Bill tying unemployment benefits to labor market among latest signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt

Legislation linking unemployment benefits to the job market has been signed into law, Gov. Kevin Stitt’s office said Monday.

The measure, House Bill 1933, by Rep. Ryan Martinez, R-Edmond, was among 35 signed on Friday by Stitt. 

While shepherding his bill through the Legislature, Martinez said it is intended to encourage people receiving unemployment benefits to re-enter the workforce as soon as possible. He also said it’s intended to protect the state’s unemployment insurance fund, which was hit hard during the pandemic but is still considered one of the soundest in the country.

The bill creates a sliding scale of 16 to 26 weeks of unemployment eligibility, depending on the number of Oklahomans filing for benefits. The fewer filing, the shorter the eligibility period.

Critics say the new law is punitive and does not take into consideration individuals who will need retraining even in a strong labor market.

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The law is effective Jan. 1.

Among the other measures signed Friday by Stitt was Oklahoma’s attempt to limit automated sales calls.

HB 3168, by Rep. Logan Phillips, R-Mounds, is limited because the state has no jurisdiction on calls originating outside of Oklahoma, but to the extent possible it bans robocalls without “prior express written consent” and calls that do not register the actual originating telephone number on call ID displays.

HB 3158 is effective Nov. 1.

Stitt also signed the Legislature’s response to a contingency fee agreement that netted three law firms $60 million from a $270 million settlement between the state and Purdue Pharma three years ago.

The biggest share of the money went to an addiction research center at the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa.

Stitt and many lawmakers were upset because then-Attorney General Mike Hunter entered into the arrangement and agreed to the unusual settlement without consulting them, and because they thought the lawyers’ 22% cut was too high. 

Although a 20-25% contingency fee is not exceptional, lawmakers grumbled that the total amount should have been capped.

Under Senate Bill 984, by Sen. Kim David, the lawyers in the opioid case would have only received 5% — if they had taken the case at all.

The bill establishes a sliding contingency scale ranging from 5% to 25%, depending on the size of the settlement. Settlements of more than $25 million would be subject to the lowest percentage, those below $10 million to the highest.

The bill, which becomes effective Nov. 1, also places numerous conditions on the state’s hiring of outside attorneys on a contingency basis.

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