State lawmakers began their special session Monday to make up for the loss of $215 million after the Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down a cigarette fee passed too late and with not enough votes during regular session.
Official proceedings on opening day took about 15 minutes in both the House and Senate. Senate President Pro Tem Mike Schulz announced his chamber’s members of the important Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget.
Sens. Kim David, Eddie Fields, Larry Boggs, David Holt, Greg McCortney, Dan Newberry, Anastasia Pittman, Frank Simpson, John Sparks, Gary Stanislawksi and Roger Thompson were named. Pittman and Sparks are Democrats, while the other members are Republicans. Schulz and Sen. Greg Treat will serve as ex oficio members.
Schulz said his plan to make up the lost revenue is reinstating the $1.50 cigarette tax, raising the gas tax six cents, eliminating the wind manufacturer sales tax and withdrawing $15.2 million from the Rainy Day Fund.
Schulz said finding $215 million is the immediate need, but he's open to issues like the teacher pay raise and finding more efficiencies in government spending.
Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols welcomed two new representatives to the House.
"I move that Representatives-elect Karen Gaddis and Jacob Rosecrants be declared duly elected and qualified to take their seats as members of the House of Representatives," Echols said.
Gaddis and Rosecrants, both Democrats, took over Republican seats in special elections earlier this year. Gaddis replaced Dan Kirby, who resigned after facing expulsion for alleged misconduct with legislative assistants. Rosecrants replaced Scott Martin, who left the House for the private sector.
In a procedural move, many bills are already considered to have been read for the first time. The real work begins Tuesday, with both chambers reconvening in the morning and the Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget meeting afterward.
