OPEA

OPEA members took time from the business and fun of convention to honor legislators that helped the association at the Capitol during the 2011 legislative session. This year OPEA honored four Legislators of the Year, a special award for legislation benefiting state employees, and several honorable mention.

Senator Clark Jolley was honored as a 2011 Legislator of the Year. He was elected to the Oklahoma Senate on November 2, 2004 by the voters of Senate District 41. His district includes large portions of Edmond, north Oklahoma City and southern Logan County. In the 2011 legislative session Senator Jolley worked closely with OPEA staff and members in his position as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services. One of the most important bills he worked on was HB 1363, which was amended in a House committee to remove the administrative functions of the Advantage Waiver Program from the OKDHS Advantage Administration Unit and give the contract to a private vendor. The Advantage Administration Unit consists of 59 state employees in Tulsa. 85% of those employees are OPEA members. If the program were transferred to the Long Term Care Authority, those employees would have lost their jobs. Because of Sen. Jolley’s work, the final version of the bill requires an RFP be submitted and through the Privatization of State Functions Act the state employees currently administering the services will now be able to compete for their jobs.

“Thank you for this award,” said Jolley. “There’s a different atmosphere at the Capitol now. There’s a lot going on in state government. Hopefully the atmosphere that we are in can be made a lot more positive because of the relationship OPEA is developing. Keep doing a great job for the people of Oklahoma. Thank you for your service.”