OPEA is proud to announce our legislative agenda for the upcoming Second Session of the 57th Oklahoma Legislature, which will begin in February 2020. Our agenda has been developed entirely with input from our members and is completely focused on improving state employment in every agency and department, as well as retirement.
The agenda is broken down into four separate categories based upon our primary areas of focus:
Compensation and Benefits
· Creating a market-based pay plan for all state employees ( Bill Number TBD)
· Implement a merit-based performance pay plan (Bill Number TBD)
· Basing the state minimum salary upon a four-person household in regard to Federal poverty guidelines (HB 1376, SB 254)
· Modifying the employee flexible benefit allowance to be based upon an average of certain monthly premiums (HB 1951)
· Allowing agencies to voluntarily buy back certain amounts of employees’ annual leave (HB 1953, HB 2391)
· Setting minimum compensation for employees while performing “on-call” duties (HB 2086, SB 128)
· Increasing the minimum hourly pay rate for state employees to $15 per hour (HB 2133)
· Require overtime pay rather than “comp time” for employees under certain salaries (Bill Number TBD)
· Adding siblings to the list of relatives that employees can request time off for caregiving duties in relation to the statewide shared leave pool (SB 121)
· Increase the state match into the SoonerSave program (SB 889)
· Increase longevity pay for long-term employees (SB 577)
· Developing new forms of administrative leave focused on employees’ physical wellness and volunteer work (HB 2899, SB 1588)
· Establishing an additional paid state holiday (Bill Number TBD)
· Establishing tuition assistance for continuing education (Bill NumberTBD)
Merit System Modernization
· Modernize the merit system to improve efficiency while maintaining essential protections for state employees (HB 3093, HB 3094)
· Implement an ongoing task force to find improvements for the Merit Protection system (SB 913)
Retirement Benefits and Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs)
· Provide a minimum of a four percent Cost of Living Adjustment to current retirees (HB 2485)
· Set market-based triggers to automatically implement Cost of Living Adjustments (SB 1900)
· Move OPERS members under Defined Contribution back to Defined Benefit (HB 3528)
· Appoint an OPEA member to the OPERS Board of Trustees (HB 2145)
Efficiency and Modernization
· Modify the function of the Trip Optimizer program and set the mileage reimbursement rate to be equal to that of the federal mileage rate (HB 1008)
· Eliminate the termination of state employees for owing back taxes and allow wage garnishment (HB 3068)
· Eliminating the requirement that severance benefits be reimbursed by a former state employee who has an offer to return to state employment (TBD)
· Guaranteeing liability protection to CLEET certified peace officers that must act while off-duty (SB 1565)
If you are an OPEA member and have any questions about this year’s legislative agenda or any suggestions, please send us an email or call the OPEA office at (405) 524-6764
