Oklahoma City, OK – Today, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, and the American Farmers and Ranchers, all proudly endorsed conservative John O’Connor for Attorney General of Oklahoma.
Legislative Republicans Comment on Tax Credits and Woke Ideology
OKLAHOMA CITY – Various legislators have signed onto the below statement, authored by Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, expressing their concerns about ideology that could be brought by Project Ocean on Oklahoma taxpayer's dime.
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 27, 2022) – Governor Kevin Stitt announced today the appointment of Timothy Downing to serve on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals. Downing’s appointment fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Trevor Pemberton effective October 18, 2021.
After calling a special session to remove the grocery sales tax and cut personal income taxes, plus vetoing legislation that would have instead given "inflation relief" checks of $75 per taxpayer (that apparently would be taxable federal income?), Governor Stitt has some fiscally conservative organizations lending him support:
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 26, 2022) – Governor Kevin Stitt’s call for the Legislature to deliver Oklahomans real relief, right now is being praised by a broad coalition.
Good:
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 27th) – Senate Bill 615 was signed into law Wednesday, requiring restrooms or changing rooms in Oklahoma public schools to be designated exclusively based on biological sex. Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, a strong proponent against school indoctrination of Oklahoma’s students, said his legislation will further protect their rights when it comes to having privacy in school bathrooms.
While the regular session has adjourned, there are two special (or extraordinary) sessions that will take place throughout June, possibly longer. The first was called by the Legislature to deal with distributing federal stimulus funds, while the second was called by Gov. Stitt to deal with inflation relief via eliminating the grocery sales tax and cutting the personal income tax.
Here's the official press release on the conclusion of the regular session, from the office of Speaker Charles McCall. I'll probably have more to follow this post:
House adjourns Sine Die after historic pro-growth investments in Oklahoma's future
This will be the second special session for the summer, following a concurrent session called by the Legislature itself. Set the stage for another tussle between the Governor and Legislature.
GOVERNOR STITT CALLS SPECIAL SESSION TO DELIVER REAL INFLATION RELIEF TO OKLAHOMANS
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 26, 2022) – Governor Kevin Stitt today announced he is calling a special session of the Legislature beginning June 13 to eliminate the state sales tax on groceries and reduce the personal income tax for all Oklahomans.
Rep. Eric Roberts' Election Bills Become Law
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 25, 2022) – Two bills by Rep. Eric Roberts, R-Oklahoma City, to make absentee ballot requests more secure and facilitate earlier identification of voters who have moved or died were signed into law on Friday.
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 25th) – The governor this week signed into a law a bill that exempts from personal property taxes livestock used to support a family, beginning in January 2023.
Dr. Randy Grellner of Cushing is one of the 13 Republican candidates seeking to replace retiring U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe. Amid the crowded field, I missed any news about his candidacy, until my wife saw his campaign represented at a local event. Somewhat ashamed that I had no recollection of his candidacy (haha!), I checked out his website, only to find out that he was dropping an astounding $786,000 on a media buy.
What?!
It's not often that a no-name, no-news candidate drops three quarters of a million dollars on a TV ad.
Oklahoma Second Amendment Association Gave AG John O’Connor An "A+" Rating
Tulsa, OK (May 19th) – In an effort to confuse Oklahomans from Gentner Drummond’s $1,000 donation to Joe Biden for President, Drummond’s liberal allies are running an attack ad against Oklahoma’s conservative Attorney General John O’Connor on the issue of the Second Amendment.
The truth is, Attorney General John O’Connor has an “A+” rating from the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association because O’Connor has always supported and defended the Second Amendment
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 20th) – With just days left in the legislative session, Sen. Shane Jett has amended House Bill 2335 to restrict state agencies from imposing vaccine mandates and requiring vaccine passports. The Shawnee Republican is encouraging Oklahomans to call their local senators and share their support of the legislation and ask that it be approved immediately. A list of state Senators is available at http://www.oklegislature.gov.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, said he fully supports Sen. Nathan Dahm, R- Broken Arrow, for filing Senate Resolution 47, which would recognize June 14, 2022, as President Donald J. Trump Day in Oklahoma.
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 20th) – A bill protecting K-12 school-aged children from access to pornographic or obscene material in schools or libraries or through online digital libraries was signed into law by the governor this week.
Oklahoma’s tribal governments have their own police forces, their own court systems, and immense wealth from casinos to pay for their public-safety responsibilities. So why did tribal entities recently seek an indirect subsidy from state government?
