Oklahoma Corrections Professionals

2/26/10 Update to Action Alert: 

Thanks to the MANY of you who called, emailed, and sent letters to Representative Billy last week. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts at the Capitol and with all that member correspondence - Representative Billy still refused to give HB2465 a hearing.  Not only that, but she also refused to allow the bill to be reassigned for a hearing in another committee.  So for the time being, HB2465 is dead.    

For those of you who are getting responses this week from the Representative's office saying that she didn't hear the bill because it would have cost the state money, don't be fooled.  While the Office of Personnel Management said our original version of the bill might have cost their agency some money to administer it, we met with OPM and came up with a compromise and submitted a bill to Representative Billy that OPM guaranteed would cost them no money.  While the Representative knew of this, she still refused. 

We may be down, but we're not out!  

While 2465 is dead, there will be many opportunities this session to amend existing bills to include language similar to the language in 2465.  We will continue to fight to ensure that OCP is granted the same rights as every other existing association in the State: to allow retirees to be members and to be free of membership requirements that apply only to us.  This was OCP's first time to officially ask all you members to get involved by contacting the legislature on a specific issue.  While we didn't get the outcome we hoped for, don't be discouraged.  The word is spreading around the Capitol that OCP's members are willing to get involved and do what's necessary for the betterment of their careers.  As that word is spreading, we're only getting stronger. 

Each day of the legislative session, OCP staff has been at the Capitol, spreading the word about a new association that is over 2,000 members strong.  In the first three weeks of session, we met personally with over thirty legislators, each time explaining that OCP was formed to bring new focus to Corrections and the needs of its thousands of employees.  

But we can only talk about you 2,000+ members for so long.  From time to time, we need you to MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD to remind those legislators just how loud thousands of people with a common goal can be.  Click on the link to learn how you can help!  

House Bill 2645, the bill that would permit OCP to allow retirees to be members (we’re the ONLY association in the State prohibited from it now) and would remove the membership requirements we have to meet each month to exist (we’re the ONLY association in the State who has to meet those requirements now), has been assigned to the House General Government Committee.  Representative Lisa Billy (R-Purcell) chairs the committee and currently says she does not plan to give the bill a hearing.  This bill is vitally important to the continued existence of OCP and if it isn’t heard next Tuesday, the 23^rd, it will be dead. 

OCP, WE NEED YOUR HELP TO CONVINCE REPRESENTATIVE BILLY TO HEAR THE BILL!  Whether you’re from her district or not, if you’re a member of OCP (or a family member of an OCP member, or a supporter of OCP, you get the picture) we need you to call or email the Representative’s office before noon on Monday and ask her to give the bill a hearing. 

If you’d like to help, here’s an example of the type of email or phone call we need (it’s easy!):

In the subject line, put “Please give HB 2645 a hearing!”

Representative Billy, 

I am a member of the Oklahoma Corrections Professionals, the state’s largest law-enforcement association with over 2,000 members working for the Department of Corrections and the Pardon and Parole Board.  Please give House Bill 2645 a hearing in your General Government Committee next Tuesday.  Right now, OCP is the only employee association in the State that has a minimum membership requirement and is prohibited from allowing retirees to be members.  HB2645 would fix this problem. 

Each month, a portion of my membership dues goes to the Oklahoma Correctional Employees Memorial Foundation to support the construction of a memorial to honor Corrections workers killed in the line of duty.  With the passage of HB2645, you will ensure the continued existence of OCP and the fulfillment of our goals of building the memorial. 

I would appreciate your support. 

Sincerely,

That’s it.  You can copy and paste this email exactly, write one of your own, or just call her office and ask her assistant to pass along the message – any contact helps!  And always remember to be polite in your communication on behalf of OCP. 

Contact Representative Billy at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (405) 557-7365.

Thank you for your help, OCP!  “When we stand together, no one can stand against us!”