Republican legislative leaders are aiming to create some breathing room during the upcoming session. 

The first major bill deadline is March 6, giving lawmakers more than a month to review bills. Last year lawmakers had just 24 days to pass bills out of committee in their chamber of origin. 

House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, said the legislative calendar was previously designed to allow lawmakers to adjourn by May 1. That lofty goal has rarely materialized. 

“We had this three to four-week span where the leadership in both chambers are negotiating a budget deal, and the bulk of the membership doesn’t have a lot to do,” Hilbert said during an Oklahoma City Chamber event on Jan. 22. “Obviously we have bills coming from the other chamber but there’s sometimes a lull in that. So we shifted the deadlines, which I think is going to be a good change because we’ll be able to put more work in on the front end.” 

Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, said the upper chamber will use extra time to focus on appropriations bills. 

“During the first week of session, instead of having normal policy meetings, we’re going to be focused on the budget so all legislators, Republicans and Democrats, can ask questions,” Paxton said. “We’ll be able to dig a lot deeper into the budget to know where these numbers are coming from and why we’re doing things in certain ways.” 

The legislative session convenes on Monday, Feb. 3 at noon. Gov. Kevin Stitt will deliver his State of the State address then, likely around 12:45 p.m. 

Here are some key deadlines to know: 

• Thursday, March 6: Deadline for bills to pass out committee of their chamber of origin 
• Thursday, March 27: Deadline for bills to be heard in their full chamber of origin 
• Thursday, April 24: Deadline for bills to pass out of committee in the opposing chamber 
• Thursday, May 8: Deadline for bills to be heard in the opposing chamber 
• Friday, May 30 at 5:00 p.m.: Sine die adjournment 

Have thoughts, questions or story ideas? Let me know at Kross@Oklahomawatch.org.

— Keaton Ross

Recommended Reading

• U.S. Senate Republicans, including Lankford and Mullin, have little to say about Trump pardons of 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants:  Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin refused to talk specifically about the Jan. 6 pardons, saying he didn’t get “near this many questions” about pardons issued by former President Joe Biden in his final hours in office. [States Newsroom]
• A new Oklahoma rule could track how many students have undocumented immigrant parents: Advocates say the latest schools proposal is another attack on the undocumented community in the state and unnecessary as the immigration status of a parent does not indicate the status of their child. [PBS]
• ‘Supreme executive power’: Governor has right to hire outside counsel, AG power ‘subordinate’: The ruling stems from a dispute over gaming compacts where Drummond sought to replace Stitt’s counsel with his office’s attorneys. Heightening confusion around the decision’s implications, first Drummond’s office and then Stitt’s office sent out dueling press releases declaring victory Wednesday. [NonDoc]

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