Lawmakers recently passed House Bill 3501, which would have required the Department of Public Safety to “recognize and act” upon a report of conviction from any tribal court in Oklahoma. Supporters said the bill would target drunk drivers, but tribal courts can issue orders regarding issues other than DUI violations, and it appears the legislation could have required state police to carry out a wide range of orders on behalf of tribal governments.
Fortunately, Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed the bill, writing that it would have required state law-enforcement officials “to carry out tribal court adjudications, no questions asked.” That’s worth stressing because tribal courts can issue orders that might not pass legal muster in Oklahoma’s state court system.
To cite one prominent example, the Cherokee council approved an “Anti-Harassment Act” that allows tribal officials to obtain tribal-court ordered restraining orders against any individual who “annoys” officials, apparently including through social-media posts made “over time, however short.”
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 20th) – The Oklahoma House of Representatives today approved a general appropriations bill that includes funding of about $9.7 billion for state services for Fiscal Year 2023, which starts July 1.
Senate Bill 1040 now moves to the governor for his final action. The governor has until Thursday, May 26 at midnight to act on the bill.
SoonerPoll is out with their latest survey of the statewide GOP primaries, and the results are pretty interesting.
While the headlines might scream that this bill bans abortion, it really doesn't. It's another smoke-and-mirrors piece of legislation that falls short of abolishing abortion in Oklahoma. It has plenty of exceptions (one being "an abortion performed at the behest of federal agencies, contractors, or employees that are carrying out duties under federal law, if a prohibition on that abortion would violate the doctrines of preemption or intergovernmental immunity"... which sounds really bizarre). It furthermore abdicates the express duty of the state government to uphold justice and defend life, and exempts those who seek out murderers-for-hire.
One bright spot is that it does recognize life as beginning at fertilization, rather than something like a heartbeat or pain.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, the Oklahoma House of Representatives approved House Bill 4327 as amended by the Oklahoma Senate.
HB4327, authored by Rep. Wendi Stearman, R-Collinsville, in the House and Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, in the Senate, provides civil liability for anyone performing or abetting an abortion in Oklahoma.
Former state senator Josh Brecheen is one of 14 Republicans running for the 2nd District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Brecheen served as an Oklahoma State Senator from 2010 to 2018, representing Senate District 6 in southeast Oklahoma. From 2004 to 2010, Brecheen worked as a field representative for U.S. Senator Dr. Tom Coburn. Since leaving the State Senate, Brecheen has run a small excavation/trucking business in Coalgate.
Brecheen was one of the most conservative members of the legislature during his eight years there, ranking third-most conservative in the Oklahoma Constitution's Conservative Index, and tied for second in the American Conservative Union ranking.
In this video, Brecheen talks about the influence of his mentor, Dr. Coburn. Coburn's widow, Carolyn, is supporting his candidacy.
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 19th) – A bill seeking to better protect high school students who are concurrently enrolled in courses at Oklahoma higher education institutions from sexual crimes committed by employees of the institution was signed into law by the governor this week.
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 18th) – House Democrats released the following statements today after legislative Republicans called a special session to move the approving authority for American Rescue Plan funds from the executive branch to the Legislature.
The Muskogee County Republican Party's annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner is set for this evening at 7pm at the Muskogee Civic Center. Governor Kevin Stitt will be this year's keynote speaker.
This event is the main fundraiser for the county party’s support of local and state Republican candidates. For something like a dozen years, the Muskogee GOP has awarded over 60 college scholarships to public, private, and home school graduates in Muskogee County. The 2022 Scholarship winners will be awarded during the Lincoln-Reagan Dinner.
Candidates and campaigns for local, state, and federal races will be present.
Sponsorships will include the VIP Reception and a picture with Governor Kevin Stitt.
State employees tagging Hofmeisters campaign account on a state social media account. This is a clear violation of Oklahoma ethics and campaign laws. Where are the reporters on this? 🤔 https://t.co/wv7GLc1NiV
— Sean The Patriot Roberts for OK Labor Commissioner (@RepRoberts) May 11, 2022
They want you to congratulate them on cutting your taxes, when in reality the folks who were opposed to raising your taxes in the first place have been more than vindicated over the past several years.
For reference, here are the candidates for higher office who voted in 2017 to raise this tax on Oklahomans:
Here are the candidates for higher office who were taxpayer champions and voted in 2017 against raising this tax on Oklahomans:
Remember their record, not their rhetoric, at the ballot box.
