Gov. Stitt celebrates 2nd annual Oklahoma Family Month 2024

Governor Stitt Celebrates Second Annual Oklahoma Family Month 2024

OKLAHOMA CITY (November 4, 2024) - Today, Governor Kevin Stitt is celebrating Oklahoma families by signing an executive proclamation declaring the month of November as ‘Oklahoma Family Month.’ The signing marks the start of a month-long campaign dedicated to championing family values, strengthening their bonds, and encouraging Oklahomans to be intentional in their time together.

Gov. Stitt declares November as "Family Month", launches month-long pro-family campaign

GOVERNOR STITT DECLARES NOVEMBER AS FAMILY MONTH, LAUNCHES MONTH-LONG PRO-FAMILY CAMPAIGN

 

OKLAHOMA CITY (October 31, 2023) - Governor Kevin Stitt held a ceremonial proclamation signing today to declare the month of November as Family Month in the State of Oklahoma. The launch dedicates November to celebrating families, fostering unbreakable bonds, and championing core family values through social media, strategic partnerships, and community engagement.

 

"Families are the very foundation upon which we build our lives," said Governor Stitt. "For Family Month, we recognize that families shape our values, nurture our dreams, and stand by us through thick and thin. As Governor, I am committed to uplifting Oklahoma families, and I believe that in doing so, we will see a positive shift in the direction of our state, and by extension, our nation."

 

For Family Month, the Department of Tourism is offering free admission and waived parking fees at select state parks during the weekend before and after the Thanksgiving holiday to encourage families to travel together during November. Oklahoma families can make memories at 6 participating parks: Thunderbird Park, Forrest Mountain, Robbers Cave, Lake Murray, Lake Wister, and Sequoyah State Park.

State Sen. Leewright opts against reelection bid

Sen. Leewright announces he will not seek another term

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. James Leewright, R-Bristow, announced Wednesday he would not seek another term in the Oklahoma Senate.  Leewright represents Senate District 12, which includes all of Creek County and part of Tulsa County.

“Being a member of the Oklahoma Senate has been the honor of a lifetime, but after much prayer and thoughtful consideration, I have decided not to seek re-election,” Leewright said.  “I have never viewed public office as a life-long career.  I believe we’re called on to serve our fellow citizens, then return to the private sector.  That’s what I have decided to do.”

Rep. Hilbert, Sen. Leewright Work on Back the Blue Legislation

Hilbert, Leewright Work on Back the Blue Legislation

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, and Sen. James Leewright, R-Bristow, today announced bills backing law enforcement by making the profession more attractive to join and stay in across Oklahoma.

In recent days, eight police officers nationwide were shot over 48 hours, resulting in two officer deaths. Two weeks ago, two Tulsa police officers were shot, resulting in the death of Tulsa Police Sgt. Craig Johnson.

The casualties combined with efforts in cities in Oklahoma and nationwide to defund police and other law enforcement offices have created a toxic environment for public safety officers, something the legislators said they hope to combat.

Following veto override, rural broadband expansion council to be created

Legislature enacts bills to set rural broadband expansion plan

OKLAHOMA CITY – All stakeholders will be at the table in public meetings to craft an actionable rural broadband expansion plan for Oklahoma under legislation enacted by veto override Friday.

House Bill 4018 and Senate Bill 1002 cause a 14-member council to develop a plan to improve availability, quality and affordability of high speed internet in rural Oklahoma, which lags significantly behind the rest of the country in access to high speed internet.

“We are bringing all stakeholders together for step one of what will be several years of successful rural broadband expansion in Oklahoma,” said Rep. Logan Phillips, R-Mounds, an information technology college professor who carried the legislation. “Legislators don’t want to see any wasted resources, whether public or private, so we have asked for a coordinated plan that prevents wasteful efforts while getting rural constituents the internet they need.”

Phillips coauthored the legislation with House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka.

“Representative Logan Phillips worked tirelessly throughout the legislative interim and session to craft this very strong legislation that will produce real results for rural Oklahomans for years to come,” McCall said. “As a lifetime rural Oklahoman, I applaud Representative Phillips, Senator Leewright and all stakeholders for collaborating on a teamwork-driven approach to this major issue for our constituents.”

The legislation was carried in the Senate by Sen. James Leewright, R-Bristow.

“Even before the pandemic, rural Oklahoma needed faster, cheaper internet in a serious way,” Leewright said. “The pandemic only heightened rural Oklahoma’s broadband need, and I am pleased rural Oklahomans are now at the table to work on this issue, along with providers responsible for delivering the service.”

The Rural Broadband Expansion Council includes representation appointed by the House, Senate and governor to ensure all expertise and perspectives are represented in developing a rural broadband expansion plan. Rural-specific interests represented on the council include broadband providers, health care, business, municipalities, electric cooperatives and citizens. Other interests represented are large national wireless providers, information technology academics and state agencies with technology assets.

“These bills are about bringing people together to chart a shared path forward,” McCall said. “The council will utilize the expertise of proven private sector experts, since they will be chiefly responsible for executing the plan, rather than relying solely on state agencies with mixed track records on technology projects. This approach will produce the best outcome for citizens, and we look forward to collaborating with all parties on this important effort going forward.”

The bills take effect immediately and require the council to be named and convened within 60 days. All meetings of the council, which will be staffed by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, will be subject to the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act.

Hilbert files bill to crack down on telemarketers and scam calls

Hilbert Files Legislation to Crack Down on Telemarketers and Scam Calls

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives will consider legislation to prevent telemarketers from replicating numbers and misrepresenting the origin of a phone call.

Rep. Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow) on Thursday filed House Bill 3081 to prohibit callers from tampering with information displayed on caller IDs to disguise their identities. This practice is known as caller ID spoofing and is commonly used by telemarketers and scammers.

Hilbert said while the ultimate solution to this problem lies at the federal level, and through the work Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter is doing with federal regulators, Oklahoma should take steps now to cut down on spam phone calls.

“We must do everything in our power as a state to limit these calls,” Hilbert said. “We need to give Oklahoma prosecutors every tool possible to hold accountable the morally bankrupt individuals who run these telephone scams on the elderly and the vulnerable.”

Hilbert said the idea came from a similar bill passed in Texas last year.

Sen. James Leewright (R-Bristow) will serve as the Senate author.

“Every Oklahoman has experienced firsthand how frustrating it is to answer a call with your area code only to be met with an automated telemarketer or scammer,” Leewright said. “Until Washington takes strong action to prohibit these dishonest and unethical practices, Oklahoma needs to take steps to cut down on caller ID spoofing within our state.” 

Joe Ann Vermillion, Oklahoma state volunteer president for AARP, says the organization is in support of the bill.

“AARP is pleased to see Oklahoma legislators taking action on preventing these predatory telemarketing practices that prey upon our citizens,” Vermillion said. “AARP research shows that three in five adults pick up calls from a local area code, and 44 percent will answer calls from an area code where friends or families live. This legislation will empower all Oklahomans to gain an upper hand on the criminals utilizing spoofing to steal our identities and hard-earned money.”

The second session of the 57th Legislature will begin Monday, Feb. 3 at noon with the State of the State address from Gov. Kevin Stitt in the House Chamber.

Rep. Kyle Hilbert, a Republican, serves District 29 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.