“This election year, if business is not at the table, we’ll be “on the menu” for lunch.  It’s time to get serious!”

Dana Weber, President & CEO
Webco Industries, Sand Springs
660 employees

2010 Prosperity Project Chairmen: Get Out Your Vote July 27th! – Prosperity Project companies like yours helped employees register to vote for Primary Election.  Now you’re sending your team to www.okprosperity.com to learn about their candidates’ stand on economic issues. Watch your email box Monday for your “Get Out Your Vote!” Toolkit.  Three breakroom posters and email messages will help voters to “Vote Early”, “Vote Tuesday”, and “Vote Today”.  To get yours, click here.
Contact Kris Rush.


Vote Early! – Next Wednesday, July 21st is the last day to get your absentee ballot application for the Primary.  Of course, you can also vote early at your County Election Office on July 23rd, 24th, and 26th. More Info.
Contact Kris Rush.

CNBC Ranks Oklahoma #1 In Cost Of Living, #3 In Cost Of Doing Business – In a report issued this week, CNBC scored all 50 states—using publicly available data—on 40 different measures of competitiveness. States received points based on their rankings in each metric. Those metrics were then separated into the ten broad categories, with input from business groups including the National Association of Manufacturers. The categories were weighted based on how frequently each is cited in state economic development marketing materials.  Ranking #3 in Cost of Doing Business moved Oklahoma up six slots from #6 in last year’s report.  Overall, Oklahoma ranked right in the middle at #25, with Texas ranking #1 overall.  To read the full report, click here.
Contact Mike Seney.

NAM Calls Off-Shore Drilling Moratorium “A Mistake” – The State Chamber’s national manufacturing ally, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) issued a news release this week in which they stated that, “(the) announcement by the Obama Administration to place a new moratorium on any deep-water floating facility with drilling activities is a mistake. Manufacturers believe it is critically important to understand the causes of the Gulf of Mexico accident." Furthermore said the NAM, "the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals have already spoken, and this new moratorium will only put our nation's economy at a greater disadvantage." Those who are responsible for making and supplying "equipment, services, engines, boats and materials such as steel and concrete will also suffer massive economic consequences as a result of the Administration's overly broad moratorium." Americans should know that "the expansion and development of the Outer Continental Shelf is vital to affordable, reliable energy and the long-term health of our economy and the prosperity of American workers."
Contact Ronn Cupp or Mike Seney.

Tort Liability Costs Small Business Billions – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), has issued a report, "Tort Liability Costs for Small Business." According to their news release, “A new study…shows that small businesses shoulder a tremendous burden of the nation's tort liability costs, having paid $105.4 billion in 2008…The study, Tort Liability Costs for Small Business, conducted for ILR by NERA Economic Consulting, also found that small businesses (those with $10 million or less in annual revenue) paid, collectively, $35.6 billion out-of-pocket rather than through insurance."  The news release can be read by clicking here.
Contact Mike Seney.

Reid Looking To Unveil Climate Plan Before August Recess – Politico (7/13, Davenport) reports that "the next three weeks represent Democrats' last, best shot at getting an energy and climate change bill passed this year," as "people on every side of the energy debate" say that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid "must unveil a concrete plan backed by a full-court press from the president this week, or the entire effort will fall apart in the run-up to the midterm elections." Reid "is set to meet this week with the five Senate committee leaders who hold jurisdiction over slices of energy and climate legislation," and "he will give them a scaled-down menu of options prepared by his staff and tell them to assemble an energy package that could get 60 votes." Meanwhile, "lobbyists and staffers say they are already starting to see the contours of legislation that is likely to come to the Senate floor -- an oil-reform plus clean-electricity measure that sidesteps limits on carbon emissions."
Contact Ronn Cupp.

Likely Voters Split On Kagan Confirmation – A Zogby Interactive Poll taken July 7-11 indicates that likely voters say, by a slim margin, 45 percent to 43 percent, that the full Senate should confirm Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan.  Opposition is up from one month ago when support was 46 percent to 35 percent.  The poll measured the responses of 2,055 likely voters. 
Contact Ronn Cupp.

Employment Security Commission Issues Economic Indicators Report – The Economic and Research Analysis division of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission regularly issues a series of eight reports on units of analysis that can be used in part to help determine the status of Oklahoma's economy.  Click here to access the full report.
Contact Mike Seney.

Gubernatorial Candidate Forum Scheduled – The State Chamber and our Small Business Council is presenting a gubernatorial candidate forum luncheon on Tuesday, October 26th, at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City.  This event, moderated by Dick Pryor, host of the Oklahoma Forum on OETA-TV, will feature the final candidates for Oklahoma’s Governor and is scheduled exactly one week before the election.  More details will come soon!
Contact Matt Robison.

OSHA Schedules Information & Training Program On Development Of Safety And Health Management Programs – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) believes effective safety and health management programs are critical to accident prevention. Toward that end, OSHA has proposed regulatory action that would require employers to develop and implement such programs.

Speakers from the Oklahoma City Area Office of OSHA and the Oklahoma Department of Labor/Consultation will talk about a framework for such programs, as well as similar programs in place.  Click here for the attached notice and schedule of information and training sessions on OSHA’s Injury and Illness Programs (I2P2) proposed rule.
Contact Mike Seney.