COMANCHE COUNTY DEMOCRAT

DORMAN CALLS FOR LOTTERY FUNDING REFORM

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 27, 2007) - Tired of seeing lottery shortfalls create budget problems for public schools and college students, state Rep. Joe Dorman wants lawmakers to reform the budgeting process.

"The lottery is an unpredictable source of revenue that has come up short more often than not in recent months," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "Clearly, we cannot build anticipated lottery funds into the budget without a strong risk of future crisis." Dorman plans to author an amendment that will require the state to set aside all lottery funds collected for one year and then appropriate that money in year two. Under the plan, lawmakers would only spend lottery money actually collected the previous year instead of trying to anticipate future collections.

Currently, lawmakers include anticipated lottery revenue projections in the state budget. Although the lottery was once expected to provide up to $150 million per year, it is now generating just over $80 million per year. A mid-year revision in lottery projections recently eliminated funds for $1,100 of the $3,000 pay raise given all public school teachers last year. It also shortchanged college students depending on a state scholarship program funded by lottery cash. "My constituents want to know why we're banking on lottery cash that may never materialize, and it's a good question," Dorman said. "Under my plan, no education program will have to be cut because of a fluctuation in the lottery's performance. We'll only spend money that we have in hand, and not 'projections' that might as well be Monopoly money."

DORMAN BILL FUNDING FOR FREE HUNTING/FISHING LICENSES PASSES HOUSE

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 9, 2007) - For years, lawmakers have voted to allow numerous groups and individuals to have free hunting or fishing licenses, which slowly slashed funding for the fee-based state Department of Wildlife Conservation. State lawmakers voted this week to make up those losses.

House Bill 1668, by state Rep. Joe Dorman, would create the "Oklahoma Hunting and Fishing License Reimbursement Fund." A portion of state income tax collections would be deposited in the fund to make up revenue lost by the Department of Wildlife Conservation to free licenses.

"Officials estimate the Department of Wildlife Conservation loses over $1 million per year to free licenses," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "Since the department is funded almost entirely through fees, that loss can have a significant impact on their wildlife programs."

Dorman said a national survey will be conducted to determine how many free Oklahoma hunting and fishing licenses have been issued and that figure will be used to calculate the amount of money placed in the reimbursement fund.   State money placed in the fund will be used to generate matching federal program dollars, which will compound the benefit to Oklahoma sportsmen and women, Dorman said.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's mission is to "manage Oklahoma's wildlife resources and habitat to provide scientific, educational, aesthetic, economic and recreational benefits for present and future generations of hunters, anglers and others who appreciate wildlife," according to the agency's Web site.

"Currently, the Department of Wildlife is cash-strapped since they operate solely on the fees they collect and matching dollars from the feds," Dorman said. "House Bill 1668 will give the agency more money to maintain public hunting grounds and provide youth hunting safety
programs."

House Bill 1668 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on a 91-2 vote this week. It now proceeds to the state Senate, where the bill is authored by Senator Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo.

DORMAN PROPOSAL TO AID PREGNANT WOMEN WITH PARKING ACCESSIBILITY PASSES HOUSE

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 12, 2007) - Lawmakers voted today to allow pregnant women with complications to park in handicap spots.

"During pregnancy, especially in the advanced stage, there are times when a mother-to-be should not walk long distances," said State Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "My legislation tries to address that problem in an efficient and simple fashion."

Dorman's proposal was attached as an amendment to another bill (House Bill 1868) on Monday.
Under the legislation, pregnant women with complications can obtain a special sticker allowing them to legally park in a disability spot.

 

The Department of Public Safety would issue the detachable placards to any person who submits an application furnished by the department and certified by a physician, physician assistant, or advanced registered nurse practitioner attesting that the applicant has
a physical disability.

"The intent is for women in advanced stages of pregnancy to qualify upon the recommendation of their doctor," Dorman said.  "Ideally, these women would have family and friends to handle most errands when pregnancy complications arise, but that isn't always the case, and my legislation will make life a little easier for them."

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep. Joe Dorman

The pace around the Capitol has picked up with this being the last week for the Representatives to hear bills authored by House members. Next week and the following five weeks after, the House will hear bills originated in the Senate and the Senate will hear House bills.

I'm the House author on a few Senate bills, so my workload will mainly consist of helping my Senate authors get my House bills through and working on amendments to clean up some of the Senate bills coming to our chamber. I have two bills remaining on the House calendar this week and they should both pass over to the Senate. I have also been very busy this week attaching amendments to other bills to help get some additional programs passed. Included in these amendments are establishing a division within OSBI to track identity theft and providing parking stickers for pregnant women to use handicap spots.

This past week was quite a week for basketball in our state. As the high school state playoffs concluded this past week, I want to congratulate the Elgin Lady Owls, the Cache Lady Bulldogs, the Fort Cobb Broxton Lady Mustangs and the Cyril Pirates for a successful run through the tournaments to State. Several men's teams made it to the area playoffs, including Elgin and Rush Springs. Each of these teams did a great job this year and need to be recognized for putting forth a great effort on behalf of their school and community.

In other area activities, I was honored to be asked to play in the Fletcher Alumni Basketball Game on Saturday night and also assist in naming the new gymnasium after Kenneth and Evelyn Sanders. This was a very special night for the family and a large turnout was on hand to recognize them and also support the players in the men's and women's games. It was a fun time had by all and the best part was that none of the "retired" players got hurt. I made the stat sheet with a lay-up, so I really enjoyed the evening and got some good exercise. Thank you again for making me an honorary alum for the night and letting me participate!

That evening was also the Sterling Donkey Basketball game. I was sorry I had to miss this event since it's always a fun time watching local supporters of the school participate each year. I hope to make that one next year. I'm sure it made for a great evening. It's tough to make all the activities in the district, especially when they conflict, and I hate missing the fun ones such as these.

It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work. My mailing address is PO Box 559, Rush Springs, OK 73082 and my website is www.joedorman.com on the Internet. Thank you for taking time to read this column and I look forward to seeing you soon.

