Update (11:45 a.m. Friday): House Bill 1019 passed by a vote of 42-2 in the Oklahoma Senate late Friday morning.House Bill 1019xx, a special session bill that would require Amazon and similar internet platforms to collect state sales tax on items sold through them by third-party vendors.Essentially, the measures give internet retailers the option of collecting the taxes or supplying the Oklahoma Tax Commission with names, addresses, and amounts so that it can bill purchasers. It would collect $20.5 million for education, according to estimates.Unclear is how much authority the state has to enforce such a law.Proposed amendments to the bill were heard Friday morning but failed by large margins.After the bill passed, the Senate adjourned special session and planned to gavel back into regular session to hear legislation proposed separately.With lots of attention on the $20.5 million internet sales tax measure that passed the House on Wednesday and a “ball-and-dice” … [Read more...] about Update: Will the Oklahoma Senate pass bills that could end teacher walkout? First measure succeeds
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Watch live: Will the Oklahoma Senate pass bills that could end teacher walkout?
With lots of attention on the $20.5 million internet sales tax measure that passed the House on Wednesday and a “ball-and-dice” gambling bill, all eyes will be on the Legislature on Friday, as a statewide teacher walkout for education funding enters its fifth day.The measures do not add up to the $120 million capital gains tax exemption some education supporters have advocated, and they are a little more uncertain than the $45 million or so lost by the expected repeal of a lodging tax. But lawmakers — in particular Republicans — hope they are taken as a sign of good faith by the educators hovering literally overhead in the House and Senate galleries.Alicia Priest, president of the Oklahoma Education Association, said Wednesday’s activity “is evidence of the momentum created by our passionate voices and tireless advocacy. … This is a win for students and educators and signals major progress toward funding the schools our students … [Read more...] about Watch live: Will the Oklahoma Senate pass bills that could end teacher walkout?
How to tune in at 8:30 a.m.: Will the Oklahoma Senate pass bills that could end teacher walkout?
With lots of attention on the $20.5 million internet sales tax measure that passed the House on Wednesday and a “ball-and-dice” gambling bill, all eyes will be on the Legislature on Friday, as a statewide teacher walkout for education funding enters its fifth day.The measures do not add up to the $120 million capital gains tax exemption some education supporters have advocated, and they are a little more uncertain than the $45 million or so lost by the expected repeal of a lodging tax. But lawmakers — in particular Republicans — hope they are taken as a sign of good faith by the educators hovering literally overhead in the House and Senate galleries.Alicia Priest, president of the Oklahoma Education Association, said Wednesday’s activity “is evidence of the momentum created by our passionate voices and tireless advocacy. … This is a win for students and educators and signals major progress toward funding the schools our students … [Read more...] about How to tune in at 8:30 a.m.: Will the Oklahoma Senate pass bills that could end teacher walkout?
Senate will not take up ‘ball and dice’ legislation Thursday as teachers return to Capitol for fourth day
OKLAHOMA CITY — The state Senate on Thursday will not take up "ball and dice" gambling legislation that teachers are pushing to bring in more money for education.Majority Floor Leader Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, said a miscommunication with the House led to the announcement Wednesday night that the Senate would take action on the bill Thursday.Treat said lawmakers will be in session Friday; however, he needed to discuss with his caucus about what items would be included in the daily floor session.Treat said he is confident the state's education budget of $2.9 billion is fully funded.Teachers and their supporters are returning for a fourth straight day to the Capitol, which they have packed to capacity to push for increased education funding.The Oklahoma Education Association has listed three teacher demands that would end the walkout: fill the $50 million gap created in hotel/motel tax the Oklahoma House repealed last week, pass a bill that would … [Read more...] about Senate will not take up ‘ball and dice’ legislation Thursday as teachers return to Capitol for fourth day
US senator says more safeguards needed for self-driving cars
COLCHESTER, Conn. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who took a firsthand look at self-driving vehicle technology on Tuesday, said it was frightening to see "no hands on the wheel" as his car approached a parked car and called for more safeguards to be added to federal legislation following two recent fatal crashes.The bill awaiting action in the Senate should ensure people can manually override highly automated vehicles, the Democrat said. He called for the data and safety evaluations of such vehicles during an initial testing period to be made public and said any safety requirements should apply to cars already on the roads with autopilot functions."I'm not a luddite. I'm not simply standing in the way of progress. I believe that autonomous or driverless vehicles will be coming," Blumenthal said. "But in the meantime, while we're developing them, they have to be safe." Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Committee on Science, Commerce and Transportation, said his safety … [Read more...] about US senator says more safeguards needed for self-driving cars