House adjourns Sine Die after historic pro-growth investments

OKLAHOMA CITY – The House of Representatives adjourned Sine Die on Friday following a successful session in which Republicans enacted historic, progrowth investments for the future of Oklahoma.

“This year’s investments in Oklahoma’s future expand our economy and protect our budget like never before,” said House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka. “Over the past two years, the largest House Republican majority ever secured a future of tremendous prosperity, innovation and freedom in Oklahoma. Republicans proudly met the expectations Oklahomans gave us.”

The Legislature sent 434 measures to the governor this session, including bills to stop illegal marijuana grows, deliver broadband statewide, protect life, uphold traditional values and enhance public safety.

The Legislature also enacted a balanced budget featuring historic state savings account deposits, law enforcement pay raises, and, for the first time, elimination of the waiting list for services for Oklahomans with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“With a foundation laid by generational investments and the most comprehensive conservative policy agenda ever, Oklahoma’s best is yet to come,” McCall said. “Thanks to all members of the House and Senate for partnering in these shared, historic accomplishments.”

Generational investments (2022)

Made major economic and infrastructure development improvements through:

n Nearly $1 billion for Project Ocean (HB 4455), a major technology and manufacturing job opportunity, and retrofitting rural Oklahoma areas like industrial parks (HBs 4456 & 4464), to recruit future economic megaprojects;

n $95 million to critical rural water projects (SB 429)

n Maintaining all state transportation infrastructure funding (SB 1040)

n Setting the stage for hundreds of millions of dollars in broadband infrastructure funding (HB 3363, HB 3349, SB 1495); and

n Increased rural hospital funding, including reopening some hospitals that closed in recent years (HBs 4456, 4464)

n Increased state savings to $2.6 billion, the most in state history, through a balanced budget that does not spend all available money.

n Continued historic education budgets in public schools, with K-12 schools receiving a 35% increase in funding in the past six years to $3.2 billion, the highest amount in state history (HB 4465, SB 1040), and a 7% increase to higher education, the largest single-year increase to colleges and universities in recent history (SB 1040).

Funded and addressed nursing and teaching shortages, including:

n $55 million for nursing programs at higher education institutions statewide (SB 1458);

n Reforming the healthcare workforce state agency to improve effectiveness (HB 2776);

n $17.4 million for scholarships and employment incentives for aspiring teachers to improve recruitment and retention (HB 3564);

n Performance-based teacher raises ranging between $3,000 and $10,000 for specially-certified teachers, and one-time awards between $1,500 and $5,000 for teachers in economically disadvantaged or smaller schools (HB 4388);