OKLAHOMA CITY (April 25th) – House Bill 3288, by Sen. Cody Rogers, R-Tulsa, received approval from the full Senate Wednesday. The measure provides $50 million in funding for repairs and improvements to the Arkansas River Levee Systems, which are currently at high risk of failure.
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 25th) – The Oklahoma House of Representatives today approved legislation to reduce criminal activity in Oklahoma.
Senate Bill 1450, authored by Rep. John George, R-Newalla, lowers the felony threshold for theft from $1,000 to $500, defines organized retail crime, and sets penalties based on stolen property value.
The Oklahoma House of Representatives and Senate have both unveiled their state budget plans for the pending fiscal year. Each side has included goals that merit praise.
The House budget plan includes a quarter-point reduction in the state’s personal income tax, which would reduce our top rate from 4.75 percent to 4.5 percent. Because the personal income tax is a penalty on work and investment, the tax depresses economic growth. The lower the rate, the better the job creation and opportunity for all Oklahomans. While the best rate would be zero, any move in that direction is welcome.
 |
| Dash cam view just prior to vehicle slamming into car on shoulder |
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 23rd) – Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, today applauded the Oklahoma House of Representatives for passing Senate Bill 2035, legislation he authored after his son’s near-deadly accident.
The bill passed off the House floor by a vote of 89-2.
Pro Tem Treat’s son was driving legally but did not have a car tag because current state law allows a private seller of a vehicle to retain possession of the physical car tag. While his son, Mason, was pulled over, the driver of another vehicle veered off the road and slammed into the back of his car, injuring him and the sheriff who had pulled him over.
“This goes beyond politics, and I greatly appreciate the members of the House of Representatives who voted in favor of this legislation,” Pro Tem Treat said. “I nearly lost my son due to no fault of his own. He was driving legally but was pulled over because he didn’t have a tag, even though he had all of the proper vehicle information, insurance and registration forms. Senate Bill 2035 is my main priority this session because I don’t want any families to have to go through what my family has gone through. I deeply appreciate Rep. Kyle Hilbert, who carried this legislation on the House side and all of the coauthors. I look forward to seeing this being signed into law.”
The bill will go back to the Senate for adoption of a perfunctory amendment before heading to the governor’s desk.
Senate Bill 2035 provides that motor vehicle license plates shall be transferable to different owners but shall remain with the vehicle it is initially registered to beginning July 1, 2024. The measure repeals a statute authorizing the transfer of a license plate to a different vehicle.
Pro Tem Treat’s son Mason spent 20 days in the hospital recovering from his injuries. He continues his recovery at home and in various physical therapy sessions.
Click here to watch Pro Tem Treat’s floor debate on Senate Bill 2035.
Provisions of Senate Bill 2035
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 23, 2024) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following statement today in response to the latest audit findings of State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd:
“The audit findings released today show troubling and all too familiar patterns of mismanagement, costing taxpayers millions as a result. Today’s report confirms my previous order of an investigative audit of OMES, which is sorely needed and long overdue.
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 25th) – A measure making Oklahoma's state employee management agency and the Chief Information Officer subject to the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act has been sent to the governor's desk.
House Bill 3057, authored by Rep. Jay Steagall, R-Yukon, would require all purchases of equipment, products and services within the Information Services Division of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) and the Chief Information Officer to be subject to the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act and the Public Competitive Bidding Act of 1974 without exception.
OKLAOMA CITY (April 24, 2024) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond today praised Gov. Stitt for signing two bills into law that are critical for cracking down on crime. Drummond also urged the Governor to take swift action in signing House Bill 4156, the immigration reform legislation Drummond called for weeks ago.
Oklahoma's official government watchdog, State Auditor Cindy Byrd, is out with an absolutely scorching audit of OMES, finding all sorts of improprieties:
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (April 23, 2024) -- Oklahoma State Auditor & Inspector (SAI) Cindy Byrd today released the Federal Single Audit of expenditures made during FY 2022. This annual audit is a federally-mandated examination of whether the State of Oklahoma spent federal grant money in compliance with federal regulations.
The audit report covers more than $13 Billion of expenditures which are audited through a formula provided by the federal government. A majority of the $13 Billion came from COVID relief funds.
