By Constitution Staff

Following the end of the 2024 session of the Oklahoma Legislature, Governor Kevin Stitt completed his review and acted on the remaining legislation. Overall, he signed 488 bills and vetoed 32, however some of the vetoes were overridden. The 32 vetoes do not include line-item vetoes where the Governor vetoed a particular section of a bill but approved the remainder. Some legislation, such as resolutions, do not require approval of the governor.

Lock the Clock Bill Signed

Senate Bill 1200 by Sen. Blake Cowboy Stephens (R-Tahlequah) was signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt on April 26. The measure provides that the State of Oklahoma shall adopt permanent Daylight Saving Time (DST) upon approval of federal legislation to allow states to choose whether or not they change their clocks twice a year. “I am incredibly appreciative of my fellow lawmakers on both sides of the rotunda who voted in favor of this measure, landing it on the governor’s desk. Further, I extend my appreciation to Governor Stitt for his approval of this legislation that will give us an extra hour of daylight in the evenings during the winter months once the Sunshine Protection Act is approved by Congress,” Stephens said.

Stephens also thanked the House principal author of the measure, Speaker Charles McCall, House Rules Committee Vice Chair Rep. Brian Hill, and Rep. Scott Fetgatter for their role in advancing SB 1200. “I have long advocated for locking our clock and have spent many hours with my legislative colleagues and various organizations to discuss the benefits of adopting permanent DST. Oklahoma’s future is looking even brighter now that we have this law in place, and I look forward to continuing the fight and working with our federal delegation to support the passage of the Sunshine Protection Act so we can officially lock our clocks,” Stephens said.

Thompson Resigns Senate Seat

Sen. Roger Thompson (R-Okemah) resigned his seat with two years remaining in his final term. Thompson was elected in 2014 and was chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He was removed from that position during budget negotiations near the end of the last legislative session and was replaced by Vice Chairman Chuck Hall (R-Perry). Less than three weeks after announcing his Senate departure, Thompson announced he would become the CEO and Executive Director of the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association effective July 1. Governor Stitt will set the Special Election dates to fill the remaining two years of Thompson’s term. The winner of the Special Election would need to run for reelection to a full 4-year term during the 2026 election cycle. Sen. Thompson has a 51% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index.

Governors Oppose WHO Pandemic Treaty

On May 22, Gov. Kevin Stitt and 23 other governors signed a letter to President Biden opposing proposed amendments to the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations (IHR) and a New Pandemic Treaty that would grant the World Health Organization (WHO) unconstitutional power over Americans and drastically diminish the role of governors and state health officials’ ability to protect citizens against international health entities. The proposals, if finalized, would introduce a new “Pandemic Agreement,” which would undermine national sovereignty and infringe on states’ rights. It would elevate the WHO from an advisory body to a global authority in public health. It would give the WHO director-general unilateral power to declare a “public health emergency of international concern” in member nations and strip elected representatives of their authority to set public health policy.

The letter reads, in part: “Additional concerns arise regarding the establishment of a global surveillance infrastructure and requirements for member states to censor speech related to public health, potentially facilitating the proliferation of biological weapons. As governors, we affirm that public health policy is a matter reserved for the states, not the federal government, and certainly not international bodies like the WHO. We are committed to resisting any attempts to transfer authority to the WHO over public policy affecting our citizens or any efforts by the WHO to assert such authority over them.”

Curiously, little is said that Biden has no authority to unilaterally agree to this transfer of power to WHO. This is clearly a treaty — and treaties need two-third approval of the United States, according to our Constitution.

U.S.S. Oklahoma Commissioning Committee

On May 30, Gov. Kevin Stitt revealed the creation of the U.S.S. Oklahoma Commissioning Committee for the building of a 29th Virginia Class, Fast Attack Nuclear Submarine in collaboration with the U.S. Navy and Newport News Shipbuilding. Carrying Tomahawk Missiles and MK-48 torpedoes, the U.S.S. Oklahoma will home 132 sailors, 18 officers, and feature advanced stealth capabilities to make it virtually undetectable in water. “I couldn’t be more excited to have Oklahoma so well represented in our nation’s Navy,” said Governor Stitt. “I’m grateful to Director Slavonic and the committee members for their leadership. Not only will this submarine represent the patriotic, God-fearing culture of Oklahoma, but it will symbolize our commitment to innovation, security, and the men and women who protect our country. It’s an honor to help bring her to life.”

