Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, was elected Speaker Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

Hilbert was formally elected with 82 votes. Joined by his wife Alexis and their daughter Addison, he was sworn in by Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Darby.

Hilbert, who represents House District 29, is the youngest Speaker Pro Tempore in modern history at 27 years old. In his first term after being elected in 2016, Hilbert carried eight bills that were signed into law, was an Assistant Majority Whip and served on three appropriations subcommittees. Since 2018, Hilbert has served as vice chair of the House Appropriations & Budget Committee. He currently cochairs the Health and Human Services Working Group on the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding and has served as chair of the House Rural Caucus.

Hilbert outlined many of the challenges facing the state: workforce shortages in healthcare and engineering, difficulties recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers, limited broadband access in many areas of the state, and ongoing economic concerns.

Hilbert said the solutions to these challenges could be summarized by a quote from President Theodore Roosevelt: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”