Oklahoma House Members Take Oath Of Office
House Speaker-elect Kyle Hilbert said his goals for the 60th Legislature await his majority caucus’s retreat in the coming weeks.
Hilbert's comments to media came after the swearing-in ceremony for House members
Wednesday morning.
With 17 new members and 101 representatives to lead, House Speaker-elect Kyle Hilbert said it’s too soon to get into a full list of priorities.
He hasn’t met with his fellow Republican majority caucus to sus that out.
Following the House’s swearing-in ceremony, reporters asked Hilbert about his chamber’s direction.
“Obviously, we've voted for various tax cuts as a House in the past, but we're going to see what does the economy look like. What does the Board of Equalization report look like coming out in December? And then decide as as a caucus, where do we want to go from here?” Hilbert said.
Senate Bill 1, the first measure filed across the rotunda, proposes an income tax cut given certain revenue increases year after year.
Either way, Hilbert said he looks forward to working with the Senate to continue tax, and budgetary talks.
He said the two chambers have a great relationship heading into lawmaking season.
State Education Department Purchased Trump-Endorsed Bibles
New details are emerging about the state Department of Education's purchase of more than 500 Bibles for Advanced Placement Government classrooms.
The Tulsa World newspaper obtained a purchase order showing the 532 Bibles were the “God Bless the USA” Bibles, endorsed by President-Elect Donald Trump.
This order is separate from a bid solicitation to purchase 55,000 Bibles that was canceled earlier this month.
That proposal was revised before its cancellation at the urging of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services after speculation it was tailored to the Trump-endorsed Bibles.
The revision broadened the requirements for the Bibles and added pricing to its evaluation criteria. The Trump-endorsed Bibles are $60 each.
Agencies don’t have to solicit bids for purchases under $25,000. Because the Bibles were purchased for $24,500, the agency was able to circumvent that process.
Nonprofit Heartland Forward Teams Up with Oklahoma libraries to Expand Telehealth Access
Policy think tank Heartland Forward is launching an initiative to expand telehealth access in Oklahoma. The group is kicking off the effort with an event teaching librarians how they can prepare people for their online visits.
The nonprofit plans to teach librarians using the Telehealth DigitalLearn module, which is free to Oklahomans. The training package provides education on what telehealth is, how to navigate patient portals and devices, and how to prepare for a telehealth visit.
Nearly 20% of Oklahomans lack access to high-speed internet at home. Heartland Forward’s Executive Vice President Angie Cooper says librarians are trusted resources who can help bridge gaps in accessing care.
“We aim to equip librarians with the tools they need to help residents access vital health care services by using telehealth," said Cooper.
The event will be hosted at the Oklahoma Department of Libraries.
Meet The Four-Legged Moore Police Officer Meant to Help with Mental Health
Leo, a half poodle, half schnauzer, puts in a 40-hour-work week at the Moore Police Department.
Sgt. Sara Gurchinoff is in charge of Moore Police’s mental health pooch Leo. She says the idea to have a dog at the station came to her during the pandemic, when a stray cat boosted department morale.
Now, her patrol car is specifically designed for Leo. Instead of a normal passenger seat, there’s a large piece of plywood covered in carpet. A custom seatbelt and fan keep him safe and cool.
Leo is dispatched with his handler, so his presence can help calm down people the police interact with, especially on mental health calls.
“It's really hard to know that you're going to be taken out of your own home in your own environment, and have to go somewhere and possibly be kept there for an unknown amount of time. So sometimes he just makes it a little less scary," said Gurchinoff.
Gurchinoff says Leo also helps officers have conversations about their own mental health.
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