Legislature concludes action, adjourns session

The legislature adjourned sine die this evening, ending legislative action for the year (though given recent years, a special session is not out of the question at some point).Here are some session summaries from Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat and House Speaker Charles McCall (both are term limite...

Brecheen slams Trump verdict as "witch hunt", "clear election interference"

Congressman Josh Brecheen Issues Statement After President Trump VerdictWashington, D.C. (May 30th) – Congressman Josh Brecheen issued the following statement after President Trump was found guilty of 34 bogus charges.“Most Americans understand that this trial was a political witch hunt and would have never been brought forth...

Senate leaders comment on passage of state budget

Pro Tem Treat, Appropriations Chair Sen. Hall Comment on Passage of Budget BillSenate Bill 1125 first in new budget transparency process OKLAHOMA CITY (May 28th) – Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, and his Appropriations Chairman, Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry, today released the following statements after the state...

Gov. Stitt announces commissioning committee for nuclear submarine USS Oklahoma

GOVERNOR STITT ANNOUNCES U.S.S. OKLAHOMA, NEW U.S. NAVY NUCLEAR SUBMARINEOKLAHOMA CITY (May 28, 2024) - Governor Kevin Stitt revealed the creation of the U.S.S. Oklahoma Commissioning Committee to build a 29th Virginia Class, Fast Attack Nuclear Submarine in collaboration with the U.S. Navy and Newport News Shipbuilding. Carrying...

Small: OU should end race-based discrimination

OU should end race-based discriminationBy Jonathan SmallIn its 2023 opinion in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that race-based admissions processes for college violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.The court bluntly stated,...

Group touts OK poll showing huge support for citizen-only voting, calls for vote on state question bill

Survey Highlights Overwhelming Support for Citizen-Only Voting in OklahomaOklahoma City (May 23rd) - A recent survey conducted by Americans for Citizen Voting reveals significant support for legislation that would limit voting rights to only U.S. citizens in Oklahoma. The survey underscores a strong preference among Oklahomans...

Standridge bill to combat squatting passes Senate

Standridge Bill to Combat Squatting Passes SenateOKLAHOMA CITY (May 24th) – On Thursday, Senate Bill 1994, authored by Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, was passed by the Senate. The measure seeks to strengthen laws against squatting.“In my district over the last year we have seen a home owner arrive home only to find a stranger...

Justin Hornback details candidacy for open Corporation Commission seat

I received the following press release from Justin Hornback, one of three Republicans seeking the open seat on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (being vacated by Bob Anthony due to term limits). The other two candidates are former Senate Pro Tem/former Secretary of State Brian Bingman, and energy journalist Russell...

Tribes seek share of turnpike revenue

Outrageous:TRIBES SEEK SHARE OF TURNPIKE REVENUERay Carter | May 22nd, 2024Because many tribal car tags are effectively unregistered with the state of Oklahoma, drivers with tribal tags have run up millions of dollars in unpaid tolls on state turnpikes in recent months that cannot be collected.Now a tribal official says tribes...

Brecheen responds as first of 5 Americans sentenced, released from Turks and Caicos

Congressman Brecheen Responds to Turks & Caicos Sentencing of Bryan Hagerich: “A Step Towards Common Sense Prevailed”Washington, D.C. (May 24th) – Congressman Josh Brecheen issued the following statement after the sentencing of Pennsylvania’s Bryan Hagerich—one of five Americans being detained by the Turks and Caicos government...

McAfee & Taft, Paycom increases lawfare against Oklahoma conservatives

McAfee & Taft, Paycom increases lawfare against Oklahoma conservativesOKLAHOMA CITY (May 23, 2024)—More than four years after Paycom’s lawsuit against the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs was originally filed, Paycom’s attorneys at the McAfee & Taft law firm have just now realized they want to take more depositions...

Legislative leaders hammer out state budget agreement

Over the past week or so, legislative leaders - as well as Governor Stitt - have met in unprecedented public negotiations for this year's state budget (Tres Savage at NonDoc has a great write-up on the saga). Read the official press releases below:Pro Tem Treat and Speaker McCall Comment on Budget AgreementAgreement first in...

Bice, colleagues urge National Weather Service to address and plan for outages

Bice Urges the National Weather Service to Address and Plan for OutagesWashington, D.C. (May 23rd) - Today, Congresswoman Bice (R-OK) led a letter with 7 of her colleagues, to Director Kenneth Graham of the National Weather Service (NWS). The letter expresses concerns on reported outages pertaining to radar data, the Automated...

Brecheen returns from bipartisan trip to Turks and Caicos, pushes for release of 5 detained Americans

Congressman Josh Brecheen Returns from Bipartisan CODEL to Turks and Caicos, Pushes for Release of Five Detained AmericansWashington, D.C. (May 21st) – On Monday evening, Congressman Josh Brecheen (R-OK) returned from a bipartisan, bicameral congressional delegation (CODEL) to Turks and Caicos (TCI) where the members met with...

