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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Morel hunting to hospital prices: 5 new Oklahoma laws you might have missed
Did you know Oklahomans can soon forage for morel mushrooms on state property? Or that hospitals will face lawsuits for violating price transparency laws? While much of the news from Oklahoma's Capitol in recent weeks has focused on taxes and the state budget, an impressive number of other policy bills reached the final stage: The desk of Gov. Kevin Stitt. The governor decided this year to avoid personally taking action on bills he doesn't think are priorities. As of Wednesday, May 28, Stitt has allowed 234 bills to go into law without his signature. Last year it was just 19 bills. Out of the hundreds of new laws that will go into effect in 2025, here are five that you might not have heard about yet. Although Senate Bill 447 allows foraging for any edible plant or nut, Oklahomans might be especially interested to know that they can also soon start hunting for morel mushrooms on certain state-owned land. Finding and picking morels, considered a tasty but expensive variety of mushroom, has become a popular springtime activity. Starting Nov. 1 when the law officially goes into effect, sharp-eyed Oklahomans can expand their search to state-owned or state-managed property that is accessible to the public. Stitt chose not to sign the bill, but it still became a law because he didn't veto it before it took effect. Along with fungi, the bill also authorizes foraging for nuts and edible plants, like berries. Don't expect restaurant chefs to be traipsing through state parks looking for them, however. The law clearly states that the foraging must only be done for personal consumption. Foragers are encouraged to wear hunter safety vests. Foraging will be prohibited in university research crops, from plants that are threatened or endangered, along roads and highways, in areas owned by law enforcement or used for their training, and near correctional facilities and jails. In an attempt by its authors to streamline Oklahoma's open records process, authorities will be allowed to deny records requests that aren't "reasonably specific." The new law found in Senate Bill 535 codifies the right of public bodies to require people fill out a form if they're seeking government records. It also says that "if a records request does not describe the requested records with reasonable specificity," the public body can ask the requestor to clarify. It will become law, although without the governor's signature, on Nov. 1. The law says these three things meet the definition of reasonable specificity: Proposing a specific time frame for when records would have been created or transmitted Requesting identifiable records, instead of asking for general information without specifics, and Including search terms that will help the public body find those records If the requestor again fails to clarify, the public body can then deny the request. The bill's author, state Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, said it was a product of negotiations between the Oklahoma Municipal League and the Oklahoma Press Association. Daniels faced questions on the Senate floor about a provision in the bill that allows public bodies to ask for a deposit on records requests that will generate a cost to the requestor. Under existing Oklahoma law, governments can charge a copying fee of 25 cents per page. They can also charge a "reasonable fee" to cover the direct costs of searching and copying records if the request is made solely for a commercial purpose or if responding to the request would "clearly cause excessive disruption of the essential functions of the public body." Her bill lets governments require an advance deposit when the estimated cost of producing those records exceeds $75, or if the requestor has unpaid fees from previous requests. Oklahoma City Democratic Sen. Regina Goodwin questioned the lack of protections in the bill that would guarantee that a requestor who pays the deposit gets the records they asked for. However, state law already requires public bodies to be responsive to requests, and Daniels said the records request form authorized in her bill would help clarify what records are wanted. While both federal and state law require hospitals to post their prices online, patient advocates say that most Oklahoma hospitals aren't fully complying. Senate Bill 889 adds sharp teeth to require hospitals follow the state law. In their latest annual report, said it found that 37 out of 42 Oklahoma hospitals complied with price transparency laws. More: 2024 analysis finds Oklahoma hospitals not transparent enough when it comes to prices Starting Nov. 1 (a common date for new laws), anyone facing facing medical debt collection who believes a hospital is not in compliance with the state transparency law can sue to have a court determine whether that's the case. If so, the hospital will be barred from collecting any debt owed for the items or services. The hospital will also have to refund any payments and also pay a penalty equal to the amount of total debt. Senate Bill 889 also allows the State Department of Health to monitor each hospital's compliance request a corrective action plan. Hospitals that ignore the request or fail to follow their own corrective action plan can be penalized administratively by the department. Opponents of the bill expressed concern that rural hospitals who get caught up in a lawsuit would face yet another financial threat to their survival. Stitt signed the bill into law. Oklahoma law currently requires anyone who suspects child abuse or neglect to report it to authorities or face a misdemeanor charge, up to a year in county jail and a $500 fine. House Bill 2798, which after the governor's signature officially becomes law in November, increases the penalty to a felony if that person is a school administrator or superintendent. The new law requires superintendents and school administrators in both public and private schools to promptly report child abuse and neglect. If they knowingly and willfully fail to report, or if they interfere with another person's report, they could face between two and 10 years in state prison, a fine of at least $20,000, or both. They would also have to complete a term of community service. "School administrator" includes principals and anyone who performs a supervisory or administrative role in a school district. In the last week of session, Stitt signed a bill that could stop regulated electric utilities from offering incentives for customers to switch from natural gas. The incentives typically come in the form of appliance rebates, which help customers offset or eliminate the cost of compatible machines. Senate Bill 335 specifically bans the use of ratepayer-funded incentives and goes into effect July 1. During discussion on the House and Senate floors, opposition lawmakers criticized the bill as a protectionist measure to support the natural gas industry, especially because natural gas companies would still be able to utilize ratepayer income to incentivize switching. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Here's 5 new Oklahoma laws, from mushroom hunting to hospital prices
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wild mushrooms, onions or pecans? Foraging bill passes State Senate unanimously
