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State Lawmakers Prepare to Tackle Severance Tax, Health Emergency Plan

State legislators have a busy agenda planned on Capitol Square this week.  A House committee is preparing to hear testimony from all sides regarding the proposed tax increase on oil and gas drilling. The bill’s sponsor says his plan would generate about $1.7 billion in net new revenue over the course of ten years. The oil and gas industry approves the legislation while others say it’s not aggressive enough.

Lawmakers could vote on a bill requiring the department of health to develop protocols regarding the availability of drugs when a public health emergency is declared by the governor.

The Senate will hear more testimony on a bill that would allow the state director of agriculture to regulate invasive insects that destroy plants.

A measure to declare May 12 as National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day and a resolution to name a portion of a highway after the late former legislator William Mallory are also scheduled for a possible vote.