LAW ENFORCEMENT TO TARGET TRAFFICKING IN PHONY IDS

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 7, 2007) - Lawmakers voted Tuesday to boost law enforcement prosecution of identity theft as part of a broader immigration reform effort.       Legislation authored by state Rep. Joe Dorman called for the creation of a special division in the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to investigate trafficking of fake identification - such as stolen Social Security numbers.      "The theft and sale of false identification is growing by leaps and bounds, and the demand for fake IDs from illegal immigrants is driving part of that growth," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "It's time we made more law enforcement resources available for the prosecution of this crime." Dorman's said his own father was once a victim of identity theft carried out by an illegal immigrant.      According to the Federal Trade Commission, there were 2,403 complaints of identity theft in Oklahoma in 2005.      Dorman said his proposal is based on an Arizona law.  "After Arizona created a specialized division to prosecute the trafficking of false IDs, they saw a significant decline in identity theft," Dorman said. "If we are going to require tougher documentation standards as part of immigration reform, we need to be prepared for an increase in people trying to obtain false documentation. My proposal will ensure that we don't trade one problem for another."       Dorman's proposal was submitted as an amendment to House Bill 1804 during floor activity in the Oklahoma House of Representatives on Wednesday. The proposal was adopted without opposition.

SPECIAL DISPATCH FROM THE BATTLE FRONT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: State Rep. Joe Dorman

Capitol: (405) 557-7305

Contact: State Sen. Randy Bass

Capitol: (405) 521-5567

Funds Requested for Information Risk Assessments for State Agencies

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 5, 2007)

– The Oklahoma State Legislature took progressive steps last year to combat the contemporary and growing cyber-crime problem.

House Bill 2935, which became effective on July 1, 2006, required all state agencies with an Information Technology (IT) system to have an annual security risk assessment performed that identifies and prioritizes network vulnerabilities. The bill mandated that all targeted agencies submit a final report to the Office of State Finance (OSF) by December 1st of each year on security protocols.

"The intent of the bill was to harden the defenses of state agencies against computer crimes and identity theft," said state Rep. Joe Dorman (D - Rush Springs), a co-author of the legislation. "House Bill 2935 was just the first step in protecting the state’s citizens against loss of personal information from both internal and external threats.

"Although HB 2935 mandated risk assessments, the Legislature did not include funding for the assessments. Given the unfunded mandate, all agencies opted to perform self-assessments that do not encompass the level of detail needed."

The advantage of utilizing a third-party vendor is that their assessments are conducted on-site by security professionals and include network scans, desk-top sampling, physical security inspections, external penetration testing, and payment card industry assessments. The self-assessment only involves completing a questionnaire based the ISO 17799 security standard and the agencies’ pre-determined risk level. Vendors must be approved by the Office of State Finance as qualified to conduct the risk assessments.

"Identify theft and sharing of personal information is a major concern of Oklahomans and is the fastest growing crime in the United States with up to 9 million victims," said state Sen. Randy Bass (D – Lawton). "One FBI survey estimates more than $65 billion lost in 2005 to identity theft alone. Given these alarmingly high statistics, it is imperative that the state finish the work we started and aggressively move to protect our citizens."

Bass has been a champion for protection against identity theft during his career in the Oklahoma Senate, having authored legislation to increase protections for Oklahoma residents.

Dorman estimated the cost to fund risk assessments for all state agencies will be $3 million annually, which equates to $1 per person in Oklahoma.

"One dollar per person from the General Revenue Fund is a small price to pay to protect the citizens of Oklahoma from potential theft of their identities by criminals hacking into state computer systems," said Dorman. "Having a father that was a victim of identity theft, I can vouch for the need to take every precaution possible to protect from these crimes."

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OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep. Joe Dorman

   EDITOR: WAY TO GO JOE

There have been several high profile issues come up at the Capitol this past week.  One in particular that has arisen is House Bill 1485, which would allow for much of the property maintained by oil and gas companies to be free from taxation because they feel they are unfairly taxed on specific equipment.  Several of the oil and gas companies have proposed in debate that they contribute over one billion dollars to the state's economy each year and that this exemption on property will be slight and would help keep business thriving in Oklahoma.  Opponents state that this exemption is on property that is currently not being taxed due to the energy companies not claiming the equipment when they turn in the tax information. 

     I'm currently working on rewriting this bill to give authority to the Oklahoma Tax Commission to do a statewide assessment on all property maintained by these companies, verify the accuracy of the tax and for that information to be distributed to the local assessors.  Often times, the assessors do not travel on to private property if the gates are locked and this prevents an accurate read on what should be taxed.  There is also the problem with assessments falling behind and many times these energy companies are allowed to turn in their own information regarding what should be on the tax forms. 

      By giving this authority and the funding to the Tax Commission, this will do a one-time, three-year scan of the state and provide the information to the assessors on what should be included for the taxation.  There will also be a provision for appeal on whether some property should be included in the taxation.  This will be given to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission through their judicial review system to help cut down on costly court fees.  This compromise will provide the fair assessment that the oil and gas companies claim they are not receiving by private-contract companies that work on a percentage basis who are hired by local assessors.  This new version of the bill also provides the schools and counties with the resources to receive the accurate assessments and in turn the appropriate tax dollars.

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.  My mailing address is PO Box 559, Rush Springs, OK  73082 and my website is www.joedorman.com on the Internet.  Thank you for taking time to read this column and I look forward to seeing you soon.

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep. Joe Dorman

    It has been a fast and furious pace around the Capitol the past few weeks.  The subcommittee system has completed their review on the bills and now the remaining bills will be heard in the ten House committees.  We are also starting to hear more bills on the House floor, but with so many bills to be heard, it is doubtful the majority will receive action by the House.  I'm working on the bills that I have left and am trying to get them scheduled.

     In the years I've worked at the Capitol, I have seen many things, but often it is difficult to find consensus on bills.  One piece of legislation I'm working on has been reviewed by almost every entity revolving around fire protection and we have come up with something that everyone likes.  This bill will be heard next week by the Education Committee, and then hopefully the full House.  This bill will structure in statute many of the practices and needs of the fire departments and make their jobs easier to do.  It will also direct more money to training in the rural areas which will save on time required to take off from work and travel costs.

