House Bill 1216 ratchets up subsequent fines levied by the Construction Industries Board to five times their current level. Subsequent fines are already set at $1,000 for any violation, big o1 small. Quintupling fines on Oklahoma businesses for any regulatory violation, regardless of the regulations' relation to public safety, is little more than administrative overreach

This bill would significantly increase the cost of publishing legal notices in newspapers and force newspapers to create a statewide website to house these legal notices electronically, among other things. I have said publicly and repeatedly that we need to lower Oklahomans’ financial burden, not raise them. These measures would create reasonable burdens on private entities and an unreasonable      financial barrier to the just, speedy, and inexpensive resolution of legal disputes.

This bill does several things, and none of them good. This bill grows government and cedes authority to an unelected bureaucrat, giving Oklahomans less power over their government. Additionally, it adds another permit and gives the administrator the authority to buy vehicles and add to our state fleet. I have been clear that I will not sign legislation that grows government and makes it harder for businesses to operate in Oklahoma. Earlier this year, I issued Executive Order 2025-03, aimed at reducing the state's costly oversupply of vehicles. Last year, I issued Executive Order 2024-13, requiring state agencies review and reform their permitting processes. This bill flies in the face of both of those licensive Orders by expanding the state's bloated let and ading yet another unnecessary license.

I am deeply sympathetic to the women across our state who have bravely fought breast cancer. While early detection and access to care are critical priorities, this legislation imposes new and costly insurance mandates on private health plans that will ultimately raise insurance premiums

for working families and small businesses. Mammograms are already covered, and when a doctor sees the need for further tests, they are empowered to order further tests that can be covered by insurance.Without fail, when the government gets involved in markets, prices rise for everyone. Rather than expanding government mandates, we should focus on empowering individuals and encouraging innovation in the marketplace to improve access and affordability.

While I support efforts to solve missing persons and homicide cases, I cannot endorse legislation that singles out victims based solely on their race. House Bill 1137 requires the creation of a unit within the Oklahoma State Bureau of soneration es of race or userends dely mein are ion dered indigenous persons. But every missing person-regardless of race or background- deserves equal attention and urgency. Oklahoma already has both the Missing Persons Clearing House and the Cold Case Unit within OSBI, which are tasked with investigating disappearances and unsolved cases across all communities. Creating a separate office that prioritizes cases based on race undermines the principle of equal protection under the law and risks sending the message that some lives are more worthy of government attention than others. Justice must be blind to race. Our resources and investigative efforts should be deployed based on the needs of the case, not the identity of the victim.

The program addressed in HB 2048 is in deep need of reform at the federal level to improve transparency. I know President Trump is working to address this issue. I do not believe it is the job of the legislature to insert itself into a contractual dispute and try to pick winners and losers.

We want to hold bad actors accountable. This bill makes it harder to do that. I want every public servant to be an at will employee to ensure that our state is a meritocracy. This bill goes back on the progress we’ve made in rooting out protectionist policies and harkens back to the days when unions ran state government.

This bill would create a new misdemeanor, including jail time, for failing to close a gate. While I understand the need to protect cattle and other property, incarcerating someone for forgetting to close a gate goes too far.

This bill is a solution in search of a problem. Minor code violations can now result in property liens against Oklahomans. This enables expanded condemnation and public takings without providing property owners adequate response to due process protections. Eroding private property rights is not an appropriate response to municipal code fines.

House Bill 2459 adds layers of new inspections, permitting, and operational hurdles that go far beyond what is necessary to keep the public safe. Forcing food truck operators, many of them small business owners, to install costly fire suppressor systems is an overreach. It’s already state law to have a fire extinguisher equipped, and that requirement is both reasonable and effective. Otherwise, we should trust Oklahomans to use common sense and make their own investments where they see fit.

Although this law improves high school graduation requirements, it mistakenly repeals essential mandates for teaching U.S. history, government, and foundational documents like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

Civic education is not optional, it's vital. The benefits of this bill don't outweigh the harm of removing requirements that connect students to our nation's founding principles. We should modernize education without erasing our history.

This bill gives criminal defendants unchecked power to demand records from Oklahoma businesses, inviting abuse and threatening proprietary information. House Bill 1563 also imposes rigid deadlines for releasing body and dash cam footage, even though defendants already have access. This would place unnecessary strain on law enforcement without improving transparency.

Mandating Medicaid coverage of rapid whole genome sequencing fot select populations signals a concerning shift toward socialized healthcare. Though framed as a medical breakthrough, this policy imposes a new insurance mandate that will drive up costs, strain public resources, and ultimately burden working families and taxpayers

Healthcare policy should be grounded in transparency, fiscal responsibility, and solid data, no broad, unfunded mandates. At the very least, we owe it to the public to fully evaluate the financial consequences before expanding state-sponsored coverage.

While I support the core goals of the bill, it would mandate ethics training for every newly elected or appointed head of a state agency, board, or commission—imposing the extreme penalty of removal from office for noncompliance. With hundreds of state agencies, boards, and commissions, this would create excessive bureaucracy with little meaningful impact.

This measure proposes a tuition reimbursement and income tax credit for civil engineering graduates and their employers for five years. This is a piecemeal approach to a workforce challenge. Though I understand the need to compete with neighboring states for our civil engineering graduates, those states have significantly lower- or nonexistent- income tax rates than Oklahoma. By focusing on industry-based tax credits, we are ignoring the larger picture. We can compete for our graduates in all fields- including civil engineers- by eliminating the income tax entirely. This bill is no substitute for real tax reform. 

At the beginning of session, I was clear that I supported nurse practitioners if it was limited to primary care. This bill allows a full scope of practice for any and all specialties they say they're trained for. This is a step too far.

At the beginning of session, I was clear that I supported physician's assistants if it was limited to primary care. This bill allows a full scope of practice for any and all specialties they say they're trained for. This is a step too far.

While I applaud all our men and women who serve our country and our state in the National Guard, I cannot allow this bill to become law. This bill makes many major changes to our National Guard statutes and our state finances. This bill lacked any fiscal analysis, meaning that the Legislature passed this bill without knowing how it affects Oklahoma taxpayers.

This bill also creates a new retirement system designed to boost National Guard recruitment, even though Oklahoma is already best in the nation. The policies in this bill should be considered, reviewed, and debated as separate and distinct bills.

Childcare workers play a vital role in supporting working families and shaping the early development of future generations. Supporting this workforce is important, but creating a new, unfunded $11 million subsidy for recruitment efforts is not a fiscally responsible solution. This

well-intentioned bill places a financial burden on taxpayers without a clear plan for sustainability. Good intentions don't replace responsible budgeting, and I cannot support a mandate that the State expands spending without funding or long-term accountability.

This bill would require the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to oversee the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services' financial procedures and budget constraints. Tasking one executive agency with micromanaging another is nonsensical and ineffective. This will not help the Department's existing financial troubles, which are already being addressed on multiple fronts.

A fee increase is nothing more than a bureaucrat's attempt at a pay raise. This bill would raise optometry license fees from $300 to $500, which will raise prices for Oklahoma consumers for something as simple as kids' glasses. Every time government gets involved, prices go up. Not on my watch.

I appreciate the intent behind this legislation, but I cannot support the invention of new programs with vague goals and no accountability. If local communities want to start gardens or green spaces, they don't need a government mandate-they need freedom, private partnerships, and fewer obstacles. I won't ask citizens to foot the bill for a program that should be driven by local businesses, nonprofits, churches, or local governments.

Don’t stick a new fee into a cleanup bill.

This bill would extend timber, seedling production, and forestry management to the list of sales tax exemptions for agricultural products. However, timberland already carries the lowest agricultural property tax assessments. Instead of addressing supposed inequity, this bill would allow a double tax benefit for industries benefiting from timberland. Before expanding sales tax exemptions, the Legislature should revisit the obscure valuation standards that underpin these classifications.

HB 1029 would extend the life of the Oklahoma Funeral Board a state agency that, by now, should be consolidated under a more appropriate umbrella. For too long, the Funeral Board has shielded the funeral industry from meaningful competition in the sale of caskets, urns, and other funeral related merchandise and services. These barriers keep prices artificially high for grieving families. Instead of modernizing, the Board has preserved outdated regulations and businesses in unnecessary red tape.

Before granting another sunset extension, the Legislature should seriously evaluate where this Board belongs and what its core duties should be. Until the Funeral Board becomes more accountable and responsive to legislative oversight, its continuation should not be rubber-stamped.

The Constitution guarantees our citizens the right to a fair and speedy trial. In order for a citizen of our country to have a fair, speedy trial, they need to have access to the documents and records used in court. Any attempt to thwart that flies in the face of what we believe as Oklahomans. The grand jury process is already abused for political ends. I won’t sign legislation that further weaponizes this process.

This bill would extend the life of the State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering —a state agency that, by now, should be restructured or consolidated under a more appropriate umbrella.

Before granting another sunset extension, the Legislature should take a step back and ask: What does this Board really need to do, and who should be in charge of it? Until the Board becomes more transparent, responsive, and aligned with the needs of today's workforce, its continued existence should not be taken for granted. 

Someone who has committed violence against their spouse should not have an easy way out. They should go to jail. This bill allows batterers’ intervention program to be shortened from 52 weeks to a 26 week experimental pilot program, providing for an event more lenient punishment. This will make it easier for abusers to sidestep meaningful consequences and avoid jail time with less effort.

This isn't meaningful reform-it's a concession to abusers, and it puts victims at greater risk.

This bill would extend the sunset on the Organized Retail Crime Task Force another two years. The purpose of the task force is to provide the Governor and the Legislature with information regarding organized retail crime. It's impossible to stimy the growth of government when every task force becomes a permanent government agency.

Through EO 2023-14 and EO 2025-03, I have made my intentions clear that the State of Oklahoma and its agencies need to be intentional about the cars it purchases and maintains. In what is branded as a "clean-up bill", language allowing Service Oklahoma to increase the state's fleet numbers and purchase more cars is hidden in this 86-page bill.

This bill is yet another law adding more special interest license plates to the 266 existing designs.

While I appreciate enthusiasm for non-profits, causes, and the occasional obscure organization, we might want to pump the brakes on turning our roadways into rolling billboards. Special interest plates might be well-intentioned, but piling them on clutters the system, complicates enforcement, and often serves more as symbolic feel-good policy than meaningful progress.

If the Legislature wanted to drive real change, they would streamline the fees for all license plates and ensure the state is not losing money on this effort instead of turning Service OK into Etsy for car bumpers.

This bill grants the Attorney General sweeping and unchecked authority to access records from any state agency, board, commission, or independently elected official —including confidential and privileged documents. That kind of power is unprecedented in Oklahoma and would undermine the balance of power among independently elected Offices. Under this law, the Attorney General could demand internal records and attorney-client communications from agencies-even in cases where he is suing or investigating them. That creates a dangerous conflict of interest. For example, the current Attorney General has sued the Statewide Charter School Board, an entity he previously represented. If this bill became law, he could compel the board to hand over privileged information, giving him an unfair advantage in ongoing litigation. No office should be allowed to stack the deck in its own favor. Oklahomans have several effective tools to ensure transparency and accountability in government. Public records laws and the courts provide a neutral, fair process to review and resolve disputes over access to information. This bill bypasses that process and concentrates too much power in one office. 

While we all might agree that an animal mislabeled as a service animal is frustrating, criminalizing the practice is an overreaction. There are other ways to address this issue without adding more criminal statutes to our code.

The Conservation Commission should work in conjunction with the 84 local conservation districts across the state. This bill would significantly expand the authority of the statewide Conservation Commission at the expense of existing local input and control. On its own website, the Conservation Commission emphasizes that it delivers "locally-led, non-regulatory solution to Oklahoma's most complex conservation challenges. " This bill would change that.

Our kids' safety is our number priority, but a complicated patchwork of laws makes it harder to keep them safe. Oklahoma has already criminalized texting and driving, regardless of location. We should enforce the laws already on the books instead of adding new laws.

The intent of the Filmed in Oklahoma Act was to attract more film-making efforts to our state. Any effort to water down the intent of the original bill and allow Oklahoma taxpayer funds to flow out of our state would be irresponsible.

Private religious institutions shouldn't have to play "mother may I with the state regents. This bill is another example of government stepping into a process it shouldn't have a role in.

If a student chose to pursue a degree at a private religious school, they should be allowed to do at the institution of their choice.

I believe this bill will result in more unnecessary business closures. This bill would allow the Oklahoma Tax Commission to shut down a business after three late tax payments, even if they are late by only a day.

It's one thing if a business is willingly not paying their sales tax. It's another if they are a day late three times. Government shouldn't be in the business of "gotcha" with hard working business owners.

