Patrick B. McGuigan
Some legislative girls are within the information … a brand new set of eyes on the Juvenile Justice Board after a shocking departure … and different snippets from the Capitol information “beat” I’ve lined since 2009. …
As had been broadly speculated, state Senator Kim David, R-Porter, turned the primary candidate to announce for the State Company Fee job that Dana Murphy will vacate subsequent 12 months.
Within the wake of broad achievement of conservative coverage goals on the 2023 common session, David – the Senate Majority Chief – appears match for the problem. In her on-line announcement, she mentioned, “For the previous decade, I’ve fought to make sure Oklahomans have dependable, reasonably priced vitality and powerful infrastructure. Serving on the Oklahoma Company Fee is the following step in persevering with this essential work whereas rising jobs and alternatives in our state.”
David shares the nearly-universal Republican disdain for the coverage goals and early efficiency of President Joe Biden:
“Because the Biden administration continues to place the squeeze on vitality and utilities, the position of commissioner will tackle even larger import. I believe I’ve the best expertise, data and temperament to struggle and win on behalf of all Oklahomans.”
Having labored in a number of elements of enterprise, together with vitality, Senator David might sound a pure to develop into Commissioner David. In her announcement launch, she mentioned, “I understand how essential low vitality prices are to companies and Oklahoma households alike. These are pocketbook points that require sturdy, constant, conservative management.” (hyperlink to our earlier protection if you want)
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Though she doesn’t usually sport female head-gear, state Consultant Rhonda Baker, a Yukon Republican, has a brand new feather in her cap.
She was just lately elected vice chair of the Training Committee for the Southern Legislative Convention (SLC).
Baker mentioned, in a press release, “What an honor to be elected by my nationwide friends to be vice chair of this essential committee. Oklahoma has made monumental strides in recent times in funding schooling and crafting reforms to assist enhance scholar outcomes. I sit up for sharing our work with different legislators and studying from their expertise as effectively.”
(hyperlink to our latest protection on CS web site, if you want)
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Melissa Provenzano, a Democratic state consultant from Tulsa, was chosen an Oklahoma State Director for Girls in Authorities (WIG). The group, based mostly within the nation’s capital metropolis, is a non-partisan non-profit for girls in state legislatures.
Rep. Provenzano mentioned, “The mission of this group can’t be understated. For many of our nation’s historical past, the federal government has been a male-dominated area. That’s altering. We’re starting to see extra parity. There may be a variety of work left to do, however with organizations like Girls in Authorities, I do know we will get there.”
hyperlink to our latest protection on CS web site, if you want)
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Donald Trump left workplace in January as maybe probably the most controversial president in trendy American historical past.
As his successor, Joe Biden, reaches the six-month mark in tenure, he’s received his personal set of issues and controversies. Republicans appear as sad with Biden as Democrats have been with Trump.
On the state Capitol, Consultant Jay Steagall of Yukon is amongst Biden’s most prolific Oklahoma critics, and no marvel – he runs the recently-created State’s Rights Committee for the State Home.
From that perspective, Rep. Steagall didn’t prefer it one bit when White Home Press Secretary Jen Psaki, outlining steps her boss was taking to fight the COVID variant surge, mentioned early this month the administration would, amongst different issues, pursue “focused, community-by-community, door-to-door outreach to get remaining People vaccinated by guaranteeing they’ve the data they want on how each secure and accessible the vaccine is.”
Rep. Steagall and different Republicans additionally blasted Well being and Human Providers Secretary Xavier Becerra when he mentioned, on July 8, that it’s “completely the federal government’s enterprise” to know which People haven’t taken the coronavirus vaccine.
Steagall’s competition? “[T]hese sorts of actions and assertions from the federal authorities should not simply overreaching, however violate a number of provisions of the U.S. Structure. First, the enumerated powers delegated in Article I, Part 8; the best of the Individuals to be safe of their individuals, homes, papers, and results as discovered within the Fourth Modification; in addition to the vertical separation of powers prescribed within the Tenth Modification.”
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One other Republican solon, Kevin West of Moore, took be aware when the highly effective Nationwide Training Affiliation mentioned it will make “Vital Race Idea” tenets a part of its nationwide agenda.
West mentioned, “Once we ran laws to ban the educating of Vital Race Idea in Oklahoma public colleges, we heard a number of allegations that this wasn’t an issue and this wasn’t being taught in our colleges.
“Now we see that the biggest lecturers’ union within the nation, and the dad or mum group of the biggest lecturers’ union within the state, is pushing this dangerous curriculum. This proves that Oklahoma Republican legislators have been prudent to get in entrance of this problem and cease this rising push to indoctrinate our kids.”
Not lengthy after Rep. West’s assertion, the Oklahoma Board of Training determined (with just one dissenting vote) to develop guidelines to forbid the usage of most of the CRT tenets in Oklahoma school rooms. In doing so, the Board emphasised that lecturers wouldn’t get in bother in the event that they stick to the Oklahoma Tutorial Requirements to trend their curriculum.
The Oklahoma Training Affiliation issued a considerably conciliatory assertion after the Board’s vote, with Katherine Bishop, the group’s president, commenting:
“We consider this could clear up some confusion and provides Oklahoma’s educators the boldness to proceed educating as they’ve been because the requirements have been adopted. We encourage the involvement of schooling professionals within the full rule-making course of transferring ahead.
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Yearly, in the course of the time between the shut of 1 common session and the early fall, legislators conduct “interim research” on issues they deem unresolved of insufficiently thought-about in earlier deliberations. Underneath each Democrats (who used to run all the pieces) and Republicans, who rule the roost today, the Interim Research typically comply with the coverage preferences of the bulk occasion.
This 12 months, to the shock of long-time observers of state policy-making (i.e. outdated guys like me), Senate President Professional Tempore Greg Deal with, R-Oklahoma Metropolis, authorised all 71 requests for Interim Research this summer season and fall.
Consequently, Democrats like Senators Kay Floyd and George Younger of Oklahoma Metropolis will information – working with Republican committee chairs, to make certain — research on youth suicide and racial fairness.
For the decrease chamber, Speaker McCall on Friday, July 23, determined to permit the overwhelming majority of the Interim Examine requests he acquired.
Nearly all of concepts submitted to him cleave to anticipated conservative targets, however a number of Home Democrats, together with state Representatives Ajay Pittman and Forrest Bennett of Oklahoma Metropolis, received approval for a examine centered on high-speed police pursuits and different points.
Look ahead to follow-ups on the various Interim Research of broad curiosity to members of each events within the Legislature, with a particular emphasis on these within the Oklahoma Metropolis and Norman delegations working “Underneath the Dome” at N.W. 23 and Lincoln Blvd.
Observe: Tailored from a column first printed within the July 20 version of Southwest Ledger, 7602 US Freeway 277, Elgin, OK 73538, (580) 350-1111.