The most compelling information revealed in this audit is that COVID allowed the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) to establish a new set of rules for vendor contracts. SAI has determined these new rules are not in the best interest of Oklahoma taxpayers.
I was in a store just the other day and overhead a cashier and customer discussing how kids don't learn cursive any more, and the need for them to have this skill. Looks like they weren't the only ones thinking this!
 |
| Photo courtesy of the Oklahoma Historical Society |
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 24th) – Oklahoma House Representative Jason Lowe, D-Oklahoma City, had his bill HB 3727 signed into law yesterday by the Governor. The bill’s Senate author is Sen. Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa.
The bill requires cursive handwriting instruction for students in third through fifth grade.
Glad to see this project taking place, as it would be a very helpful tool, especially around judicial retention vote time:
Who are the nine justices on the Oklahoma Supreme Court?
How have their rulings impacted Oklahoma's ability to attract and keep jobs—and job creators—in our state?
Have the Court's rulings strengthened or undermined the rule of law and Oklahoma values?
These are some of the questions that will be covered by the Oklahoma Judicial Scorecard, a new project announced today by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.
In what is often seen as the “reddest state in America,” with a Republican governor and supermajority across the legislature, people are often surprised to learn that Oklahoma’s Supreme Court is considered one of the most liberal in the country.
In the past six months, the Iranian regime has launched thousands of rockets at Israel through its proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. Iran has also launched hundreds of attacks on American forces in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Now, Iran has directly attacked Israel.
In addition to the ongoing threat now hurled at Israel from Iran, the US should clearly oppose the violence of Hamas terrorists and support the freedom for every hostage in Gaza. Some in Washington, DC, and around the world have forgotten that the current war in the Middle East started on Oct. 7 when Israel was brutally attacked by Hamas terrorists on the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret.
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 18, 2024)—Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs President Jonathan Small issued the following statement after the passage of Senate Bill 1737, which was supported by trial lawyers and strongly supported by Paycom, an $11 billion publicly traded company with a track record of attacking conservatives in Oklahoma.
“SB 1737, which could provide a windfall to trial lawyers, is a bill that the author has said is supported by Paycom, which has had a track record of attacking conservatives in public and in the courts because Paycom and its CEO Chad Richison prefer the far-left’s plan for Oklahoma,” Small said.
“SB 1737 amends a current state statute to make it even easier to harass political opponents by allowing someone to pursue civil action for ‘online harassment’ that allegedly impacts a company’s intangible assets.
Oklahoma House Republicans are aiming to do something to protect Oklahoma from Biden's illegal immigration crisis, while, naturally, the House Democrats oppose doing anything except embracing it.
House Republicans Vote to Protect Oklahomans from Illegal Immigration Crisis
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 18th) – Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, today received passage of House Bill 4156 by a vote of 77-20. The legislation, aimed at addressing the illegal immigration crisis, creates the crime of impermissible occupation. Details include:
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 18th) – Gov. Kevin Stitt on Thursday signed into law legislation that amends the Homemade Food Freedom Act to protect the private information of producers.
House Bill 2975, authored by Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener, and Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, will allow producers of homemade food products to obtain a registration number to affix to their product labels instead of the current requirement that they list their name, phone number and the physical address where the food is produced on all products sold. The $15 registration fee is voluntary.
As Congress looks to send nearly $100,000,000 in foreign aid to Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel (and Gaza, apparently), a meager few Republicans are saying "No" -- or at least, "not until our border is secure."
According to CBS:
The three foreign aid bills would provide $26.4 billion to support Israel, $60.8 billion to bolster Ukraine and $8.1 billion to counter China in the Indo-Pacific, including billions for Taiwan. The Israel measure also includes more than $9.1 billion to address Palestinian humanitarian needs, which Democrats said was necessary for their support.
Read below for why Oklahoma Congressmen Josh Brecheen and Kevin Hern oppose all or part of this plan:
Oklahoma has one of the nation’s best election systems. We use paper ballots that allow hand recounts, our ballot machines are not Internet connected, and results are completely tallied on Election Day.
Yet some people want to get rid of that system and replace it with one notorious for voter errors, lengthy delays in counting, and growing public distrust of results – “ranked choice” voting.
