The state legislature may have adjourned for the year in May, but that doesn’t mean the state Capitol is now a quiet place. Lots of interim studies, joint committees, and task force meetings are drilling down to look at what legislative changes should possibly occur next session.

Congressional newspaper TheHill.com recently released their list of top association lobbyists in Washington, D.C., and there are six Oklahomans who made their list.

Yesterday, I wrote that there would be three new legislators at the state Capitol in 2012. After two resignations and a death, special elections have occurred, and are scheduled for next month and beyond, to replace one state senator and two representatives with three new legislators.

Some would like to see pseudoephedrine as a Schedule III drug. And if that change occurs, you would need a prescription from a doctor to get it.

Oklahoma’s liquor laws are in the state constitution. The rules that liquor stores must follow are strict and the bar has been purposefully set high to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors. Would the bar be set equally high for grocery stores?

State Rep. Gary Banz has an interesting idea: let’s shrink the state legislature. Banz believes that as lawmakers seek to downsize state government they should include themselves in the process.

Some big policy issues are getting a thorough review this summer. Three legislative committees are already busy looking at tax incentives, the new federal health care law, and the future of Oklahoma’s water. Two of these committees have already met, and another will begin with a hearing in September. Here is a summary of the committees and what the legislators are studying.

Websites aren’t free. And as the public expects more and more from government websites, including real-time updates, alternate mobile formats, and greater amounts of information, this is a good way to fund those improvements

In Oklahoma, the legislature went to an all-laptop system in 2007. Their goal was also saving on paper and printing costs, and many other legislative tasks have gone digital or paperless.

It’s often referred to as a “back-to-school” sales tax holiday, but that’s technically not what it is. And one state representative believes the law should be changed to include school supplies and remove unnecessary items.