The legislative session is off to a busy start. The Senate and the House gaveled in for the four-month legislative session on Monday, Feb. 3. The session officially kicked off with senators and representatives gathering in the House chamber to listen to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s seventh State of the State address.
I appreciate that the governor focused so much of his speech on reforms to make Oklahoma the most business-friendly state in the nation. I have always admired this governor’s pro-business attitude and his approach to commerce and economic development. He said that in the past year, 274 businesses opened their doors or expanded in Oklahoma. He added that these enterprises created more than 31,000 new jobs during that same timeframe. Local businesses are undoubtedly the lifeblood of our communities, and I’m supportive of anything we can do to help these businesses thrive.
Tax cuts were among the many issues the governor addressed in his speech. I’m eternally grateful for the hardworking Oklahomans whose taxes fund this state. Revenue estimates certified by the State Board of Equalization show that the Legislature will have at least $191 million less to appropriate in the upcoming fiscal year, which gives me some pause about cutting taxes again. Just last year, the Senate passed the largest tax cut in state history to eliminate the state portion of the grocery tax.
The governor also called on schools to crack down on student cellphone use throughout the school day. This is a key issue the Senate Education Committee has been working on for the past two years because students can’t focus on their education when they’re being inundated with texts, app notifications and social media messages. Several local districts, including Shidler Public Schools, have seen tremendous success in getting phones out of the classroom.
I’ve introduced legislation the past few sessions to legalize sports betting, and this year is no different. I introduced Senate Bill 585 to add mobile and in-person sports betting as a supplement to state-tribal gaming compacts. This is one of three sports betting bills filed in the Senate this year. These measures have all been assigned to the Business and Insurance Committee. As chairman of that committee, I plan to give all three bills a hearing in the coming weeks because I don’t want Oklahoma to fall behind on this issue. Legalizing sports betting would bring in new tax revenue for the state and benefit our tribal partners and local businesses. Nearly 40 states, including Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Colorado, have legalized sports gaming. Texas politicians are seriously studying the issue, and I want Oklahoma to get this done as soon as possible. I remain hopeful that I can work with all the stakeholders involved to find a compromise so we can bring sports betting to Oklahoma soon.
