Legislative leaders react to Gov. Stitt's 'State of the State' address

Following Gov. Stitt's State of the State address yesterday, here are reactions from House Speaker Charles McCall (R-Atoka), Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat (R-Edmond), and Senate Minority Leader Kay Floyd (D-OKC):

McCall Responds to State of the State

OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 6th) – House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, today released a statement following Gov. Kevin Stitt's State of the State Address: 

"In today's State of the State speech, Gov. Stitt laid out an ambitious plan for Oklahoma. The House has been proactively addressing many of the issues Gov. Stitt identified as priorities, and we are ready to work with our colleagues in the Senate and executive branch as we craft legislation that provides benefits for all Oklahomans.

The House is proud to have led the way on education reform, and thankful that the governor has joined us in supporting Oklahoma students, teachers and parents. During previous sessions, the House has addressed important education issues such as parental choice and school funding through the successful implementation of open transfer policies, the expansion of the Opportunity Scholarship Fund and historic public school funding increases. Parents have the right to have a say in their child's educational journey, students should have every opportunity to succeed and our teachers need the support necessary to excel in the classroom. The House will continue to make sure any education policy passed works well in all parts of our state.

During the previous regular session, and in a special session, the House passed multiple bills aimed at addressing inflation and allowing Oklahomans to keep more of their hard-earned money. We are once again committed to getting meaningful inflation relief through the legislative process and to the governor's desk.

The House has made it clear that investing in infrastructure, workforce development and rural broadband are priorities, and will set Oklahoma up for success both now and in the future. We have proactively addressed these issues over multiple sessions, and will build on those past successes again this year.

From teacher pay to agency accountability, from federal overreach to the expansion of broadband, from tax cuts to addressing workforce issues, the House continues to lead the way as the body of government closest to the people of Oklahoma. We look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate, and Gov. Stitt, to continue achieving meaningful outcomes for the citizens of our state."

Senate Pro Tem Responds to Gov. Stitt’s State of the State

OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 6th) – Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, today released the following statement after Governor Kevin Stitt’s State of the State address to open the 59th Legislature.

“The governor outlined numerous priorities that will continue our state’s positive momentum,” Treat said. “His clear vision and attainable results are focused on making Oklahoma the best place possible for everyone to succeed, while improving our economy and standing in the global market. Improving public education outcomes, tax reform and work force development are all high priorities for Senate Republicans this year. We look forward to working with the governor on these important areas and more. I am optimistic about this year and believe we will have success together to benefit Oklahoma.”

Statement from Senate Democrats on governor’s State of the State address

OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 6th) – Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, issued the following statement on behalf of the Senate Democratic Caucus following the governor’s State of the State address:

“The governor gave a partisan and highly divisive speech that was more about politics than solutions. That is not the approach Oklahomans need right now. Instead, we should prioritize our state's real challenges.

“Our caucus has five priorities this session: protect and support students and teachers; help Oklahomans find good jobs and pay their bills; make it easier to get the healthcare you need; improve neighborhood safety with smart criminal justice reforms; and give every Oklahoman a fair shot regardless of their race or ethnicity.

“Rather than siphoning taxpayer dollars into a voucher scheme that will defund schools, we are calling on our colleagues to put the $4 billion in savings they are so proud of to good use addressing real problems like COVID learning loss and employment shortages in education and healthcare.

“We are gravely disappointed that the governor and his colleagues continue to attack Oklahomans’ access to the healthcare they need and the right of patients and doctors to choose what’s best for themselves.

“Our caucus will continue to work diligently to improve the lives of Oklahomans in a meaningful way. I sincerely hope the governor and our colleagues in the Legislature will join us in that effort.”