The Tulsa Regional Chamber announced Friday its annual list of priorities for lawmakers.
The OneVoice agenda covers state and federal issues to support an educated and healthy workforce, a prosperous economy, and infrastructure critical to business. Nearly 70 partner organizations helped build and endorsed the chamber's 10th annual agenda.
"When we join together to speak with one voice, the power and validity of our agenda increases," said Tulsa Regional Chamber Chairman Phil Albert.
Education is the top priority, with the chamber calling on state lawmakers to address the teacher shortage and bring school spending up to par with the rest of the country.
Chamber Education Vice Chairman Wes Mitchell said education is ultimately an economic issue.
"The presence of an educated and skilled workforce is No. 1 on the list of priorities for site selections and companies looking to relocate to Tulsa," Mitchell said. "They're also looking for a top education system for the employees' kids that relocate here."
Part of the chamber's plan asks state lawmakers to oppose school vouchers and other programs diverting taxpayer money to private schools.
Criminal justice reform and encouraging oil and gas activity are also among state priorities on the 30-item list.
Chamber President and CEO Mike Neal said matching infrastructure funds through the Arkansas River Corridor Project is a big priority for federal lawmakers.
"We now have $1 billion worth on construction either underway or about to be underway on the Arkansas River," Neal said.
The OneVoice agenda calls for a federal focus on a range of policies with an economic impact to the state, including tweaks to skilled worker visa rules and restricting agencies' rule-making authority.
The state agenda:
- Address the teacher shortage
- Expand Insure Oklahoma
- Restore education funding
- Expand behavioral health and substance abuse services
- Health care workforce expansion
- Oppose school vouchers
- Support tax incentives providing an economic return
- Criminal justice reform
- Municipal funding diversification
- Improved business climate for oil and gas production
- Fund Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology
- Self-determination in facility firearm policies
- Support regional air quality efforts
- Defend existing road funding and dedicate motor vehicle fees
- Support completion of the Gilcrease Expressway
The federal agenda:
- Fully fund existing Health Resources and Services Administration Teaching Health Center programs
- Reauthorize the Higher Education Act
- Long-term reauthorization of the Insure Oklahoma waiver
- Support large-scale reforms of the national mental health system
- Accelerate energy project permitting
- Enact legislation dealing with internet sales tax collection
- Ensure labor regulation changes don't harm business and job creation
- Restrict federal rulemaking authority
- Enact comprehensive immigration reform
- Maintain federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits
- Delay implementation of EPA 2015 ozone standard
- Support efforts to expedite Arkansas River corridor development
- Address maintenance backlog for McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System
- Address needs of Tulsa's levee system