I am committed to protecting all four million Oklahomans from those who seek to harm them, but growing government and creating new, unfunded revolving funds will not accomplish that should law enforcement feel it needs more money to protect Oklahomans, they should approach that request through the normal appropriations process.

This legislation seeks to expand penalties and mandatory sentencing requirements for individuals convicted of driving under the influence, particularly in aggravated cases or for repeat offenses. While I share the Legislature's commitment to public safety and to holding impaired drivers accountable, I cannot support this bill in its current form.

Under current law, aggravated DUI is a misdemeanor, triggered only when a driver's blood alcohol content (BACs 0.15 or higher. Senate Bill 54 would elevate aggravated DUI to a felony and significantly broaden its scope. / accident of over $500 crossing the center line, speeding more than 20 miles per hour over the limit, or simply having a passenger under the age of 18.

Additionally, the bill removes meaningful judicial discretion by mandating jail time and increasing financial penalties, regardless of the individual circumstances of the offense. Our courts must be able to consider the facts of each case and tailor sentences accordingly- especially for nonviolent and first-time offenders. Imposing one-size- fits-all penalties risks unjust outcomes and unnecessary incarceration.

This is ripe for abuse. It gives bad actors wide breadth to take advantage of vulnerable youths and adolescents. This bill lets schools replace parents with "alternate adults" when the parent doesn't object to a mailed letter fast enough. That's not due process, that's displacement. The bill defines these alternates broadly, including case managers or employees from shelters or agencies, giving them authority meant for parents. It doesn't go far enough in ensuring that effort is made to find student's parents or guardians. It's an erosion of parental rights. Helping vulnerable and homeless students is important, but sidelineing families is not the answer.

This legislation more closely aligns with the regulatory state in California and New York than a free market state like Oklahoma. Not only that, it creates yet another license. Cryptocurrency ATMs should be regulated in the same manner as regular ATMs - a simple registration form and fee.

The federal Aviation Administration already enforces lighting requirements on wind turbines to ensure aviation safety, and there is no indication this additional mandate would provide any meaningful improvement. Mandating costly aircraft detection lighting systems on wind energy facilities is an unnecessary and expensive burden that will get passed along to customers. 

Eliminating the requirement for construction bidders to submit disclosure statements under oath weakens a straightforward but meaningful safeguard. Truthful bidding depends on accountability, and having sworn statements under oath is neither difficult nor burdensome. This change not only undermines transparency but also raises questions about who benefits from avoiding a sworn declaration. 

The Commissioners of the Land Office (CLO) exists for one purpose: to generate maximum returns from state-owned lands for the benefit of public education. This bill imposes unnecessary restrictions that hinder the CLO's ability to fulfill that mission. Notably, this bill doesn't place the same restrictions on other lands. If this is good policy it should apply to everyone equally and not single out state owned land.

To serve our schools effectively, the CLO must retain the flexibility to manage its assets in the most profitable and efficient manner. Every dollar lost to bureaucratic constraint is a dollar not reaching our classrooms.

This bill would grant qualified establishments a 5% tax rebate for any research and development expenditure. Instead of creating more carveouts for favored industries, the Legislature should incentivize further investment by cutting the corporate income tax

This bill needlessly shifts the administration of a sales tax rebate program from the Oklahoma Tax Commission to the Broadband Office. This move serves no real purpose and adds unnecessary complexity, which will cost the taxpayers. The current system works. If someone qualifies for a tax rebate, the Tax Commission should issue it. It's that simple.

This bill requires assisted living centers to jump through more regulatory hoops and creates yet another government-mandated committee for "quality assurance." This is yet another example of regulatory overreach that adds red tape without actually making anything better.

Assisted living centers are already subject to oversight and professional standards. Forcing them to create internal bureaucracies wastes time, diverts resources from direct care, and burdens providers with compliance for the sake of appearance.

The Commissioners of the Land Office (CLO_ exists for one purpose: to generate maximum returns from state-owned lands for the benefit of public education. This bill imposes unnecessary restrictions that hinder the CLO’s ability to fulfill that mission. Notably, this bill doesn’t place the same restrictions on other lands. If this is good policy it should apply to everyone equally and not single out state owned land. To serve our schools effectively, the CLO must retain the flexibility to manage its assets in the most profitable and efficient manner. Every dollar lost to bureaucratic constraint is a dollar not reaching our classrooms.

This bill would require the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority Executive Advisory Council to organize a special task force. This is like holding a meeting to schedule a meeting about meetings. Creating yet another advisory group is bureaucracy dressed up as productivity. We don't need more panels, roundtables, or reports that end up collecting dust. We need action, leadership, and real solutions.

The current municipality annexation and detachment law is fine how it is- it rightly requires approval from three-fourths (3/4) of registered voters and property owners in the area. This bill would block detachment even with that support, undermining local democracy and inviting unnecessary interference from the Capitol.

Oklahoma statute already gives the Attorney General authority to go after bad actors in the PBM space.

This bill hands additional power to an Attorney General who has shown again and again that he will abuse it. To date, he has used his office to sue agricultural farmers, tech companies and other Oklahoma businesses for political gain.

After increasing his budget 68% since taking office, and asking for another 204% increase for next year, the Attorney General is making another attempt to grow his office and expand his authority. Senate Bill 773 gives the AG new tools to go after more industries and keep the fines and fees levied on them, without meaningful oversight or checks on his actions. This bill gives him a financial incentive to sue people.

This bill would mandate the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) to impose steep, additional penalties on contracted entities that fail to meet existing minimum spending thresholds for primary care services. It's unclear why legislation is necessary for what seems to be a contractual issue already within the OHCA's and healthcare providers' purview.

This bill would allow the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission to alter the administrative appeals filing process in a way that creates uncertainty for the people and businesses they serve. This language is incongruous with the stated intention of the bill, and its operative terms are undefined in the statute. Administrative appeals for unemployment should be transparent and straightforward and allow both the citizen and employer to know what is expected without needing a law degree. In short, this language would create ambiguity for both the Commission and the citizens it intends to serve.

Institutions of Higher Education are seeking special treatment when it comes to auctions and events involving alcohol. No other charitable groups-like cancer foundations or local nonprofits-would get the same break this legislation provides. Our laws should apply equally to everyone. In any event, the Legislature should pass a law that removes the limit for all charitable and non-profit organizations.

I refuse to sign legislation that creates more unnecessary licenses for Oklahomans. We haven’t needed a hunting guide license for the entirety of our history, and I see no need to create one now. I remain committed to limited government that focuses on real problems- not creating new hurdles to operating a business or hunting in our state.

This bill would give the Oklahoma State Medical Association outsized control over the Medicaid Drug Utilization Review Board by effectively handing them three of the ten appointments. If the Association is only required to submit three names for three sots, they’re not “recommending” anyone. They’re just making the appointments themselves. That’s not a check-and-balance- it’s a handoff of power.

If the Association can't produce six names to allow for a real selection process, maybe it's time we reconsider whether this Board is still serving a useful purpose at all.

Simply put, this bill grows government unnecessarily by allowing the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision to hire more personnel. Growing bureaucracy is not the same as improving accountability.

While ensuring that doctors are properly licensed is undeniably important for the health and well-being of Oklahomans, we don't need more employees scattered across independent boards. We need fewer boards doing the job more efficiently under one roof. And if national background checks are only now being implemented after nearly 100 years, that's a reason to question how the Board has been operating all this time

This bill seeks to expand minimum wait times in eviction proceedings, making the already burdensome and difficult process of obtaining an eviction that much more burdensome. The existing procedures already provide adequate due process and notice. This bill would also do the opposite of intended. Instead of assisting renters in arrears, it would incentivize landlords to specifically not rent housing units to low-income households, for risk of greater eviction costs. We cannot overcome economic realities with good intentions. 

Senate Bill 631 would add the crime of discharging a firearm at or into a building to the list of offenses requiring 85% of a sentence to be served before becoming parole eligible-even when no one is inside or harmed. While this is potentially serious conduct, it differs fundamentally from crimes like murder, rape, or lewd molestation of a child, which justify the 85% rule because they directly threaten or take human life.

Oklahoma already punishes discharging a firearm at or into a building as a felony with up to twenty years in prison. Mandating 85% of time for cases that may involve no victim senselessly increases the burden on our criminal justice system, raises incarceration costs, and limits opportunity for reform.

The Legislature's overzealous commitment to vanity license plates has resulted in a bloated catalogue full of taxpayer-funded advertisements for special interest groups. The legislation allows for a fee increase on a seemingly existing license plate, but there is no Oklahoma City Zoo license plate currently available. It's bananas that our Legislature has time to dedicate to creating more novelty license plates but doesn't have the time to pass tax cuts. The Legislature should stop monkeying around and address the elephant in the room. It's time to boa up and pass tax cuts.

While I am supportive of protecting vulnerable children, this bill is too broad and leaves many terms undefined. Even law enforcement believe this bill is so vague it could lead to overcriminalization. There is already a failure to report statute, but it requires that the violator knew of misconduct and chose not to report. On the other hand, this bill criminalizes people who suspect - even when they don't really know if a crime has been committed - and do not report.

This bill may unintentionally discourage volunteers and employees from serving, out of concern that they could face prosecution for not being sufficiently vigilant in identifying potential misconduct. I would encourage the legislature to clarify the above, expand it to more than just OJA and get it to my desk to better protect Oklahoma children without the ambiguity.

I agree with the premise that we should prefer local Oklahoma companies, all else equal, but this is already allowed under the law as localities may give those companies preferential treatment. This bill would take away flexibility in the bidding process. We should continue to allow localities flexibility so that they can pick companies who can give them the best services for the best price. If this bill becomes law it would reduce competition and qualified bidders and ultimately hurt consumers.

This bill undermines the ability of insurers to detect waste, fraud, and abuse and recover fraudulent or improper payments, which will drive up costs across the system. Oklahoma families are already burdened by rising health care premiums. We should not be adopting policies that increase those costs further.

While Senate Bill 1089 is well-intended, I am concerned that it shifts competency restoration decisions from qualified clinicians to judges and attorneys, which will result in worse outcomes for Oklahomans and higher burdens on taxpayers.

Additionally, many of the concerns raised by this bill have already been addressed in the Briggs v. Friesen consent decree, which was agreed to by the plaintiffs, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the Attorney General, and the Legislature. I’m concerned this bill would unnecessarily increase the Department's exposure to legal liability.

I encourage the Legislature and the Department to continue collaborating in good faith to develop mutually agreeable legislation that more effectively addresses the underlying concerns driving this proposal.

I vetoed a nearly identical bill in 2023. Like its predecessor, this requires the State Department of Health to create a certification program for community health workers- another license and more government intervention.  While these workers offer important services I believe decisions about employing them should be left to private employers, not mandated through government expansion.

Much like a SB 580, which I vetoed last year, SB 333 would allow local public housing authorities to operate statewide for construction and rehabilitation projects, expanding their reach and their eminent domain powers far beyond their local jurisdictions. This threatens private property rights and undermines local control. Housing authorities exist to meet local needs under local oversight. Broadening their authority statewide risks confusion, overreach, and less effective service to the communities they were created to serve. Government should not insert itself into private industry to dictate housing needs across the state.

This bill would expand the Attorney General’s discretionary authority over settlement agreements in opioid-related litigation. This would hand even more power to someone who has repeatedly demonstrated his willingness to abuse it. It paves the wya for him to further entrench his “sue and settle” strategy, a tactic that favors his political allies over the best interests of the State, not unlike the approach we have seen from Biden’s EPA and DOJ. Moreover, it opens the door for the Attorney General to divert funds earmarked for opioid abatement projects- money that should be going to the General Revenue Fund and to a tax cut. Since taking office, he has already increased his budget by 68% and he’s also asking for an astonishing 204% more next year. This bill is just his latest attempt to expand his office and consolidate power. I won’t stand for it. 

This bill would alter the composition of the commission for rehabilitation, shifting appointment power from the executive branch to the legislative branch. This is deeply troubling, as it represents a clear violation of core constitutional principles. Under our constitutional framework, the executive branch is charged with enforcing the laws, while the legislative branch is tasked with creating them. By granting trh eLegislature a majority of appointments to an executive board, this law undermines the independence of the executive branch and allows the legislative branch to insert itself into executive functions. This is an affront to the checks and balances that are essential to a functioning democracy. 

Enrolled House Bill 1019 would allow the State Department of Health an exemption from requests for proposals for sole source acquisitions for two specific programs, the Nurse-Family Partnership Program and the Children First Program. Unless absolutely necessary, increasing exceptions to the Central Purchasing Act is a step in the wrong direction. As I emphasized in Executive Order 2023-04, the Central Purchasing Act is designed to support a transparent government and a level playing field for vendors desiring to win the State's business. Ifwe were to allow these exemptions for two specific programs, we'd soon enough find ourselves justifying other unnecessary exemptions.

