Gary Banz on how Veterans can get a Flag that have flown over the Oklahoma State Capitol

Oklahoma State Rep. Gary Banz (R - House 101) talking talking about how Veterans can get a U.S. or Oklahoma Flag that have flown over the Oklahoma State Capitol

Speaker Announces House Committee Assignments

Oklahoma House Speaker Chris Benge today announced committee assignments for the 2009 and 2010 legislative sessions.

“This is obviously going to be a challenging session given our economic outlook, but I believe the members of the House are up to the job and look forward to beginning committee work in January,” said Benge, R-Tulsa. “We have a very diverse membership with a wide range of experience and insight that will prove invaluable as we develop new policies and the state budget.”

The committee assignments for the
Oklahoma House of Representatives
are as follows:

Appropriations & Budget
Ken Miller, Chair
Scott Martin, Vice-Chair
Jeff Hickman
Lee Denney
Guy Liebmann
Doug Cox
Ron Peters
Dale DeWitt
Randy Terrill
Weldon Watson
Mike Jackson
John Auffet
John Carey
Joe Dorman
Larry Glenn
Chuck Hoskin
Danny Morgan

Human Services
Pam Peterson, Chair
Wade Rousselot, Vice-Chair
Weldon Watson
Fred Jordan
Mike Reynolds
Sally Kern
Mark McCullough
Jason Nelson
Al McAffrey
Mike Shelton
Ben Sherrer

Government Modernization
Jason Murphey, Chair
David Derby, Vice-Chair
George Faught
Scott Martin
T.W. Shannon
Leslie Osborn
Bill Nations
Anastasia Pittman
Seneca Scott

Higher Education & Career Tech
Todd Thomsen, Chair
Bill Nations, Vice-Chair
Lee Denney
Harold Wright
Skye McNiel
Marian Cooksey
David Dank
Sally Kern
Lewis Moore
Mike Brown
Rebecca Hamilton
Anastasia Pittman
Jabar Shumate

General Government
Lisa Billy, Chair
Dennis Johnson, Vice Chair
Scott Martin
Mike Christian
Sue Tibbs
Charlie Joyner
Phil Richardson
Wallace Collins
Larry Glenn
Jeannie McDaniel
Jerry Shoemake

Energy & Utility Regulation
Mike Thompson, Chair
Weldon Watson, Vice-Chair
Shane Jett
Marian Cooksey
Dennis Johnson
John Trebilcock
Ron Peters
John Enns
Steve Martin
Colby Schwartz
Gus Blackwell
Dan Kirby
Mike Sanders
Mike Jackson
Paul Wesselhoft
Neil Brannon
Wes Hilliard
Steve Kouplen
Lucky Lamons
Jerry McPeak
Danny Morgan
Eric Proctor
Wade Rousselot
Ben Sherrer
Purcy Walker

Wildlife
Phil Richardson, Chair
R.C. Pruett, Vice Chair
Mike Sanders
Earl Sears
Dale DeWitt
Jeff Hickman
Skye McNiel
Fred Jordan
Terry Harrison
Brian Renegar
Glen Bud Smithson

Public Health
John Trebilcock, Chair
David Derby, Vice-Chair
Charlie Joyner
Lisa Billy
Colby Schwartz
Ron Peters
Jason Nelson
Pam Peterson
Mike Ritze
Pat Ownbey
Randy Terrill
Corey Holland
Lee Denney
Ed Cannaday
Larry Glenn
Rebecca Hamilton
Terry Harrison
Wes Hilliard
Ryan Kiesel
Jeannie McDaniel
Seneca Scott

Administrative Rules and
Agency Oversight
John Wright, Chair
George Faught, Vice-Chair
Dan Kirby
Mike Reynolds
Earl Sears
Steve Martin
Jason Murphey
John Auffet
Mike Brown
Samson Buck
Joe Dorman

Veterans & Military Affairs
Gary Banz, Chair
John Carey, Vice-Chair
Ann Coody
Paul Wesselhoft
Rex Duncan
Don Armes
Randy McDaniel
Mike Christian
Neil Brannon
Chuck Hoskin
Scott Inman
Paul Roan

