Early budget agreement mostly good for state's childrenGov. Kevin Stitt and Republican leaders from the state Legislature announced a budget agreement last week. The Fiscal...

Leadership in both chambers and Gov. Kevin Stitt have reached an agreement on a proposed $12.78 billion state budget for the fiscal year that begins in July. This budget is...

“…Half the Battle…”The old adage about knowing being half the battle is very true when it comes to policy advocacy.I am thankful for the partner organizations with which...

One of the biggest challenges the Senate Appropriations Committee is dealing with this year is the rising cost of Medicaid. Approximately one in four Oklahomans is enrolled...

Transparency is key to building, preserving trust in governmentOklahoma means business when it comes to transparency in government. We must uphold strong and transparent...

OICA Child Advocacy Day, Chili Cook-Off a Tremendous SuccessOn Tuesday, March 10, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) held our annual advocacy day at the State...

When I first ran for elected office, I set three main legislative goals that I wanted to accomplish for the benefit of Senate District 38. The first was to make Burns Flat...

OICA continues advocacy on children’s billsAs we discussed last week, the Oklahoma Legislature continues to move several potential laws forward for the 2026 session over...

Senate education leaders announced a new education funding package last week that includes teacher pay raises, investments in early-childhood literacy, additional dollars...

February ended as the warmest on record across Oklahoma, a distinction that also pushed the climatological winter of 2025–26 to its warmest on record. The unusual warmth...

One of the biggest issues my colleagues and I are working to address this year at the Capitol is how to provide meaningful property tax relief to Oklahomans without...

OICA Continues Advocacy Efforts as Lawmakers Enter Second Month of SessionAs the Oklahoma Legislature enters its second month of work, there has been much progress made on...

We're officially one month into our legislative session, and we certainly hit the ground running.In my last column, I highlighted a bill I'm...

The State Board of Equalization recently met to certify revenue projections for the upcoming fiscal year. The Senate and House Appropriations Committees will use these...

A Notable Death, A Difficult ReflectionLast week, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a well-known political figure who first got his start in the public eye by working with the Rev....