Senate approves bill eliminating motor vehicle sales tax
OKLAHOMA CITY – On Wednesday, the Senate approved Senate Bill 1075 to reinstate the full sales tax exemption on motor vehicles and tractor trailers. The Legislature removed the 1.25% of the exemption in 2017, but Sen. Kim David, R-Porter, said with revenues at record highs, it’s time to restore the much-needed tax relief for Oklahomans.
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 18th) – The Oklahoma Legislature will call a concurrent legislative session to allow public input to continue to drive how $1.8 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds are spent.
The concurrent session, to begin Wednesday, allows the Legislature to immediately return in the interim to enact an ARPA spending plan as agreed to by the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding.
Ah, good old Nathan Dahm. It annoys me to no end how he loves to troll the Left with pointless, joke legislation. He votes right, but he wastes time on dumb stunts in the chase for clicks and interviews.
Dahm files Senate Resolution to create President Donald J. Trump Day
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 18th) – Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, filed Senate Resolution 47 to memorialize June 14, 2022, as President Donald J. Trump Day in the state, which is Trump’s birthday, the birthday of the U.S. Army, and Flag Day.
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 18th) – The Oklahoma Senate Democratic Caucus released the following statements after passage of the FY 2023 General Appropriations bill:
Oklahoma City, OK (May 18th) – Alex Gray, former advisor to President Trump and Republican Candidate for Senate in Oklahoma, calls on his opponent, T.W. Shannon, to publicly address his support for Jimcy McGirt, sentenced to one thousand years in prison for raping a four year old girl, in the McGirt v. Oklahoma case and the resulting damage McGirt has done to the state of Oklahoma.
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 17th) – Legislation giving firefighters statutory authority to transport patients to the hospital in emergency situations has been signed into law. Senate Bill 1515, by Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, and Rep. Mike Osburn, R-Edmond, was signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt on Monday.
Weaver filed the legislation in response to a situation where an Oklahoma City firefighter was disciplined for his decision to drive a 3-year-old burn victim to the hospital in his fire truck after waiting 20 minutes for an ambulance to arrive.
TULSA, OK (May 16th) – On August 31, 2020, Gentner Drummond donated $1,000 to Joe Biden for President, but before that donation, an FEC report reveals that Gentner Drummond donated to Democrat Brad Carson, who ran against Dr. Tom Coburn.
OKLAHOMA CITY – OSDH understands the difficulties the current infant formula shortage is causing in our state. While we are unable to become directly involved in the supply-chain process, we will try to keep Oklahomans up-to-date on how to find resources and updates as they become available from the federal government and manufacturers.
Here's a press release from one of the 14 Republicans running for Congress in Oklahoma's 2nd District, Pamela Gordon. Video at the bottom.
MCALESTER, OK (May 17th) – Today Republican candidate for Oklahoma 2nd Congressional District, Pamela Gordon has released her official launch video for her campaign which can be seen below.
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 17th) – Historic state savings deposits and more money returned to taxpayers highlight the Fiscal Year 2023 state budget agreement, which also funds law enforcement at record levels, eliminates the years-long developmentally disabled services waiting list, fights federal overreach, and makes generational investments in economic development.
Legislative leaders on Tuesday announced plans to send the agreement, which continues to fund education at the highest levels in state history, to Gov. Kevin Stitt this week for approval.
All Oklahomans drive on the same roads and can access the same public-school system. But thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt ruling, some Oklahomans may no longer pay to fund those systems, creating increased financial burdens for everyone else.
On Monday May 2nd, Politico, a Virginia political journalism organization founded in 2007, obtained and released a 98-page draft document that indicated the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) is poised to strike down the landmark Roe vs. Wade(1973) and Planned Parenthood vs Casey(1992) decisions.
On Tuesday morning, SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the draft opinion was authentic, but stressed the opinion was ‘not a final decision by the court.’ Roberts vowed the leak would not undermine the integrity of the court’s operations and vowed to have the U.S. Marshal service investigate the leak.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 12th) – Yesterday, amid a crisis-level infant formula shortage in the United States, U.S. Reps. Stephanie Bice (R-OK) and Randy Feenstra (R-IA) introduced the Formula Act, which is legislation that would direct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish and communicate to Congress clear standards by which it domestically regulates infant formula. These standards would in turn be applied to foreign infant formula to allow formula imports and support domestic manufacturers.
