Representative Lisa Billy of District 42 received the “Legislator of the Year” award at the Oklahoma Public Employees Association’s 35th Annual Convention, August 28, in Oklahoma City. The award was presented to Representative Billy at the annual awards luncheon. Rumble, the Oklahoma City Thunder mascot, assisted with the program.

State employee insurance rates were set on Friday, August 20 and revised on September 1 at the Employees Benefit Council and the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board. Insurance rates for the calendar year beginning January 2011. The rates will be good and bad news for state employees.

The Association has turned 35 years old!  Take a trip down memory lane with OPEA's first executive director, Pat Hall.  To listen, CLICK HERE.

The Oklahoma Public Employees Office will be closed Friday, September 3rd and September 6th. The OPEA staff wishes its members a great Labor Day weekend!

In order to begin their effort to become a star chapter in the upcoming year, several OPEA chapter leaders attended the 2010 OPEA Annual Convention. Three chapters were awarded star chapter at this year’s convention: Tulsa OESC, Crossroads OKDHS and Muskogee County. However seeing the momentum of several newly formed chapters it is apparent the number could be much larger next year.

The state employee health insurance rates for the calendar year 2011 will be changed tomorrow in special meetings of the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board and the Employee Benefits Council.

OPEA is taking it to the next level on keeping our members informed. On Sept. 1 we will be kicking off our latest electronic notification to our members. You can now receive the latest OPEA news by text message.

DOC Opens New Mangum Work Center

The official opening of the newest DOC facility was held Thursday August 26 in Mangum Oklahoma. In a joint effort between the Federal Government, the state Department of Corrections, and the City of Mangum the National Guard Amory that was shut down was converted into a beautiful full functioning work center. The center now houses 93 inmates, up from the previous 42. It also has a staff of 12 corrections employees.

State employee insurance rates were set on Friday, August 20 at the Employees Benefit Council and the State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board. The day brought good and bad news for employees.

Many state funded programs across Oklahoma have felt the pinch over the past year due to budget cuts, including the Southern Oklahoma Resource Center in Pauls Valley. It just narrowly escaped a motion to close the facility on the last day of the legislative session in May. Monday, lawmakers and citizens on both sides of the issue came together to discuss the future of the SORC.  To view the story from KXII Channel 12, CLICK HERE