Legislative Update

SoonerCare Medicaid

May 28, 2020

State Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, applauded House passage of Senate Bill 1046, as a part of the launch of SoonerCare 2.0 on July 1. The state’s current Medicaid Program, SoonerCare, currently only covers children, pregnant women, adults with children, elderly adults, and disabled adults. Beginning July 1, 2020, Oklahoma’s Medicaid program will offer coverage availability…

Special Ed teachers

May 28, 2020

The Oklahoma House of Representatives gave approval to two bills designed to increase the number of special education teachers in the classroom and to address the statewide teacher shortage. Rep. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, presented SB1436 creates a new path to certification in two areas for aspiring special education teachers and provides additional training for existing…

COLA to teachers, others

May 28, 2020

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed HB 3350, providing a cost-of-living-adjustment to first responders, teachers and state employees. The bill grants COLAs to firefighters, policemen, judges, teachers and certain other public employees. Benefits increase by 2% if the person has been retired for between two and five years as of July 1, 2020, and by 4% if…

Municipal filing June 8-10; Primary vote on June 30th

May 28, 2020

Even with a coronavirus crisis, the political process continues and the next election is a primary on June 30. Some races will be decided in a primary, some will set up the November 3 general election ballot and some will force an August 25 runoff. There is a proposed amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution on…

Angel Strohm versus Sheila Dills

May 28, 2020

Angela Strohm, wife of former State Rep. Chuck Strohm, is running for House District 69 because Rep. Sheila Dills, a Republican who replaced her husband, “does not represent conservative Oklahoma values.” Angela Strohm said Dills scored 65 out of 100 on an economic conservative index and only 43 on the Oklahoma Constitution (newspaper) Conservative Index….

Stanislawski endorses Baber

May 28, 2020

Sen. Gary Stanislawski, Republican State Senator for District 35, has endorsed Cheryl Baber, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Conservative Republican running to serve as his replacement. After serving 12 years, Stanislawski is term-limited. During his last term, Stanislawski won re-election by earning nearly 65% of the vote in the general election of 2016, and…

Newspaper endorsements

May 28, 2020

The liberal Tulsa World has endorsed long-time member Ruth Ann Fate in the District 6 race for Tulsa School Board and newcomer John Croisant in District 5. Fate will face Dr. Jerry Griffin in the June 30 election while Croisant will be up against Tulsa businessman Shane Saunders, a Republican. Fate said this is her…

Legislative update

May 14, 2020

The Oklahoma Senate approved a bill to protect election integrity in the absentee ballot process and it has been signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt. Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, is the author of the bill, which grants exemptions during the course of the coronavirus health pandemic. The bill passed 38-9. “Unfortunately, the…

Aerospace is helping

May 14, 2020

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Adam Pugh and Sen. Paul Rosino want Oklahomans to be aware of efforts by the aerospace industry to shift gears and produce much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) and other materials to help in the state’s efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19. “Aerospace is Oklahoma’s second largest industry, and as such,…

Senior Oklahomans are the biggest victims of the virus

May 14, 2020

The grim statistics from the coronavirus infection in Oklahoma shows that is overwhelming more dangerous for the elderly that the rest of the population, according an epidemiology report by the Oklahoma State Health Department. According to the OSDH, 80% of those who have died were 65 or over while no one younger than 14 has…