Coal County flips: Oklahoma GOP now leads in all 77 counties

The last installment of my long-running Voter Registration Maps series came in February, but this is a big milestone deserving of its own post. At long last, after 116½ years, Republicans lead voter registration in all of Oklahoma's 77 counties.&nb...

Muskogee City Council sets August vote on $78M bond issue, sales tax renewal

County Assessor Ron Dean during public comment at the Muskogee City Council meeting MondayBrace for impact, Muskogee: our city council has set an election for a bond and sales tax proposal totaling over $78,000,000 on August 27th.I dropped in for my first city council meeting in years yesterday when I heard that a special meeting...

Small: One solution to student absenteeism

One solution to student absenteeismBy Jonathan SmallSchool absenteeism is contributing to poor academic outcomes and other negative trends in Oklahoma.According to a legislative study conducted last October, average daily attendance figures showed 94% of enrolled students were typically in Oklahoma classrooms in 2019, but following...

Carolyn Coburn endorses Dr. Julie McIntosh in Senate District 3

The State Senate District 3 GOP primary features a middle-of-the-road incumbent Republican (Blake 'Cowboy' Stephens) and two conservative challengers - Dr. Julie McIntosh and Wagoner City Councilor Patrick Sampson.The McIntosh's are family friends and carpet cleaning customers, at home and medical practice. Julie's husband...

Gov. Stitt signs financial literacy education bill

Gov Signs Financial Literacy Education BillOKLAHOMA CITY (May 16th) – Legislation adding a financial literacy course to high school graduation requirements has been signed into law.House Bill 2158 was authored by Rep. Dick Lowe, R-Amber, who said empowering students to take control of their finances starts with education."Requiring...

Gov. Stitt signs bill to build Capitol Arch to honor Oklahoma National Guard veterans

Original Concept Sketch for the Oklahoma 45th National Guard Veteran's Arch.Capitol Arch Legislation Signed by GovernorOKLAHOMA CITY (May 16th) - Governor Kevin Stitt on Wednesday signed into law legislation that will fund the building of an arch at the Oklahoma Capitol to serve as an honorary symbol of the services performed...

New law signed to restore voter rights for people granted a pardon or commutation to time served

Bill signed into law restoring voter rights for people granted a pardon or commutation to time servedOKLAHOMA CITY (May 16th) – HB 1629 was signed into law earlier this week. It restores voter rights for people convicted of a felony who have received a commutation or a pardon to time served. It also restores voter rights for...

Garfield County judge indicted -- for drive-by shooting

Well, this certainly was not a press release I ever expected to see in my inbox! I was slightly disappointed, however, to find that the judge used a .40 caliber Glock, and not the .45/.410 combo Taurus Judge (that would have been too ironic). Garfield County Judge Lovell indicted for drive-by shootingOKLAHOMA CITY (May...

Small: Evidence of a two-tiered justice system

Evidence of a two-tiered justice systemBy Jonathan SmallSince the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its controversial 5-4 decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma in 2020, it has reduced public safety in Oklahoma.Oklahomans get a reminder of that sad reality this month as the child rapist who prompted the case is set to be free—something...

Brecheen demands answers from CDC about the destruction of life in IVF industry

Congressman Josh Brecheen Demands Answers from CDC About the Destruction of Life in the IVF IndustryWashington, D.C. – Congressman Josh Brecheen led a letter to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) demanding answers about the destruction of precious life in the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) industry.&nb...

Stitt signs bill aimed to fight illegal immigration crisis

For all of his bold words on illegal immigration, Gov. Stitt seems oddly timid in approaching the legislation that the Legislature sent to him on addressing the issue.GOVERNOR STITT SIGNS BILL TO DEFEND OKLAHOMANS FROM BIDEN’S OPEN BORDER POLICIES, LAUNCHES TASK FORCE TO FIND LEGAL PATHWAYS FOR WORKERSOKLAHOMA CITY (April 30,...

Wow: Pro Tem Treat replaces Senate Appropriations chair in final month of session

Well, this was very unexpected. Treat canned Senate budget chairman Roger Thompson in the final month of the legislative session, approaching the height of budget negotiations...Pro Tem Treat Announces Senate Appropriations Chairman ChangeOKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, today announced a change to...

Drug bust in Muskogee County finds 32k illegal marijuana plants, illegal immigrants

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the arrests may have been just around the corner from me the other day...Drummond announces 32,000 illegal marijuana plants seized in law enforcement operation in Muskogee CountyOKLAHOMA CITY (May 1, 2024) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced today that a series of busts in Muskogee County...