Currently, the United States does not import foreign infant formula because the FDA does not have interchangeable standards in place to regulate foreign formula to ensure it complies with U.S. health code and regulations. By codifying standard regulations for infant formula, this legislation would allow America to safely import foreign infant formula to complement domestic production, particularly during times of severe shortage like American families are now facing.
“Over the last 6 months, we’ve seen shortages for infant formula skyrocket to nearly 40%,” said Rep. Bice. “This is why I introduced the Formula Act with my friend Rep. Feenstra. This legislation is critical in combating formula shortages that are negatively affecting millions of American families. This problem has quickly evolved into a crisis. The House of Representatives should immediately take up this legislation.”
“The infant formula shortage is dire in Iowa, threatening babies who rely on formula for their health and development,” said Rep. Feenstra. “That’s why I introduced the Formula Act with my friend Rep. Bice to ensure that the FDA has clear, consistent standards in place to regulate foreign infant formula so that we can import supplies when domestic production fails to meet demand. Iowa families deserve to be able to easily buy infant formula at fair prices without worrying if the shelves are fully stocked. This is a distressing problem, and I am committed to finding a solution.”
Click here to read more about the Formula Act in the DailyWire’s article.
OKLAHOMA CITY – After being nominated by Governor Kevin Stitt, Keith Reed was confirmed as the Commissioner of Health for the state of Oklahoma by the Senate today. Reed has been with the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) for nearly 20 years, serving in various positions throughout the agency.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Kevin Matthews is inviting the public to come learn more about rural Oklahoma and one of Oklahoma’s 13 surviving all-Black communities. Boley, in Okfuskee County, is one of the stops for a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit highlighting rural America. The exhibit, “Crossroads: Change in Rural America,” will be open to the public from May 14 through June 25 at the Boley Community Center, 11 West Grant Street, with a special opening ceremony and ribbon cutting to be held this Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
Lankford, Cruz, Colleagues Defend Service Members from Vaccine Punishment
WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and 12 of their colleagues to introduce the Allowing Military Exemptions, Recognizing Individual Concerns About New Shots (AMERICANS) Act of 2022. The bill counters the Biden Administration’s efforts to coerce and punish service members who decline the COVID-19 vaccine and introduces accountability measures in response to DOD efforts to undermine transparency.
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| Damage from a semi-trailer truck colliding with an eastbound US-412/Cimarron Turnpike toll booth is shown Monday, May 9, 2022. The toll booth attendant working in the booth was injured and treated on scene. |
Crash at Hallett toll plaza emphasizes importance of motorist safety and PlatePay at toll booths
(May 11th) A semi-trailer truck crashed into the eastbound US-412/Cimarron Turnpike Hallett toll plaza at SH-99 (mm 48) in Pawnee County on Monday morning, injuring the tool booth attendant inside. She was treated by emergency medical personnel at the scene.
The crash signifies the importance of driver safety in toll booth plazas across the 624 miles of turnpikes across Oklahoma. Drivers must be attentive, putting away all distractions and monitoring slowing traffic in reduced speed zones for the safety of all motorists and the turnpike maintenance employees.
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 10, 2022) – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister announced today that the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) is investing $2.5 million in federal pandemic relief funds to expand Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to all 77 counties in Oklahoma.
The OSDE will provide a 1:1 match of all funds raised by local community partners, ensuring as many as 264,000 Oklahoma children from birth to age 5 have free, high-quality, age-appropriate books mailed to their homes on a monthly basis.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (May 11th) – Families for James Lankford announced James was endorsed by the Family Policy Alliance, which is the public policy partner of Focus on the Family. FPA's President and CEO issued a statement to endorse James's campaign.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Mary Boren has authored and filed Senate Concurrent Resolution 28 directing the State Auditor to audit the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA). This comes after recent news reports that the OTA is moving forward with plans to begin work on a controversial toll road expansion, including purchasing properties, after learning a $200 million line of credit cannot be used for the project because of pending lawsuits.
Oklahoma City, OK (May 10th) – On the Hugh Hewitt Show, U.S. Senate candidate Alex Gray pledged to introduce legislation on his first day in office to disestablish the five historic reservations that the U.S. Supreme Court identified in the McGirt case. In response, the five tribes have put out a statement condemning Gray for suggesting a return to pre-McGirt norms.
Gray had the following to say about the matter:
