to help Oklahoma families.

“My greatest concern is that without a way to ensure these providers a mechanism for payment, we’ll experience a ‘brain drain’ and lose them to other states,” said Dorman. “Training more autism providers is an excellent step in the right direction, but I am concerned especially for people in rural areas that they will still be unable to find autism specialists or pay for their services.”

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Oklahoma's Presidential Vote Draws Attention

Oklahoma's vote in the presidential election continues to draw national interest.

All 77 of the state's counties went for John McCain over Barack Obama, the only state in which Obama lost every county, and the state gave Obama his third-lowest vote percentage.

Those facts, in light of Obama's national victory, have not been lost on others. The New York Times, Southern Political Report and others have reported on it.

Here's an excerpt from The Times' story: “Oklahoma Democrats, with very few exceptions, are the old-line white Southern Democrats,” said David Ray, another political scientist at the university (of Oklahoma). “They don’t like liberals or liberalism.”

Indeed, the state has a political landscape closely resembling that of the old solidly Democratic South, especially in its southeastern corner, known as Little Dixie, where many Southerners settled after the Civil War. When conservatives of the Old South began abandoning the party decades ago, Oklahoma’s Democrats lagged behind the historical trend. Further, the state has relatively small black and Hispanic populations, and so the Democrats did not absorb as many new voters from those groups as in the states of the old Confederacy.

These days Oklahoma Democrats dread running for local office in presidential election years, for fear of being associated with liberal nominees at the top of the ticket.

“Being liberal in Oklahoma, with the exception of a few legislative districts, will not get you elected,” said State Representative Joe Dorman, a conservative Democrat.

Ivan Holmes, chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, said there had been no ballot initiative or outcry on any state or local issue that would explain why conservatives of both parties rejected many Democratic candidates this week.

But, Mr. Holmes said, Mr. Obama was badly hurt in the state by rumors that he was not a Christian, that he sympathized with terrorists and that he would take away people’s firearms, a buzz that could not have helped Democrats down the ticket.

In addition, Senator James M. Inhofe, the Republican incumbent, whipped up anti-liberal sentiment in his successful race against a Democratic challenger, State Senator Andrew Rice, accusing him of being “too liberal for Oklahoma” in opposing a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and voting against tax cuts.

Another Republican, State Representative Sally Kern, who recently declared that homosexuality was a greater threat to the nation than terrorism, easily won re-election.

But Mr. (Keith) Gaddie said that perhaps the most important factor in Mr. McCain’s strong showing here was religion. An Edison/Mitofsky exit poll found that more than half of Oklahoma voters identified themselves as evangelical Christians and that a heavy majority of them had voted for Mr. McCain.

Mr. Gaddie, himself a pollster as well as a college professor, said: “A question we always ask in our polls is ‘How often do you attend church services?’ If a Democrat is not going to vote for a Democrat, they are a frequent church attender.”

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ACYPL Selects Dorman For Trip

Rep. Joe Dorman has been selected as a delegate by the American Council of Young Political Leaders to study the political systems of Nicaragua and El Salvador and promote the United States during a 14-day trip.

"I am honored to represent ACYPL and the United States in this endeavor," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs.

"This will be a chance to better understand the current political dynamics in Central America and help people there better understand the United States. I look forward to forging possible trade relationships and friendships between not only the countries, but also specifically between Oklahoma and the nations of El Salvador and Nicaragua."

He will join six other young political leaders from across the United States during the trip from July 9-25 to discuss the country's political structure, engage in dialogue on bilateral issues and forge professional relationships.

Dorman will join the delegates in Washington, D.C. for briefings by the U.S. Department of State and the Nicaraguan and El Salvadoran Embassies before flying on to Managua, Nicaragua.

ACYPL targets young political leaders likely to assume future leadership positions in their national governments. Throughout its 40 years of existence, the ACYPL has sent over 6,000 rising political stars from around the world on delegations to over 90 countries for the purpose of fostering international relationships.

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Electronic Transmittal Bill Signed By Henry

A bill requiring the hundreds of reports submitted by state agencies to legislators be transmitted electronically has been signed by Governor Henry.

Senate Bill 1507 could potentially save taxpayers thousands of dollars in printing and postage costs every year. The measure was sponsored by Senator Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, and Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs.

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'Fire Safe' Cigarettes Bill Goes To Governor

A "fire safe" cigarettes bill is on Governor Henry's desk for action.

House Bill 3341, by Rep.s Mike Thompson and Joe Dorman, creates the Fire Safety Standard and Firefighter Protection Act.

The bill would require retailers to sell only "fire safe" cigarettes, meaning no cigarettes could be sold in Oklahoma unless they have been tested and certified by the manufacturer and are in compliance with the State Fire Marshal's approved standards for being a fire safe cigarette.

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No Black Bear Hunt After All, Dorman Says

From The Associated Press ~ Legislation that would have created a special license for hunting black bears in Oklahoma will not be heard in the House over concerns about conservation of the animals, which were almost extinct from the state a century ago, the measure's author said Tuesday.

"Smokey and Yogi are safe for one more year," said the measure's author, Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs.

Dorman's bill would have created a new licensing procedure within the Department of Wildlife Conservation for hunting black bears. Conservation officials have said the bears' numbers have rebounded in southeastern Oklahoma and that they are becoming a nuisance in some areas. But Dorman said re-examination of the black-bear population indicates that there are too few in the state to sustain an annual hunt.

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Dorman Wants Fire-Safe Cigarettes

Rep. Joe Dorman has filed a measure for the upcoming legislative session that would make Oklahoma the 31st state to require cigarettes sold within the state to be so-called "fire-safe cigarettes," which are also known as fire-standards-compliant cigarettes.

"Cigarettes are the leading cause of fire fatalities in the UnitedStates," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "And it is not just the smokerswho are dying; it is the smoker's children and spouses who are killed in these fires as well. Cigarettes are not only unhealthy, but they are also highly dangerous to everyone who encounters them.

"It only makes sense to hold tobacco companies to a higher standard, just as we do with automobile and toy manufacturers."

Since June 2004, New York state has been requiring fire-safe cigarettes,which are made with a paper designed to stop burning after several moments if a smoker doesn't inhale on the cigarette; since then, 21 more states have enacted the same standard and eight states have legislation pending. The "fire-safe" cigarettes are mandated nationwide in Canada.

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Dorman Wants Vet Suicide Prevention Line

A new national suicide prevention hot line could ensure veterans with emotional crises have round-the-clock access to trained professionals, state Rep. Joe Dorman said today.

"Veterans facing the emotional toll of their service now can
find help literally a phone call away," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "Service members who experience the stresses of combat can have mental wounds as well as physical ones, and it's important that we treat both. Veterans should see mental health services as another benefit they have earned."

The toll-free hot line number is 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

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Around The Rotunda: Henry Creates Campus Security Task Force, Credit Card Bill Advances

Campus Security: Governor Brad Henry today announced the creation of the Campus Life and Safety and Security (CLASS) Task Force to study safety and security at Oklahoma’s college, university and CareerTech campuses.

Campus Credit Card Offers: Although lawmakers voted this week to restrict the sale of college students' private information to credit card companies, Rep. Joe Dorman said additional safeguards are still needed: "We took a step in the right direction today, but too many loopholes remain that allow credit card companies to target college freshmen," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "The door is still open for teenagers to be lured into a debt spiral that will take years to escape." Senate Bill 496, by Senator Jim Reynolds (R-Oklahoma City) and Rep. Sally Kern (R-Oklahoma City), cleared the state House today and makes it illegal for any state college or university to "enter into any agreement" to "sell student data to any creditor for purposes of marketing consumer credit to students." The legislation passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on a 90-5 vote and now returns to the state Senate.

Senate Passes Legal Reform Bill: The Oklahoma Senate on Thursday narrowly approved a Republican-sponsored bill making changes in the state's civil justice system over objections it protects wrongdoers whose negligence hurts innocent people.The vote was 25-23 for the bill. It takes 25 votes to pass a bill in the 48-member Senate.

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Dorman Wants Lottery Change

Tired of seeing lottery shortfalls create budget problems for public schools and college students, Rep. Joe Dorman wants lawmakers to reform the budgeting process, he said today.

