The legislative interim studies have been approved by both chambers, so the meetings are now being scheduled for hearings. Interim studies are hearings requested by lawmakers and approved by the leaders in the House of Representatives and Senate.

Committees to which studies are assigned may conduct hearings before November to review topics which might become legislation or further examine issues that have been considered in the past and may be again. Due to the number of studies, we have only listed a few which we will follow or play a part in the conversation.

In the state Senate, President Pro Tempore Greg Treat approved 39 studies. The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is very happy with most which were requested.

Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, is looking at cell phones being allowed in schools. Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, wants to study youth vaping, pregnancy care, and school voucher programs. Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, is looking at social media regulations for protecting children, and Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, is looking at policies to help decrease poverty in Oklahoma.

OICA will also be monitoring a study requested by Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Lawton, which seeks to study “Harm related to increasingly expansive school-based health care” and report back on the findings of the study. While health care should primarily be a parental responsibility, far too many children in Oklahoma are facing health disparities. We are interested to see what suggestions this study will encourage.

To look at the entire list of Senate studies, go to https://oksenate.gov/publications/senate-interim- studies?Interim-Study-Year=2024 and you can also read the presentation and report filed following the study at this link.

In the House of Representatives, Speaker Charles McCall approved all 114 studies requested by members, something which does not usually happen.

Reps. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton and Jacob Rosecrants, D-Norman, will study school safety and bullying prevention. Reps. Pae and Preston Stinson, R-Edmond, will look at increasing school-based Medicaid reimbursements for children experiencing health disparities in Oklahoma schools.

Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, will study the lack of childcare in our state and if it is an impediment to economic growth and sustainability. Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, will study the impact and implementation of inclusive education and parental participations, along with improving family outcomes through school-based social work in Oklahoma, a request from OICA to look at a successful Oklahoma Human Services program.

Representative Pae also wants to review findings from grant work being done by The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM) in relation to ways to reduce the number of youths entering foster care and ways to increase home-based placement over placing children in certain group settings. OICA has been working with TEEM on this project and we certainly appreciate Representative Pae’s willingness to review the work being done.

While a few filed studies are questionable for positive benefits for youth, there is truly only one House interim study which gravely concerns OICA. That is the study Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, filed in response to the debate on whether corporal punishment should be used on special needs children in schools. He has filed a study to review “the effectiveness of properly administered corporal punishment.”

OICA will certainly follow this study and what is promoted by Representative Olsen. I personally have fears this will turn into yet another national embarrassment for our state.

For a full list of House studies, you can go to https://former.okhouse.gov/Committees/ShowInterimStudies. aspx. If you are interested in a specific study, please contact the lawmaker who requested the issue and ask them to alert you when the study will be conducted.

– The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy was established in 1983 by a group of citizens seeking to create a strong advocacy network that would provide a voice for the needs of children and youth in Oklahoma, particularly those in the state’s care and those growing up amid poverty, violence, abuse and neglect, disparities, or other situations that put their lives and future at risk. Our mission statement: “Creating awareness, taking action and changing policy to improve the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma’s children.