A bill making it legal for teachers to say “Merry Christmas” has appeared in the Legislature yet again.
Oklahoma legislature
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Deal or no deal
Brad Gregg Fallin and the Republican legislative leadership heaped congratulations on themselves at a May 18 news conference. The gov called it “an important step forward for Oklahoma,” while House Speaker Kris Steele said legislators had decided to give taxpayer money “back to the hardworking people of Oklahoma.” Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman proclaimed […]
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Lines of fire
Bryan Wells Mark Hancock One allows residents of states that don’t require permits for concealed handguns to keep their arms in Oklahoma. Another alters the Oklahoma Riot Control and Prevention Act to prohibit state officials from seizing guns during a state of emergency. But the biggest and most talked-about gun bill will allow license-holders to […]
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Water wait
Gov. Mary Fallin Shannon Cornman The slick print ads and television commercials that have been a hallmark of the fight will cease, at least for a time, Oklahoma Gazette has learned. Amid a pending federal lawsuit, the tribes have inundated the airwaves with commercials and infomercials revolving around their dispute with the city of Oklahoma […]
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Tax credits worth saving
Based on rhetoric surrounding Oklahoma’s income tax debate, some lawmakers seem to think so. Gov. Mary Fallin and other state leaders are eager to cut the top income tax rate this year. They say we can offset some of the cut by eliminating “special interest” tax credits and deductions. Yet when the details emerge, we […]
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Ill-conceived
Brad Gregg House Speaker Kris Steele said April 19 that the body would not hear Senate Bill 1433, which would proclaim that embryos have all the same rights as folks not encased in a womb. The bill is dead now that the House Republican Caucus voted to pull out the legislative equivalent of a vacuum […]
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Biting the hand that feeds you
Brad Gregg The Dacoma Republican might have hypoglycemia-induced irritability, at least judging by his recent attempt to evict food-service tenants in the Capitol snack bars, which are among the state and county retail facilities reserved for blind operators. Hickman complained of sub-par service to The Oklahoman and decided to legislate a solution by opening the […]
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Politics of satire
Kurt Hochenauer Democratic state Sens. Constance Johnson of Oklahoma City, Judy Eason McIntyre of Tulsa and Jim Wilson of Tahlequah are responding to the GOP assault on women’s reproductive rights here and elsewhere this year with satire and humor. Their pointed barbs and actions have an obvious theme in common: Reproduction involves a man as […]
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Profiles in courage
Brad Gregg Candidates for office this week are filing with the state Election Board, meaning that a fair number of incumbents will know who their challengers are amid the legislative session. In previous years, candidate filing occurred in June. And how might this early jump on campaign season impact legislators still facing politically sticky votes […]