After livestreamed budget process, signed bills address illegal immigration, grocery tax, tornado recovery

Last week was an exciting week here at the Capitol. The Senate passed Senate Bill 1125, which lays out the framework for the $12.47 billion Fiscal Year 2025 budget agreement. The new fiscal year begins July 1, 2024. This year’s budget process was the first time in recent history that the budget negotiation process was open to the public and live-streamed. Because the budget was completed, we were able to meet our constitutional obligation of passing a budget, and Sine Die was a day early.

On Wednesday, all four of the executive nominations from our district were approved by the Senate. Those include three reappointments of Peter Dillingham, Enid, to the State Board of Career and Technology Education, Robert Stallings, Enid, to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, Deirdre Gurry, Enid, to the Oklahoma Space Industry Development, and newly appointed Jeff Wilber, Cherokee, to the Air Quality Advisory Council. Congratulations to each of them, and I look forward to many great things from them. The Senate approved 143 of the governor’s 149 executive appointments.

Several highlights from this session include HB 4156, which cracks down on illegal immigration in Oklahoma. This bill makes it a crime for illegal immigrants to be present in the state and includes misdemeanor and felony penalties for those found to violate the law. SB 1283 eliminates the state portion of the grocery tax. Oklahoma was one of only 13 states to still impose this tax. It goes into effect in the fall, and Oklahomans should save an average family 5.5 times more when compared to a 25% tax cut. Also, HB 2912 and HB 2913 involve tornado recovery funds. In combination, these bills created a new revolving fund for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management to help local governments in communities hit by tornadoes and an appropriation of $45 million to help the state and storm-ravaged communities approved for FEMA assistance unlock federal disaster relief funds.

In closing, with the session ending, I will be at home busy with harvest. If you need assistance, please reach out to my office. You can reach me at 405-521-5630 or Roland.Pederson@oksenate.gov.