State Senate's GOP head joins Dem leaders in calling Gov. Stitt's tax cut special session a "waste, "stunt"

It's not often that the Republican Senate Pro Tem and the Democratic leaders in the House and Senate speak from the same playbook, but it seems they do when it comes to dealing with Gov. Stitt's insistence that Oklahoma taxpayers get a break:

Gov. Stitt appoints Shelley Zumwalt as Secretary of Tourism

GOVERNOR STITT NAMES SHELLEY ZUMWALT AS OKLAHOMA SECRETARY OF TOURISM

OKLAHOMA CITY (January 16, 2024) - Today, Governor Kevin Stitt named Shelley Zumwalt as Oklahoma Secretary of Tourism following a historic year for Oklahoma's tourism industry.

"Shelley Zumwalt has proven herself to be a tourism powerhouse and a compelling ambassador for Oklahoma," said Governor Stitt. "After seeing the historic numbers from last year, I've never been more excited for the future of Oklahoma's tourism industry -- and that means having Shelley at the helm."

State Rep. Rick West files bill to protect privacy of homemade food producers

Rick West Bill Would Protect Privacy of Homemade Food Producers

OKLAHOMA CITY(Jan. 16th)  – Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener, has filed legislation that would amend the Homemade Food Freedom Act to protect the private information of producers.

House Bill 2975 would  allow producers of homemade food products to obtain a registration number to affix to their product labels instead of the current requirement that they list their name, phone number and the physical address where the food is produced on all products sold. The $15 registration fee would be voluntary.

Gov. Stitt calls special session for personal income tax cut

Gov. Stitt is giving the Legislature another shot at passing a personal income tax. Previously, the House has supported the idea, but the Senate has not. Maybe this time will be different?

GOVERNOR STITT CALLS SPECIAL SESSION

OKLAHOMA CITY (January 16, 2024) - Today, Governor Kevin Stitt called for a special session of Oklahoma’s 59th Legislature beginning January 29, 2024, to seek a .25% reduction in the personal income tax for every Oklahoman.

Stardust Power picks Muskogee for nation's largest battery-grade lithium refinery, $1B+ investment

Big news for Muskogee:

Rendering of new plant, courtesy of Stardust Power

STARDUST POWER SELECTS MUSKOGEE TO BUILD BATTERY-GRADE LITHIUM REFINERY

GREENWICH, Conn., and TULSA, Okla., January 11, 2024 – Stardust Power Inc. (“Stardust Power” or the “Company”), a development stage American manufacturer of battery-grade lithium products, announced today that it has selected Southside Industrial Park in Muskogee, Oklahoma to build a new battery-grade lithium refinery, and is expected to be eligible to receive up to $257 million in state and federal economic incentives for the facility build-out. The Company may also be eligible for further federal grants and or incentives offered by the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense.

Stardust Power selected Muskogee, Oklahoma for its central refinery because of Oklahoma’s central U.S. location, facilitating delivery of lithium inputs and shipment of battery-grade lithium products over multiple transportation routes to support the Company’s refining operations. The area’s superior intermodal freight transport options as well as a highly skilled workforce trained in oil and gas engineering were other key factors. Additionally, Oklahoma is recognized as an emerging national leader in sustainable power, including solar and wind, supporting Stardust Power’s commitment to limit its carbon footprint.

OCPA calls for state investigation of OU student fee use

OCPA calls for state investigation of OU student fee use

OKLAHOMA CITY (January 10, 2024) — Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs President Jonathan Small today called on state lawmakers to launch an investigation into the University of Oklahoma’s use of mandatory student fees following a recent report indicating student fees were wasted placing women’s menstrual products in men’s bathrooms on campus.

Sen. Seifried aims to create pilot program to limit student phone usage in schools

Sen. Seifried files legislation to create pilot program to limit student phone usage in schools

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, has filed legislation creating a pilot program to allow Oklahoma public schools to create phone-free school sites. Senate Bill 1321 would provide grant-style funding for up to nine middle or high schools to cover the costs associated for sites going cellphone free for the duration of the school day.

Seifried said the goal of the program was to remove distractions for students in order to increase educational outcomes, in addition to, limiting the damaging effects of cellphone use on students’ mental health and wellbeing.

AG Drummond to testify before House committee in impeachment hearing against Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas

Drummond to testify before U.S. House committee in impeachment proceedings against Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary

OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 8, 2024) - Attorney General Gentner Drummond will testify Wednesday to the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee as part of that panel’s impeachment proceedings against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The action comes in the wake of Mayorkas’ failure to secure the nation’s southwest border. 

Drummond was invited to testify due to his focus of ridding Oklahoma of the foreign nationals who have invaded the marijuana industry. He is expected to tell committee members how the recent influx of illegal immigrants into the U.S. has allowed criminal enterprises, primarily populated by Mexican and Chinese nationals, to jeopardize public safety through drug trafficking and other crimes. 

HERO: Rep. Gann files bill to protect Oklahomans from Orwellian tax-by-the-mile plan

For some background, read this article from OklahomaVoice.com ('Oklahoma task force recommends implementing per-mile road tax'). ODOT, at the direction of a task force formed by the legislature in 2021, is wanting to charge Oklahomans per mile driven as opposed to by fuel tax at the pump.

This would be a "voluntary program" to start... like every government program ever. Miles would be submitted manually by participants... or via a government tracking device on your vehicle. Nothing could ever go wrong with that, right?

Enter State Rep. Tom Gann, taxpayer defender extraordinaire:

Gann Files Bill to Protect Oklahomans from Overreaching 'Road User Charge' Plan

OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 9th) – Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, has filed what he called "a pivotal bill aimed at safeguarding Oklahomans' freedom and privacy."

House Bill 2970 comes in response to what Gann termed are growing concerns over the Oklahoma Road User Charge (RUC) Task Force's controversial "Road User Charge" proposal.

State Rep. Jim Olsen files bill to display Ten Commandments in public school classrooms

Olsen Files Bill to Display Ten Commandments in Public School Classrooms

OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 2nd) – Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, has filed legislation to require the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms.

House Bill 2962, filed Friday, would require each classroom to clearly display a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments, measuring at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall, beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. The bill also outlines the specific text to be used for the display.

State receives first made-in-Oklahoma electric vehicles from Canoo

Move out of the way, Slug Bug, the Roly-Poly is coming through:

State receives first made-in-Oklahoma electric vehicles from Canoo

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (Dec. 29, 2023) – Today, the State of Oklahoma received its first three made-in-Oklahoma electric vehicles from Canoo as an innovative part of the state’s ongoing fleet modernization initiative. At a combined cost of $119,850, these three Lifestyle Delivery Vehicles (LDVs) are the first of their kind in the state fleet, with one each assigned to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Corrections.

Small: 'Land acknowledgements' a farce

Land acknowledgements a farce

By Jonathan Small

In the performance-over-substance world of the political left, “land acknowledgements” have become a ritual at many public meetings. Those acknowledgements, which note the land on which an event takes place was once controlled by various Native American tribes, are a farce. Otherwise, those spouting the acknowledgement would do more than talk.

But they don’t—including at many Oklahoma locations.