A bill that would allow Oklahomans to forage for wild growing food on state property has passed the Oklahoma senate unanimously and now makes its way to the House for reconciliation and a possible trip to the governor's desk. Senate Bill 447's house author is Danny Sterling, who joined forces with Norman Senator Mary Boren. After passing the Senate, the bill will go back to the House. If no amendments are added, it will go on to Governor Kevin Stitt's desk. Senate co-author Boren, of Norman, said an adventure of her elderly mother–led her to file the bill. While out at Lake Thunderbird with Boren's mother-in-law, the two happened upon pecans growing wild at the park and they picked some up to bring home. That's when the park ranger told them they were breaking the law. 'The park ranger came up and kind of scolded them, and said, 'Y'all aren't supposed to be doing that,' Boren said. 'They talked themselves out of getting in trouble and kept the pecans, and they came home and with a little sparkle in their eye telling this story of how naughty they were for picking up pecans. But that got me thinking…Surely that's not really a law that people can't pick up pecans at a state park.' Turns out, it is generally against the law to forage for wild food at state parks, wildlife areas, or other state property, no matter how plump those persimmons, how green that poke salat is, or how savory those wild onions. Folks are mostly not allowed to pick them up. So, they tried a bill that would allow 'harvesting' wild foods, but it ran into trouble. Harvesting suggested equipment, combines, commercial operations. Probably not what her mother was trying to accomplish at Lake Thunderbird with the pecans. Instead, they tried a different word, 'forage,' which seems to fit the meaning. 'I wanted foraging to be legal. I didn't want harvesting, so I changed the bill,' Boren said. 'Then we defined what forage meant and it was just basically not for commercial purposes and you know, what one person could take.' This version went through the agricultural committee and the wildlife department. There were rules suggested that proper clothing be worn so foragers wouldn't get shot by turkey hunters; the kinds of things a country-oriented bill ought to be. They also ran into a 'morel' issue. 'Morel mushrooms come out right after turkey season,' Boren said. 'They were concerned that morel mushroom hunters would disrupt turkey nests and habitats because I guess they start nesting right after turkey season. They were also concerned about just foraging during deer season and all of that.' Rules were added not allowing foraging on prison grounds or the side of the interstate. Senator Julie McIntosh, a physician, asked Boren a question about the bill. 'She said, why don't you have fungi?' Boren said. 'I intended for mushrooms to be included and I just thought that they were under the definition of plants. Then she goes, 'Oh no. They are fungi.' and then I asked Siri, I said, 'Hey, Siri, are mushrooms, plants?' Nope, it's fungi. And so I amended my bill to include that word.' And the bill passed. Boren said she hopes that the bill will get a good reaction from Stitt's office. Wild foods are part of life in Oklahoma, she said. For instance, there's the staffer who has the Seminole recipe for wild onions. There are those who love to go pick blackberries, or 'dewberries' in the spring. Persimmons. Poke salat. 'Because just like the story about my mother and my mother-in-law, their story of going and getting pecans, people have stories of going out on horses and looking for blackberries and going out and looking for peaches and all kinds of really neat stories,' Boren said.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wanting to forage for berries and mushrooms? Bill would allow it on some state lands
Got a craving for morel mushrooms, pecans or wild blackberries? Oklahomans could forage for these and other edible plants on state land under a new bill. State Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, presented Senate Bill 447 to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Wildlife. It passed unanimously and is eligible to be heard on the Senate floor. Currently, foraging is not allowed on state land, and not even deer hunters can pick berries or mushrooms when they're hunting, she said. Boren filed the bill after her mother and mother-in-law were scolded by a park ranger at Lake Thunderbird for picking pecans. 'I get that it was no harm, no foul, just go on with your life, but it hit me that it's not appropriate to have a state law that discourages something that is very, very good,' Boren said. More: More foraging fun: Why this Oklahoma group is going wild for morel mushrooms The bill would allow people to forage for nuts and edible plants or fungi for personal use, but not resale, on some state-owned or state-managed properties. It would allow the Oklahoma Wildlife Commission to implement rules such as safety clothing during hunting seasons and preserve certain wildlife habitats, especially for turkeys. It's likely foraging won't be allowed on all state land. Exempt areas would include crops certified by the Oklahoma Agriculture Experiment Station system, the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service under the Oklahoma State University Division of Agriculture Science and Natural Resources. Other areas would include state- or university-owned test or research farms and property otherwise restricted for access by state or federal law. Another exemption is plants that are threatened or endangered. Be the first to know: Sign up for breaking news email alerts Senators were concerned about disrupting hunters and the safety of foragers if they went out during large game hunting seasons when rifles are permitted. Other senators asked if leased state land, for purposes such as cattle, could be added to the exemptions list. Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, said he was concerned about hunters having their abilities and rights encroached. 'People hunting morel mushrooms, they don't mind going anywhere and once they get on the hunt, they lose their mind sometimes. I know that because my grandfather was one of them,' he said. Nels Rodefeld, assistant director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, said that's something the agency has struggled with, and the discussion has been going on for about 20 years. He said they are committed to taking a thorough digest on the bill and being transparent to hunters and the public through the agency's rulemaking process. Sen. Jonathan Wingard, R-Ada, asked if foragers could be required to wear hunter orange during hunting season, as archery hunters are required to. She agreed to work on any changes that make foraging safer, but said other pieces of state land would fall under other jurisdictions. Wingard also asked if the state would assume any liability for people who become ill or died if they ate something they shouldn't have. Boren said she didn't think so because the state isn't telling people to go forage. She's hoping nature centers will be able to host foraging classes. 'Well, the neat thing about living in Oklahoma is that we like to try things and see what happens,' she said. 'What I noticed in Oklahoma is how connected we are to surviving off the land and that is something unique to Oklahoma.' This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Foraging for wild plants on Oklahoma land could be made legal
