OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Tim Turner, R-Kinta, today passed a bill in oversight committee that would add the death penalty as a possible punishment for any person convicted of a first offense of forcible anal or oral sodomy, rape, or rape by instrumentation of a child under the age of 14. Senate Bill 599 passed…
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee this week easily passed legislation to establish an income tax credit for individuals who donate to pregnancy resource centers. On Monday, the committee advanced House Bill 1201 by Rep. Cody Maynard and Sen. David Bullard, both Republicans from Durant. The bill provides an income tax credit…
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Thursday adopted House Concurrent Resolution 1013, which proclaims “Christ is King” during the observance of Holy Week. Authored by Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, the resolution affirms Oklahoma’s deep-rooted spiritual heritage and the enduring faith that unites communities. Olsen said that adopting the resolution during Holy Week,…
OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, on Thursday successfully advanced legislation to prevent utility customers from being burdened with additional fees and taxes as a result of Winter Storm Uri. The Senate Energy Committee passed House Bill 1220, which prevents municipalities from imposing franchise fees or taxes on the repayment of securitization funds obtained…
Legislation that would require initiative-petition efforts to gather signatures from Oklahomans across the state is now headed to the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The bill passed over the objections of urban Democrats who argued the legislation would reduce the ability of urban areas to dominate initiative-petition efforts. Senate Bill 1027, by state…
Legislation that would preserve the religious rights of foster parents has advanced from an Oklahoma House committee. “Senate Bill 658 simply clarifies that no one is excluded from the pool to be considered for a foster parent based on a religious or moral belief,” said state Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont. Senate Bill 658, by…
OKLAHOMA CITY – Eli Westemeir, a junior at Jenks High School, recently served as a page for Rep. Mark Tedford, R-Jenks, during the tenth week of the Oklahoma House of Representatives’ 60th Legislature. Westemeir is actively involved in several academic and extracurricular programs, including National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Spanish Club and pre-med. He…
Today, Governor J. Kevin Stitt signed Executive Order 2025-09 to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure transparency and accountability across agencies. Governor Stitt has set a goal to have fewer state employees when he leaves office than in 2019. He makes it clear with this order that transitioning full-time equivalent (FTE) to contractors to achieve numbers…
Legislation that would gradually phase out Oklahoma’s tax on work and investment—the personal income tax—continues to move ahead, clearing its first Oklahoma Senate hurdle this week. House Bill 1539, by state Rep. Mark Lepak and state Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, would cut Oklahoma’s 4.75-percent personal income-tax rate by a quarter point each time that net state…
The April 1st Special Election primaries for House Districts 71 and 74 resulted in two Republican runoff elections and one Democrat primary decided. Amanda Swope resigned from House District 71 and the Republican primary for that district sported three Republican candidates. Attorney Beverly A. Atteberry garnered almost enough votes to win out with 48.56 percent…