 
      Last week saw many things occur in our area.  The Westbrook Family in Lawton received upgrades to their home due to ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.  This allowed the family to have accessible accommodations due to the fact two of them are in wheelchairs.  This was a great experience for everyone in Lawton that participated in the volunteer work to help rebuild the home.

      The Chickasha Chamber of Commerce also had their annual banquet last week and it was great to see Galen Culver present a history of his segments from Channel 4 news regarding the area.  These pieces present the good things about people from around our state.  After the speech, I visited with him about putting together a series of these pieces to be placed in the Oklahoma Historical Society for preservation for the years ahead.  Galen has covered people such as Ron Orf and the Apache Rattlesnake Hunt, Art Harris and the Rush Springs Watermelon Festival and many other unique citizens from our area, so it would be nice to have these for future generations to see.

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.  My mailing address is PO Box 559, Rush Springs, OK  73082 and my website is www.joedorman.com on the Internet.  Thank you for taking time to read this column and I look forward to seeing you soon.

     In the years I've worked at the Capitol, I have seen many things, but often it is difficult to find consensus on bills.  One piece of legislation I'm working on has been reviewed by almost every entity revolving around fire protection and we have come up with something that everyone likes.  This bill will be heard next week by the Education Committee, and then hopefully the full House.  This bill will structure in statute many of the practices and needs of the fire departments and make their jobs easier to do.  It will also direct more money to training in the rural areas which will save on time required to take off from work and travel costs.

 
      Last week saw many things occur in our area.  The Westbrook Family in Lawton received upgrades to their home due to ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.  This allowed the family to have accessible accommodations due to the fact two of them are in wheelchairs.  This was a great experience for everyone in Lawton that participated in the volunteer work to help rebuild the home.

      The Chickasha Chamber of Commerce also had their annual banquet last week and it was great to see Galen Culver present a history of his segments from Channel 4 news regarding the area.  These pieces present the good things about people from around our state.  After the speech, I visited with him about putting together a series of these pieces to be placed in the Oklahoma Historical Society for preservation for the years ahead.  Galen has covered people such as Ron Orf and the Apache Rattlesnake Hunt, Art Harris and the Rush Springs Watermelon Festival and many other unique citizens from our area, so it would be nice to have these for future generations to see.

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.  My mailing address is PO Box 559, Rush Springs, OK  73082 and my website is www.joedorman.com on the Internet.  Thank you for taking time to read this column and I look forward to seeing you soon.

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep Joe Dorman

     It has been an interesting week at the State Capitol as the Board of Equalization came back with the final operational numbers for the state budget.  Revenue projections are significantly different due to oil and gas prices growing more level and tax cuts beginning to be seen in many sectors of the state.  Revenue available for appropriation grew about 1.7% from last year's numbers, but this means the road and bridge program will not be going as anticipated since the minimum application of this fund was set at 3% growth.  The legislature will also have to address many of the one-time programs that were created that will likely need to receive operational funds to continue their missions.

     One interesting piece of legislation that will have much interest to the technologically advanced is the promotion of tighter restrictions on predators that use websites such as MySpace and Facebook.  These two webpages allow individuals the opportunity to establish a personal page where they can visit with friends, meet new persons with similar interests and discuss issues important to the person through a chatpage called a blog.  Many elected officials created pages through these sites this past election cycle to discuss their platforms and meet constituents that they might not otherwise come in contact with while campaigning.  I myself created a site on each service and it has allowed me to visit with many residents in District 65 and beyond.

      I see a great need to crack down on persons using this service that should not have contact with minors.  This is a service that should be monitored by parents and I've had several guardians to minors contact me saying they do this.  Many times, parents and guardians are not away of what is going on with their children on the computers and this is certainly a step in the right direction to have all convicted child predators register their emails and web pages for monitoring activities.  Each website does a good job of policing improper activity and restricting offenders, but too often criminals slip through the cracks.

     I encourage each of you to check out these webpages as they are an excellent resource for political discussion and making new friends and if you see something you feel is inappropriate, the report this activity to the managers of the website.  As with most good things, improper use can corrupt and exploit.  This is an important issue that will need to be addressed by Oklahoma and is currently being discussed by several other states.  I also want to also give credit to Lauren Nelson, our current Miss America, as this is her platform issue and something she will champion across the United States over the next year.

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.  My mailing address is PO Box 559, Rush Springs, OK  73082.  Thank you for taking time to read this column and I look forward to hearing from you soon.  My website is www.joedorman.com and I also encourage each of you to look at www.MySpace.com and www.facebook.com for further information about the issues in this column.

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep. Joe Dorman

      I hope everyone is enjoying the weather now that the worst seems to have passed.  We are working at the Capitol to include supplemental funding to cover the costs of the state regarding repairs to damages from the ice.  There has been good response from the Governor's office to extend the FEMA declaration to our area and allow for matching funds from the state to be used.

     The committee process is in full swing and bills are being heard at a fast pace.  The new structure for committees in the State House of Representatives requires most bills be heard by a committee, but also sends the bills to subcommittees for additional hearings.  Most of the bills I've presented have been heard in subcommittees and will advance over the next few weeks to the full committees.  They will then proceed to the House floor should they pass beyond these committees, then on to the Senate.

     This past week kept me busy beyond work at the Capitol.  I had the honor of attending the Oklahoma Pork Council state convention and the Farmers Union annual meeting.  Lawton also held their regular legislative luncheon to visit with local lawmakers regarding the agendas this year.  Many of the local groups invite legislators to visit and discuss bills and the issues arising.  I encourage each of you to attend meetings like this if you have the chance since this keeps you aware of what is occurring in legislation during the session.

     I have also been spending time establishing a mentor program for the new members of the State House at the request of the Democratic Leader, Danny Morgan.  This will provide a veteran legislator to each new member to assist them with bills and the process.  This will be good for both since it will refresh the veterans on the process and help them be aware of other bills before they get to our desks.

