This year, I am running House Bill 2877 that would allow law enforcement officers to access telehealth mental health services when responding to calls where a person might need such assistance. If it is determined a person needs in-person treatment or evaluation, they will still be transported, but the bill stipulates that if an approved mental health facility is not within 30 miles of the officer’s headquarters, then the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services may contract for alternative transportation.
This was a request bill from Lincoln and Pottawatomie County law enforcement. They explained that sheriffs and peace officers spend an inordinate amount of time transporting individuals to receive mental health evaluations or services when many times they could be served just as well via telehealth. Officers transporting individuals and waiting for their care are taken out of commission. In small towns with few officers, this poses a public safety problem. This bill will ensure the public gets the help they need and gets officers back into circulation quicker.
Governor Stitt this week signed an executive order directing the Department of Public Safety to expedite renewals or replacements of valid driver licenses and identification, waiving restrictions on tag agents. The order also allows Oklahomans to obtain a downgraded license if a REAL ID is not available and allows third parties to administer driver’s license examinations.
With the social distancing restrictions in place because of COVID and with problems with new technology to issue REAL IDs, our tag agents and DPS examination sites have had a severe backlog causing long wait times for people to get or renew their driver’s or commercial driver’s licenses or to get their REAL ID. This order will help. But the Legislature also is addressing this matter with several bills moving through the legislative process that will alleviate wait times by adding places where people can take driver’s exams and get their licenses renewed.
This coming week, the state Board of Equalization will meet to certify funds for Fiscal Year 2022. The board also will detail revenue collections for 2021, which are in good shape.
Our state budget is based on projections each year, so it’s always good to know that we’ve hit or exceeded our revenue estimates. This keeps us from having to make emergency appropriations to fill agency gaps during the current fiscal year.
Starting Feb. 22, Oklahoma will begin vaccinating teachers and staff in PreK-12 schools and people under the age of 65 that have underlying health conditions. People over the age of 65, health care workers and first responders who have not yet received the vaccine, will still be receiving it as well.
Teachers and school staff are encouraged to wait for guidance from their district on how to schedule an appointment. The online portal can be accessed here: https://vaccinate.oklahoma.gov/.
Even though it’s been extremely cold and the roads were somewhat icy, there was still a lot taking place at the state Capitol this week. I expect that activity to increase in the coming weeks.