House Bill 3186 would add poison hemlock and Kudzu to the list of noxious weeds that are designated a public nuisance in all counties across this state and would mandate that every landowner treat, control, or eradicate these noxious weeds. Failure of a landowner to treat, eradicate, or control all noxious weeds may subject the landowner to legal action, including the imposition of a fine not to exceed $1,000.00 for each violation per day.

Noxious weed control is a worthy endeavor, but I would prefer to entrust it to individual landowners rather than the environmental state.

House Bill 3284 would take from the Governor an appointment to the State Governmental Technology Applications Review Board and give it to the judicial branch, resulting in the executive branch having only 3 appointments to the legislative branch's 4 appointments. This would create yet another unconstitutional imbalance in the makeup of an executive board.

House Bill 3802 would allow the Oklahoma Historical Society to purchase trucks with public funds. Through concerted efforts, the executive branch has reduced the state's vehicles by over 1,000 unnecessary vehicles, thereby saving significant tax dollars associated with leases,purchases, and maintenance. We should continue that trend, not instead look for ways to onboard new vehicles especially new trucks that would require lots of upkeep.

House Bill 3194 is government overreach at its finest. House Bill 3194 is an unfunded mandate which would require all permitted water wells to be equipped with a water meter that will cost thousands of dollars per meter. While forcing water meters on Oklahomans may seem innocuous, it is undoubtedly a violation of private landowners' rights and emboldens the government to continue down that path.

House Bill 1712 would mandate health insurers to cover an insured for durable medical equipment and suppliers as prescribed by a health care provider, regardless of whether they are in-network or out-of-network. This requirement is in place even if the health care provider determines that the durable medical equipment is not medically necessary. The result is unquestionably an increase in the cost of health insurance for all Oklahomans.

House Bill 1553 would increase the statutory maximum number of full-time-equivalent employee: at the Teachers' Retirement System of Oklahoma from 52 to 58. Because I have not been presented with a compelling reason for the increase, my continuing commitment to slow the growth of government enjoins on me a duty to veto it.

House Bill 1712 would mandate health insurers to cover an insured for durable medical equipment and supplies as prescribed by a health care provider, regardless of whether they are in-network or out-of-network. This requirement is in place even if the health care provider determines that the durable medical equipment is not medically necessary. The result is unquestionably an increase in the cost of health insurance for all Oklahomans.

House Bill 2687 would add CLEET-certified agents hired by the Office of the Attorney General or the Military Department of the State of Oklahoma to the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement fund. Although I remain committed to the law enforcement and appreciate the sacrifices our law enforcement officers make daily, I cannot sign legislation that would add additional employees to defend benefit plans because I believe all new hires should be on defined contribution plans.

House Bill 1979 would add a host of new requirements for agreements between vision care providers and insurers, predominantly targeted prepaid vision plans,. For example, the bill would prohibit prepaid vision plans from negotiating lower fees for uncovered services or materials, from negotiating lower than usual rates for covered services and materials provided by certain suppliers or labs, and from incentivizing patients to receive services at certain entities. In essence, House Bill 1979 would weaken the negotiating power of prepaid vision plans, strengthen the negotiating power of vision care providers, and suppress the very feature that makes prepaid vision plans different from vision health plans. While I understand vision care providers and vision health plans may be frustrated by the negotiating power of prepaid Visio plans, I do not believe the consumers in Oklahoma will be served by the government tipping the scale. I believe the long term solution is less government intervention in the free market, not more.

House Bill 2919 would increase the number of full-time state employees for two state boards by over 20 percent. Because Oklahomans want and need smaller government, these increases are simply unnecessary.

House Bill 3039 would double the law library fee from $6 to $12 for all civil court filings in any county that has a population greater than 500,000. While I appreciate the work of county law libraries and their staffs, these libraries are already  up and running. As I understand it, their current budgets already allow them to staff the libraries and provide many free resources. Accordingly, there’s no reason to addle litigants with 100% fee increase to finance the maintenance of existing libraries. Fee increases restrict access to the courts and make a little sense in this context.

House Bill 3274 would grow government and increase spending as it would allow the State Board of Education to pay for high school students to retake a nationally recognized college and career readiness assessment. Current law already provides an avenue for high school students to take these tests once at no cost to the student. Although many high school students will continue on to college, many won’t. So, rather than mandate that all high schoolers take college or career readiness assessment tests, the state should offer students that want to take the opportunity to do so at no cost. If the mandate were removed, the savings would pay for retakes.

House Bill 1979 would add a host of new requirements for agreements between vision care providers and insurers, predominantly targeting prepaid vision plans. For example, the bill would prohibit prepaid vision plans from negotiating lower fees for uncovered services or materials, from negotiating lower than usual rates for covered services and materials provided by certain suppliers or labs, and from incentivizing patients to receive services at certain entities. In essence, House Bill 1979 would weaken the negotiating power of prepaid vision plans, strenghten the power of vision care providers, and suppress the very feature that makes prepaid vision plans different from vision health plans.

House Bill 2687 would add CLEET certified agents hired by the Office of the Attorney General or the Military Department of th eState of Oklahoma to the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement fund. Although I remain committed to law enforcement and appreciate the sacrifices our state law enforcement officers make daily, I cannot sign legislation that would add additional employees to defined benefit plans because I believe all new hires should be on defined contribution plans.

This bill would require school districts to excuse any child from attending school for the purpose of receiving mental health counseling or occupational therapy. Oklahoma statute already require: school districts to excuse these kinds of absences in the case of physical and mental disability, as well as medical emergencies. Local school districts also retain broad discretion to adopt the kinds of policies contemplated in this bill.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Enrolled Senate Bill 1196 is duplicative and unnecessary. Even if Secretaries in the Governor's cabinet were officers under a dual office holding analysis, Oklahoma law already provides for them to simultaneously serve as agency heads. A person is not prohibited from simultaneously holding more than one office if either: (1) 51 O.S. § 6 specifically exempts them or (2) where the law elsewhere provides an exception. In the case of cabinet Secretaries, there is an exception elsewhere and Oklahoma governors have long operated accordingly. Secretaries' ability to also serve as agency heads is covered in 74 O.S. § 10.3, which provides, in relevant part:

A cabinet Secretary may be... appointed as a cabinet Secretary from among the agency he heads within the cabinet area.

[T]he appointment or removal of a cabinet Secretary who is also an agency head shall not otherwise affect the status of the other duties of the agency head.

While I appreciate the floor amendment author's well-meaning attempt to ensure that a great public servant is spared from potential ripple effects of an Attorney General Opinion, the Secretary of Agriculture and all other cabinet Secretaries who also serve as agency heads can maintain their posts pursuant to the law as it already is. I trust a court of law will soon resolve this issue, so any confusion created by an Attorney General Opinion that disrupted decades-long precedent can be mitigated.

Although I am aware of the state's healthcare access and workforce challenges, especially in rural communities, SB 458 is not a prudent solution. SB 458 would do one primary thing: enable Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who meet certain criteria to apply for authority to prescribe independent of physician supervision. And that's my biggest concern. While APRNs already have the ability to set up clinics in rural Oklahoma and practice in primary care settings, I don't believe APRNs should be able to prescribe Schedules III through V controlled substances without physician supervision. Further, this bill would allow APRNs to have full. practice and prescriptive authority in all specialty categories absent supervision. That part of the bill that would have mandated that the medical licensure boards collaborate to promulgate uniform rules (1) governing supervision requirements and (2) imposing a reasonable limit on the monetary amount a supervising physician may charge for supervision was good and should be explored. Finally, I'd also ask that the Legislature explore other ways to attract frontline healthcare workers to rural communities across the state. A tax credit for qualifying practitioners in rural areas of the state is one such idea.

I remain committed to criminal justice reform and modernization, but Senate Bill 1470—which has been championed by some criminal justice advocates—-is bad policy. Although sold as a shield to protect victims, this bill would create a sword by which criminal defendants will fight the imposition of justice based on prior abuse. Said differently, untold numbers of violent individuals who are incarcerated or should be incarcerated in the future will have greater opportunity to present a threat to society due to this bill's impact. Let me give you a hypothetical that captures the essence of this bill. Y abuses X. Years later, X is convicted of committing crimes against A, B, and C. This bill would allow X to present evidence of Y's abuse as mitigation in sentencing for crimes A, B, and C. That's a bridge too far. That said, if Y abuses X, and X later commits a crime against Y, it makes sense that Y's abuse of X should be a mitigating factor in sentencing X.

PBMs drive up drug prices and make it harder for Oklahomans to access the drugs they rely on. But SB 1390, which would codify expansive definitions of the terms "covered entity" and "pharmacy benefits management," is not the right solution. They might seem insignificant, but these definitional changes would transform many businesses— including employers with self-funded health benefit plans and mail-order pharmacy programs- into PBMs. This will drive up operating costs that will be passed on to employees and consumers. In addition, I have grave concerns about the fact this bill would grant yet another state agency unfettered access to detailed data, including protected health information, held by private Oklahoma businesses. Simply put, because SB 1390 is bad for business and individual Oklahomans, I have vetoed it.

Although I would need to review any subsequent legislation that made it to my desk, I would be willing to consider signing a bill that narrows the expansive definitions referenced above and provides more concrete guidance regarding safeguards for the handling of protected health information.

As an initial matter, I do not take issue with the provision of Senate Bill 1649 allowing the Attorney General a greater role in preventing human trafficking, and I stand ready to support legislation to that limited effect. However, empowering the attorney general to initiate criminal actions by information-that is, without the involvement of a grand jury-with the same authority as locally elected district attorneys is a bridge too far. As it stands, the attorney general can initiate criminal prosecutions only after a grand jury bas beard evidence, albeit just from the prosecution's perspective, and handed down an indictment. This bill would dramatically expand authority well beyond limits Oklahoma attorneys general have operated within since statehood. The authority to file charges without at least the minimal check of a grand jury-a minimal hurdle that the sitting attorney general says has been abused by predecessors-is rightly entrusted to locally elected district attorneys, not statewide politicians. There is simply no justification to significantly enhance the attorney general's ability to prosecute, especially in light of the attorney general's expansive view of other duties vested in that office. Moreover, the amendatory provision allowing attorney general to enter into memoranda of understanding with "any. law enforcement entity" raises concerns as well. "Law enforcement entity" is undefined, and it isn't difficult to imagine a scenario in which an attorney general might leverage this provision to cede the state's powers-such as a newfound authority to file criminal charges-to law enforcement entities potentially misaligned with the state's and its citizens' interests.

Senate Bill 1210, which would allow county assessors to use fixed-wing aircraft to fly over privately owned property, epitomizes unnecessary government overreach. Ensuring the private property rights of all Oklahomans remains a top priority of my administration. This bill would threaten them.

In Oklahoma, the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Senate Bill 1557 departs from this principal by allowing prosecutors to bring evidence of a defendant's prior conduct to persuade a jury that the defendant cannot change, and therefore must be guilty. This sort of evidence, commonly called propensity evidence, as contemplated by Senate Bill 1557 is impermissible under the Federal Rules of Evidence. This is because such evidence is extremely prejudicial to defendants and obfuscates the prosecution's duty to show that a defendant committed a specific act, at a specific time, against a specific victim. In Oklahoma, the innocent will not suffer in an attempt to convict the guilty.

Senate Bill 1661 would result in the relinquishment of money rightfully belonging to certain minors who do not have guardians, if the money is unclaimed by the individual's 22nd birthday. Very simply, the State shouldn't be so quick to strip individuals of entitlement to their property, especially when no notice is required before doing so, as here.

Senate Bill 1737 is antithetical to needed tort reform. While the bill may, on its face, be well- intentioned, the language is ripe for abuse by litigious individuals and organizations. As laid out in the bill, criminal laws are already on the books to curb the wrongful conduct-stalking and electronically transmitted obscenities, threats, and harassment—at issue here. We ought to be exploring ways to limit civil liability in Oklahoma, not the other way around.

Senate Bill 1751 would require courts to compel applicants for guardianships for proposed wards with neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or other similar developmental disability to complete prerequisite training by an approved program. While certain training may be beneficial in certain circumstances, courts are already able to mandate it, if necessary. And I do not believe the government should create additional, perhaps unnecessary, barriers for family and friends already equipped and desiring to care for loved ones.

Senate Bill 1759 would require persons who install more than a single individual sewage disposal system to first obtain certification from the Department of Environmental Quality. This additional layer of bureaucracy and governmental oversight is unnecessary. Oklahomans need less government, not more.