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.  My mailing address is PO Box 559, Rush Springs, OK  73082.  Thank you for taking time to read this column and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

DORMAN CALLS FOR REFORM FIRE FUNDING

OKLAHOMA CITY (February 1, 2007) - To ensure that state money for firefighting is not "diverted to other uses," state Rep. Joe Dorman on Wednesday called for a revamp of the funding system while addressing the Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Winter Workshop in Stillwater. "There have been problems in years past and it has become clear there's no guarantee money appropriated for fire-service training will actually make it to those programs under the current system," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "It's time the Legislature made sure fire funding is used for its intended purpose."

House Bill 1519, by Dorman, will include language that consolidates funding for firefighting programs so it primarily runs through the State Fire Marshal Commission, which will ensure the money is used for training programs as lawmakers intend by legislation. Dorman noted this shift will not include dollars currently administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the State Department of Agriculture through their Forestry Division since much of their funding comes through the federal government. "Efforts will be made to have these agencies work together to maximize dollars for training and grant-writing," stated Dorman. The bill will also include other reforms that reduce the cost of training for Oklahoma firefighters and make training more widely available. "We're going to make sure the training is as affordable as possible and provide adequate equipment to our firefighters," Dorman said. As part of that effort, he said the bill will allow firefighter training to be conducted at eight state CareerTech campuses across Oklahoma that have the proper equipment in place or at local fire departments. Currently, most training is done at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. "Many firefighters have to travel across half the state to get the training in Stillwater," Dorman said. "Most of these individuals are already volunteers, and our training program forces them to take extended leave from their regular jobs to become firefighters. We should reward volunteer firefighters, not force them to lose income, and this bill will reduce the financial burdens they face."

House Bill 1519 will also establish a new hierarchy of command for the direction of firefighters. Another component will establish a "firefighter of the year" award to be given by the Governor at the beginning of each legislative session. The proposed law will also enhance the fire chiefs' State Emergency Response Program (SERP) to create a standard process for mutual aid when fire departments aid other departments. The reform will also include the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as a guideline for proper evaluation of an incident command at a fire. Dorman noted many of the proposals contained in House Bill 1519 have been developed by the Council on Fire Training (COFT). "The reforms contained in House Bill 1519 will make it much easier for our volunteer firefighters to receive the training and equipment they need," said State Fire Marshal Robert Doke. "The end result of this bill will be a better, more centralized system that benefits everyone. I know a lot of firefighters are excited to see this issue finally get the attention it deserves." "Last year's wildfires proved how important our volunteer firefighters are to the whole state," Dorman said. "We need to make sure the state does everything possible to aid these brave men and women."

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Joe Dorman

      I want to start out this week by congratulating our newest Miss America, Lauren Nelson.  Lauren is from Lawton and did a fantastic job of representing our state, not only at the pageant, but as Miss Oklahoma leading up to her victory.  Lauren is a great example of young people working towards their dreams and achieving them.  What is even better for Oklahoma is that Lauren is following Jennifer Berry of as Miss America, which means Oklahoma has back-to-back Miss America's in our Centennial year.

     Committee meetings are currently being held at the Capitol.  The purpose of these committees is to review ideas that were filed as bills to see how much merit they present.  Many of these bills will be brought back before the committees once session starts next Monday should they prove the idea has potential.

     One idea that I'm working on this year is remodeling the states Incident Management system for fire departments that respond when it is a group situation.  I've been working with various groups involving fire protection and this bill will be a team effort from all areas to reach some type of solution.  We will also look at reducing the cost of training to the volunteer firefighters and hopefully restructuring the trainings where they will occur at local career techs, rather than mainly in Stillwater.  A final portion of this bill will create an award to recognize the "Firefighter of the Year" and this will be presented by the Governor on the first day of the legislative session each year.

     Another idea that I have been asked to work on with Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson, a Republican from Oklahoma City, is to find some type of solution to reduce the number of uninsured motorists here in our state.   We are looking at requirements that could possibly show the transfer of a title from one individual to another, then recording this transfer with the Department of Public Safety and the State Insurance Department for verification of insurance.  This issue is a very complex one and many have tried to find a realistic solution.  While people pay month-to-month payments on their insurance, individuals can cancel their policy anytime after the first month and this prevents issuance of any type of sticker over a period of time.

      If anyone has any suggestions on this bill or others, please feel free to mail them to me and I will go over them.  I'm smart enough to know that I don't have all the answers on these questions and that's where we need each of you helping with ideas for better solutions.  I hope I will be able to take your ideas and craft policy that will best represent our state.

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.  My mailing address is PO Box 559, Rush Springs, OK  73082.  Thank you for taking time to read this column and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

COOPS REPORT ON ICE STORM REPAIRS from Joe Dorman

TO: Senate & House Members and Staff

FROM: Harold Hale

I want to keep you all informed and updated on the ice storm situation across Oklahoma. I know some of you are without electricity yourself or you are getting calls from constituents wanting to know when they are going to be back on and we want to help with that as much as we can. The Electric Co-ops currently have about 14,270 outages and a total of 3700 poles down and between 55 and 60 transmission structures down. 

Here is our website address for you and for you to pass on to your constituents if they ask about updates: www.oaec.coop. From that site you can click on the 2007 Ice Storm Update link, that will give you a map with the heaviest hit areas highlighted and the current number of outages. There is also a link to information regarding shelters and mass care centers and state and federal assistance, there is a link to the Oklahoma Emergency Management website as well as the American Red Cross. Also, from our home page there is a link to a few co-ops websites that are giving ice storm updates (this is especially helpful for people to go to, if their local co-op is on the list, some are giving a timeline as to when certain areas should have electricity restored). There are also hundreds of photos to view. We are updating our website twice a day (around 9:00 a.m. and again around 3:00 p.m.).

Basically any information that you or your constituents would need you can get from our website. If there is any additional information that you would like or that your constituents are asking for, just let us know and we will make sure that we get that information to you or up on our website. I know for the the people without electricity they will not have the ability to view these websites, that is why we wanted you all to have this information to help with calls. You may also tell them if they know anyone who has electricity and internet access to ask them to keep them informed.