The submarine is being built in Groton, CT and Newport News, VA. The traditional keel laying occurred August 2, 2023, and the christening will occur late 2025 or early 2026. After a year of sea trials, the commissioning ceremony, where the U.S. Navy officially accepts the submarine in her fleet, will be in mid-2027. The U.S.S. Oklahoma already has a sixty-man crew training and overseeing the boat’s construction.

“The citizens of Oklahoma should take pride in knowing the U.S. Navy decided after 80 years to have another navy vessel named `Oklahoma.’ Not since the battleship U.S.S. Oklahoma, which was sunk by the Japanese when they attacked our naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, has a ship or submarine borne the name Oklahoma,” said Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Greg Slavonic, the outgoing director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA). “429 sailors and marines lost their lives that fateful day- second most to U.S.S. Arizona. The new Oklahoma submarine will project power, keep our sea lanes open and ensure freedom for every Oklahoman and our nation.”

Solar Energy Company Coming to Oklahoma

Norwegian solar energy company, NorSun, has selected Oklahoma for its first U.S.-based factory. The facility will manufacture solar wafers, an advanced silicon disc that converts sunlight into electricity. NorSun will invest an initial $620 million into their facility and will create 320 new jobs in Oklahoma. The site is expected to come online in 2026.

On June 28, Kevin Stitt released the following statement celebrating NorSun’s decision to invest in Oklahoma. “Oklahoma is the most business friendly state in the nation, and companies from around the world are taking notice,” said Gov. Stitt. “I’m thrilled that Oklahomans will benefit from hundreds of new jobs in the Tulsa area and a $620 million capital investment. Our business-friendly regulations, workforce development efforts, and ‘more of everything’ energy approach make us an incredible state to invest in, and I’m glad NorSun is going to be a part of it.”

Opioid Abatement Board Grants

On June 4, the Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board awarded $11 million in grants to 71 cities, counties, schools districts and public trusts to help address Oklahoma’s opioid crisis. Attorney General Gentner Drummond said the grants represented the first distribution for the board. Another 31 applicants were invited to resubmit applications that were incomplete or did not cover an approved purpose. Grants will fund treatment and recovery programs, assistance with co-occurring disorders and mental health issues, opioid abuse education and prevention, proper prescription efforts, and strategies to decrease the supply of narcotics across the state.

The largest grant awarded was $700,000 to the City of Tulsa and Tulsa Public Schools, which jointly applied to fund coordinated opioid abatement services. Other grants include $300,000 to the Comanche County Hospital Authority to establish a women’s and children’s program for opioid-affected families, $150,000 to MetroTech to expand existing opioid abatement initiatives, and $75,000 to Woodward County for opioid abuse education and prevention programs targeting middle school and high school students.

Grants will be distributed as soon as recipients return their award agreements. In 2022, there were nearly 800 opioid-related deaths in Oklahoma, according to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Of those, fentanyl was responsible for 619 fatal overdoses.

Johnson & Johnson Settlement

On June 11, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced that he and 42 other attorneys general had reached a $700 million nationwide settlement to resolve allegations related to the marketing of Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder and body powder products that contained talc. The consent judgment filed in the lawsuit addresses allegations that the company deceptively promoted and misled consumers in advertisements related to the safety and purity of some of its talc powder products. As part of the lawsuit, Johnson & Johnson has agreed to stop the U.S. manufacture and sale of its baby powder and body powder products containing talc. Johnson & Johnson sold such products for more than a hundred years.

After the coalition of states began investigating, the company stopped distributing and selling these products in the United States and more recently ended global sales. While this lawsuit targeted the deceptive marketing of these products, numerous other lawsuits filed by private plaintiffs in class actions raised allegations that talc causes serious health issues including mesothelioma and ovarian cancer.

