Legislative Update

Dahm files bills to rein in federal government overreach

February 11, 2021

Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, has filed three bills to address government overreach during a pandemic after nearly a year of forced closures, mandated masks and proposals of required vaccinations. “It seems like we’ve been caught in a never-ending loop of mandates, lockdowns, restrictions and dread since the pandemic started over a year ago,” Dahm…

No to Closing Churches

February 11, 2021

The House States’ Rights Committee easily passed House Bill 2648, by Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, that would ban state and local governments from closing places of worship during emergencies, including the Chinese coronavirus pandemic. The Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act dictates that anything closing places of worship would be considered a substantial burden on people’s…

Constitutional Convention

February 11, 2021

It’s been 114 years since Oklahoma’s state constitution has been adopted, and Sen. Nathan Dahm says it’s time the document is carefully reviewed. Dahm filed Senate Joint Resolution 26 to allow Oklahoma citizens to decide if a Constitutional Convention to rewrite or revise the state constitution is needed. “SJR 26 would call for a state…

Stop Big Tech Censorship

February 11, 2021

Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, said Senate Bill 1019 would fight back against Big Tech censorship by using fines, lawsuits and the removal of tax credits. Dahm said large companies in recent weeks and months have increasingly censored those they disagree with, even removing them entirely from their platforms. “The debate over Section 230 has…

Tax Breaks for Businesses

February 11, 2021

Sen. Nathan Dahm has filed a pair of bills to exempt businesses from some state taxes. Senate Bill 920, also known as the Leave China Act, would exempt any business that relocates from a foreign nation to Oklahoma from income tax, ad valorem tax, sales and use tax on purchases, and franchise tax for 10…

Gender Reassignment Bill

February 11, 2021

State Sen. Warren Hamilton has filed a measure to prohibit any person under the age of 21 from undergoing gender reassignment medical treatment in the state. Senate Bill 676 would make it illegal for a person under the age of 21 to undergo gender reassignment chemical or surgical procedures; for a parent or guardian to…

Abortion Bills advance

February 11, 2021

The Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed several measures against abortion but unanimously voted down a SB495 by Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, that would outlaw abortion. The measures approved by the committee were: Senate Bill 918 by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, which would, in the event the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the…

Re-affirming Gun Rights

February 11, 2021

Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, filed Senate Bill 631, which would pre-empt the state from enacting any legislation put forth by the federal government, agency or political subdivision of the state that would infringe upon citizens’ Second Amendment rights. Under the Second Amendment Sanctuary State Act, the pre-emption would include the National Firearms Act of 1934,…

Robinhood and GameStop

February 11, 2021

Reps. Logan Phillips, R-Mounds, and Trey Caldwell, R-Lawton, called on Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter to open an immediate investigation into the recent actions of the stock trading and investing app, Robinhood. In response to a large online group of retail investors targeting specific securities, Robinhood had restricted trading of the stocks for a full…

State tax revenues continue a downward slide

February 11, 2021

State revenues dropped by almost 6% in January – the biggest one-month reduction in the last eight months, according to State Treasurer Randy McDaniel. Collections from all sources in January total $1.19 billion, down by $72.1 million, or 5.7 percent, from January 2020. Combined gross receipts from the past 12 months of $13.12 billion are…