Chips OK to track Rover, but not humans 
Capitol Spotlight for weeklies for week of Feb. 11, 2007
By Jim Campbell
OPA Capitol News Bureau
 
Microchips may be okay to track old Rover, but lawmakers would draw the line at involuntary use by employers, hospitals or others to keep tabs on humans.
"This is an opportunity to deal with 21st Century technology before it overwhelms us," said Sen. Ben Crain, R-Tulsa, explaining his Senate Bill 47.
Ensuing debate raised a vision of "Big Brother" and prompted serious questions about using chips to locate children or wandering dementia sufferers.
Approved on a 6-2 vote with its title stricken to assure further refinement, the bill allows the State Health Department to impose a fine of up to $10,000 a day on anyone requiring chip implantation.
It was one of many bills sent to the floor of the two chambers during the first week of the 2007 Legislature, which opened in a professed spirit of bipartisanship, tempered with caution on both sides.
A constituent requested the implant bill, Crain said, fearing employers and hospitals might require the chips to track workers and process patients.
Crain had no problem with anyone who chose to have a chip, but found it frightening as a condition of employment.
"I share your concerns about George Orwell's Big Brother Theory," said Sen. Constance Johnson, D-Oklahoma City.
Crain said he had no evidence that anyone is now requiring chip insertion, but said manufacturers are marketing it for animals.
If considered necessary, he said, parents could make decisions for their minor children and court-appointed guardians could act for people who might have lost the mental capacity to decide for themselves.
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A smoking ban at zoos is intended to protect the public, particularly children, not the animals.
The Health and Resources Committee sent SB 473 by Sen. Cliff Brannan, R-Oklahoma City, expanding the state law on smoking to out-of-doors.
"Right now, there's a loophole in the state's law banning smoking in public places because those places are defined as indoors only," Brannan said.
The same committee also approved bills requiring licensed group homes to offer healthy food options and exercise, establish an Oklahoma Task Force on Hunger and call off athletic practice for kids 13 and under when the heat index hits 95 degrees.
The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma said efforts of various groups working to reduce hunger are not coordinated. It said Oklahoma is one of the 10 worst states for hunger and food insecurity, with nearly 15 percent of its population at risk.
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A bill that might have carved a big hole in Oklahoma's open records law was amended to change a troublesome word and passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
As written, SB 163 by Sen. Owen Laughlin, R-Woodward, would have allowed two county commissioners, for instance, to meet informally ahead of a meeting "if no business is conducted."
At the request of Mark Thomas, executive vice president of the Oklahoma Press Association, Laughlin changed "conducted" to "discussed."
Allowing a majority of a public body to talk about any subject, leaving only the formal vote for the official meeting, would essentially shut the public out of discussion that led to action, Thomas said.
Under the amendment officials could get together, enjoy a Christmas party or the like, but could not talk about the public's business.
The House Education Committee approved a bill intended to stop the highly lucrative practice of universities selling student information for solicitation by credit card companies.
Rep. Ben Sherrer, D-Pryor, said he wanted to protect students and their families from the huge credit card debt that sometimes occurs.  His HB 1307 states that information could not be released for students who did not initial their consent on enrollment forms.
That's contrary to the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which says directory information is public unless students opt against it, Thomas said. Oklahoma law mirrors the federal law. A FERPA violation could imperil federal funds, he said.
The bill passed, 14-2.
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