House Business & Commerce Committee advances several bills, including home-and-auto savings account; votes recorded

The Oklahoma House Business & Commerce Committee on Tuesday advanced a slate of bills out of committee and laid one measure over for amendment.

Mr. Spear, chair of the committee, called the meeting to order and recognized members to present a series of bills. Representative Rosecrans asked the committee to replace the state's designated fossil, saying the previously listed species — which she referred to in the record as “Saurophesianax” — has been found to be a chimera and that HB 2,970 would designate Sauroposeidon instead. Representative Rosecrans said the change would highlight Oklahoma’s prehistoric finds and benefit tourism. The committee moved the bill and recorded a roll-call vote of 15–1 in favor, sending HB 2,970 out of committee.

Chairman Banning presented a proposed committee substitute for HB 3,338 to regulate the pool industry; the committee adopted the substitute and advanced the bill by a 15–1 vote.

Representative Wilk explained HB 3,443, which raises permit fees for oversized and overweight truck loads for the first time since 2008 and directs revenues to a weigh-station improvement revolving fund. Wilk said he had spoken with the Oklahoma Trucking Association and that regional fee comparisons motivated the change. The committee advanced HB 3,443 by a recorded vote of 14–2.

Chairman Sneed described HB 3,800 as a cleanup measure to correct an incomplete bill from the prior year; the committee advanced that bill by a recorded vote of 16–1.

On HB 3,818, Chairman Sneed described a proposal modeled on health savings accounts, adapted for home and auto expenses; the bill removes a tax component and is intended to let consumers build savings to cover smaller claims and potentially lower premiums. Representative Land asked clarifying questions about the concept and the committee advanced HB 3,818 by a unanimous 17–0 vote.

The only bill the committee laid over was HB 3,783, the plumbers' apprentice bill. Chairman Sneed said staff and the Construction Industries Board were drafting amendments and the measure would return to committee once that work is complete.

Votes at a glance

- HB 2,970 (change state fossil): 15–1, advanced out of committee.
- HB 3,338 (pool industry, PCS adopted): 15–1, advanced out of committee.
- HB 3,443 (oversized/overweight permit fee increases): 14–2, advanced out of committee; revenues directed to weigh-station improvement revolving fund.
- HB 3,800 (cleanup bill): 16–1, advanced out of committee.
- HB 3,818 (home-and-auto savings accounts, tax portion removed): 17–0, advanced out of committee.

Next steps

Chairman Sneed said HB 3,783 will be revisited after staff and the Construction Industries Board complete the proposed amendments; the committee chair also announced one final committee meeting on Thursday. The session adjourned with the chair thanking members for their work.