Senate Bill 1438 allows heavy equipment rental businesses to assess a 1.25 percent recovery fee for any heavy equipment property rental. This is unnecessary and inserts government into the marketplaces to set pricing.

Senate Bill 1543 would significantly expand employers' power to impede employees' ability to compete with their employer, post-employment, and worse, it would allow employers to restrict individuals' ability to earn a living, especially while using a learned trade or skillset.

Senate Bill 423 would allow minors charged with aggravated eluding of a peace officer to be held accountable as youthful offenders. Right now, minors charged with aggravated eluding are held accountable as a juvenile, which means they are punished less severely. While I do not condone eluding, this crime, although dangerous, does not belong on a list alongside second-degree murder, kidnapping, rape by instrumentation, or forcible sodomy. 

Senate Bill 800, among other things, would impose a higher price floor on the retail sale of spirits or wine. While I recognize this industry is uniquely regulated, I remain a strong supporter of the free market. I do not believe the government should artificially inflate the prices of goods to protect an industry against competition. If there is concern about future predatory or unfair practices, those concerns should be addressed in a way that is less harmful to the free market and consumers.

I have the deepest appreciation and regards for those who risk their lives to protect our communities, and I will continue to advocate for them. But Senate Bill 453 is a continuation of the slippery slope that I warned of in my veto message for Senate Bill 102. The fiscal insolvency of California's pension system stands as a stark warning for putting the short-term benefit of some first responders ahead of the long-term security of them all. Fiscal discipline is always difficult, especially in seasons of economic growth. But we must remain vigilant to ensure that future generations of Oklahomans experience the same prosperity we enjoy now.

I have the deepest appreciation and regards for those who risk their lives to protect our communities, and I will continue to advocate for them. But Senate Bill 631 is a continuation of the slippery slope that I warned of in my veto message for Senate Bill 102. This bill would undue previous pension reforms by awarding "half pay" benefits to pension members hired after 2012. This policy would guarantee an increase in pension benefits for all retirees should currently employed members receive an increase inv salaries. The fiscal insolvency of California's and Illinois' pension systems stand as a stark warning for putting the short-term benefit of some first responders ahead of the long-term security of them all. Fiscal discipline is always difficult, especially in seasons of economic growth. But we must remain vigilant to ensure that future generations of Oklahomans experience the same prosperity we enjoy now.

My administration has consistently prioritized fiscal responsibility and slowing the growth of government. This bill would contradict both priorities by entrenching a current government program and creating an unfunded mandate to increase per diem rates paid to private correctional facilities for guarding inmates. Not only was this bill not in the budget agreement, but it also will require more recurring taxpayer spending in this future. As Oklahomans continue to suffer at the hands of inflation and reckless decisions in Washington DC, I cannot in good conscience put taxpayers on the hook for increasing the salaries of private corporations contracted with the state.

Senate Bill 1438 allows heavy equipment rental businesses to assess a 1.25 percent recovery fee for any heavy equipment property rental. This is unnecessary and inserts government into the marketplaces to set pricing.

I have the deepest appreciation and regards for those who risk their lives to protect our communities, and I will continue to advocate on their behalf. But Senate Bill 102, which would significantly increase the retirement benefit for currently active members of the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System (the "System"), puts us on a slippery slope I recognize that the bill would require both members and municipalities to contribute to the System at higher levels than they do currently, but those contributions will not be enough to offset the cost of the increased benefit. This will cause the System's funded ratio to meaningfully decline-even with the assumption of the System meeting its return target in the future Fiscal discipline is always difficult, especially in seasons of economic growth. But we must remain vigilant to ensure that future generations of Oklahomans experience the same prosperity we enjoy now.

Senate Bill 1548 would add the Department of Environmental Quality ("DEQ") to a list of authorized entities that may purchase vehicles with public funds. Although I'm told DEQ needs to purchase a special vehicle so that it can transport an important mobile laboratory to emergency scenes at a moment's notice, the best solutión to DEQ's one- vehicle problem isn't new legislation but working with the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, which already leverages its buying and negotiation powers to save taxpayer money on the state's vehicle fleets. In an ideal bill, the Legislature would shrink rather than grow the list of agencies exempted from the general prohibition on the purchase of vehicles with public funds. This bill would do the opposite.

Enrolled House Bill 2863 would create the Oklahoma State University Veterinary Medicine Authority (the Authority") to provide for an effective and efficient administration of the Oklahoma State University's College of Veterinary Medicine's educational programs and to ensure a dependable source of funding. As a champion of government efficiency, I wholeheartedly support the effective and efficient administration of government and quasigovernment programs. However, among the many powers and duties the bill gives to the Authority is the power to make and issue bonds up to $50,000,000.00. Even for a good cause, I cannot allow the taxpaying public to foot the Authority's bill, especially where there is little to no oversight, as is the case here.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Enrolled House Bill 1843 would transition from the statewide subject matter expert-the Oklahoma Insurance Department—to the Attorney General's Office the regulation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Such a transition is opposed by the duly-elected and capable insurance commissioner. Glen Mulready, and would come with an avoidable and unnecessary fiscal impact.

Enrolled House Bill 2820 would re-create the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority ("OETA") to continue until July 1, 2026 pursuant to the state's sunset law. The OETA oversees the provision of educational television systems and services provided by and through various educational and cultural agencies. Although the OETA may have played a principal role in the provision of educational television services at one time, today the OETA's long-term, strategic value is at best unclear, if not outright imagined.

The powers of the government of this State are divided by Article IV of the Oklahoma Constitution into three separate departments, which shall not "exercise the powers properly belonging to either of the others." Each department should, in other words, be kept independent, and the acts of each shall not be controlled by or subjected, directly or indirectly, to the coercive influences of either of the other departments. Enrolled House Bill 2263 would shift the lion's share of appointments to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, a non- appropriated entity, from the executive to legislative departments. Such a shift-—from six members appointed by the Governor to two members appointed by the Governor and four members appointed by legislative leadership… would codify legislative superiority and control over the operation of an executive branch agency and would enable the Legislature to exercise unconstitutionally coercive influence over the executive department. Under Oklahoma law, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority engages in exclusively executive functions, most predominantly to implement turnpike projects authorized by the Legislature.

While the Legislature has the authority to make law, it does not have the power to carry it out or to appoint agents charged with the duty of enforcement—- purely executive function. Simply put, although the Legislature declares policy, it cannot oversee the execution of the policy it declares. If House Bill 2263 were to become law, it would be unconstitutional, thereby causing the Authority's makeup and decisions to be subject to legitimate legal challenges. Any argument or advice to the contrary should be seen for what it is—a well paved road to a legal dead end.

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 11 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution, I have vetoed Enrolled House Bill 179 Enrolled House Bill 1796 made it my desk despite a consequential drafting error.

Enrolled House Bill 1079 would require courier application services to have an agreement with restaurants for the service to transport restaurants' product to consumers. Said another way, the government would be given the ability to further regulate private industry, thereby growing bureaucracy and interfering with the free market.

Enrolled House Bill 1236 would amend the Oklahoma Citizens Participation Act, which is designed to deter lawsuits intended to chill Oklahomans' right of free speech, right to petition and right of association. Currently, defendants who secure dismissal of lawsuits under the Act are entitled to mandatory costs, attorney fees, other expenses, and potential sanctions. The Bill would make discretionary what is now mandatory.

Such a change would undermine the Act's purpose, ensuring a greater frequency of frivolous lawsuits against Oklahomans exercising free speech. Although I would support an amendment providing for mandatory attorney fees only when a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) is found to be frivolous, this amendment would go too far in relaxing a needed deterrent.

In clear violation of Oklahoma's fundamental and statutory law, Enrolled House Bill 1005x purports to extend a single motor vehicle licensing compact without any regard for whether the decade old compact is a fair deal for the State moving forward. Both because this Bill amounts to a circumvention of the executive's authority to negotiate compacts and because it is not in the State's best interests, I must veto it.

Even if terms in the Bill were fair for the State, this Bill has other problems, too. First, this Bill is a byproduct of a body purporting to sit simultaneously in special and regular session. While a special session may have run concurrently with a regular session before; it does not mean such an occurrence is constitutional.

Second, this Bill is unconstitutional pursuant to Article 5, Section 27A because motor vehicle registration and licensing compacts—or for that matter, compacts at all—are not specifically identified in the Call, which is limited "to the consideration of" matters involving the appropriation of funds; the implementation and administration of budget-related funds; and the expenditure of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds.

Enrolled House Bill 1612 would significantly expand the types of crimes that would qualify as an "85% crime" under Oklahoma law. The Oklahoma legislature, beginning in 2018, has prioritized the establishment of a felony classification system in Oklahoma, which most states already have. Since taking office in 2019, I have repeatedly advocated for system-wide reform, including a felony classification system that provides certainty, accountability, and fairness. There is currently legislation being negotiated between all interested parties that would do just that. While we must prioritize public safety and protecting Oklahomans, simply continuing to piecemeal together Oklahoma's criminal code is not in the best interest of our state or its citizens.

Enrolled House Bill 2255 is an omnibus license plate bill that would create six new official special license plates, including one designed for "any person wishing to demonstrate support for the University of Kansas." Unfortunately, I do not have the authority to line-item veto this bill. If I did, I would have signed this bill and struck only the language authorizing the design and issuance of an official plate supporting another state's public university. If a person wishes to demonstrate support for an out- of-state college or university, I encourage that person to purchase a license plate frame online or his or her sporting goods store of choice.  No offense to our sister state to the north, but the State of Oklahoma doesn't need to be in the PR business for the University of Kansas.

Enrolled House Bill 1460 included improper language that has been corrected in Engrossed Senate Bill 488, which I plan to sign once it is enrolled and presented to me.

Oklahoma law already requires sex offenders to register with the Department of Corrections and several local law enforcement authorities having jurisdiction in the area where the person resides or intends to reside, including the municipal police department and county sheriff, as well the police or security department of an institution of higher learning at which sex offenders are enrolled. While the intent behind Enrolled House Bill 2608—that Indian sex offenders who register with a federally recognized Indian nation or tribe in Oklahoma must also register with all other local law enforcement authority enumerated in 57 O.S. § 583—is well meaning, the actual effect and assuredly unintended consequences are significant. The plain, amendatory language would have all sex offenders-Indian and non-Indian alike-additionally register, in person, with tribal law enforcement if the person resides or intends to reside or stay within "the jurisdictional boundaries of the federally recognized Indian nation or tribe[J" The problems are at least two-fold. First, Oklahoma citizens should not be required to register with and/or effectively submit to the jurisdiction of law enforcement that has no jurisdiction over them. Second, given the continued uncertainty and disagreements associated with what is meant by "jurisdictional boundaries of the federally recognized Indian nation or tribe," the amendatory language would create additional confusion and likely cause more unnecessary disagreements. To be clear, I stand ready to engage in good faith discussions about any real need for additional sex offender registration requirements. Enrolled House Bill 2608 simply goes too far and creates ambiguities.

Two sessions ago, legislation was enacted that temporarily increased accumulation limits for annual leave and allowed state employees to carry over certain unused annual leave due to the Covid-19 pandemic until the end of fiscal year 2022. Enrolled House Bill 2661 would extend this benefit through the end of fiscal year 2024, more than three years after the Covid-19 state of emergency was lifted. Continuing to permit the carry-over of pandemic related leave would negatively impact taxpayers and create a continuing fiscal burden on state agencies.

Like most Oklahomans, I've watched family members and loved ones suffer the effects of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, so I take this degenerative disease-—and society's response to it-seriously. That said, I don't believe this Bill, which among other things creates revolving funds in the State Treasury for the purpose of awarding grants to certain nonprofits, and mandates that the Department of Health hire or maintain dementia-trained workers and compile and publish a State Alzheimer's plan, will move the needle on disease knowledge, reducing risk, or developing potential treatments. Plus, the Department of Health's Chronic Disease Prevention Service is already engaged in this space and oversees several programs through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control. By contrast, the federal government, through the National Institutes of Health, is addressing each of these issues in a coordinated response backed by nearly $4 billion of annual Alzheimer's and dementia research funding.

Enrolled Senate Bill 772 would add unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, grow government, create undue burdens on charitable organizations, and ultimately, lack meaningful measures of enforcement. Donors to charitable organizations should fairly expect that their generosity will be stewarded wisely; however, contributions are nonetheless made with associated risks that charitable organizations could dissolve, leave the state, or dispose of assets in lawful ways. Moreover, while Enrolled Senate Bill 772 would allow for court review in certain enumerated circumstances, redress through court intervention is already available to address rogue organizations, charitable and otherwise. Further government involvement in this context is unnecessary.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Oklahomans elected me to advocate on their behalf and fight for the taxpayer. I take this responsibility seriously and so I cannot, in good faith, allow another year to go by without cutting taxes and reforming education, both of which we can absolutely afford with our $1.2 billion surplus and over $6 billion in savings. Therefore, until the people of Oklahoma have a tax cut, until every teacher in the state gets the pay raise they deserve, until parents get a tax credit to send their child to the school of their choice, I am vetoing this unrelated policy and will continue to veto any and all legislation authored by Senators who have not stood with the people of Oklahoma and supported this plan.