Judiciary
Rex Duncan, Chair
Fred Jordan, Vice-Chair
Mark McCullough
Daniel Sullivan
Jason Nelson
Randy Terrill
Marian Cooksey
Scott Inman
Ryan Kiesel
Lucky Lamons
Richard Morrissette

Transportation
T.W. Shannon, Chair
Charlie Joyner, Vice-Chair
John Wright
Mike Christian
Eddie Fields
Gary Banz
Charles Ortega
Ken Luttrell
Al McAffrey
Ryan McMullen
Eric Proctor

Public Safety
Sue Tibbs, Chair
Steve Martin, Vice-Chair
Mark McCullough
Jason Murphey
Randy McDaniel
Leslie Osborn
Todd Thomsen
Mike Ritze
Wallace Collins
Chuck Hoskin
Paul Roan
Glen Bud Smithson

Agriculture & Rural Development
Don Armes, Chair
John Enns, Vice-Chair
Eddie Fields
Dale DeWitt
Leslie Osborn
Charles Ortega
Mike Sanders
Phil Richardson
Harold Wright
Dennis Bailey
Steve Kouplen
Ryan McMullen
R.C. Pruett
Brian Renegar

Common Education
Ann Coody, Chair
Sally Kern, Vice-Chair
David Dank
Tad Jones
Earl Sears
Doug Cox
Daniel Sullivan
Gus Blackwell
Samson Buck
Ed Cannaday
Joe Dorman
Jeannie McDaniel
Jabar Shumate

Rules
Gus Blackwell, Chair
Mike Jackson, Vice-Chair
Tad Jones
John Trebilcock
Mike Thompson
Guy Liebmann
Charles Key
Joe Dorman
Richard Morrissette
Cory Williams
Jerry Shoemake

Business & Economic Development
Daniel Sullivan, Chair
Randy McDaniel, Vice-Chair
George Faught
Pat Ownbey
Lewis Moore
Charles Key
Skye McNiel
Ron Peters
Guy Liebmann
John Auffet
John Carey
Danny Morgan
Mike Shelton
Jabar Shumate

International Relations & Tourism
Shane Jett, Chair
Purcy Walker, Vice-Chair
Jeff Hickman
Doug Cox
Corey Holland
John Wright
Todd Thomsen
Gary Banz
Dennis Bailey
Ken Luttrell
Jerry McPeak
Cory Williams

Appropriations Subcommittee on
Revenue & Taxation
Jeff Hickman, Chair
Neil Brannon, Vice-Chair
Randy McDaniel
Dan Kirby
Tad Jones
John Trebilcock
Pat Ownbey
Weldon Watson
Jerry McPeak
R.C. Pruett
Ben Sherrer

Appropriations Subcommittee on
Education
Lee Denney, Chair
Earl Sears, Vice-Chair
Sally Kern
Todd Thomsen
Ann Coody
Harold Wright
David Derby
Corey Holland
Eddie Fields
Ed Cannaday
Wes Hilliard
Jeannie McDaniel
Bill Nations
Jabar Shumate

Appropriations Subcommittee on
General Government & Transportation
Guy Liebmann, Chair
Colby Schwartz, Vice-Chair
Gary Banz
Mike Thompson
T.W. Shannon
Shane Jett
Mike Jackson
Steve Martin
Mike Reynolds
Mike Brown
Steve Kouplen
Ken Luttrell
Ryan McMullen
Eric Proctor

Appropriations Subcommittee on
Public Health & Social Services
Doug Cox, Chair
Paul Wesselhoft, Vice-Chair
Mike Ritze
Lisa Billy
John Enns
Charlie Joyner
Gus Blackwell
George Faught
Samson Buck
Rebecca Hamilton
Lucky Lamons
Anastasia Pittman
Mike Shelton

Appropriations Subcommittee on
Human Services
Ron Peters, Chair
Marian Cooksey, Vice-Chair
Pam Peterson
David Dank
Dennis Johnson
John Wright
Sue Tibbs
Charles Ortega
Dennis Bailey
Wallace Collins
Al McAffrey
Wade Rousselot
Cory Williams

