For example, of the 40 Republicans, at least 11 are not returning to the body after November, due to term limits, not seeking reelection, or (as in McCortney's case) election defeat. These members still got to vote in-caucus on the leader for 2025-2026. Additionally, it seems that several conservative senators are in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, and were not present for the meeting. Perhaps this was by design.
Oklahoma political icon James Mountain Inhofe passed away at the age of 89 on Tuesday following a stroke. The longest serving U.S. Senator in Oklahoma history, Inhofe had a storied political career that began in the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 1966, and included stints in the Oklahoma Senate, as Tulsa Mayor, then the U.S. House of Representatives before winning a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1994.
I didn't realize this, but Inhofe played a key role in getting the USS Batfish submarine to Oklahoma (originally intended for Tulsa, it found a home instead in Muskogee.
Oklahoma House Republicans are aiming to do something to protect Oklahoma from Biden's illegal immigration crisis, while, naturally, the House Democrats oppose doing anything except embracing it.
House Republicans Vote to Protect Oklahomans from Illegal Immigration Crisis
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 18th) – Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, today received passage of House Bill 4156 by a vote of 77-20. The legislation, aimed at addressing the illegal immigration crisis, creates the crime of impermissible occupation. Details include:
OKLAHOMA CITY – Speaker Pro Tempore Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, has been elected by the Oklahoma House Republican Caucus as speaker-designate for the 60th Legislature.
The speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives is the body’s chief presiding officer and is responsible for committee appointments, the flow of legislation and the management of the House budget and staff. The speaker also serves as an ex officio voting member on all House committees.
This is so laughable.
First of all, the "extremists" in the Oklahoma Legislature are the House and Senate Democrats, rabidly in favor of abortion without limitation whatsoever (i.e. the unabated murder of the preborn), the "trans-ing" and sexual perverting of kids via the LGBT agenda, et cetera; so far politically outside of the mainstream of Oklahomans that they have been reduced to a tiny "super-minority" in the Legislature.
Rep. Munson essentially finds any generic Republican/conservative thought to be "right-wing extremism", so... her take is pretty much nonsense.
Furthermore, CPAC has affirmed and celebrated conservative homosexual groups over the past several years, particularly since Donald Trump's rise to prominence and his general friendliness to things LGBT. On many issues, especially social and moral ones, CPAC and the American Conservative Union are not quite the paragons of conservatism they once may have been.
Read on for a good laugh:
Leader Munson Responds to Ranking by Right-Wing Extremist Organization
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson (D-Oklahoma City) responded to the recent praise for Oklahoma’s Legislature receiving a high ranking by a right-wing extremist organization, the Conservative Political Action Conference.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today House Democrats announced three bills their caucus has filed for the upcoming special session that provide tax relief to everyday Oklahomans.
“The Governor called this special session to find ways to provide tax relief to Oklahomans and we are putting forth our measures that will do that for working families, not just the wealthy few,” said House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City.
OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 14th) – Democratic legislative leaders Kay Floyd and Cyndi Munson released the following statement regarding the governor’s call for a special session on October 3, 2023.
Read below for comments from House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson and Senate Minority Leader Kay Floyd:
Read below for statements from:
With the House GOP and Senate GOP locking horns over their competing school choice funding plans, their Democratic colleagues are out with a press release - short on details - touting their own plan as an alternative.
With Democrats holding a superminority in the legislature, this won't go anywhere.
Senate and House Democrats Announce $800 Million Education Plan Amid Stalemate Over Education Funding Tied to Vouchers
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 20th) – Democratic leaders in both chambers say there is a better way to fund education and it starts with collaboration.
Around 4pm, at the conclusion of the legislative day and after the House GOP caucused, State Rep. Anthony Moore made the following motion:
SUPERINTENDENT WARNS FEDERAL FUNDS CAN STRIP STATE CONTROL
published by the Center for Independent Journalism
Ray Carter (February 1st) -- State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters warned lawmakers that they risk losing control of state schools if they accept all forms of federal funding without hesitation.
When State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters recently unveiled his proposed education budget, critics immediately claimed he was seeking to cut school funding and teacher pay.
Those complaints are a product of political performance and have no basis in reality.
OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 20th) – House Democrats sitting on the Oklahoma Legislature’s American Rescue Plan Act Committee released the following statements today after several projects were approved.
President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the latest federal stimulus bill to aid public health and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 11, 2021. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures website, the plan included $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local, territorial and tribal governments, known as the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.
Following the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade and related abortion cases, Oklahoma Democratic legislative leaders are joining gubernatorial candidate Joy Hofmeister in bewailing the fact that they can no longer murder babies in Oklahoma.
"The sky is falling", don't you know?
Read on for their extreme hysteria at the thought:
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 18th) – House Democrats released the following statements today after legislative Republicans called a special session to move the approving authority for American Rescue Plan funds from the executive branch to the Legislature.
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The House Democratic Caucus on Wednesday presented their legislative priorities for the 2022 Legislative Session.
The Democratic Caucus highlighted policy initiatives in five primary areas: transparency and accountability, health care, criminal justice, education, and the state economy.
House Minority Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman, spoke to the intent of Democratic policies and reiterated the caucus’ recent success to elevate ideas focused on Oklahomans. Virgin named the EITC, protecting education funding, and eliminating the state grocery tax as examples.
“Our goal for the 2022 Session is to provide and support compassionate, common-sense ideas focused on the needs of Oklahomans,” Virgin said. “What you won't find in our priorities are tax credits or cuts to large corporations, legislation that restricts voting rights, or attacks on tribal sovereignty.”
The Democratic Caucus recognized the current lack of transparency in the Capitol and highlighted the caucus’ desire to require the House of Representatives to follow the Open Meetings Act.