Enrolled Senate Bill 563 would ensure anesthesia providers continue to be reimbursed in amounts equal to or greater than the fee schedule established by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority as of January 1, 2021. The bill also authorizes anesthesia providers to enter into value-based or alternative payment arrangements for services furnished to Medicaid members. Essentially, this bill would return anesthesia providers to a fee-for-service model, thereby undoing the progress we've made ushering in managed care. Moreover, I cannot, in good conscience, sign a bill that arbitrarily preferences anesthesia providers over others.

Enrolled Senate Bill 951 would increase travel allowances available to certain county officials, now and in perpetuity. Because the amendatory increases are arbitrary and would saddle taxpayers with an additional burden, I cannot justify signing Senate Bill 951 into law.

To be clear, the same travel reimbursement methods (e. g. mileage reimbursement, etc.) available to other state employees are also available to the county officials referenced in Senate Bill 951. The proposed increases to allowances in lieu of the otherwise available reimbursement methods would amount to little more than pay raises.

Enrolled Senate Bill 976 would create the Invasive Species Task Force-another government- backed task force whose stated mission can be accomplished without the necessity of legislation and likely without additional government involvement. Put simply, Senate Bill 976 is unnecessary.

Enrolled Senate Bill 715 would create ambiguities and allow courts to engage in arbitrary balancing related to highly sensitive information sought pursuant to the Open Records Act. As written, the bill authorizes an open court hearing to address confidential records and would not—as would be appropriate-—allow for a court to conduct an in camera (private) review of records designated as confidential. Even if a court were able to privately review records withheld as confidential, the amendmentatory language would simply have courts balance public and private interests to determine whether to release sensitive personnel records to a Third-party. Then, although the amendment applies by explicit reference subsection B of Section 24A. 17—a subsection that provides for mandatory attorney fees to successful plaintiffs—-the amendatory language would provide courts discretion in awarding attorney fees against public bodies and would leave open the question of whether a public body would have any right to secure an award of reasonable attorney fees if forced to defend against a frivolous suit, as permitted by subsection C of Section 24A.17. Simply put, Enrolled Senate Bill 715 is rife with issues and should not become law. To be clear, I stand for transparency backed by responsible processes and welcome dialogue about reforms to the Open Records Act, including, but not limited, to expanding it in a manner that would allow public access to records in other branches of government.

Enrolled Senate Bill 429 would require public school districts, public charter schools, technology center schools, and institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education to allow enrolled students to wear tribal regalia during the school's official graduation ceremonies. School districts or institutions should be able to set the dress code at their institutions' official graduation ceremonies. In other words, if schools want to allow their students to wear tribal regalia at graduation, good on them; but if schools prefer for their students to wear only traditional cap and gown, the Legislature shouldn't stand in their way.

Moreover, pursuant to Article V, Section 46 of the Oklahoma Constitution, the Legislature cannot pass special laws regulating school districts applicable to one person or class of persons. Should this bill become law, the proverbial Pandora's box will be opened for other groups to go over the heads of local superintendents and demand special favor to wear whatever they please at a formal ceremony. Simply put, this decision rests with local school districts, not state government. Lastly, as a point of clarification, nothing in current state law prevents a school from allowing students to wear tribal regalia at their graduation ceremonies.

As I understand it, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") recently approved Narcan, 4 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for over-the-counter ("OTC"), nonprescription use the first opioid antagonist product approved for use without a prescription. Since the standing order this bill would have authorized was statutorily set to expire upon FDA approval of at least one opioid antagonist as an OTC drug, this bill is unnecessary.

As I stated in the veto message applicable to House Bill 2819 addressing sunset of the same council, the Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian Education does not at this time serve a necessary government function, and for that reason the scheduled sunset should not be extended. Where prudent, I will continue to do my part to shrink the size of government.

Enrolled Senate Bill 922 would empower the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission to cap the percentage of tags issued for certain species to out-of-state hunters at ten percent (10%).

As I understand it, the Commission rarely, if ever, issues more than ten percent (10%) of its tag or controlled hunts to out-of-staters, so this bill is really a solution in search of a problem. Moreover, this bill is imprudent because it would likely put a damper on tourism, an important sector of our state economy, even if only unintentionally. Simply put, this bill don't hunt.

As enacted, Senate Bill 26x would rubberstamp pre-McGirt compacts containing the very language five of the State's 38 federally recognized tribes have relied upon to challenge, in Stroble v. Oklahoma Tax Commission, the State's right to collect income tax within its territory. Although I believe the tribes' arguments in Stroble are without merit, to legislate as though at least those few tribes are not prepared to lodge the same argument in the tobacco tax context (and likely elsewhere) is at best unwise. Even if the Bill were otherwise fair for the State, this bill has other problems, too. First, this Bill is a byproduct of a body purporting to sit simultaneously in special and regular session. While a special session may have run concurrently with a regular session before; it does not mean such an occurrence is constitutional. Second, this Bill is unconstitutional pursuant to Article 5, Section 27A because tobacco compacts—or for that matter, compacts at all—are not specifically identified in the Call, which is limited "to the consideration of" matters involving the appropriation of funds; the implementation and administration of budget-relates funds: and the expenditure of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds.

Enrolled Senate Bill 535 mandates that the State Department of Health establish a certificate program for community health workers (CHWs). While Department CHWs provide valuable services funded through federal grants, we should let private employers decide whether to employs CHWs rather than expand government.

Enrolled Senate Bill 1130 would sweep $600,000,000.00 in enhanced FMAP funds from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority's Disbursing Fund and appropriate it to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, purportedly to cover a portion of the agency's FY-24 appropriation.

The bill is imprudent. Right now, the Health Care Authority is disenrolling more than 300,000 Oklahomans who were added to Medicaid during the COVID-19 pandemic, but who no longer qualify. At the very least, then, decisions to pull this surplus from the Health Care Authority should be delayed until 2024, or after the unwinding period. Additionally, this bill would punish the Health Care Authority for its fiscal conservatism and wise stewardship of taxpayer dollars. That's simply wrong.

Finally, enhanced FMAP funds should be used to finance strategic health care initiatives and to make investments that will yield better health outcomes for generations of Oklahomans, not to do the ordinary work of the Health Care Authority. Because the bill is imprudent, would punish the Health Care Authority for wise stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and because the long-term, strategic value of this appropriation has not been clearly established, I have vetoed Enrolled Senate Bill 1130.

Enrolled Senate Bill 580 would empower local Oklahoma Public Housing Authorities ("PHAs") now assisting Oklahomans with affordable housing concerns to operate anywhere in the State of Oklahoma. This may sound good, but PHAs are currently prohibited from operating outside of their municipal or county limits for good reason: because the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency (''OHFA") already has statewide jurisdiction and adequately addresses affordable housing concerns in all 77 counties.Simply put, the existing regime maximizes govemment efficiencies and facilitates the speedy resolution of constituent issues. The new scheme would interfere with the OHFA's statewide efforts and impede the resolution of constituent matters.

Although I support the availability of continuing education for county employees who have established a reasonable level of longevity with their employer, I cannot, in good conscience, saddle taxpayers with tuition or comparable reimbursement for county employees who may have just started work in county government the same day that they began continued education subject to later reimbursement. Such an approach would be unfair to taxpayers and would lead to a system ripe for abuse.

Senate Bill 437 is an omnibus piece of legislation related to Oklahoma's medical marijuana program ("program"). Contained within the Bill are a variety of policy changes to the program that, on their own, would have my full support. Unfortunately, the Bill would also roll back progress we have made as a state to address illegal marijuana grow operations and bad actors within the industry. As illegal grow operations and bad actors continue to be the primary issue facing the industry, it is unwise to repeal changes designed to curb their participation in the market in exchange for improvements to other areas of the state's program I have been and remain committed to supporting a properly regulated industry to ensure our patients, our communities and our rural neighbors are protected from criminal enterprises that have forced their way into our state.

Enrolled Senate Bill 552 would, in many instances, require county jails to hold and provide restorative treatment, therapy, or training for individuals deemed incompetent prior to conviction. Currently, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is, by statute, generally expected to take custody of those individuals and provide necessary competency restoration services. This, of course, does not prohibit jails from providing treatment options while individuals wait for space to become available through the Department; many jails do, in fact, provide some level of restorative services. Nonetheless, we must do a better job addressing rampant mental health issues plaguing our society. This includes taking a hard look at the methods and structures being used to restore to competency those criminal defendants who may be afflicted by mental health disorders. Although this Bill is well intended, it is not the right solution at this time. For instance, many county jails do not yet have necessary treatment staff, environments, and frameworks in place to handle the responsibilities this Bill Would create. I urge stakeholders such as district attorneys, law enforcement officials (e.g. sheriffs), the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, and other mental health professionals to collaborate well before the next legislative session to identify creative solutions available to address the overarching issues--where (e.g. outpatient-type treatment) and how we meaningfully treat and restore individuals temporarily deemed incompetent to stand trial. Many solutions are surely available without the need for legislative changes. If we are to implement legislative mandates, we must first ensure the requisite structures are in place.

Oklahomans don't need reminding that I care about growing our economy and securing a prosperous future for all Oklahomans. And I have no doubt aerospace and defense investment and innovation will be part and parcel of that future. That said, this Bill simply creates another unfunded and duplicitous grant program. Of course, I hope entities that would have been eligible for this aircraft engine testing program will explore other grant programs administered by our Department of Commerce. I’m confident other incentives are already available for those dedicated to enhancing the State’s burgeoning aerospace and defense industries.

As Governor of the State of Oklahoma, I am charged with safeguarding State interests and protecting all 4 million Oklahomans. While Enrolled House Bill 3501 was passed under the guise of public safety, this bill is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It would essentially require the State to carry out tribal court adjudications, no questions asked. Specifically, it would bind the Department of Public Safety (DPS), a State agency, to recognize and act upon reports of conviction submitted by courts of any federally recognized Indian tribe located anywhere in the State of Oklahoma in the same manner it acts upon reports of conviction from State and municipal courts. As all involved are no doubt aware, some tribes have rallied around recent requests that the U.S. Supreme Court deny Oklahoma the ability to prosecute crimes committed by non-Indians in nearly half the State, which hamstrings the State's ability to seek justice for Indian and non-Indian victims alike. If this bill had required of tribes what is expected of all legitimate governments-namely: transparency, accountability, and reciprocity, among others, perhaps I would have signed it. But as it reads now, this bill further erodes more than one hundred and ten years of settled State jurisdiction and sovereignty. As Governor, I will not be a part of any effort to yield to tribes sweeping jurisdiction where legally there is none.

As I have done before, I again invite tribal and other leaders and partners to work with me toward reasonable solutions rather than engaging in aggressive efforts to strip the State of its established authority to prosecute, tax, and regulate all 4 million Oklahomans, regardless of race, background, or affiliation otherwise.

This is to advise you that on this date, pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 11 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution to approve or object to legislation presented to me, I have vetoed Enrolled House Bill 4457. Enrolled House Bill 4457 would create the "Oklahoma Route 66 Commission" ("Second Route 66 Commission" when the state already has an "Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission" ("First Route 66 Commission"). Both Commissions are set to sunset on the same day, June 30, 2027. House Bill 4457 provides funding for the Second Route 66 Commission but does not reference the First Route 66 Commission. Additionally, the Second Route 66 Commission may not be constitutional in its composition. As there is only one "Mother Road," I see no need for her to have two commissions. Moreover, if the legislature feels the First Route 66 Commission is inadequately funded, I encourage them to address that issue rather than creating a Second Route 66 Commission (that is arguably unconstitutional). Two Commissions—to address one issue, one highway, and one centennial—is inefficient and a waste of government time and resources.

This is to advise you that on this date, pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 11 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution to approve or object to legislation presented to me, I have vetoed House Bill 3540.

The purpose of House Bill 3540 has been accomplished by Senate Bill 1322, which I have signed into law, thereby making this bill superfluous.

This is to advise you that on this date, pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 11 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution to approve or object to legislation presented to me, 1 have vetoed House Bill 4192.