“This landmark settlement signifies a tremendous step forward in consumer protection for Oklahomans and all Americans,” Drummond said. As part of the settlement, which is pending judicial approval, Oklahoma will receive $9.8 million. Texas, Florida and North Carolina led the multistate settlement.

Court Rules Against Religious Charter School

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled on June 25, in a 7-1decision, that the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board contract with St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Charter School is unconstitutional. The Statewide Virtual Charter School Board voted in June of 2023 to approve St. Isidore’s application to become the Nation’s first religious charter school. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a lawsuit against the virtual charter school board in October of last year calling it a violation of the state and U.S. constitutions.

The new Statewide Charter School Board is waiting for further court action before it decides if it will comply with the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s order to cancel the contract. St. Isidore has asked for a stay of the State Supreme Court’s decision.

Gov. Kevin Stitt has been a vocal supporter of the school and maintains a prohibition on religious charter schools is unconstitutional. “I’m concerned we’ve sent a troubling message that religious groups are second-class participants in our education system. Charter schools are incredibly popular in Oklahoma – and all we’re saying is: we can’t choose who gets state dollars based on a private entity’s religious status,” said Gov. Stitt. “Religious freedom is foundational to our values, and today’s decision undermines that freedom and restricts the choices available to Oklahomans. I’m disappointed by AG Drummond’s attack on religious liberty and the school choice movement, but I remain hopeful the U.S. Supreme Court will hear the case and grant St. Isidore the right to establish their school.”

U.S. Army Depicts Pro-Life Americans as Terrorists

In July, four members of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation signed onto a letter led by Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) and Congressman Richard Hudson (R-NC) to U.S. Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth demanding answers after evidence surfaced that anti-terrorism training conducted at Ft. Liberty, North Carolina depicted pro-Life Americans as terrorists. Oklahoma U.S. Senators Lankford and Mullin, and U.S. House members Bice and Brecheen were among those signing the letter. Fort Liberty was previously known as Fort Bragg.

Specifically, the slides identify National Right to Life, Operation Rescue, and anyone who opposes the Supreme Court’s rightfully overturned decision in Roe v. Wade as examples of terrorist groups. The letter is supported by Catholic Vote, National Right to Life Committee, Family Research Council, Americans United for Life, Concerned Women for America, Students for Life Action, SBA Pro-Life America, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, and ACLJ Action.

Paxton New Senate Pro Tem Designee

On July 15, Sen. Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle) was selected by the Senate Republican Caucus as their Senate Pro Tem designee. The formal vote among all senators for the Pro Tem position will take place on Organizational Day which occurs every two years following the General Election. He would begin the new position when the first session of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature convenes on February 3, 2025. Current Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat was Term-Limited and could not run for reelection this year.

This was the second time this year that Senate Republicans named a designee. On February 12 they selected Sen. Greg McCortney (R-Ada) to be the Pro Tem Designee. However, McCortney was defeated for reelection in the June 18 GOP Primary Election. McCortney, who only has a 55% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index published by the Oklahoma Constitution, was labeled by conservatives as a RINO (Republican In Name Only). Sen. Paxton has a cumulative average score of 62 percent. Senator Treat (65% cumulative average) was criticized by conservative Republicans for holding the latest vote while many conservative GOP Senators were attending the Republican National Convention. They charged that it was not an oversight, and the date was chosen specifically to ensure not all state senators would be able to vote due to their attendance at the national convention.

Hilbert House Speaker-Designate

On March 4, state Rep. Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow), was elected by the Oklahoma House Republican Caucus to be House 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. Current House Speaker Charles McCall (R-Atoka) is the longest-serving speaker in state history, and was Term-Limited and could not run for reelection this year. Hilbert will not officially be elected to the post until after the November General Election and will begin serving when the Oklahoma House convenes next year. Hilbert has only a 58% conservative cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index, a RINO. McCall’s conservative cumulative average is 63 percent.

