State Chamber
The State Chamber of Oklahoma unveiled its 2013 legislative agenda today. This year, the State Chamber’s top priorities will be to overhaul the state’s broken and adversarial workers’ compensation system into an administrative model and developing our workforce to ensure Oklahoma students are both college and career ready upon high school graduation.
“We have an ambitious agenda this legislative session and we look forward to working with our legislators and the governor to move our state forward economically next year,” said State Chamber President Fred Morgan. “Workers’ compensation costs have long been the top concern of our members, no matter large or small businesses, or urban or rural. We have to stop tinkering around the edges with our state’s broken workers’ compensation system and start over with an administrative approach that has seen much success in lowering rates in other states, all while continuing to protect the workers.”
The State Chamber’s 2013 Legislative Agenda is divided into four main categories: Business Climate/Competiveness; Economic Development, Innovation and Technology; Workforce Development; and Infrastructure.
“Much of the Oklahoma business community is focused on their day-to-day operations and don’t have time to closely follow what is happening at the state Capitol. But, legislation passed each session greatly affects their ability to do business in our state,” said State Chamber Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Gwendolyn Caldwell. “It is our job, as the statewide voice for the Oklahoma business community at the Capitol, to ensure the laws passed will help grow our economy and investment in our state.”
“Oklahoma has experienced much success in recent years as other states have struggled in the national recession. It is critical that we continue our momentum,” said T. Hastings Siegfried, Vice Chairman at NORDAM in Tulsa and the Chairman of the State Chamber. “We are incredibly lucky to have state and legislative leaders who understand business and know what it takes to grow Oklahoma’s economy. As the voice of the Oklahoma business community at the state Capitol, we look forward to working with these leaders on our 2013 legislative agenda.”