Currently, Oklahoma law requires all public bodies to publish certain information on their or a general website (if the agency uses a general website). See 74 O.S. § 3106.4. This requirement was most recently updated in November of 2019, which means public bodies should already be in compliance. HB 4192 would provide for the removal of agency directors whose agencies fail to comply with current website publication requirements within twelve (12) months of the effective date of this bill. While I fully support the goal of this bill and expect all agency directors to comply with state law, this bill gives agency directors twelve additional months to comply with publication requirements that took effect nearly three years ago. Rather than extend the compliance period another year from the effective date of this bill, I have issued Executive Order 2022-06, which will accomplish compliance at a much earlier date.

Enrolled House Bill 2046 would, pursuant to the procedures established in this bill, serve as a mechanism by which local taxes could be raised on many rural Oklahomans. We should not look to ordinary Oklahomans as additional revenue streams for certain institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.

This is to advise you that on this date, pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 11 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution to approve or object to legislation presented to me, I have vetoed House Bill 4473.

Enrolled House Bill 4473 would appropriate $181,026,750.00 to the Inflation Relief Stimulus Fund ("Giveaway Fund"). This fund would give handouts of $75.00 to a "person having a single filing status," and $150.00 to "persons having a married filing status." Because those checks would be subject to federal taxation, citizens would receive only about 75% of those amounts, on average. In other words, State dollars would be paid to the federal government in exchange for a diminished payment to Oklahomans in December. Rather than spending $180 million on one-time payments that would further spur inflation-the very issue we need to combat—we should give Oklahoma taxpayers permanent relief. That is why I have invited the legislature to join me to work on solutions such as a repeal of the state grocery tax and a reduction of the state income tax. These calls align with conservative, Oklahoma values rather than expensive government handouts that provide little actual benefit to the taxpayer.

Enrolled House Bill 4474 would create the Inflation Relief Stimulus Fund which gives handouts of $75.00 to a "person having a single filing status," and $150.00 to "persons having a married filing status." Because those checks would be subject to federal taxation, citizens would receive only about 75% of those amounts, on average. In other words, State dollars would be paid to the federal government in exchange for a diminished payment to Oklahomans in December. Rather than spending $180 million on one-time payments that would further spur inflation-the very issue we need to combat-we should give Oklahoma taxpayers permanent relief. That is why I have invited the legislature to join me to work on solutions such as a repeal of the state grocery tax and a reduction of the state income tax. These calls align with conservative, Oklahoma values rather than expensive government handouts that provide little actual benefit to the taxpayer.

Currently, the chief judges of juvenile divisions, not county commissioners, have the authority to hire and terminate directors of juvenile bureaus. See, 10A O.S. § 2-4-102. Moreover, the chief judges of juvenile divisions are uniquely situated to assess juvenile bureau directors and determine salaries, in accordance with existing laws. House Bill 1964 unnecessarily alters the relationship between chief judges of juvenile divisions, juvenile bureaus, and county commissioners.

Enrolled House Bill 4084 would repeal a section of Title 56 of the Oklahoma Statutes that created a statewide public service announcement campaign, under the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative (Initiative), promoting marriage. The Initiative began under the leadership of Gov. Frank Keating in 1999. I see no reason to repeal a provision of law that created a program dedicated to the promotion of marriage, which I proudly support and consider to be one of society's foundational institutions.

Enrolled House Bill 2046 would, pursuant to the procedures established in this bill, serve as a mechanism by which local taxes could be raised on many rural Oklahomans. We should not look to ordinary Oklahomans as additional revenue streams for certain institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.

Enrolled House Bill 4412 would create the healthy soil program within the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. The Conservation Commission already does good work in this area. If additional funding is needed, I am always ready and willing to work with the legislature to support our farmers, ranchers and Oklahoma's overall conservation efforts. However, creating an entirely new government program to solve challenges that Oklahoma has been addressing since the Dust Bowl is an unnecessary expansion of government.

Enrolled House Bill 4457 would create the "Oklahoma Route 66 Commission" ("Second Route 66 Commission" when the state already has an "Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission" ("First Route 66 Commission"). Both Commissions are set to sunset on the same day, June 30, 2027. House Bill 4457 provides funding for the Second Route 66 Commission but does not reference the First Route 66 Commission. Additionally, the Second Route 66 Commission may not be constitutional in its composition. As there is only one "Mother Road," I see no need for her to have two commissions. Moreover, if the legislature feels the First Route 66 Commission is inadequately funded, I encourage them to address that issue rather than creating a Second Route 66 Commission (that is arguably unconstitutional). Two Commissions—to address one issue, one highway, and one centennial—is inefficient and a waste of government time and resources.

Enrolled House Bill 3692 would allow public trusts that operate a hospital to pay trustees for their service. The State has hundreds of boards and commissions with thousands of volunteers serving without compensation. Public hospital trusts should be treated the same. If enacted, HB 3692 would set a dangerous precedent and likely lead to numerous other state boards asking Oklahoma taxpayers to provide similar pay for their members.

Although Enrolled House Bill 4082 would resolve linguistic inconsistencies owing to the enactment of multiple, inconsistent amendments to Section 1-110 of Title 43A of the Oklahoma Statutes during the 2021 Legislative Session, this bill would do more than cleanup existing statutory language. It also would create a new transport revolving fund for the Department of  Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. While this bill would only create-rather than appropriate or otherwise direct any monies to--a fund, I have no doubt that Oklahoma taxpayers would soon be saddled with costs. Further, I fully support reforming our broken mental health system. For too long we have relied on law enforcement officers to intercede and be responsible for helping a person in the middle of a mental health crisis, regardless of whether they have the training. Law enforcement's job is to protect the public and we should be looking at real reforms to address how we help and treat those in mental health crisis, as opposed to asking law enforcement to fill existing gaps in our broken system.

Enrolled House Bill 4412 would create the healthy soil program within the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. The Conservation Commission already does good work in this area. If Additional funding is needed, I am always ready and willing to work with the legislature to support our farmers, ranchers and Oklahoma's overall conservation efforts. However, creating an entirely new government program to solve challenges that Oklahoma has been addressing since the Dust Bowl is an unnecessary expansion of government.

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 12 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution to approve or disapprove any appropriation bills, or any item therein contained, I have vetoed Enrolled House Bill 1009xx.

Section 1 of Enrolled House Bill 1009xx would appropriate to the Oklahoma Education Television Authority (OETA) $8,185,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary to make infrastructure upgrades to maintain and enhance datacasting and emergency alerting communications statewide. Spending over $8 million of taxpayer dollars on upgrades without a clear, long-term, strategic plan for these funds is not responsible spending.

Furthermore, as I have implored the Legislature from the beginning, these one-time funds present a unique opportunity to have a generational impact and leave a legacy for generations. It is preferable that these funds be used for infrastructure and water projects and long-term strategic investments that will change the trajectory of our state.

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 12 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution to approve or disapprove any appropriation bills, or any item therein contained, I have vetoed Enrolled House Bill 1015xx.

Enrolled House Bill 1015xx would appropriate to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEM) $6,000,000.00 to "construct nine regionally located emergency operations centers" throughout the state. OEM does a great job coordinating with local communities when emergencies and natural disasters occur. While I continue to support the great work OEM does in responding to natural disasters, the strategic, long-term value of this appropriation has not been clearly established.

This is to advise you that on this date, pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 11 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution, to approve or object to legislation presented to me, I have vetoed Enrolled Senate Bill 903. Senate Bill 903 unnecessarily extends a tax credit from 10 years to 15 years.

Contrary to Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution, Enrolled Senate Bill 1282 would seemingly remove from judges the ability to make independent and informed determinations about whether children should be taken into and/or remain in custody based upon allegations of delinquent or otherwise criminal conduct and would effectively empower an executive agency to make many such determinations.

Last session, legislation was enacted that temporarily increased accumulation limits for annual leave and allowed state employees to carry over certain unused annual leave due to the Covid-19 pandemic until the end of fiscal year 2022. Senate Bill 176 would extend this benefit through the end of fiscal year 2023, over two years after the Covid-19 state of emergency was lifted. Continuing to permit the carry-over of pandemic related leave would negatively impact tax payers and create a continuing fiscal burden on state agencies.

Senate Bill 1695 would require gubernatorial appointees to agency director or cabinet secretary positions to file financial disclosure statements while failing to require disclosures for similar positions appointed by the Legislature, boards, or commissions. Most gubernatorial appointees are already subject to Senate confirmation. I would urge the Legislature to revisit this topic and pass legislation that subjects all state officers—whether elected, appointed, or subject to a retention election-to the same set of financial disclosure requirements. This would include, but not be limited to, agency directors and certain state officers selected by boards or commissions and those appointed by the Legislature.

Senate Bill 1243 creates a loophole for out-of-state and tribal titles by exempting them from inspection requirements designed to protect consumers. Furthermore, the bill-perhaps inadvertently-legitimizes tribal titles even though, according to the Department of Public Safety, settled law indicates a number of tribally tagged and titled vehicles are currently being operated unlawfully.

Enrolled Senate Bill 1075 would remove the current 1.25% tax levied on the sale of motor vehicles or optional equipment or accessories. This does little, if anything, to alleviate the real financial burden Oklahomans are facing due to a forty-year high inflation rate and record high gas prices. In fact, the only beneficiaries of this tax break are those who can afford a new car or truck. Meanwhile every family in the state is paying more for food and groceries to gas and everything in between. We should be passing real tax reform that provides immediate relief and allows every Oklahoman to keep more of their hard-earned money regardless of how much they make or whether they can afford a new car.

The purpose of Senate Bill 1429 has been accomplished by House Bill 3658, which I have signed into law, thereby making this bill superfluous.

As part of Enrolled Senate Bill 537, public funds would be made available for use by a commission to reimburse board members for time, travel, and childcare services associated with their service

Although I commend individuals who make sacrifices to serve on boards and commissions reimbursement for expenses of this kind would create a slippery slope for which Oklahoma taxpayers would become responsible.

Enrolled Senate Bill 1436 is a solution in search of a problem. Current law already provides mechanisms for certification, training, and evaluation of nurse and medication aides. Put simply, this bill would unnecessarily complicate existing, and sufficient, processes.

Enrolled Senate Bill 18xx would appropriate to the Oklahoma Arts Council $10,000,000.00. I support the Oklahoma Arts Council, including its management and care of the State Art Collection, but the long-term, strategic value of this appropriation has not been clearly established.

Furthermore, nearly every industry across the state was adversely impacted by COVID-19, especially service industries like restaurants and small, local businesses These one-time funds present a unique opportunity to have a generational impact and leave a legacy for generations. It is preferable that these funds be used for infrastructure and water projects and long-term strategic investments that will change the trajectory of our state.

House Bill 2313 would subject private children's facilities to additional and unnecessary inspections. Currently, these facilities are already subject to regular inspections by the Department of Human Services. Further, these facilities are subject to additional inspections whenever a complaint is made. House Bill 2313 would allow the Office of Juvenile System Oversight to conduct further inspections of privately operated children's facilities in addition to the inspections listed above. Creating additional inspection requirements at this time is unduly burdensome without actually increasing the safety of children.

House Bill 1090 would empower the State Auditor and Inspector to audit all books and accounts of any public officers, institutions, and other governmental entities without first receiving a request from the Governor, the chief executive officer of an agency, or a resolution from the Legislature. The change is a dramatic departure from existing state law and established practice and procedure. House Bill 1090 would create a system where the State Auditor and Inspector is not accountable to any other arm of state government, which would fundamentally alter our system of checks and balances in Oklahoma. The existing law already requires that the agency being audited bear the cost of the audits. This could unnecessarily burden state agencies preventing them from performing their authorized statutory and constitutional duties.

House Bill 2510 amends the Political Subdivisions Opioid Abatement Grants Act to allow grant awards from the Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Revolving Fund to be used to reimburse attorney fees, provided the legal services agreement was entered into before May 21, 2020. This is a highly improper use of state resources. The Abatement Fund is rightfully designed to help Oklahomans harmed by opioid addiction-not pay attorneys who have already been compensated for their efforts in suing pharmaceutical companies.

House Bill 1598 would authorize the Oklahoma State Department of Education to approve vision screeners to conduct vision screenings for students enrolled in kindergarten, first grade, and third grade. As vision screenings are currently being provided to kindergarten, first grade, and third grade students and because vision screenings fall within the Oklahoma State Department of Health's area of expertise, the Department of Health approves vision screeners, maintains a statewide registry of approved screeners, vision screener trainers, and trainers of vision screener trainers, and maintains the standards for vision screenings and referrals. Though vision screening plays an important role in a child's education, House Bill 1598 is duplicative and not in the best interest of Oklahoma children. The State Department of Education is not the appropriate state entity to approve healthcare providers, including vision screeners, and lacks the subject matter expertise to develop appropriate standards and procedures for such healthcare providers to follow. These important vision screenings will continue to take place under Oklahoma law. This veto ensures that oversight of these health-related screenings remains in the sole purview of the Department of Health.

