Stitt opens Governor's DC office, hires ex-Lucas aide as lobbyist to represent state

GOVERNOR STITT ANNOUNCES OPENING OF D.C. OFFICE, NAMES CHRISTINA GUNGOLL LEPORE AS DIRECTOR OF THE GOVERNOR’S WASHINGTON, D.C. OFFICEOKLAHOMA CITY (March 26, 2021) – Today Governor Kevin Stitt named Christina Gungoll Lepore as Director of the Governor’s Washington, D.C. Office. A fourth generation Oklahoman originally from...

Gov. Stitt commend State Board to upholding statute, affirm charter schools are public schools

GOVERNOR STITT STATEMENT ON STATE BOARD DECISION TO UPHOLD STATUTE, AFFIRM CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLSOKLAHOMA CITY (March 29, 2020)— Governor Kevin Stitt released the following statement in response to the State Board of Education’s decision last week to settle a nearly 4-year-old lawsuit with the Oklahoma Charter School...

County-by-county voter registration swings, 2020 to 2021

Here is the latest installment of my long-running Voter Registration Maps series. These statistics are from the annual January 15th report from the State Election Boa...

1889 Institute: School district funding during Covid-19 made worse by bad policy

Stress of School District Funding During Covid-19 Made Worse by Bad PolicyBy Tyler Williamson, 1889 InstituteA recent article in The Oklahoman discussed the financial impact of the mid-year funding adjustment for Oklahoma school districts. School administrators bemoaned the adjustment, citing the hardships of the pandemic....

OCPA column: federal bailout money is a bad trade

A bad tradeBy Jonathan SmallWhat if someone offered to serve you nothing but dessert every day for a month—but in exchange you had to promise that you would forgo the opportunity to buy health food for the rest of the year? From an economic standpoint, that’s what congressional Democrats have offered Oklahoma with the latest...

State House Committee passes bill to modify agency rule approval process

O’Donnell Wins Committee Passage of Bill to Modify Agency Rule Approval ProcessOKLAHOMA CITY – House Speaker Pro Tempore Terry O’Donnell, R-Catoosa, on Tuesday passed a bill in the House Administrative Rules Committee that he said will ensure agency rules go through a more transparent and thorough process before being approved...

GOP Fever: Oklahoma's 2021 Voter Registration Map

I'm a bit behind due to recent craziness with work, but here we go with the latest installment of my long-running Voter Registration Maps series. These statistics are from the annual January 15th report from the State Election Board. (For nostalgia purposes, Democrats can look at my first map and see how much of Oklahoma...

Gov. Stitt appoints Tricia Everest as Secretary of Public Safety

GOVERNOR STITT APPOINTS TRICIA EVEREST AS SECRETARY OF PUBLIC SAFETY|Everest to be fifth woman serving in Stitt CabinetOKLAHOMA CITY (March 22, 2021)— Governor Kevin Stitt today announced he has appointed attorney, nonprofit founder and philanthropist Tricia Everest as Secretary of Public Safety. Upon Senate confirmation, Everest...

1889 Institute: COVID shows why gov't collective bargaining should be illegal

COVID-19 Illuminates Why Collective Bargaining with Government Employees Should Be IllegalBy Byron SchlomachBy one recent ranking of the fifty states and the District of Columbia, Oklahoma’s public schools are 48th in quality. Texas is big, diverse, and has immigration issues; nevertheless, it ranks 30th, ahead of Missouri...

Small: Critical race theory’s harms widespread

Critical race theory’s harms widespreadBy Jonathan SmallWhat do Pepé Le Pew and a high-school student in Las Vegas have in common? Both are targets of adherents of Marxist-derived “critical race theory” and its offshoots—and many Oklahomans could soon join them.Pepé Le Pew drew attention when a New York Times columnist, soon...

Attorneys General ask Treasury Secretary Yellen to clarify stimulus language infringing on states' rights

Attorney General Hunter Asks Treasury Secretary Yellen to Clarify Position on Federal Control of State Finances OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Mike Hunter today sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen asking her to clarify whether the last-minute provision added to the latest coronavirus stimulus package strips...

