OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate advanced a measure from Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat to protect Oklahoma from federal overreach.

The Senate adopted House Bill 1236 on a 33-14 vote on Tuesday. The measure creates and funds a unit in the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office dedicated to protecting Oklahoma from attempts by the federal government to interfere with state power and authority.

“Oklahomans are increasingly concerned by the federal government’s attempts to grab power at every turn. This measure substantially strengthens Oklahoma’s position to challenge and push back against federal overreach. Creating a unit in the attorney general’s office to find and fight federal overreach will protect Oklahomans’ rights and our state’s authority, and will place our state on the vanguard in protecting state authority,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

The measure adds to the statutory duties of the attorney general the responsibility “to monitor and evaluate any action by the federal government including, but not limited to, executive orders by the President of the United States, rules or regulations promulgated by an agency of the federal government or acts of Congress, to determine if such actions are in violation of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.”

Treat also said the bill provides a funding source for the federalism unit in the attorney general’s office by dedicating $10 million per year for the next five years derived from corporate taxes.

HB 1236 was amended by the Senate, which means the measure now returns to the Oklahoma House for consideration.

“This is a strong attempt at protecting Oklahomans from the Biden administration, or any other administration that would act unilaterally and outside the confines of our system of checks and balances. I encourage my colleagues in the House to take up this measure and advance it to the governor’s desk soon,” Treat said.