I hope this information helps and please let us know if you need anything else.

DORMAN POSTS WEB SITE

http://www.joedorman.com

Congratulations to Joe Dorman for his excellent web site. Recommend you bookmark it to keep up with Joe. A link to the web site is posted to the side column to our web site.

CCDEM will continue to carry his Open Door Policy columns.

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep. Joe Dorman

  I hope everyone is staying warm out there.  The roads have been miserable.  I've been trapped in Oklahoma City over the weekend and was actually able to get caught up on quite a bit of work in my office.  The bill deadline for filing language is this upcoming Thursday, so any requests must be completed at that point.  A special thanks goes to all the staff members that work for the state House and Senate since they have also been at the Capitol over the weekend with the deadline approaching.  I used to work on the staff, so I know the hours these people put in to assist legislators with getting the job done.  I will have to limit my number of requests down at this point and there are some colleagues that will file some of my bills as their own to avoid the 8-bill filing requirement in the House.

     This past week was Governor Henry's inauguration, along with the rest of the statewide elected officials.  This consisted of the official ceremony on the south steps of the State Capitol last Monday morning, then his inaugural ball that evening.  I was pleased to have the Harrel family from Elk City and Kelsey Walters from Canute attend with me since they were in OKC that day.  I also want to thank Carissa Darling from Duncan for attending the Ball with me that evening.  We received a lot of jokes that night since she works on Republican campaigns and is a good friend.

     Speaking of Duncan, I was a guest of Judge Lamar at their Rotary Club last week and had the opportunity to attend the Apache Chamber of Commerce banquet on Thursday evening.  I also was able to attend the unveiling of the Oklahoma Centennial stamp and meet the artist.  If you have not seen this, it is a great stamp and Governor George Nigh came up with the language on it.  You still have the chance to request a first day of issue printing of this, so ask your local postmaster about the details.  It will surely be a collector's item someday.

     With the weather being as cold as it is, we will see a sharp increase in heating bills.  I have requested we add in additional funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).  This provides cooling, energy crisis and low cost weatherization/other energy-related home repair assistance to low-income households to assist with winter heating bills, and to provide help for some families who have received utility cut-off notices.  This is a federal program, but Oklahoma also provides additional funding to increase the assistance.  You should contact the Great Plains Improvement Foundation at  (580) 353-2364 if you live in Comanche County, the Washita Valley Community Action Council at (405) 224-5831 if you live in Caddo or Grady Counties, and the Delta Community Action Foundation at (405) 756-1100 if you live in Stephens County to see if you will qualify for assistance. 

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep. Joe Dorman

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had a safe evening and you were able to eat your black-eyed peas on January 1st.  I had the chance to spend the evening visiting with friends from school and watch some great football games.  The Fiesta Bowl game was one of the best football games I've ever watched.  It's just a shame it was the Sooners had to be the team to lose to Boise State, but that small school had a lot of heart and compliments need to be given to both programs for a great year.

 
     Basketball was a big deal over the past few weeks as I've seen many of you at different games.  There was a great group from Apache at the All-College Tournament and several residents from Apache and Elgin went to the OSU-Southwestern OSU game on Tuesday night.  Rush Springs also was able to participate in the OKC Hornets Court of Dreams program this week.  This is set up where a high school has the chance to play another team at the Ford Center prior to a Hornets game.  The condition is that each school has to guarantee the purchase of 300 tickets at $10 each for the Hornets game.  This ticket also gets you into the high school games.  If your school hasn't done this yet, have the coaches check into it.  It's a fantastic event for the kids to play in a pro arena.

     The past few days at the Capitol have been pretty hectic with the bill deadline for language arriving and the House and Senate meeting to elect the new officers.  Lance Cargill was elected as the Speaker of the House for the 51st Legislature and Gus Blackwell was elected Speaker Pro Tempore.  We now will enter the period of pre-session committees to work on the details of the legislation.  Session will officially begin the first Monday of February with the Governor's State of the State Address.

     Mary Fallin resigned on Tuesday as Lieutenant Governor and Jari Askins was sworn in to be the state's next Lieutenant Governor.  I was on hand that evening at the swearing in, which occurred at the Stephens County Courthouse.  It was a great evening for all in attendance as Southwest Oklahoma saw another one of their residents achieve statewide office.  Jari is going to do great things for our state as we enter our second century.

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep. Joe Dorman

Merry Christmas!  I hope everyone has big plans for the holidays.  I'm hoping to see one of my nephews this next week who just finished up basic training.  He and his brother joined the Army this summer and both are getting ready for their assignments.  They are hoping to make it down this way for Christmas and catch a basketball game or two before being shipped out.  One will definitely get to make it back to Oklahoma and their mother is waiting to hear from the second son.  Please keep Justin and Jaycee Guffey in your prayers for safety, as well as all the rest of the troops serving.

      I received some good news from the Capitol last week.  My committee assignments changed slightly for the better.  I was asked to step off the Education Committee and in turn serve on the Appropriations and Budget Committee.  Those that are familiar with the process will know most of what goes on at the State Capitol revolves around sending dollars to various entities for funding.  This committee helps craft where the dollars will go, how much will be spent in those areas and allows for the opportunity to cut out some of the wasteful spending by reviewing the different agencies.  The more we can cut out of some programs, the more we can put into programs that need the upgrade in the budget to implement innovative programs to modernize the state. 

      This past week has been pretty hectic with the holidays.  Besides trying to get language into bill requests, I've had the chance to attend several holiday functions.  I enjoyed spending time with both the Elgin faculty and the Comanche County Retired Teachers Association, which it was great catching  up with so many friends right before the holiday.  The Grady County Volunteer Fire Departments had a fantastic gathering last Friday night and celebrated new volunteers being able to serve their areas.  I also got great news that Jerry Scoggins of Cyril got clear results from his PET scan, which is certainly a blessing to be winning his fight against cancer.

