Alva Review-Courier -

In the face of this crisis, I wanted to talk to you as a friend and not just a state representative. This is not a time to sit back and worry about tomorrow. I recently heard a quote I thought was quite appropriate in the current situation: “We c...

Alright, let’s talk about the virus in the room. COVID-19 is much on everyone’s mind. I want to give some facts the Legislature received from the state health commissioner. He said the reason such extreme measures are being taken – schools, many...

We had another really busy week in the House this past week as we faced the deadline to have all House bills passed off the House floor. We had until March 12 to pass all House bills to the Senate and vice versa. At last count, it looked like we...

We had an incredibly busy week in the House, considering 174 measures on the floor. We passed 172 of those over to the state Senate. We have until March 12 to vote on the remaining House bills and resolutions before we start considering Senate...

The House wrapped up committee work last week for all House bills. We’ve heard hundreds of bills over the past month in various committees. Those that did not pass by the Feb. 27 deadline – other than those proposed later by the speaker of the House...

I’m going to take a little different track this week. Instead of news from the Capitol, I’m going to share some information I recently received from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) relating to the cost of building and repairing our r...

The Legislative session is back in full swing with many subcommittees and committees meeting to pass bills before they can be considered on the House floor. We passed several bills recently in the House Appropriations & Budget on Natural Resources...

The Legislative session started Feb. 3 at the state Capitol. The House and the Senate convened in joint session and welcomed the governor to deliver his State of the State address. The governor recapped some of the successes he and the Legislature...

Well, it’s here again. By the time you read this, the first week of the second session of the 57th Legislature will be underway. The second session is different in that bills not heard in the first session can still be presented in the second. W...

I have changed what I wanted to share with you this week because I have a concern on something that could have a major negative impact on our area. As many of you have heard, the governor and the director of the Department of Corrections is...

This time of year is always special. I love the cheerfulness of people even as they dash out to get last-minute presents or food for the family festivities they will enjoy. I love the lights, Christmas parties and parades. Most of all, however, I lov...

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has increased the speed limit on U.S. Highway 412 between the U.S. Highway 281 junction (Bouse Junction) and the U.S. Highway 60 junction north of Fairview to 70 miles per hour. That makes the speed limit...

I’ve been attending weekly meetings at the Capitol this interim as a member of the joint House and Senate Healthcare Working Group. We are looking at all aspects of Oklahoma healthcare from behaviors that contribute to poor health outcomes for Oklaho...

It is really nice to be spending time back home in northwest Oklahoma. I have been trying to get around to the different community events. There are so many great things to do in our area, it’s a race to keep up with them all. I would like to u...

It’s the time of year when we like to set off – or at least watch – fireworks. The bigger and more colorful and the louder the boom, the better. But beyond the booms and the lights and the oohs and the ahs is the overarching sense of what the Fourt...

The House, Senate and governor came together last week to announce a budget agreement has been reached. The House passed the budget on Friday and the Senate will vote on the budget on Tuesday. This budget will NOT require any additional taxes. I just...

The legislature is winding toward the close of this legislative session, but the end date is still uncertain. One sticking point is the education budget. The Senate president pro tempore on Thursday said he’s found a way to allocate $200 million i...

As the chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Natural Resources & Regulatory Services, two of the agencies under my guidance are the Department of Labor and the Department of Commerce – both very necessary for keeping Oklahoma's e...

Greetings! I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Easter, celebrating the sacrifice our Savior Jesus Christ made for us, and his conquering of death to give us the promise of eternal life. I was grateful for this reminder of what is truly important duri...

This is the time in the legislative session when bills are being heard by committees in their opposite chamber – House bills in the Senate committees and vice versa. Once bills pass through committee, they are eligible to be considered by the full c...

We just finished Week 6 of this legislative session, which is referred to as deadline week. This is the week when all legislation that originates in the House has to been passed by the full House of Representatives to stay alive this session. We...

I hope each of you had a great Christmas and New Year’s Day. This week I would like to share with you some of the changes we will face this next legislative session. When the 57th Legislature convenes Feb. 4, the House of Representatives will look va...

Last week marked the deadline for all Senate bills to be heard on the House floor. Any remaining Senate bills not heard are not eligible again until next session. I’m proud to say we passed Senate Bill 765 last week, which makes it illegal for i...

Lawmakers in the Oklahoma House of Representatives were able to accomplish a big win for the state last week. A REAL ID bill passed the House Floor with a bipartisan vote of 78-18. The measure brings the state into compliance with federal law for...