State House passes resolutions asserting state sovereignty, challenging federal overreach

Resolutions Asserting State Sovereignty Adopted by Oklahoma House of RepresentativesOKLAHOMA CITY – House Resolutions 1009 and 1010 sponsored by Rep. Jay Steagall, R-Yukon, were adopted in the Oklahoma House of Representatives today. The two resolutions assert Oklahoma’s state sovereignty in the face of multiple attempts by...

Jim Bridenstine endorses Sen. James Lankford's 2022 reelection bid

LANKFORD ENDORSED BY JIM BRIDENSTINE Former NASA Administrator and Oklahoma Congressman backs United States Senator in 2022 re-election bid(Oklahoma City) – Former NASA Administrator and Oklahoma Congressman Jim Bridenstine announced today his endorsement of U.S. Senator James Lankford when he is up for reelection next...

OCPA column: Prioritizing free speech for teachers

Prioritizing free speech for teachersBy Jonathan SmallHow important is the right of free speech to you? To some, but fortunately not all, lawmakers, it’s not even worth a piece of paper and an email.The nation’s two major teachers’ unions—the National Education Association and the American Federation for Teachers—both support...

See where Oklahoma's $3.65B COVID-19 relief funds are going

The recently passed $1.9 trillion in new COVID-19 stimulus/relief funds are beginning to be distributed this week. In addition to direct payments to individuals, a substantial amount of money, some $360 billion, is going to state and local governments. Here's some information on that from reporter Jamie Dupree.According...

Legislation to modernize Oklahoma’s cosmetology laws passes House

Legislation to Modernize Oklahoma’s Cosmetology Laws Passes HouseOKLAHOMA CITY – A bill that seeks to take away some of the red tape for Oklahoma’s barber and cosmetology professionals passed the House today with bipartisan support. House Bill 1807, authored by Rep. Forrest Bennett, D-OKC, modifies the current Oklahoma...

Omnibus gun rights measure passes Oklahoma House

Omnibus Firearms Bill Passes the HouseOKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday evening which modifies the provisions for the carrying and possession of firearms in certain circumstances. The measure also cleans up and clarifies language from Oklahoma’s 2019 Constitutional Carry Law.House Bill...

Senate passes bill to align school board elections with regular primary and general election dates

It's about time this happened:Senate approves bill aimed at increasing voter participation in school board electionsOKLAHOMA CITY – Low turnout is far too common in local school board elections, but that trend would change thanks to a bill approved Wednesday by the Oklahoma Senate.Senate Bill 962, from Senate President Pro...

House passes bill allowing school boards to authorizing school personnel to carry firearms

Bill Authorizing School Personnel to Carry Firearms Passes HouseOKLAHOMA CITY – A bill allowing boards of education to adopt policies authorizing school personnel to carry firearms on school campuses passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives Tuesday evening.  House Bill 2588, sponsored by Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy,...

1889 Institute: False Alarm -- Climate Change is not going to kill us all

False Alarm: Climate Change is not Going to Kill Us AllBy Spencer CadavaroIn recent years, apocalyptic predictions of climate change have been popular. As politicians and activists push their preferred policies to supposedly prevent climate change, their claims of what will happen if we do not adopt them grow more severe. One...

House passes bill to require passing citizenship test as graduation requirement, Dems oppose

Believe it or not, but I actually am sympathetic to the argument the House Dems make in their press release response to the passage of this bill. Read on:O’Donnell Bill To Require Citizenship Test for Students Passes HouseOKLAHOMA CITY – House Speaker Pro Tempore Terry O’Donnell, R-Catoosa, on Monday won passage of a bill in...

Small: No excuse for lack of health care transparency

No excuse for lack of health care transparencyBy Jonathan SmallWe all know someone who has been price-gouged with a surprise medical bill.Carolyn Coburn, widow of former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, recently made headlines when she revealed one Tulsa hospital sought to charge her (and her insurer) $4,000 combined for a COVID-19 test.“Nobody...