     Great news for the area was also announced this past week.  We got the final results from the School Land Commission in regards to selling off about 150 acres to develop a business and industry park near the turnpike.  This will allow for the necessary growth to occur from BRAC and businesses moving to Oklahoma and provide space for those businesses to be located in a central area.  This growth will benefit every single community in District 65.  I've been working on this project for over a year now with local, state, county and federal officials.  This bipartisan, team effort for the betterment of Southwest Oklahoma will pay huge dividends in the long run and will provide some great high paying jobs for our residents and give many the chance to stay close to home.

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.

OPEN DOOR POLICY - Rep. Joe Dorman

  The committee assignments have been posted by the leadership and I am very pleased with how things were arranged.  I was asked to exchange my assignment on the Veterans and Military Affairs committee to another as to allow a Viet Nam Veteran to take my place.  Because of this, I removed my name from the preference list.  I enjoyed the four years I served on this committee and plan to author several bills in this area, but Rep. Jerry Ellis will be a key member with his experience and background.  In exchange for this committee assignment, I was placed as one of the members of the Rules Committee.  Under the new House structure, this will be the most powerful committee in the State House of Representatives.  All controversial bills will go to this committee and any floor amendments assigned to bills will be reviewed by this committee.  I appreciate Democratic Leader Morgan and Speaker Cargill's faith in me to serve in this capacity. 
     I am also returning to Revenue and Taxation as the senior member of the committee and I will serve on the main Education Committee, which oversees common education, higher education and career technology centers.  I was also granted a fourth position, which very few members were allowed that many spots.  This will be on the Energy Committee, which will review all legislation dealing with energy opportunities in Oklahoma.
     Over the next few weeks, I will highlight several of the bills I will author and will also touch on some of the major issues we will face this session.  I also was granted a full time legislative assistant who will be with me for the remainder of my term in office if she so chooses.  Her name is Pam King and she is a wonderful person.  I look forward to working with her and I think she will be great for each of you to work with as need arises with issues from the district.  She comes from a great background in health care and previous experience at the Capitol.
     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.       

OPEN DOOR POLICY - Rep. Joe Dorman

The organizational day for the House of Representatives went well as the new members were sworn into office and freshment orientation was smooth, even though it came during the ice storm last week which hit the state.  There are 28 new members that were sworn into office this term and I was honored to be one of the four senior members to assist with their classes on the current legislative system.
     Bill request deadlines come this week and I am outlining several policy ideas which I will attempt to pass into law.  There has been discussion of revamping the funding for the teachers retirement system and several members are looking at new ways to build up the solvency of the account.  I will also purse legislation to create requirements that prisoners released upon completion of their sentence be required to go through programs to teach about balancing a checkbook and allow for greater scope of ministerial involvement in their day-to-day activities. 
     This is the first step in the process, so many members will file ideas for bills, then narrow the scope as the deadline for actual bills comes in January.  House members are limited to 8 bills to be filed, but we will request several more so as not to be limited in case a good idea arises over the holiday season.
     This week I had the chance to attend meetings with our federal delegation to discuss new policy changes with the shift in power at the Congressional level.  I visited with staff members in the offices of Congressman Cole, Boren, Sullivan and Lucas.  I also had the chance to sit down with several of Senator Inhofe's committee staff members to look at further changes that can be anticipated.  I'm optimistic about the sessions at both the state and federal levels in that we have a strong bipartisan relationship and have been able to get much accomplished as a team.
     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep. Joe Dorman

  Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you have the chance to celebrate with friends and family and lots of good food.  I've been blessed this year to have all my siblings get together on Thursday with our parents.  It's especially important to us this year since it will be my father's birthday on Friday.  My dad, Bill Dorman, will turn 80 this week and we are getting the entire family together for the first time in quite a while.  If you see him out, be sure to wish him a Happy Birthday!
     On another note because of the holiday, we should be celebrating things we are thankful for this year.  The friends I've made through this job have meant a great deal to me.  I've lost several of them this past year, but I'm a much better person for knowing them.  Men like Curtis Jeffreys, Don Heavin and Buck Clements helped me in my elections and after that, did much more by educating me on issues important to the area and by being good friends.  Each of these men and many others out there have helped me try to represent you better and I'm thankful for all those who have worked with me.
     This last week, I had the pleasure of hosting a group of fourth grade students at the State Capitol and the new Oklahoma History Center.  The students from Sheridan Road Elementary went on a tour of the Capitol Building, where they met Secretary of State Susan Savage and State Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan.  They also learned about code talkers from WWII and saw an exhibit on household items from statehood to the 50's.  This was especially fun for me since my own third grade teacher is one of their teachers. Editor: Left Click on Photo
     Our swearing in ceremony was conducted on Statehood Day last Thursday, Nov. 16th.  That day also kicked off the state celebration in preparation for our Centennial.  The new leadership teams will be announced this week in the news and committee assignments should be out very soon.  I've requested to serve on several committees relevant to our area, so I hope to have those announced next week, along with where my new office will be located at the Capitol.
     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.

OPEN DOOR POLICY - Rep. Joe Dorman

   The Swearing-in Ceremony for the newly-elected members of the Legislature will occur Thursday, November 16 at the State Capitol.  The 101 House members and the 24 Senators that went through the elections will each receive their oath of office and commence business for a two-year term of office.  The new members will begin work on their legislative agendas and meet with the staff members to write the new bills.  The legislative deadline for filing bills will occur towards the end of the year, so there much research and study will go into these efforts before the January 2 organizational day to begin work.  Both political party caucuses will meet this week to determine the individual party leaders, then the bodies will meet in January to affirm the positions to run the entire chamber.

     I want to thank each of you again for allowing me the privilege to serve you as your State Representative for District 65.  It will be an exciting time over the next two years as Oklahoma will celebrate the Centennial Anniversary.  Much work still remains on funding various projects in each community and the preparation for the celebration.  If you are interested in what project your community will be preparing, please contact your local city hall and see if there is any way you can assist.

          Basketball season is quickly approaching and I have passed out the new schedules at the schools and local stores.  Be sure to pick one up so you can keep track of local games and those in the surrounding area.  I have also included the schedules for the NO/OKC Hornets and the men's teams for OU and OSU.  Be sure to verify the schedule with the local paper, especially since there will be some changes  due to football playoffs.  Both Rush Springs and Apache have games coming up this weekend, so if you get the chance, go root them on to victory.      