"The lottery is an unpredictable source of revenue that has come up short more often than not in recent months," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "Clearly, we cannot build anticipated lottery funds into the budget without a strong risk of future crisis."

Dorman plans to author an amendment that will require the state to set aside all lottery funds collected for one year and then appropriate that money in year two. Under the plan, lawmakers would only spend lottery money actually collected the previous year instead of trying to anticipate future collections. Currently, lawmakers include anticipated lottery revenue projections in the state budget.

Although the lottery was once expected to provide up to $150 million per year, it is now generating just over $80 million per year. A mid-year revision in lottery projections recently eliminated funds for $1,100 of the $3,000 pay raise given all public school teachers last year. It also shortchanged college students depending on a state scholarship program funded by lottery cash.

"My constituents want to know why we're banking on lottery cash that may never materialize, and it's a good question," Dorman said."Under my plan, no education program will have to be cut because of a fluctuation in the lottery's performance. We'll only spend money that we have in hand, and not 'projections' that might as well be Monopoly money."

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Dorman Praises College Credit Card Protection Bill

A bill that would protect college students from credit card solicitors today earned the praise of Rep. Joe Dorman (pictured).

House Bill 1307, by Rep. Ben Sherrer (D-Pryor Creek), would prevent state universities from releasing students' personal information to commercial solicitors without the student's prior consent. The measure would require on all enrollment forms an option for the student to consent to his or her personal information to be released by the university upon request. If the student does not opt in to the release, his or her personal information could not be released by the university.

In 2003, Dorman authored a measure that would have prohibited consumer credit sales to any person younger than 22 unless the applicant had a stable, steady income and parental consent to incur the debt. Though the measure died in committee hearings, Dorman has steadfastly championed protecting students from debt peddlers for years.

Dorman said the onslaught of credit card solicitations facing college students is too hard for many young students, especially those from poorer families, to resist.n"Our students get very little or no instruction at all regarding personal finances in high school and many have no experience handling money on their own," said Dorman. "The opportunity to have major purchasing power just by signing your name is both enticing and too often devastating to these kids. Representative Sherrer's bill is an opportunity to protect our children's futures; it's as simple as that."

Studies have shown that American college students carry credit card balances of nearly $3,000 and half of those students have at least four credit cards in their wallet. In Oklahoma, a student's personal information is automatically subject to the state Open Records Act with no requirement to obtain the student's consent, and credit card lenders and banks are inundating students with access to easy money.

A 2003 study by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education found that 92 percent of state university students owned at least one credit card by the end of their sophomore year and carried an average balance of $2,607. The study also found that two of the most significant factors influencing the students' decisions to sign up for the cards were on campus pre-approved solicitations from credit-card issuers and general mail solicitations from banks and other financial institutions. According to the study, most issuers did not ask the students about their expected salaries upon graduation or appear concerned about the students' ability to repay their debt. The study reported that approximately 30 percent of students who had the ability to pay off their debt still reported anxiousness that affected their ability to concentrate on studies or take part in extracurricular activity, while the same number reduced their academic load and took a job to pay off the debt. About 57 percent of students with less ability to pay off the debt reported the same concerns. Nevertheless, he said, "the trend nationwide is for universities to find new ways to generate revenue. There are far better ways to do it than to mortgage the futures of the very lives they have been entrusted to protect."

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Dorman Calls For Fire Funding Change

To ensure that state money for firefighting is not "diverted to other uses," State Rep. Joe Dorman (at left, with firefighters) has called for a revamp of the funding system while addressing the Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Winter Workshop in Stillwater.

"There have been problems in years past and it has become clear there's no guarantee money appropriated for fire-service training will actually make it to those programs under the current system," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "It's time the Legislature made sure fire funding is used for its intended purpose."

House Bill 1519, by Dorman, will include language that consolidates funding for firefighting programs so it primarily runs through the State Fire Marshal Commission, which will ensure the money is used for training programs as lawmakers intend by legislation.

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Dorman, Proctor Ask For Ice Funds

State Reps. Joe Dorman and Eric Proctor today called on legislative leaders to approve an estimated $22 million in emergency funding for ice storm recovery "as soon as possible" when the Legislature convenes in February.

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