Tatum Named CEO of RUSO

Governor Stitt announced on June 24 that his chief of staff Brandon Tatum will be the new CEO of the Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO). “Brandon has served Oklahoma well and I’m excited for this next step in his journey. He believes in the mission of making Oklahoma a Top Ten state in everything we do and knows that a strong university system in our state is an important part of that,” said Governor Stitt. “I know he will do great things at RUSO and will continue to work to align our education systems with our state’s workforce needs.”

Dr. Brandon Tatum has served as chief of staff to Governor Stitt since November of 2022. During his tenure, he helped Governor Stitt champion one of the most expansive education freedom packages in the nation, bringing more education options to every child in Oklahoma regardless of socioeconomic background. Prior to his time in the Governor’s office, Dr. Tatum served as executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Oklahoma Christian University. He led all strategy initiatives for the university including creation, implementation, assessment, and improvement and was responsible for developing key relationships with Oklahoma industries. He led initiatives to help address workforce shortages by partnering with industry to prepare students for the workforce.

He formerly served on the Governor’s education transition committee focused on personalized learning and innovation and was his appointee on the Statewide Virtual Charter Board. Dr. Tatum received his doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Abilene Christian University.

Governor Names New Chief of Staff

On July 2, Gov. Kevin Stitt named Grayson Walker as his new Chief of Staff. “Grayson is an Oklahoma City native and has been a valued member of my policy and legal teams since 2020. I am excited to have him lead this office. He is committed to this state,” Stitt said. “Character and culture are essential in leadership and I can’t think of a better person to help pursue our vision of being a Top Ten state.” Walker previously served as counselor to Secretary of State Josh Cockroft and as deputy counsel to the Governor. He clerked for the Honorable Judge Thomas E. Prince of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals before joining the Stitt administration. Walker earned a J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, a master’s degree from Knox Theological Seminary, and a bachelor’s degree in political science and Spanish from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.

Raise the Wage Oklahoma Submits Signatures

On July 15, supporters of a petition to place State Question 832 on the ballot claimed they submitted nearly 180,000 signatures. The proposal would gradually raise the minimum wage in Oklahoma from the current $7.25 per hour to $15 in 2029 and future increases would be tied to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index. Raise the Wage Oklahoma needed to collect 92,263 valid signatures to get the measure on the ballot. Representatives of the group said they were pleased by the number of signatures they collected.

The Oklahoma Secretary of State is responsible for verifying the signatures and submits the totals to the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which makes the final determination of sufficiency. If determined to be sufficient, the petition’s ballot title will be reviewed by the attorney general’s office to ensure its meaning is clear to voters. It then goes to the governor who may place the measure on the next General Election ballot, or the next Primary Election ballot, or call a Special Election. If the process is completed before the deadline to print ballots, it could be on the November 5 ballot this year.

Oklahoma Congressional Delegation Rated

The New American (TNA) magazine has released its latest ratings of members of Congress, and Oklahoma’s delegation did not fare very well. TNA’s “Freedom Index” gives a score to each member of Congress “based on their adherence to constitutional principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, national sovereignty, and a traditional foreign policy of avoiding foreign entanglements.”

Senator James Lankford registered a dismal 50 percent, and Senator Markwayne Mullin was even worse, at 40 percent.

In the House of Representatives, Josh Brecheen scored a perfect 100 percent and Kevin Hern had a score of 70 percent. After that, however, the drop off was significant, with Tom Cole following at a mere 22 percent. Amazingly, that was still better than the 20 percent rating achieved by both Frank Lucas and Stephanie Bice.

By comparison, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi had a score of zero, and Thomas Massie made a 100 percent. In the Senate, perfect 100 percent scores were assigned to Tommy Tubberville, Rand Paul, J.D. Vance, and Mike Lee. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney scored 25 percent. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, portrayed by the mainstream media as some sort of “moderate,” scored zero.