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.

OPEN DOOR POLICY - Rep. Joe Dorman

      With the elections right around the corner, this will be my last opportunity to remind you to vote next Tuesday, or to vote at the county election board on Friday, Saturday or Monday.  It's important to exercise this right and privilege.  Too often, people will not take the time to go to the polls and vote.  This prevents them from having a voice on who represents them and determines policy that will affect their day to day lives.  Please take the time to vote and check out the individuals and their issues, not the mud that is slung on the airwaves knocking down their opponents.

OPEN DOOR POLICY - Rep Joe Dorman

Currently, the House of Representatives is reviewing potential bills for introduction that are being presented by members returning to the Capitol.  Tuesday, presenters appeared before the Revenue and Taxation Committee to discuss breakdowns in policy regarding illegal immigrants.  There are many areas that need change in both policy structure and legal definition.  This will be a very important topic to discuss this next year and both Democrats and Republicans alike will be working for some sensible changes through debate and discussion.  While much of the policy change must come at the federal level, there will still be many things we can do to improve the system at the state level.

     Friday, I had the honor of speaking to the Women in Agriculture Conference held at Canadian Valley Career Tech in Chickasha.  I was able to present ideas on upcoming legislation and the potential election outcomes.  I did a visual demonstration to the conference participants that shows how important it is to participate.  While I can't do that through my column, it is important to understand how much your vote counts.  Fewer than 25% of the public that is elibible to vote because of age will show up at the polls in two weeks.  This apathy leads to the majority of the public not determining the policy makers for new laws. 

     Please go to the polls and cast your vote.  By law, you are allowed one hour off work to vote, so schedule this time with your supervisor in advance if you need.  The polls are open 7 AM to 7 PM on election day.  You can also vote the Friday, Saturday and Monday prior to the election at the County Election Board.  Call them to find out the times they are open if you will be too busy on Election Day.

     One potential change we might see next year is taking the polling places out of school buildings.  With the increase of violent acts at schools, there is a fear that strangers coming to the schools on election day might not be noticed.  Because of the high traffic, it would be easier for persons to navigate the buildings unlike on a regular day when persons must check in with the administration.  Schools are going to be on alert this election day, but this change of venue might be made next year to make things safer for the students and teachers.

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep. Joe Dorman

Congratulations to the Sterling Lady Tigers for winning state in softball this past weekend!  They defeated Depew in extra innings to take state after several years in a row of making it to the tournament.  It was great to finally see them make it all the way and take home the trophy.  Elgin and Fort Cobb-Broxton also made it to the state tournament and had very opponents and put up valiant efforts.  All three teams are to be commended for their hard work and for even making it to the final tournament.
     This past weekend also saw the annual memorial service to recognize fallen and deceased firefighters.  This event, held at the firefighters' museum in Oklahoma City, was an event I was glad I had the opportunity to attend.  Firefighters and their families from all over the state came together to remember loved ones and pay their final respects.  I was honored to be invited this year by the Chickasha Fire Department.
     I also had the chance to pay visits to two local schools this past week.  Elgin and Friend Schools both welcomed me in for visits and allowed me to discuss voter involvement in the process and how state government works.  I also spoke about how the students are affected by legislation directed at their age group.  I hope the students came away with the realization that they can make a difference on how government is run and help to improve it.
     As you can see, many of the activities I participate in are to encourage younger Oklahomans to learn more about government.  I was sickened to see the events brought to light in DC this past week.  As a former staff member that worked with the State House Page Program, I was disgusted to hear about Congressman Foley's actions.  His removal from office should only be the beginning of his punishment.  Anyone that commits such actions deserves to receive the worst punishment distributed by our judicial system.
      At our state capitol, we take every precaution possible on both sides to make this a safe environment for the students.  Any improper action that a page in the State House chose often led to them being sent home early from the Capitol so as not to be a bad influence on the others.  Legislators in the State House are not allowed to leave the building with a page unless written authorization is given by the parents and that is only over the lunch period and it is usually with a group of legislators and pages together.  If I have a page attend session from my district, I want them protected by every means possible and I want the parents to feel safe that their children are watched under close scrutiny.
     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.

DORMAN CALLS FOR INCREASED FUNDING OF EDUCATION PROGRAM

Dorman Calls for Increased Funding of Education Program

OKLAHOMA CITY (October 6, 2006) - If the Oklahoma Legislature increases
funding for the Great Expectations teacher training program, it could
lead to a dramatic improvement in student performance across the state,
state Rep. Joe Dorman said today.

"Great Expectations is a proven program that dramatically
improves student learning," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "A relatively
small increase in funding could reap huge rewards for our school system
and state economy in the long run."

DORMAN AND JONES SEEK PERMANENT SOLUTION TO RETIRMENT FUND FOR TEACHERS

OKLAHOMA CITY (October 3, 2006)With Oklahoma teachers sitting on one of the worst funded retirement systems in the nation, state Representatives Joe Dorman and Tad Jones are determined to find a permanent funding solution that solidifies the system without shortchanging other funding needs.

"We have the worst teacher retirement system in the nation," said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. "Right now, our youngest teachers will not be able to rely on the current system to provide their pension when they are ready to retire. It is shameful that we have not put forth our best efforts to find a solution, especially when the state is obligated by law to do so."

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep. Joe Dorman

This past week and over the next two weeks, I have the opportunity to visit local schools and discuss state government and politics with the students and teachers.  I have done this every year in association with Legislator Back to School Week, a program sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures.  When I was a staff member for the State House, I was the lead staff member over this program so it is very important to me to participate in the program.  The students are well-versed in current affairs and politics, so it is enjoyable to discuss the impact of the elections, get those old enough registered to vote and let them realized that they can make a difference in how the state is run from the Capitol Building.   

