In a letter sent to Gov. Kevin Stitt on July 26, State Sen. Warren Hamilton requested the governor convene a special session for the Legislature to prevent private businesses from requiring employees to be vaccinated for the Chinese coronavirus. The McCurtain Republican said he’d like to see the Legislature prohibit any entity from mandating the…
A group of lawmakers today sent a letter to Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell, in his role as Acting Governor of Oklahoma, requesting executive action to prohibit vaccine mandates for Oklahoma healthcare workers. This letter is a follow up to one sent to Governor Kevin Stitt on July 15, 2021. Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy, spearheaded the…
In response to the recent rallies for freedom taking place in Cuba, Rep. Jay Steagall, R-Yukon, and Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, have filed two resolutions to support the people of Cuba in their desire to throw off communism and restore their liberties. “The founding principles of our republic: ‘that all men are created equal,’…
A legislative committee with representatives and senators will make suggestions on how the state should spend $1.9 billion of federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Oklahoma’s share of ARPA funds includes $1.9 billion for state government and $1.3 billion for local, city and county governments. Under federal law, ARPA funds for state…
Senate Bill 658, which will greatly restrict mask mandates and forbid COVID vaccine passports in educational institutions, has been signed into law. The measure was authored by Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman. “In this post-pandemic era, it is time to look back and determine what we did right and what we did not so right,” Standridge…
The Oklahoma House passed Senate Bill 1080 to help fund options for education in the state. The bill modifies an existing state program to support public schools and give low-income families the opportunity of specialized education. The bill increases to $50 million the amount of tax credits available for the program, with $25 million for…
Oklahoma business owners may soon have a bit more protection against the growing threat of cybercrime as House Bill 1759 passed the House. House Bill 1759, authored by Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater, and Sen. Zack Taylor, R-Seminole, updates language in the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act to better address computer security threats that continue to evolve….
A compromise between the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Oklahoma Senate was reached on a bill to guard against federal overreach in Oklahoma. House Bill 1236 establishes a constitutional process to exercise Oklahoma’s authorities as a state under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by reviewing federal actions for constitutionality and seeking judicial rulings…
The full Senate has approved Senate Bill 608, the “Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021.” The measure, by Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry, and House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Finance, Revenue and Taxation Chair Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, establishes a $30 million cap on first-come, first-served rebates for TV and film…
The Oklahoma House gave final approval to a bill supporting tag agencies helping Oklahomans become REAL ID compliant. Senate Bill 1057 also adds renewal options of four and eight years. The bill was presented on the House floor by Rep. Dell Kerbs, R-Shawnee. “After reviewing and working through the complications that our tag agencies are…