Change How Tied Elections are Decided

On July 1, state Rep. Tammy Townley (R-Ardmore) announced her intention to file a bill next session updating election procedures in the event of a tied election. Townley represents House District 48, which includes Carter County. She said the bill was inspired by the outcome of the June 18 primary election for Carter County Sheriff. A recount on June 28 confirmed both candidates received 2,569 votes. The current statute does not allow for runoff elections when only two candidates run for a position. Title 26, Section 8-105 states any race that remains tied after provisional ballot analysis and a recount must be decided by a lot held by the county election board. Ultimately, the winner of that race was chosen via a random drawing of a name from a bucket.

“I had no idea that we still had archaic practices like this on the books,” Townley said. “I had assumed, as I suspect many others did as well, that this race would proceed to a runoff. I was shocked to learn that a race could be decided by a game of chance rather than by voters.” Townley said the bill, which has not yet been filed, would provide several options in the event of a tied race and would be at the discretion of the county election board secretary to decide how to proceed. While Townley is still developing the bill, she said that the opportunity for a runoff election would be included in the list.

Precinct Election Official Pay

A bill passed in 2023 to increase precinct official pay went into effect on July 1. It doubles the pay precinct officials receive for a workday. State law requires each precinct to have a minimum of three precinct officials – an inspector, judge, and clerk. Inspector pay increased from $110 a day to $225 a day. Pay for judges and clerks increased from $100 a day to $200 a day. State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said he is confident the increase in pay will support recruitment efforts across the state. “Precinct officials are vital to the success of elections. We are extremely grateful to our state leaders for passing legislation that not only shows our current poll workers how much we appreciate them – but also supports recruitment and retention efforts across the state,” Ziriax said.

No experience is necessary to serve as a precinct official, but you must be willing and able to work long hours and have reliable transportation. You must also work in the county where you are registered to vote. Training is mandatory and will be provided. Voters interested in serving as a precinct official should contact their county election board directly for more information. General information about becoming a poll worker is available on the State Election Board website.

Ballot Order for General Election

On July 16, a public drawing was held by the Secretary of the State Election Board, Paul Ziriax, to determine the ballot order for political parties and independent candidates for the General Election ballot. The drawing was held in accordance with state law at 9:30 a.m. at the State Capitol Building in Oklahoma City. The drawing determined the order of that recognized political party candidates will appear on the ballot. Independent candidates are placed on the ballot following the candidates of the recognized political parties. If more than one independent candidate files for a particular office, then a drawing is held to determine the ballot order of those independent candidates.

As a result of this year’s drawing, Libertarians will be listed first, followed by Republican Party candidates and then the Democratic Party candidates. Independents will appear after the candidates of the three recognized parties.

Secretary Ziriax also announced that two independent presidential candidates have qualified for the General Election Ballot in Oklahoma. July 15 was the last day independent candidates or candidates from unrecognized parties could file for the highest office in the nation. A drawing determined the ballot order of those independent presidential candidates. Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his vice presidential candidate Nicole Ann Shanahan will be first, followed by presidential candidate Chris Garrity and vice presidential candidate Cody Ballard.

The General Election is November 5. The last day to register to vote for the General Election is October 11. More information about registering to vote is available on the State Election Board website.

Death of Former Rep. Robert Worthen

Former Republican state Rep. Robert Worthen died peacefully at his home in Oklahoma City on June 10 at the age of 77. Worthen was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2011 and went many years before the disease began to take a toll. Worthen was elected to House District 87 in Oklahoma City in1986 and served until 2004 when term limits prevented him from seeking reelection. He was one of the more conservative members of the Oklahoma House with a 78% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index.

Worthen graduated from Edmond Memorial High School before attending the University of Oklahoma. During and after college, Worthen worked as a local model and actor. He appeared in numerous catalogs, publications, plays and productions. One of his favorite roles was that of an old west gunfighter at Frontier City, where he and his fellow actors would stage gun battles throughout the park and even “rob the train.” Worthen started a commercial janitorial service business in the late 1970's.

He was succeeded in the legislature by his son, Trebor Worthen, who was elected in 2004 and who served two terms before not seeking reelection in 2008. Trebor now serves as Chief of Staff to Attorney General Gentner Drummond.