It was a short week at the state Capitol with legislators working two days before adjourning for spring break. With the next major committee deadline on Thursday, March 24, OKFB expects things to be in full-swing after the break. The Oklahoma Youth Expo Legislative Showmanship competition – held Tuesday, March 15 – highlighted the shortened work week. More than 100 legislators gathered at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City to experience livestock showing firsthand, guided by young showmen from their home districts. The legislative show gives state lawmakers the opportunity to connect with Oklahoma’s agriculture youth through an immersive, hands-on […]

As the fifth week of the 2022 legislative session wraps up, the Oklahoma Legislature has whittled down the number of operational bills to just under 1,500. Both the House and the Senate had full agendas this week, and five bills were sent to Governor Stitt’s desk for consideration after receiving approval from both chambers. While the next deadline is still two weeks out, both the House and Senate are expected to have short work weeks next week in observation of Oklahoma’s spring break, meaning there are only six legislative days before remaining bills must receive approval by their chamber of […]

Last week marked the first major committee deadline of the 2022 legislative session. All bills that passed their respective committees will continue to advance through the legislative process, while those that didn’t pass or failed to be heard are now dormant for the remainder of the session. This week both the House and Senate chambers will shift their focus from committee work to floor work where bills will be available for consideration by the full chamber until March 24. While the Legislature typically only has two weeks of scheduled floor work between the committee and floor deadlines, both chambers moved […]

The third week of Oklahoma’s legislative session was cut short due to the winter weather that made its way through the state, causing both the House and Senate to close on Wednesday and Thursday. Additionally, the House was out of session on Tuesday to allow members to attend a funeral. Thursday, March 3 – the first deadline of the 2022 legislative session – is the set cutoff date for all bills to be passed out of their assigned committee in their chamber of origin. With a deadline week following a shortened work week, OKFB expects to see unusually long agendas […]

Seven Farm Bureau members represented Oklahoma at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Issue Advisory Committee meetings February 17-18 in Arlington, VA. The IAC meetings bring together Farm Bureau members from across the country to discuss pertinent issues facing agriculture including energy, environmental regulations, ag labor, organic and direct marketing, technology, animal care, farm policy, water, budget and economy, federal land, food safety and market structures. Karen Dodson of Caddo County served on the budget and economy committee. Top areas of discussion in her committee were income taxes, interest rates and the upcoming farm bill. “These committees – other than the […]

As we move into the third week of the 2022 legislative session, both chambers have been busy considering legislation through committee work. The first deadline of the session is approaching on March 3rd, giving the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Senate only two more weeks to pass new legislation out of its assigned committee. Following the March 3rd deadline, both chambers will move into a three-week period of floor work. This year’s session is one that will be marked with a significant budget surplus, which has already led to extensive discussion about what to do with the extra funds. While […]

The first Monday of each February marks the beginning of a new legislative session in the state of Oklahoma each year. Gov. Kevin Stitt kicked off the 2022 session with his State of the State address Monday, Feb. 7, including statements and positions on several priority issues for Oklahoma Farm Bureau members. Gov. Stitt – entering his fourth year as governor – thanked the people of Oklahoma for the opportunity to lead the state and expressed his determination to help Oklahoma thrive. “I challenge each of us to be bold,” Stitt said. “Let’s capitalize on the opportunity we have and […]

Oklahoma Farm Bureau has decided to cancel the 2022 Congressional Action Tour, which was scheduled for March 28-31 in Washington, D.C. Many of the planned stops in the nation’s capital are currently closed due to the ongoing pandemic.  Members who were planning on attending the trip would not be able to visit congressional offices or government agencies to discuss issues facing agriculture and rural Oklahoma. Farm Bureau members are encouraged to visit with their congressional leaders during town hall meetings or by reaching out via phone or email. OKFB plans to offer a Congressional fly-in visit in 2023, with dates […]