Appropriations Subcommittee on
Natural Resources &
Regulatory Services
Dale DeWitt, Chair
Skye McNiel, Vice-Chair
Phil Richardson
Jason Murphey
Don Armes
Lewis Moore
Leslie Osborn
Charles Key
Terry Harrison
Brain Renegar
Seneca Scott
Jerry Shoemake
Purcy Walker

Appropriations Subcommittee on
Public Safety & Judiciary
Randy Terrill, Chair
Mark McCullough, Vice-Chair
Mike Christian
Rex Duncan
Mike Sanders
Fred Jordan
Daniel Sullivan
Jason Nelson
Scott Inman
Ryan Kiesel
Richard Morrissette
Paul Roan
Glen Bud Smithson

Gary Banz talk about the Republican National Convention

Oklahoma State Rep. Gary Banz (R-Dist. 101) talk about the Republican National Convention at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota to C-SPAN.

OHLAP Reforms Advance

Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, remedial courses will no longer be paid for with scholarship money from the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program if legislation passed
out of the House this week becomes law.

House Bill 3102, by Rep. Gary Banz, makes sure tax dollars are not used to pay for courses that do not count toward degree attainment.

"The remediation problem we have is real," said Banz, R-Midwest City. "I want as many Oklahoma children to receive this scholarship as possible, and that means investing state taxpayer dollars in courses that count toward a degree."

Students would still be allowed to take remedial courses, but they would not be able to use OHLAP money to pay for those classes.

"We are trying to find a common sense approach for the taxpayers who are footing the bill," said Banz. "I don't want to hinder children who are honestly trying to receive a college degree. But we have to balance that with a finite supply of money to pay for the program."

Banz urged local school districts to make a concerted effort to be proactive in their assistance for OHLAP students in preparing them for college so they don't need remedial classes.

Rep. Ray McCarter, D-Marlow, supported the bill because it encourages personal responsibility among students.

"I believe students will respond to the challenge of being prepared for college-level work, and will more fully appreciate what they earn when they invest in themselves," said McCarter, a former school teacher and administrator.

The bill passed the House this week and will now head to the Senate for consideration.

Lottery Transparency Bill Gets Committee Approval

Legislation that would place lottery funds into a special account so taxpayers know exactly how much lottery cash goes to their local schools was approved today by a House committee.

House Bill 1441, by state Rep. Gary Banz, would create a special Common Education Lottery Revolving Fund to
collect and distribute lottery funds every six months.

"The way we handle lottery money today is a risky
business," said Banz, R-Midwest City. "Currently,
we try to predict how much money the lottery will
make each year and pre-spend it, building it into
school budgets. For the past two years, the lottery
has failed to meet those projections and schools
faced mid-year budget cuts as a result. We need to
allow the lottery to first produce and then
distribute the money. We're doing it backwards right
now."

In the current system, lottery funds are run through
the state school funding formula along with all other
education money, which makes it very difficult to
determine how much each individual school district
receives from the lottery. In addition, some schools
will receive no lottery money at all so long
as it is run through the state funding formula.

In addition, lottery projections have been
very inaccurate. In the 2007 budget year,
the lottery shortfall was more than $40
million and this year's numbers are below
projections once again.

Under House Bill 1441, lottery money would be
collected in the Common Education Lottery
Revolving Fund and distributed to schools every
six months divided on a per-student basis.

"The main benefit of this bill is transparency,"
said Banz, a retired public school educator at the
Putnam City, Ada, and Midwest City High Schools.
"The schools have not been able to tell parents how
much lottery money they receive. If we adopt this
reform, each school district will receive a specific
amount that will be clear to all."

Banz said the proposal would essentially mirror the
process used by Oklahoma City to collect and
distribute sales tax generated by the MAPS for Kids
program.

"Under House Bill 1441, all other state-appropriated
funds will still be run through the school formula to
ensure equitable distribution," Banz said. "But the
voters who approved the lottery were told it would be
'extra' money on top of other appropriations. Under
my bill, that lottery money will finally be distributed
equitably by treating all students the same."

House Bill 1441 passed out of the House Appropriation
and Budget Committee today. It will next receive a
vote on the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.