House Bill 2500 would change Oklahoma law by adding a vague restriction to an already burdensome list of qualifications for six of the nine members of the Oklahoma Abstractors Board. Such a change increases the regulated industry's control of its own rulemaking process.

Accountability and transparency remain top priorities for me and my Administration. It is crucial that all of state government remains responsible to the Oklahoma taxpayer. State agencies, as well as the Legislature and Judiciary, have a duty to manage those dollars in a responsible and efficient manner. This is why our state entities are billed for services they consume and provide. House Bill 2088 would exempt the Legislature and Judiciary from fees and costs of services rendered by appropriated state agencies. While I recognize these branches provide vital functions to the state, this exemption shifts responsibility from one state entity to another, while all other state entities are required to manage their own costs of services directly. Further, House Bill 2088 contains no language guaranteeing additional appropriation to cover the cost of services to be provided to the Legislature and Judiciary, potentially resulting in a costly negative fiscal impact in the future. This unnecessary shift in responsibility does not comply with this Administration's standards of accountability and transparency.

House Bill 2090 makes changes to the recently created Rural Broadband Expansion Council. It adds two new members to an unnecessary task force. Digital transformation has been and remains a top priority for my Administration. Shortly after taking office, this Administration created a broadband task force and brought together key stakeholders to focus on improving broadband in our state. As a result, our state's broadband service has improved from 47" to 25' in the nation during my time in office. We brought together key players in this arena and the Administration's task force yielded great results. This legislation does nothing to improve a duplicative task force.

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 11 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution, I have vetoed House Bill 1849. This bill creates a new exemption that unnecessarily complicates the tax code.

Senate Bill 500 would require a city, town, or county to prepare and post on its website a disclosure report for any tax incentive financing (TIF) district it establishes. By their very nature, TIFs address local tax incentives and exemptions, not state taxes. While this information is already available and these municipalities are free to publish such a report on their own, SB 500 adds additional red tape. I have heard from multiple municipalities that this would be burdensome. My Administration is committed to decreasing bureaucracy, not adding to it. This Bill represents an unnecessary level of state government intrusion into a matter of local government.

Senate Bill 222 would greatly expand the definition of "bullying." While the intentions behind this expansion are understandable, the potential for unintended consequences is considerable.

Given that many school districts have "zero tolerance" policies in place for bullying, relatively minor offenses could be met with disproportionate consequences. Further, the practically catch- all nature of the expanded definition opens the door to innocent behavior being treated as "bullying" by overzealous authorities. Serious bullying demands our attention and must be addressed. Senate Bill 222, by broadening this definition in such a fashion, risks diverting attention from protecting those most in need of care.

Senate Bill 419 would forbid a school district from deciding whether teachers may use the highest- achieved score from the required statewide United States History assessment in calculating the final grade of a student in a social studies, history, or citizenship skills unit. This Administration has prioritized the importance of local control of education. Senate Bill 419 is an example of legislative overreach into the classroom. The State should not dictate to a school district how to calculate a student's grade. Further, enactment of Senate Bill 419 opens the door to other legislative encroachments on the abilities of school districts to set their own grading policies.

Senate Bill 821 attempts to extend restrictions on the management of pharmacy benefits in such a way that would slow innovation in the delivery of health care in Oklahoma and it places an undue burden on employers. More importantly, the cost of this burden would be passed onto Oklahoma employees. Businesses from across the state that are self-insured and/or have ERISA-governed plans are not pharmacy benefit managers. Unfortunately, Senate Bill 821 treats them as if they are and entangles them in red tape and compliance costs. Businesses across the state have spoken out on behalf of their employees, advocating for them to be protected from prescription drug cost increases.

As Governor of all four million Oklahomans, I call on the Legislature to develop a compromise on this issue that puts Oklahoma consumers first by encouraging innovation and low costs for all Oklahoma employees and their families, while guaranteeing an even playing field for our home-town pharmacists. This can be done by exempting self-insured businesses and ERISA-governed plans from the restrictions originally designed for Pharmacy Benefit Managers.

House Bill 2741 would re-direct a percentage of revenue appropriated to the Teachers' Retirement System in FY 2021. In addition, it appears the legislature bypassed its own statutory procedural requirements by failing to obtain an actuarial analysis of this bill. While I understand the importance of a balanced budget, it is improper to do so at the expense of the solvency of the Teachers' Retirement System, which has been greatly improved through the legislature's commitment to fiscally conservative policies. It is important we do not go backwards on the meaningful gains we have made. House Bill 2741 would add $186,200,000 to the unfunded actuarial accrued liability, which was last reported as $6,529,854,740. Further, the redirection of monies necessary to pay tomorrow's obligations to fulfill the desires of today may negatively impact the state's bond rating, which would inflict long term damage.

House Bill 2742 would re-direct a percentage of revenue appropriated to the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement Fund, Police Pension and Retirement System, and Law Enforcement Retirement Fund (the "Systems") in FY 2021. In addition, it appears the legislature bypassed its own statutory procedural requirements by failing to obtain an actuarial analysis of this bill. While I understand the importance of a balanced budget, it is improper to do so at the expense of the solvency of the Systems, which have been greatly improved through the legislature's commitment to fiscally conservative policies. It is important we do not go backwards on the meaningful gains we have made. House Bill 2742 increases the unfunded actuarial accrued liability, which was last reported as $6,529,854,740. Further, the redirection of monies necessary to pay tomorrow's obligations to fulfill the desires of today may negatively impact the state's bond rating, which would inflict long term damage.

This is to advise you that on this date, pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 11 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution to approve or object to legislation presented to me, I have vetoed House

Bill 2743. House Bill 2743 would pull $180,000,000 away from the Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety (ROADS) Fund. This has the potential to cause significant delays in many of the critical infrastructure projects supported by the ROADS Fund, thereby jeopardizing the progress made by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation's Eight Year Plan.

As Governor, my goal is for Oklahoma to become a Top Ten State. This includes becoming Top Ten in infrastructure, specifically in roads and bridges. House Bill 2743 would force ODOT to unnecessarily take on additional debt through the use of bonds. Because of the State's dedication to the ODOT plan, we are now up to 13th in bridges and improving our roads. I understand and agree with the use of bonds in limited circumstances. In fact, I previously supported the use of bonds to expedite ODOT projects. However, I cannot support the use of bonds to plug budget

House Bill 3663 will limit the Oklahoma Tax Commission's (OTC) authority to remove Oklahoma Motor Vehicle Agents (Tag Agents). In the state of Oklahoma, Tag Agents are appointed by the OTC and serve as independent contractors. In the last 15 years, 16 tag agents have been removed. That represents an average of one per year, less than four-tenths of one percent of all agents. There is no evidence that the OTC has been removing agents without cause. The provisions of this bill would restrict the ability of a state agency to determine if a contractor should be permitted to continue to work to deliver services. This greatly restricts the State's ability to ensure that the best people are delivering services to Oklahomans. Based on the language of this bill, even if the OTC received numerous complaints about the behavior or customer service of an agent, as long as the agent meets minimum requirements, the OTC would have limited authority to remove that agent. In addition, the creation of a new unnecessary bureaucratic procedure would result in unwanted legal fees on the backs of taxpayers. It is important that my administration have the ability to weed out bad actors, ensuring the best possible customer service from Tag Agents for all 4 million Oklahomans.

House Bill 3819 would require any contract or agreement by any state office, officer, bureau, board, council, court, commission, institution, unit, division, body or house of the executive or judicial branches be open for inspection to any member of the Legislature. It would also prohibit any of the above listed individuals and entities from prohibiting any person or entity from contacting or communicating with any member of the legislature. Currently, members of the Legislature, like all Oklahomans, have access to contracts made by the Executive branch through the Open Records Act. Legislators also have the ability to obtain contracts, including those which may have confidential information, through the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency ("LOFT"). Further, the Executive and Judicial Branches are already required to make personnel available to LOFT and, if necessary, LOFT has the authority to conduct hearings, compel witnesses to testify and require the production of information. As written, House Bill 3819 does not require that any information made confidential by law be maintained in confidence by the requesting legislator. It also provides no protection to the integrity of grand juries and internal and external civil and criminal investigations conducted by various agencies. Lastly, while mandating contracts and employees of the Executive and Judicial branches be available to members of the Legislative branch, there is no such requirement for contracts by and employees of the Legislature.

Oversight and accountability have remained a top priority to me and my administration as it is crucial that state government remain accountable for taxpayer dollars. State agencies, as well as the Legislative and Judicial branches, are called to manage those dollars in a responsible and efficient manner. This is why our state entities are appropriated funds to pay for services they consume and provide. House Bill 3824 would exempt the Legislative and Judicial branches from fees and costs of services rendered by appropriated state agencies. While I understand the Legislature and Judiciary provide vital functions to the state, this specific exemption is shifting responsibility from one state entity to another, while all other state entities are required to manage their own costs of services directly. In addition, House Bill 3824 contains no language guaranteeing additional appropriation to cover the cost of services to be provided to the Legislature and Judiciary, which could result in a costly negative fiscal impact in the future. This is an unnecessary shift in responsibility with no statutory guarantee of future appropriations to those providing the services.

House Bill 2750 would more than double the amount of obligations the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority is authorized to issue and sell to fund the state's matching contribution to the Oklahoma State Regents' Endowment Trust Fund. The previous amount of authorized obligations was increased to $150,000,000.00 in 2010. The principal amount outstanding is $93,130,000.

The funds from the sale of these obligations have been used for funding important positions like Chairs in Cancer Research, Animal Science, and Engineering. I absolutely encourage and admire private donors who fund these types of positions, however requiring the State of Oklahoma to continue to match those private donations is unsustainable.

House Bill 2760 reduces the total amount of credits offered under the Affordable Housing Tax Credit from $4,000,000 to 2,000,000. My office has received numerous phone calls and emails from constituents across the state expressing concerns about the implications of the date. The effective date of this legislation is retroactive, and thus negatively affects projects currently under contract for this year. Furthermore, due to the nature of these projects and the way the credit works, our state would not see financial return until FY2023. I support and advocate for comprehensive tax policy reform in our State. We must have a larger conversation about overhauling Oklahoma's tax policy towards diversification and long-term sustainability. However, during an economic downturn, we should not single out winners and losers, but tackle broad and meaningful reform. I look forward to working with the legislature in the future to accomplish this much needed task

House Bill 3228 is a lengthy bill that alters Oklahoma's medical marijuana program. The language in the bill makes substantial policy changes to the medical marijuana program that were not fully scrutinized through normal legislative procedures before the bill was received by my office in the middle of the night Saturday. While there is much room for improvement in the way our state's program operates, this bill does not address those items in a way I can support.

Digitally transforming state government into the 21 Century is a primary focus of my administration. When I took office, our team found numerous agencies across state government still using old and outdated systems. My vision for Oklahoma is to one day offer all state services conveniently through an application on mobile devices. As my administration has worked towards this goal, we have encountered bureaucratic red tape and statutory barriers which prevent these innovative processes. House Bill 4049 would remove the Oklahoma Tax Commission's ability to operate an online portal for motor vehicle registration and mandates that their online system direct customers to motor license agents. Instead of an Oklahoman being able to quickly choose to renew a vehicle tag online and have the Oklahoma Tax Commission promptly handle their request, the consumer would have to select a motor license agent to handle the online claim. This mandate not only creates a burdensome step for the consumer, but it creates an additional fee. I cannot support legislation that creates new burdens for consumers while working to reduce the current barriers that exist. While I agree motor license agents play a key role in delivering services to Oklahomans, this measure would only create more statutory barriers to digitally transforming state services. As the COVID pandemic demonstrated, the need for services to be accessed remotely and electronically has never been greater. This bill would adversely affect Oklahoma and inconvenience its citizens. It is important that we continue to transform our archaic systems for the benefit of all taxpaying Oklahomans.

House Bill 2749 would place a cap of Six Hundred Seventy-One Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($671,200,000.00) on state matching monies utilized for the creation of endowment accounts in the Oklahoma State Regents' Endowment Trust Fund. The Trust Fund is a permanent fund established to support the establishment of faculty chairs, professorships and lectureships at institutions within the higher education system. In the current fiscal year Higher Education was appropriated $802,070,058 and will be appropriated $770,414,742 in FY 2021. Since the State began matching these donations, approximately $500,000,000 has been matched with no input from the legislature or Governor as to what types of chairs and professorships would be matched. Instead of simply placing a cap, the more fiscally responsible course would be to eliminate matching monies all together.