600,000 masks given to Oklahoma schools by anonymous donor

More than 600,000 masks going to Oklahoma schools, thanks to anonymous donorOKLAHOMA CITY (March 8, 2021) – Thanks to an anonymous donor, every public school in Oklahoma will receive four KN95 masks for every teacher and school staffer. These shipments come at a time when the vast majority of school districts are having in-person...

Column: SB734 is a prescription for lower-quality care

Price Controls Are Bad Medicine for Vulnerable Americansby Naomi Lopez and Rafael Fonseca, MDSenate Bill 734 would establish price controls on cutting-edge drug treatments, making it illegal for any health plan to purchase drug treatments where the price exceeded a government-determined reference price. This would apply...

Schlomach: the high duty of elected officials and ways they fall short

The High Duty of Elected Officials and Ways They Fall ShortBy Byron SchlomachWith a legislative session starting, it’s worth considering - What is the central, over-arching duty of an elected official? The Oklahoma Constitution’s oath of office requires Oklahoma public officials swear to “support, obey, and defend” the constitutions...

New PAC launches to support Oklahoma Republican women running for office

NEW POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE LAUNCHES TO SUPPORT OKLAHOMA REPUBLICAN WOMEN RUNNING FOR ELECTED OFFICEOKLAHOMA CITY (March 5, 2021)— A new Political Action Committee (PAC) launched today to help build the bench of Republican women running for elected office across Oklahoma.The Promoting Oklahoma Women in Elections & Representation...

Galbraith: train wreck legislation demonstrates the need for public testimony

Train Wreck Legislation Demonstrates the Need for Public TestimonyBy Brad GalbraithShutting out Oklahomans’ voices in the legislative process leads to uninformed public policy. A recent hearing of the House Transportation Committee serves as just one example of the testimony deficiency in Oklahoma’s legislative process.The...

State House passes bill prohibiting forced closure of churches, places of worship

House Passes Bill Prohibiting Forced Closure of Places of WorshipOKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives passed legislation to protect religious freedom and the constitutional right to worship.Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, presented House Bill 2648, also known as the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, which dictates...

Small: For economic growth, personal income tax matters most

For economic growth, personal income tax matters mostBy Jonathan SmallWith Democrats holding Congress and the White House, most officials expect states to soon receive yet another round of federal bailout funding. That will translate into hundreds of millions of dollars flowing into Oklahoma government.Without doubt, that federal...

1889 Institute: study shows Dental Assistant licensing is unnecessary

NEW STUDY: DENTAL ASSISTANT LICENSING UNNECESSARYDental assistants are licensed in only nine states, and in Oklahoma only since 2015.OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (March 3, 2021) – The 1889 Institute has published “Dental Assistant Licensing in Oklahoma,” which applies criteria the Institute has applied to other licensing laws and finds...

House passes bill to allow snow cone stands to stay open year-round

Have you ever scratched your head and wondered just why government can be so stupid? Try this one: in Oklahoma, snow cone stands cannot operate year-round. Because government is just stupid.State Rep. Lonnie Sims is trying to change that, and his bill would allow snow cone stands that also sell hot beverages to apply for a...

State and National Data Show Steep Decline in Nursing Home COVID Cases

State and National Data Show Steep Decline in Nursing Home COVID CasesMany Facilities Poised to Loosen Visitation RestrictionsOKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 26th) – Data released by the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) shows that new COVID-19 infections in long-term care (LTC) facilities have fallen to less than 10 percent of...

Important work: State House passes bill... designating rescue animals the State Pet

 Looks like the State House has been busy with some really important matters...McBride Bill to Name Rescue Animals the State Pet Passes HouseOKLAHOMA CITY – State Rep. Mark McBride’s dog Cali gets another shot at fame this year after her owner once again successfully won passage of a bill designating rescue animals the...