March 6 was the deadline for House bills to pass out of oversight committee in order to remain active this legislative session.
Several of my bills advanced to general order, meaning they’re now eligible to be heard on the House floor.
House Bill 1566, would establish the Oklahoma Elder Exploitation and Abuse Act. This would create a cause of action for civil damages that a family member or a similarly situated individual can bring on behalf of an elderly or incapacitated person if there is exploitation, abuse or neglect. This bill passed unanimously in the House Health and Human Services Oversight Committee.
Another bill that passed in this committee was House Bill 2836. This would establish a framework to protect veterans from predatory third parties that charge upfront fees to help with disability benefits. Under this measure, a veteran would not be out any money if they do not receive compensation based on the thirdparty’s help.
Three of my bills passed unanimously in the House Judicial and Public Safety Oversight Committee.
House Bill 1562 would establish business courts in Oklahoma and Tulsa counties to handle complex business disputes. Any judge who presides over these cases would have to meet certain requirements and specialize in this area of the law with the hope this will lead to speedier resolutions.
House Bill 1563 is a criminal procedure bill that would give similar due process to criminal defendants that civil litigants enjoy.
House Bill 1564 would create an Expedited Actions Act. When amounts in controversy are less than $250,000, plaintiffs could request an expedited action to streamline the process of discovery, limiting it to around 180 days. It also would limit the trial time. Both defenders and plaintiffs are on board with this measure, and I’ve gotten only positive feedback from the courts.
My Foreign Adversary Divestment Act also passed in the Government Oversight Committee. House Bill 1561 would require state-run pensions and state university endowment funds to divest from direct investments in countries of concern as defined by the U.S. State Department. This is a matter of national security and ensures we are not funding the development of military technologies and surveillance tools of our adversaries.
Averie McGinnis, a junior at Edmond Memorial paged in my Capitol office this week. Averie is the daughter of Briana and Brent McGinnis. She’s on the Superintendent’s Honor Roll at her school and a member of the National Honor Society. She’s also involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, plays softball, is a member of the Wings Teen Board and a mentor to the freshmen at her school.
Averie is undecided about which college she’d like to attend, but she does hope to continue playing softball and to major in political science and then to pursue a law degree. It was terrific having her with us in the house, and I wish her all the best.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at (405) 557-7350 or collin.duel@okhouse.gov if I can ever be of service to you.