   We also saw the grand opening of the new Atwood's store in Chickasha on Friday.  I was allowed to participate in part of the festivities and wish the store well.  These new businesses that are becoming a part of our communities will help build up the economy and allow for greater shopping opportunities for consumers.  Please remember to shop locally and support our vendors and keep our tax dollars at home where they can help our local economy.

     Saturday was a fun evening as the Elgin FFA held their labor auction to raise funds for their programs this year.  They set a new local record with the community support.  It's important to help out these school programs and support each of the local student groups.  We also had an excellent turnout from elected officials this year as contributions were received from Governor Brad Henry, Representative Jari Askins, Senator Don Barrington, Senator Randy Bass, County Commissioner Gail Turner and myself.  Don't forget to invite your elected officials to your events if you have fundraisers.  I find myself going to many local school events, fire department fundraisers and charity events every week.  These are great to see friends and support good causes.

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep. Joe Dorman

    Last week was a fast-paced week for me with the meetings in Washington, D.C.  The week started out with briefings on federal legislation and potential new laws that could be passed before the election cycle.  There are several funding bills currently being debated, but little has been done to this point in regards to a set compromise between the two legislative bodies and the White House.  The State Chamber of Commerce also held a reception for all the Oklahomans that work in D.C. to get to know the staff members better.

OPEN DOOR POLICY - by Rep. Joe Dorman

It is now the school year in full swing and many activities are gearing up. I know the Elgin FFA Labor Auction is set for Saturday, September 30th and many other school groups are starting to get their activities coordinated. Thursday, September 21 will be Cyril's Centennial, so try to make it out to their celebration. Hard work has been put into both these events and I know you will not be disappointed if you can make it.

I had the privilege this past week of attending several events in Washington, D.C. The State Chamber of Commerce held briefings regarding Homeland Security and potential new laws at the federal level. I was the only state legislator to attend these meetings and was honored to represent our area. This trip came out of my campaign account, so no government dollars covered this trip. I felt it was important to partake in these discussions and learn more about these upcoming issues.

The interim study regarding PTSD went very well and I hope we will see movement towards adequate funding on this issue. I have two upcoming studies regarding education issues that will be held over the next two weeks. These studies allow for legislators to learn more about the issues that could possibly be legislation in the upcoming year.

Last week, I had the honor of speaking to two different schools regarding civic involvement. I spoke to Ninnekah on Friday morning regarding Constitution Day and the importance on being active in voting. I also spoke to Mid-America Career Tech about civic involvement and the importance to participating in community activities. These students are preparing for careers and they also need the interaction with charities and civic groups to round out their education. Career Techs provide a great opportunity to advance towards a selected career and we are fortunate in Oklahoma to have the best system in the nation.

It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.

OPEN DOOR POLICY - by Rep. Joe Dorman

     I hope everyone had a great Labor Day!  It was nice to have the rain and no one really minded walking in the parades as it came down.  I was over in Henryetta Monday for the celebration and enjoyed watching the Elgin band perform there.  This is the largest Labor Day parade in the state and the marching band did an excellent job entertaining the crowd.

     Interim studies are about to begin around the Capitol.  My first one will be heard next Tuesday morning and will involve a look at programs offered to veterans regarding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  This impacts soldiers and used to be referred to as shell shock.  We are looking at the different levels suffered by our troops, percentages affecting returning soldiers and aid offered to them at both the state and federal levels.  Senator Randy Bass has also requested a similar study for the Senate to review.

     This past week, it was an honor to be invited to partake in the Living History Day in Fletcher.  Among the various booths teaching old-fashioned ways of living were square dancing, clothes washing and a display of antique tractors put on by the Poor Boys Tractor Club.  There was also a hand-stamped commemorative postmark celebrating the day that students could get on envelopes and the postmark stamp will be preserved in the local museum.  There were over 700 grade school students that visited this event and learned quite a bit about how their ancestors used to live.  It's these events in rural Oklahoma that better teach the kids about life and how things have changed.  Thanks to everyone that put on this very successful event!

     It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep. Joe Dorman

It was an eventful week around District 65 as the Rush Springs Watermelon Festival ran for the 62nd year, local officials met with the School Land Commission regarding the purchase of lands in Elgin to build an industrial park, Lawton held the Rangers Rodeo, Anadarko held the Indian Expo and Apache finished up their local fair.

You can tell it's almost time for school to start back up for a new year. This week I had the opportunity to attend the annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures. This group gets legislators and staff members from around the country together to share ideas and discuss federal policies and outcomes to states. This year, I was selected to serve on the Education Committee for NCSL.

We discussed classroom policies, mandates from the federal government on teachers and overall school issues that have worked in other states and could possibly be applied here in Oklahoma. There was also a display for classrooms of the 21st century that showed innovations and technology we might see in the very near future. One very interesting idea was college professors recording lectures so students can download them on the Internet should they miss a class. This was brought up to me last year at the coffee shop in Sterling and it was good to see it actually applied in some schools.

With the school year starting, I will be visiting each of the schools in the area to discuss the impact of new laws in Oklahoma with the teachers and make sure these laws are working as expected. Many times there are ideas that sound good, but prove to be too burdensome to actually apply. Several ideas last year were also killed that could have severely impacted rural schools.

My football schedules are currently at the printer and should be out in stores sometime next week. I'm trying to get them completed before the last scrimmage at each of the schools. I hope these schedules are beneficial to you in that if you can't travel to see your home team, you will make it to a neighboring school to watch their team play. Good luck to all the athletes this season and be careful. My old sports injuries are starting to pop and crack as the years pass by. Make sure you report something to the coach if you injure yourself and drink plenty of water in this heat. It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. I can be reached locally at (580) 476-2626, my e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.

OPEN DOOR POLICY - Rep. Joe Dorman

I want to start off by apologizing to anyone that has tried to email my office or call in the last week.  The network system at the House of Representatives has been down and it has been rejecting emails.  If you have tried to email either my work email or my joedorman.com account, things have been returned to the sender.  That has increased the amount of calls and Kelly has been trying to get them to me and get them sorted out.  It's amazing how people have become so addicted to the technology that they have forgotten how it was before computers and the internet.  Nonetheless, things should be fixed by the time this is printed in the papers.