After an extremely productive four months at the Capitol, the Oklahoma Senate completed its work and adjourned this year’s legislative session Sine Die, a Latin term meaning we have adjourned indefinitely. My legislative colleagues and I finished our work and brought the 59th Legislature to a close the day before our constitutionally mandated deadline of May 31.This was a successful session in which the Legislature addressed a wide range of issues affecting Oklahomans. The Senate sent the governor the largest tax cut in state history, invested more money in education, addressed illegal immigration and successfully implemented a new budget process that was transparent every step of the way. My chamber also passed a slew of public safety reforms, disaster relief for tornado victims, protections for victims of domestic violence, historic sentencing reforms and numerous measures to support Oklahoma businesses and crack down on illegal marijuana operations. Speaking of the grocery tax cut, legislation eliminating the state portion of grocery sales tax takes effect 90 days after the end of session. That means, starting the last week of August, Oklahomans across the state will save more money every time they visit the grocery store.My legislative colleagues and I filed 2,104 pieces of legislation this year on top of bills that were carried over from last year’s legislative session. After hundreds of votes on a steady stream of bills, only about a quarter of that legislation advanced to the governor’s desk. So far, Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed about 370 bills into law and let a few others take effect without his signature. The governor still has about 70 bills, including many of the measures that make up the fiscal year 2025 state budget, on his desk. Stitt has until mid-June to act on the remaining legislation.Also awaiting action from the governor are dozens of proposed state agency rules that detail how various government entities will implement new policies and programs. Although both chambers of the Legislature typically vote on a resolution approving or denying proposed agency rules, the House declined to advance any such resolutions this year. That means the Senate didn’t get to vote on any agency rules, and Stitt will get the final say on which ones are approved.Several of my bills are still sitting on the governor’s desk. But I’m pleased that more than 15 bills I introduced or coauthored have already been signed into law, making this ...
