TRANSCRIPT
Announcer: Capital Insider sponsored by the Oklahoma State Medical Association. Physician members who are committed to better health for all Oklahomans. Learn more at okmed.org.
Logan Layden: This is Capital Insider, taking you inside politics, policy, and government in Oklahoma. I’m Logan Layden, in for Dick Pryor, with Quorum Call publisher Shawn Ashley. Shawn, it was a busy week at the legislature as the first bill of the session made it to the governor’s desk and a lot of bills moved forward. That includes a handful of bills affecting education. Some of those drew debate.
Shawn Ashley: Yes, they did. For example, in his state of the state speech, Governor Kevin Stitt called for an end to virtual school days. Now a bill that would limit schools’ use of virtual days passed the House Appropriations and Budget Committee on Wednesday. Proponents said the best learning environment is that of a classroom with a teacher at the front. But opponents said the decision ultimately should be left to local districts. The bill now moves to the full House.
Another bill headed to the House floor prohibits state colleges and universities from using funds to support DEI positions, activities, and programs — Senate Bill 796. The author of the bill said such programs often promote harmful ideas, but opponents of the bill seem to be eliminating the word diversity while trying to promote diversity.
Logan Layden: A couple of years ago, the legislature approved a measure that would prevent the state from investing with companies that it somehow determines are hostile to the oil and gas industry. That law has been challenged and is difficult to enforce. Now the legislature is moving a similar bill that would require companies contracting with the state to show they do not discriminate against the firearm industry. How does this bill plan to do that?
Shawn Ashley: Senate Bill 500 prohibits government entities both at the state level and at the local level from contracting with companies unless the company provides a contract that contains a written verification that it does not discriminate against those in the firearm industry. Representative Andy Fugate said this seems to be a new focus on expanding Second Amendment rights, but proponents of the bill say that companies that discriminate against those in the firearms industry are essentially using government money to do so if they have a government contract. The bill passed out of committee and now goes to the full House for possible further consideration.
Logan Layden: More contentious debate centered not on a bill, but on a resolution that declares Christ is King in Oklahoma. What is the reason the authors thought this resolution was needed and what was the opposition?
Shawn Ashley: Well, Representative Jim Olson, the author of the resolution, pointed out that it was Holy Week, the week preceding Easter, and that a majority of Oklahomans are Christians. But opponents of the resolution worried that it violated the state and federal Constitutions’ establishment clauses and that it minimized the beliefs of people of other faith. The resolution passed and now goes to the Senate for consideration. A similar resolution was filed in the Senate, but it has not been taken up. So we’ll have to wait and see if this one gets heard.
Logan Layden: Another bill approved in committee would not just change but reverse the way administrative rules are approved in Oklahoma. What would it do?
Shawn Ashley: We’ve talked a lot about administrative rules here. And currently, administrative rules take effect if they are not disapproved, if there’s no formal action to disapprove them. The bill passed by the House Administrative Rules Committee would, as you said, reverse that process. Every rule would have to be approved by the legislature before it could go forward and take effect.
Logan Layden: And the race for governor is heating up. Another candidate has announced for the seat and she is the first Democrat to enter the race.
Shawn Ashley: That’s right, House Minority Leader Cindy Munson announced she is seeking the Democrats’ nomination for governor. Munson was first elected to the house in 2015 in a special election after losing the 2014 general election. And she flipped a House seat from Republican to Democrat for the first time. And previous representatives of that seat had included former Attorney General Mike Hunter and former Governor Mary Fallin. Munson was the first Asian American elected to the legislature as well. Now keep in mind, filing for the statewide general elections in 2026 is still a year away.
Logan Layden: What’s coming up over the next few days?
Shawn Ashley: Thursday is the deadline for bills to be heard in a committee of the opposite chamber — House bills in Senate committees and Senate bills in House committees. And then they’ll be moving onto the floor for further consideration.
Logan Layden: Thanks, Shawn. For more information, go to quorumcall.online. You can find audio and transcripts at kgou.org and look for Capital Insider where you get podcasts. With Shawn Ashley, I’m Logan Layden.
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