Oklahoma lawmakers prepare to adjourn as budget awaits governor’s decision

With the legislative session nearing its end, Oklahoma lawmakers have passed a state budget and are preparing to tie up remaining legislative loose ends as they await action from the governor.

Budget Clears Legislature

The budget was voted through both chambers last week after previously being agreed to in committee. It now awaits the governor’s signature or possible veto.

“As soon as that budget is signed, there's a few other things, we would call them loose ends, that will get tied up, that are in conference committee right now,” said Jason Dunnington.

Sen. Paul Rosino praised his colleagues for their work on the budget, crediting Sen. Chuck Hall and the appropriations team for navigating complex issues.

“They worked hard and got it done,” Rosino said. “Now, the governor has three options: line-item veto, veto the whole thing, or allow it to become law after five days.”

"The governor now has all that legislation; he's got three options," Rosino said. "He can line-item veto what he doesn't like, he can veto the whole thing, or he could just let it go into law after five days."

Charter School Legal Fight Continues

Fallout continues from the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision not to take up Oklahoma’s Saint Isidore virtual charter school case. The decision effectively upholds the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling that state-funded religious charter schools are unconstitutional.

Rosino said the issue is far from over.

“The governor believes that at some point another challenge will happen and Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett will not recuse herself,” he said. “When that happens, then it could happen. In the future, I don't think this fight is over.”

Dunnington criticized efforts to politicize the courts following the decision.

"What I think is the most ironic thing about all of this is we talk so much about how we don't want the court to be political, he said. "But now, when a certain group of people didn't get the decision that they wanted. They want more political justices that will choose what they want."

Aluminum Smelter Project Could Be Economic Boon

A proposed aluminum smelter, described by lawmakers as a potentially transformative economic project, could bring hundreds of millions in investment to the Tulsa area.

"There's only two aluminum smelters in the country that I know of; one is in Kentucky, one is in the state of New York. This would be a phenomenal opportunity for us to bring in a large company with a lot of jobs, high-paying jobs, but it puts the United States back into manufacturing, which we have lost."

He added that the location’s proximity to the ports of Inola and Catoosa makes it especially attractive.

Dunnington stressed the importance of closing economic development deals, pointing to past projects like Panasonic and Tesla that never materialized.

"We need to start looking at the successes we have and then build on that so that this isn't just the only deal, it's the first of many," said Dunnington. "We got to close some of these and build on that success. '

Ballot Initiative Reform Bill Sparks Debate

Senate Bill 1027, which changes how citizens place measures on the ballot, has drawn sharp criticism and awaits the governor’s decision.

Dunnington called for a veto.

“This may be the least conservative bill the legislature has ever passed,” he said. “You're taking away the people's right to put something on a ballot for them to vote for.”

Supporters argue the bill ensures rural voices aren’t drowned out and adds transparency for out-of-state groups backing initiative petitions.

“In my district and when I go to town halls, people are very concerned about the initiative petition process,” said Rosino. “You saw medical marijuana there. We have more dispensaries in the state of Oklahoma than Oregon, California and Colorado combined. And we hear that negativity from our constituents all the time.”

The governor has not said whether he will sign or veto the bill.