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Posted: Mar 05, 2021 10:46 AMUpdated: Mar 05, 2021 10:46 AM

Capitol Call Powered by Phillips 66

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Tom Davis
Much ground was covered in a short time during Capitol Call Powered by Phillips 66 on KWON AM 1400/FM 93.3 on Friday with Senator Julie Daniels, Representative Judd Strom and Representative Wendi Stearman.
 
Representative Strom talked about a bipartisan piece of legislation to address concerns over data privacy and data manipulation which unanimously passed the state House this week 85 to 11.
 
The Oklahoma Computer Data Privacy Act, House Bill 1602, requires internet technology companies to obtain explicit permission to collect and sell personal data. 
 
The legislation has bipartisan support and is co-authored by more than 40 representatives and senators. The legislation’s primary authors, Reps. Josh West and Collin Walke, see the bill as an opportunity to claw back privacy rights from companies that continue to abuse them. 
 
The legislation is one of the first “opt-in” data privacy bills in the country. The bill’s authors hope that other states will follow suit so that the practice of data mining without consent ends. 
 
Senator Julie Daniels said the  full Senate has approved legislation to protect the First Amendment free speech rights of public school employees.
 
Senate Bill 634, by Sen. Julie Daniels, a Republican from Bartlesville, requires school districts to ask employees once a year if they want to continue to have association dues deducted from their paychecks. Sen. Daniels said her legislation springs from the portion of the Janus v. AFSCME decision, which said employers must fully inform employees of their rights and, on a regular basis, must give them a chance to opt out of paying dues.
 
Daniels also said the Senate has given approval to two measures that would improve the accuracy and efficiency of state elections. Senate Bills 710 and 712 were authored by state Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher.
 
SB 710 would authorize the Secretary of the State Election Board to join the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a multi-state partnership that uses data-matching tools to enhance the accuracy of voter registration lists. Through ERIC, member states can securely share information from voter registration systems, motor vehicle databases, death records and postal records, which assists states in identifying voters who have moved, passed away or changed their name.
 
The measure would also allow the State Election Board to share data with ERIC, send notifications about Oklahoma’s voter registration to eligible citizens not yet registered, and notify voters about the need to update their address for voter registration purposes.
 
Thirty states are already members of ERIC, including Texas, Missouri, Colorado and New Mexico.
 
Oklahoma already has one of the best election systems in the nation, but these measures will further strengthen and modernize that system. It’s important that we maintain an accurate voter database and encourage eligible voters to participate in our election process. Joining ERIC would benefit all Oklahoma voters by ensuring our elections are safe, accurate, and everyone who wishes to participate is able.
 
SB 712 would authorize the State Election Board to purchase and use electronic pollbooks to check-in voters at the polls. This would allow voters to be verified and signed in electronically, creating a more efficient process.
 
“Using electronic polls reduces the risk that a voter is issued the wrong ballot or signs the wrong line on the precinct registry, not to mention creates an efficiency for all voters at the polls,” Jech said. “By utilizing this technology, voters who try to check-in at the wrong polling place can be more efficiently directed to their correct polling place, reducing confusion, frustration and the need for provisional ballots.”
 
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), at least 36 states already use electronic pollbooks.
 
Both measures were requested by the State Election Board and will now move to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
 
 
Rep. Wendi Stearman reminded us that the Religious Freedom Act passed off the House floor this week.  The Oklahoma House of Representatives passed legislation to protect religious freedom and the constitutional right to worship.
 
Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, presented House Bill 2648, also known as the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, which dictates that anything closing places of worship would be considered a substantial burden on people’s freedom of religion.
 
House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, is a co-author of the bill.
 
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …”
 
HB2648 passed the House 80-18 and is now available to be considered by the Senate.
 

 

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