House Bill 4018 enacts the Oklahoma Rural Broadband Development Act and calls for the creation of a Rural Broadband Expansion Council to be funded through the Digital Transformation Revolving Fund, which was not funded for FY 21, and will have.a zero balance. Digital Transformation and bringing Oklahoma into the 21" century has been a top priority for my administration. Last year, The Secretary of Digital Transformation created a Broadband task force and brought together stakeholders to focus on improving broadband in our state. Since that time, our administration has moved from being ranked 47* to being ranked 26 in broadband, a 45% increase. It is important to bring together all key players to collaborate and continue to improve our state's outcomes in broadband. My office has included key stakeholders in these discussions and invited legislators to attend. Our current Broadband task force is yielding great results, and the need for another task force is unnecessary and redundant. This is a duplication of work, expertise and expense.

Senate Bill 1922 is the Legislature's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2021. This budget was created behind closed doors, without meaningful input or consultation from the Executive Branch. This proposed budget does not réflect the values of Oklahoma or the clear directive voters gave elected officials at the ballot box of living within our means and making hard decisions when times get tough. Instead, Senate Bill 1922 reflects misguided policies that conservative republicans have spent the past decade reversing. It is propped up with one-time funds that will not be available for Fiscal Year 2022. As Governor, I was elected to manage the Executive Branch, which includes managing expenses and right-sizing agencies. This budget is going to back the state into a financial corner, which leaves us with very few options in FY 22 - we will either have to raise taxes or implement draconian cuts. As Governor I am here to protect the taxpayer - not harm them.

This is to advise you that on this date pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 11 of Article VI of the Oklahoma Constitution to approve or object to legislation presented to me, I have vetoed Senate Bill 1002.

SB 1002 is a companion bill, seeking to add an additional 2 members to the Rural Broadband Expansion Council proposed in HB 4018.

In order to prevent a duplication of work, expertise and expense, I vetoed HB 4018. As a result, the need for changes in the Council has become obsolete.

I appreciate the willingness of the legislature to craft a proposal to fund SoonerCare 2.0. When I announced SoonerCare 2.0, unemployment rates were at 3.2%. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty within energy markets and commodity prices, unemployment rates are predicted to be as high as 14%. This will not only increase the number of individuals currently enrolled in Medicaid, but will also increase the number of potential enrollees in the expanded population. Furthermore, Senate Bill 1046 does not fully fund Soonercare 2.0 in year one, and it does not consider funding for year two. We must work together to design a healthcare system that is both affordable and sustainable, and that addresses the unique needs of Oklahoma while improving health outcomes.

Senate Bill 1595 created new language in Section 1 to prevent companies from losing the constitutionally created manufacturing ad valorem tax exemption due to job loss from COVID-19. However, Section 2 repealed the entire statutory framework for the exemption including the new language. Since this bill was passed with little discussion or debate late Friday night, my office has heard from stakeholders that have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Oklahoma with concerns about how Senate Bill 1595 could prevent them from receiving this exemption. Further, my office has also heard from countless legislators that have expressed their regrets of voting for this measure as they weren't fully aware of what Section 2 did to this exemption. This exemption is a critical tool in attracting new business to Oklahoma. According to the Oklahoma Tax Commission, the exemptions claimed are estimated to be associated with at least $13.43 billion in qualifying capital investment activities and more than 75,000 jobs in Oklahoma over the past five years. Furthermore, this exemption is offered by the majority of states, including all states surrounding Oklahoma.

I do have concerns that this exemption has grown from its original intent and reforms are needed so that the State is not obligated to pay for projects that aren't bringing with them a positive benefit for the State. However, I do not feel comfortable changing the rules for businesses without robust conversations in which businesses can come to the table and be a part of the solution. I now call on the business community, the legislature and my office to work together to make sure that this exemption works for all of Oklahoma. To companies across the state and the world, Oklahoma is open for business.

Senate Bill 1805 increases the base fees that private vocational schools must pay to the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools by 15% over the next 3 years. Our private businesses in the state do a great job of training Oklahomans and preparing our workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. While I agree proper oversight is important to ensure consumers are protected in the state, it is crucial that we do not grow bureaucracy for private institutions looking to train individuals in the labor market. I remain committed to working with our state's private sector to make Oklahoma the most business-friendly state in the nation.

Senate Bill 1703 adds the University Hospital Trust (UHT) to a list of public entities that are eligible for sales tax exemptions. The measure also allows the UHT the ability to extend their exemption to a contractor with whom they have a public contract. Though I am supportive of the great hospitals in our state that care for Oklahomans every day, this is not the right time to grow the list of tax exemptions that will end up causing tough budget times to be more difficult over the next few years. The cost to the state for such an exemption would be an estimated decrease in state sales tax collections of $11,125,421 and would make next year's projected one billion dollar revenue shortfall even larger. This change would also negatively impact sales tax collections by millions of dollars at the local level. Further, there is no language in the current bill that specifies how this money is to be spent by the UHT.

House Bill 1979 would create the Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force. The Eleven member Task Force Would Identify the needs of and best-practice approaches to traumatic brain injury survivors in Oklahoma. House Bill 1979 does not contain a sunset provision nor does it clarify whether members will receive travel reimbursement. I support improving healthcare outcomes for all Oklahomans, including those with traumatic brain injuries, I do not believe House Bill 1979 is the most direct and effective way to do so, and I will work directly with my Cabinet Secretaries and agency directors to address this issue and work with the authors of this legislation to implement any necessary changes.

House Bill 2477 would provide for ceratin changes to the procedure used by the Oklahoma Tax Commission for the garnishment of wages of certain license holders. House Bill 2477 would have a negative fiscal impact that has not been accounted for in the overall state budget for Fiscal Year 2020. 

House Bill 1940 makes it unclear as to who has the authority to define what constitutes “valid excuse” as it relates to a child’s absence(s) from school. This uncertainty is not in the best interest of students.

House Bill 2465 would, in part, require agencies to pay employees for overtime worked, even if said work was unapproved by the agency, and mandate certain employees be paid overtime instead of compensatory time, regardless of the desire of the agency or the employee. State employee pay and benefits, including overtime pay and compensatory time, is critical to ensuring Oklahoma retains the best and brightest in state government. Unfortunately, there are not across the board policies for all state agencies and employees, currently in statute. Although House Bill 2465 attempts to standardize a fraction of these issues, I believe a broader conservation needs to occur whereby we develop uniform across-the-board policies for state agencies and employees and I am committed to working with the authors of the bill to develop such policies and any necessary legislation.

House Bill 1968 would insert state government into contract disputes between firefighter and police officer unions (“unions”) and municipalities. These disputes are best resolved through arbitration, as currently provided in statute. The insertion of state government in these disputes is improper and not in the best interest of Oklahomans.

House Bill 1205 would create the Oklahoma Home and Community-Based Services Ombudsman Program Task Force. The fourteen person task force would “make a recommendation to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate regarding the creation of an ombudsman program to serve recipients of in-home and community-based care and services.” The safety of those Oklahomans receiving in-home and community-based care and services is of the utmost concern to me. While I support the underlying purpose of this task force, I would like to address this matter through more direct and effective means. As Governor, I have tasked my Cabinet with analyzing every agency under their purview. I will work with my Cabinet Secretary and agency directors to ensure the safety of these Oklahomans and work with the authors of this legislation to implement any necessary changes discovered through our review of the agency.

House Bill 2289 would modify the procedures regarding how a service provider perfects a special lien on a certain property. Specifically, the Bill would allow for multiple resubmissions if the initial application is denied and extend the time to resubmit a denied application from 15 business days to 30 business days. This would nearly double the amount of time a service provider can hold a property without providing notice to other lien holders, including financial institutions and automobile dealers, resulting in devaluation of the property to occur. In addition, the increased length of time would unnecessarily increase consumers’ costs for storage.

Current law mandates State Department of Health (“SDH”) and the State Department of Education(“SDE”) update HIV and AIDS education curriculum material as newly discovered medical facts become available, therefore making House Bill 1018’s repeal and replace of statutory requirements unnecessary.

House Bill 2036 would mandate the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety promulgate rules and procedures to allow for commercial driver license renewals at tag agencies. The State is currently modernizing the entire driver license system, including renewals, in order to move towards compliance with Real ID and improve the overall customer experience. Thus, House Bill 2036 is unnecessary.

Senate Bill 1056 would create a revolving fund for the Department of Human Services to be designated the “Department of Human Services Infrastructure Revolving Fund”. Pursuant to this legislation, this fund shall only be expended at the direction of the Oklahoma State Legislature. Pursuant to Senate Bill 1055, the legislation directing the Department of Human Services budget limits, Sixteen Million Dollars ($16,000,000) shall be deposited into this fund. This infrastructure fund is set aside for the maintenance and care of the Robert M. Greer Center within the Department of Human Services, a specialized facility for persons with dual diagnosis of developmental disabilities and mental illness. I share the legislature’s desire to address this pressing need. However, by placing this money in a fund that can only be expended at the direction of the legislature, I fear this demanding need will be unduly deferred to a later date. Instead, I direct that this money be expended at the direction of the Department of Human Services in collaboration with the Legislature and my office. The purpose and intent of these funds is to address the needs of this population, some of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable.

Senate Bill 134 would create a special exemption of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs (“ODVA”) from the requirements of the IT Consolidation and Coordination Act. In addition, the bill contradicts Executive Order 2019-03, as amended, which prohibits the hiring of IT related positions without prior written approval of the Secretary of Agency Accountability.

Senate Bill 685 would, in part, provide the Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners (the “Board”), the option to review applications by circularization and thereby vote to approve an application. Any action taken by the Board to approve applications by circularization would violate both the spirit and the text of the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act. The Act specifically prohibits deciding or taking action on any matter by e-mail or at an informal gathering.

The intent of Senate Bill 685 is to expedite the licensing review and approval process, which I understand and support. There are already options available to the Board outside of regularly scheduled meetings, including Special Meetings, Emergency Meetings, and the option to hold meetings by videoconference. I encourage the Board to utilize these alternatives in order to resolve this issue.

Senate Bill 44 would define the term “instructional expenditure” to mean expenditures for instruction and instructional staff support services, including those that directly relate to providing instruction and for activities that assist with classroom instruction. The definition proposed does not align our state with the federal definition of instructional expenditure, which will not allow Oklahoma to measure our instructional expenditures across state lines.

Senate Bill 841 attempts to regulate certain health plans sponsored by Oklahoma employers in such a manner that is preempted by, and disallowed by, federal law. Legislation in other states that is similar to Senate Bill 841 has been struck down for impermissibly attempting to regulate health plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). Allowing Senate Bill 841 to become law in Oklahoma would leave many Oklahoma employers who have ERISA-governed plans with no choice but to incur substantial legal expense in order to have a federal court rule that Senate Bill 841 is preempted by federal law and disallowed with respect to certain ERISA-governed plans. 

As Governor of Oklahoma, I call on the Legislature to develop a compromise on this issue that puts Oklahomans first by encouraging low prescription cost for all Oklahoma employees and their families and guarantees an even playing field for our home town pharmacists.

Senate Bill 251 would mandate the Oklahoma Health Care authority (“OHCA”) use third parties to recover against tortfeasors of amounts paid for medical expenses. The Bill would also remove the approval of those third party contracts from the OHCA. While the privatization of this function may have merit, it is not in the best interest of the State to further dilute the limited authority of the executive branch by placing the contract approval authority outside of the OHCA.

Earlier this session, the OHCA was one of five agencies that underwent significant reform. I look forward to working with agency leadership and the new board to further evaluate the merits of this proposal and other issues to ensure we move the needle on healthcare outcomes in Oklahoma.

Senate Bill 566 would allow private commercial hunting guides to operate on lands managed or owned by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation ( the “Department”). The Oklahoma Constitution limits the use of Department fees, monies, or funds to the “control, management, restoration, conservation, and regulation of the bird, fish, and game and wildlife resources of the State…andfor the administration of the laws pertaining thereto and for no other purpose.” (Okla. Const., Art. 26 Sec. 4). The use of Department lands, paid for with fees, monies, or funds, for the monetary gain of private companies is not permitted pursuant to the Oklahoma Constitution. This prohibition is recognized in the Department’s administrative rules, which include a general prohibition on the operation of private or non-Departmental business on any Department managed lands.

In addition, significant portions of the Department managed lands are not Department owned and are subject to specific terms of the applicable agreements between the Department and the land owners. Senate Bill 566’s mandate to allow private commercial hunting guides to operate on Department lands may force the Department to violate these agreements, which could result in the elimination of an unknown amount of acreage currently available to Oklahomans.