STATE QUESTION 793 DELIVERY OF EYECARE SUPPORTERS SAY: OPPONENTS SAY:

Transcription

1

2 STATE QUESTION 793 DELIVERY OF EYECARE SQ 793 will allow traditional retailers to offer eyeglasses and contact lenses. This measure does away with restrictions on where optometrists can practice and where eyeglasses and contact lenses can be sold. SQ 793 gives the legislature power to impose certain health and safety standards such as restricting surgery within the retail space, limiting the number of locations an optometrist may practice at and requiring the optometric office to be in a separate room of a retail store. Optometrists are currently not allowed to practice in retail stores. By eliminating burdensome regulations on the sale of eyeglasses and contact lenses, SQ 793 will give Oklahomans more choices and greater access to quality eyecare. Every year, thousands of Oklahomans go across state lines to save money on eyecare. If passed, SQ 793 will help keep those Oklahomans and their money in our local communities while promoting convenience for patients. Optometric physicians and many other doctors oppose SQ 793 because it would give non-medical companies control over a medical profession and potentially put patients at risk SQ 793 would roll-back rules and regulations, dismantling the regulatory infrastructure that protects patients and quality optometric care If SQ 793 passes, Oklahoma will be the only state in the nation with a Constitutional provision empowering non-medical corporations to dictate the scope-of-practice for medical professionals.

3 STATE QUESTION 794 MARSY S LAW FOR OKLAHOMA SQ 794 amends provisions of the Oklahoma Constitution to guarantee that victims have co-equal rights alongside those of the accused and convicted. The rights to be added and enumerated include: Right to notice of all proceedings and to be heard in any proceeding involving sentencing, parole or release Right to talk with the prosecutor Right to reasonable protection Right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay Allow victims to refuse interview requests from the defendant s attorney without a subpoena Marsy s Law would ensure that victims have the same co-equal rights as the accused and convicted. Prosecutors and law enforcement organizations from across the state support SQ 794. SQ 794 could interfere in a defendant s right to due process. Oklahoma statutes already afford victims rights.

4 State Chamber Supported STATE QUESTION 798 GOVERNOR/LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JOINT TICKET SQ 798 would establish a joint ticket for the top two statewide offices, governor and lieutenant governor. If approved by voters, this will not take effect until the 2026 election. The passage of this measure would create a more efficient executive branch in Oklahoma, allowing for a unified vision and stronger leadership to come from our state s top elected officials. The role of Oklahoma s lieutenant governor currently is a weak one that operates completely independently of the governor s office. This measure would ensure that the governor can entrust the lieutenant governor to help hold Oklahoma s more than 200 agencies, boards and commissions accountable to citizens and taxpayers. SQ 798 will help government function more like a business by having the top two executive officers in the state aligned, working toward shared goals. The passage of this measure would take away voters ability to directly elect the Lieutenant Governor. There is no process currently in place to select the Lieutenant Governor nominee. SAME TICKET SEPARATE TICKETS NO LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

5 State Chamber Supported STATE QUESTION 800 OKLAHOMA VISION FUND SQ 800 deposits 5 percent of existing tax revenue from oil and natural gas production into an investment fund called the Oklahoma Vision Fund that would be managed by the Oklahoma State Treasurer. Income from the fund would be placed in the state s general revenue fund to supplement and stabilize the state budget. The Oklahoma Vision Fund will create revenue for the state without raising taxes on any family or business providing protection for the state budget in bad economic years and a bonus in good years. State Question 800 leverages oil and natural gas tax revenue already collected to insulate our state budget and protect core services from drastic budget cuts in economic downturns. SQ 800 will reduce the amount of money that the legislature has to spend in the short-term. The Oklahoma Vision Fund could be mismanaged or misused. STABILIZATION FUND HYBRID FUND NO FUND NO OIL & GAS

6 State Chamber Supported STATE QUESTION 801 PROPERTY TAX FUNDS FOR SCHOOL OPERATIONS SQ 801 would change the way that school districts are allowed to use existing property taxes in their building funds. Currently, building funds are limited to construction, remodeling, landscaping and maintenance. SQ 801 would remove that restriction so local school districts could choose to use their local property tax dollars where they are needed most, whether on building maintenance, teacher pay, textbooks, STEM programs or classroom supplies. SQ 801 will not raise taxes on any family or business. If passed, SQ 801 gives local school boards more flexibility to address the education needs in their community. SQ 801 allows local voters, school boards and superintendents to exercise more local control over their property tax dollars while removing a 60-year-old restriction that has limited local tax dollars from being spent in the classroom. SQ 801 empowers voters, local school boards and superintendents to use money already in building funds on local priorities such as new textbooks, teacher pay or STEM program development. Passing SQ 801 could let state government off the hook for adequately funding education. Schools are already using their building funds for necessary expenses like facility maintenance and janitorial services. This will only put additional pressure on these funds. SQ 801 could possibly set school boards and superintendents up to make poor financial decisions.

7 OKLAHOMA S JUDICIAL RETENTION VOTE Oklahoma judges on the State Supreme Court and Court of Civil Appeals appear on the November ballot every six years to be voted on by Oklahoma voters. The decisions that these judges make have the ability to expand or contract legal liability on Oklahoma families and businesses. When legal liability expands, it increases costs for everyone. The Oklahoma Civil Justice Council has created ratings for the judges that will appear for retention this November. The lower the score, the more that a judge s opinions have had the effect of expanding liability and increasing your costs JUDICIAL RATINGS SUPREME COURT Justice James E. Edmondson Score 24% Justice Yvonne Kauger Score 37% Justice Noma D. Gurich Score 27% Justice Patrick R. Wyrick Score 64% The lower the score, the higher the cost to you. WHY YOU SHOULD CARE What happens in our courtrooms directly impacts your wallet. When legal liability is expanded it increases costs for everyone. Reasonable legal reform has the potential to keep your insurance costs under control. These ratings are based on an examination of each judge s opinions. They only include cases where there is a difference of opinion between judges on the same case. This means they re using the same law on the same set of facts. The only difference is their view of the law and what it means. The evaluations assess each judge s record in comparison to the records of other judges on the court, in cases that involve civil liability creation and expansion or restraint. These cases are the ones that increase your insurance costs. Similar evaluations have been completed in 17 other states. The full report is available for anyone to view at the Oklahoma Civil Justice Council s website:

8 Grassroots Advocacy Political Resources Community Engagement Chamber Action Network (CAN) While the State Chamber staff is advocating for legislation impacting the business community at the Capitol, elected officials also need to hear from their constituents as they determine their positions. We want to make it easy for businesses and stakeholders to get involved and influence legislation that impacts the business climate and Oklahoma s economy. The Chamber Action Network (CAN) is a grassroots effort to empower local businesses and chambers of commerce to be heard at the Capitol. This initiative provides comprehensive resources for local chambers and economic development executives to easily stay engaged in what happens at the capitol while keeping focused on the jobs in their communities. During the legislative session, we engage local chambers with weekly s and conference calls to stay up-to-date on policy changes affecting Oklahoma s business climate. Throughout the year, we provide information and toolkits including elections, state questions, judicial decisions and policy briefs. The Chamber Action Network also provides streamlined opportunities for direct engagement with legislators and other key decision makers. With the remarkable strides our state has made passing pro-growth legislation in the last few years, it is critical for Oklahoma s business community to remain unified behind these reforms and policy goals. Our mission is to make certain that the men and women creating policy hear your voice before they cast their vote. To learn how your Chamber can benefit from the Chamber Action Network, contact Nicole Boyles at nboyles@okstatechamber.com or PO Box 53217, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma