Some in the Oklahoma business community would like to grade the recent legislative session an A. Some would give it an F. It's all in one's perspective.
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Around The State Chamber's office I've heard both descriptions, along with everything in between. Jim Mason, vice president of technology initiatives, thought it was a very good session. He thought our senators and representatives did an excellent job positioning Oklahoma as a future leader in engineering and education programs that will promote aerospace, science and technology.
But Mike Seney, our senior vice president of operations, gives the session an F because he saw few bills written to move our business community forward. He is right in that the Legislature did not pass any meaningful lawsuit or workers' compensation reform, and the little lawsuit reform that was passed, the governor vetoed.
Matt Robison, vice president of small business and work force development, spent almost the entire session killing legislation that would have interfered with contracts between businesses and health care insurance companies and would have mandated health care coverage for all medical procedures requested by a doctor. These bills would have hindered Oklahoma's ability to compete economically, not just globally but regionally. Passing any of these bills would have darkened the bright spots shining around Oklahoma.
I agree with Ronn Cupp, our senior vice president of government affairs, that the session was solid but not great. In addition to fighting to protect business incentives and tax exemptions, Ronn worked hard, with many others, to assure passage of a blockbuster $475 million bond program, which will move Oklahoma up the economic ladder in the years to come. I praise the work that went into its passage. The program will give much-needed money for state and county roads; it will fund endowed chairs for colleges and universities; provide for water projects and support the construction of the American Indian Museum and Cultural Center in Oklahoma City, along with some much needed low-water dam projects in Tulsa. These projects are wonderful examples of what happens when good minds come together to create something greater than themselves — and their political stances.
The public rarely sees the effective, behind-the-scenes work The State Chamber puts into supporting bills that create jobs and fighting bills that would drive investment from our state. But they do see the benefits. While the rest of the country fights a dragging economy, Oklahoma's employment figures remain outstanding. We have one of the strongest housing markets in the country, construction projects are booming and Forbes magazine recently named Oklahoma City the most recession proof city in the United States.
As we turn our attention to the 2009 legislative session, let's not forget our state's momentum did not arrive by accident. Next year, let's aim for straight A's.
Rush is president and CEO of The State Chamber of Oklahoma.
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