In a ranked-choice voting system, voters designate their first choice in a race, their second choice, and so on down the ballot. If no candidate receives majority support, the second-choice votes of the candidate who finishes last are reallocated to the remaining candidates. If no candidate clears 50 percent of the vote at that time, the process repeats again and again until one candidate has received a majority.
This idea has been tried elsewhere and the results speak for themselves. The system is a disaster.
It's been a while since a conservative held the House District 101 seat; Jonathan Hewitt aims to change that, and is challenging incumbent Robert Manger in the GOP primary. No one else filed, so this is a winner-take-all head-to-head race:
Choctaw, OK — 04/03/2024 — Today, Jonathan Hewitt proudly announces that he has filed for the position of Oklahoma State Representative for House District 101 with the Oklahoma State Election Board. Jonathan has a deep-rooted commitment to community service and an unwavering dedication to Oklahoman values, he steps forward to be a representative who will serve with integrity and transparency for his constituents.
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 11th) – Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, and Senate Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, today announced the substance of what will be included in jointly agreed to legislation aimed at addressing the illegal immigration crisis here in Oklahoma. The legislation, which will be filed next week, creates the crime of impermissible occupation. Details include:
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 8, 2024) - Governor Stitt announced the finalization of a motor vehicle compact with the Choctaw Nation.
"I am happy to announce that we have finalized a 10-year car tag compact with the Choctaw Nation," said Gov. Stitt. "This is our 12th compact finalized with tribal governments since the end of 2023. I am grateful to the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations for their ongoing partnership and willingness to come to an agreement on car tag compacts. These compacts continue the existing commitment to transparency and public safety.
Harvard Law School has drawn strong criticism for hosting a movie screening of “How to Blow Up a Pipeline,” based on the book of the same name by Andreas Malm, which advocates terrorism as a tool of environmental policy.
Notably, the movie’s website includes a “Take Action” page that includes a map of U.S. oil and gas pipelines.
But Harvard is not the only university where this nonsense has been given a platform.
At the University of Oklahoma, a graduate English seminar on “Forms of Protest” includes “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” among the assigned reading.
Associate Professor James Zeigler says most assignments are documents advocating for political change and nearly all class readings “are devoted to non-violence in principle and as a matter of strategy.” Andreas Malm’s book, he said, “is an exception.”
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 3, 2024) - Today, Governor Stitt announced the recommendations from his Task Force on Campaign Finance and Election Threats. The Task Force studied Oklahoma's ethics regulations and election administration, gathering data, reviewing case law, and conducting interviews to determine what changes are necessary to ensure the state's elections are secure.
Candidate filing was last week and there were a few surprises - two of which were incumbents with unorthodox strategies.
State Rep. Kevin McDugle (R-Broken Arrow) and State Sen. Chris Kidd (R-Waurika) both withdrew their candidacies after the filing period ended, ensuring that McDugle's hand-picked successor advances to the general election and narrowing the field to three Republicans in Kidd's district.
 |
| Candidate filing at the Oklahoma State Capitol, 2018 |
(Oklahoma City) – The statewide candidate filing period is scheduled for April 3, 4, and 5, Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax announced today. Candidate filing hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the three-day period. Candidates filing for federal, state, and legislative offices will file with the Secretary of the State Election Board at the State Capitol, located at 2300 N. Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City. Filing will take place on the ground floor of the State Capitol. Candidates filing for county offices will file at their local County Election Board office.
Reading instruction is receiving lawmakers’ attention this year. That’s good news because Oklahoma has much ground to make up.
In 2011, lawmakers strengthened the state’s reading law, requiring students to retake the third grade if they were reading far below grade level, and providing remediation to struggling students.
That program drew wails from many public-school officials—but it worked. Reading performance improved dramatically from 2011 to 2015 on National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) tests.
By 2015, Oklahoma recorded the third-largest gain in the country on fourth-grade reading scores on NAEP and the state score was above the national average.
But then lawmakers watered down the state’s third-grade reading law and made social promotion easier.
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Josh Brecheen will be hosting a telephone town hall on April 11th at 7 PM CT.
During the call, Congressman Brecheen will provide an update on some of the most pressing policy issues facing our country, including our more than $34 trillion national debt, and answer live questions from constituents.
Congressman Brecheen will also be hosting 14 in-person town halls from April 2nd to 4th. For times and locations, please click here.
