(The Center Square) - The Oklahoma House of Representatives passed a quarter of a percentage point income tax cut Wednesday. At the same time, the Senate stood adjourned, giving the bill no chance of passing during a called special session.

Gov. Kevin Stitt asked lawmakers to return to Oklahoma City and hold the special session a week before the regular session begins on Monday.

Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat said the chamber would not vote on the bill and the Senate gaveled out Monday.

“During the regular session and only after we have certified numbers from the Board of Equalization, is when we will know how much we have to spend," Treat said previously. "I feel like the governor’s numbers compared to what we are seeing are simply not accurate."

The House passed the bill by a vote of 71-20, mainly along party lines.

House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, said the tax cut was not in the best interest of Oklahomans.

"We don’t talk about what will help working Oklahomans, like raising the living wage or creating a living wage for working families," Munson said. "And it’s been shown time and time again when we don’t invest in ourselves and we don’t invest in our state, we can’t bring jobs that can pay higher wages and provide better benefits to do the things that actually allow us to pay our bills, feed our families, and put a roof over our heads."

Rep. Mickey Dollens, D-Oklahoma City, said the state needs to invest in roads and bridges.

"We need to show companies that this place is an opportunity to raise a family and make the most out of your potential," Dollens said. "But instead, we are here today for political gamesmanship because it’s an election year. The Senate’s not even here today, yet we are going to discuss an income tax cut that we don't even have the latest data for.”

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said the issue is not dead and criticized the Senate.

"We are here again on this issue because the other legislative branch, the other legislative chamber that makes up this state's legislature, has refused to take up this issue and make a simple vote on it," McCall said. "And I am here to tell you until that day happens, this issue is not disposed of. This issue does not have closure. You can anticipate and expect some bills in regular session that we start next week probably on this."

(The Center Square) - Gov. Kevin Stitt is blaming a vendor for mishandling thousands of dollars in COVID-19 relief dollars from the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Funds, also known as GEER.

The governor said Tuesday he filed suit against Kleo, Inc., which does business as ClassWallet.

The U.S. Department of Education found that $652,720 of GEER funds were "questionable," according to previous reports. Families were given between $1,000 and $1,500 in grants to purchase school-related items but instead purchased items, including televisions and electronic items. The federal government asked the state to either return the money or provide documentation as to how the money was used.

Stitt places the blame on ClassWallet, which was overseeing the program. He said the vendor disbursed funds to families without ensuring proper protocols were in place and then "failed to maintain records to support its work."

“A vendor, which said it would eliminate the possibility of fraudulent use of grant funds, didn’t uphold its end of the contract and taxpayer dollars were misused," Stitt said Tuesday. "We have to hold this vendor responsible and protect Oklahoma taxpayers from being left holding the bill.”

Attorney General Gentner Drummond has voiced his concerns about the GEER funds. He dismissed a lawsuit against ClassWallet filed by his predecessor, John O'Connor, and said it was without merit.

"It is clear that a number of state actors and other individuals are ultimately responsible for millions in misspent federal relief dollars," Drummond said at the time. "My office will continue engaging with various state and federal agencies to investigate this egregious misuse of tax dollars."

ClassWallet didn't respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

The case is filed in Oklahoma County District Court by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, which oversees state operations, according to online court records.

(The Center Square) - The chairman of the Oklahoma GOP said the organization has no plans to hold a meeting to sanction U.S. Sen. James Lankford days after a letter was posted on social media saying the GOP did so already.

Lankford is negotiating a bipartisan bill to address the border crisis.

Oklahoma State Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, posted a resolution on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter condemning Lankford's negotiations.

"Senator Lankford playing fast and loose with Democrats on our border policy disenfranchises legal immigrants seeking citizenships, but it also puts the safety and security of Americans in great danger," the resolution said. "Be it resolved that until Senator Lankford ceases from these actions the Oklahoma Republican Party will cease all support from him."

The resolution said the GOP chairman would publish it.

But that's not the case, GOP Chairman Stan Stevens said in an email to The Center Square.

"There are no plans at this time to hold any official OKGOP meetings to sanction Senator Lankford. Our position is that the meeting held Saturday under our banner was improperly called and therefore illegitimate and we disavow the actions they took," Stevens said. "At present, there is no bill or language for us to respond to, only that the senator is engaged in negotiations in an attempt to curtail illegal immigration into the United States, and therefore, we will await the outcome of those efforts before taking a position concerning any eventual bill or the senator’s positions."

Lankford said on CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday that there was a lot of misinformation about the bill. The negotiators are still working on the final aspects, he said. The bill contains some things former presidents have asked for in the past, Lankford said.

President Joe Biden said in a statement last week he would sign the bill.

"What’s been negotiated would – if passed into law – be the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border we’ve ever had in our country," Biden said in a statement. "It would give me, as President, a new emergency authority to shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed. And if given that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law."

Former President Donald Trump is encouraging Republicans to vote against the bill.

"They are using this horrific Senate Bill as a way of being able to put the BORDER DISASTER onto the shoulders of the Republicans," Trump said on the social media site Truth Social. "The Democrats BROKE THE BORDER, they should fix it. NO LEGISLATION IS NEEDED, IT’S ALREADY THERE!!!"

(The Center Square) – A coalition of state attorneys general sent a letter Monday to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas backing Texas in its border battle with the Biden administration.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott defied the Biden administration last week, making clear he would continue to put up concertina wire fencing at the southern border to help stop the flow of illegal immigration, which has soared since Biden took office.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the issue last week, saying federal agents could continue to remove the concertina wire, but the ruling did not prohibit Texas from installing the border defenses. Abbott said after the ruling that the federal government had broken its pact with the states for not stopping what more than 50 Texas counties have declared an “invasion.”

That court case is the latest touchpoint for the ongoing immigration crisis and frustration of many border states and Republicans who argue Biden is willfully aiding millions of illegal immigrants get into the U.S.

“Since the Biden Administration has failed to do its job and secure the border, states like Texas have stepped up to protect their citizens,” the letter said. “A federal district court found that Texas’s border defense wires reduced illegal border crossings by more than two-thirds. Those barriers protect not just Texans from millions of illegal border crossings, but the rest of the nation.”

More than 10 million illegal immigrants have entered the U.S. since Biden took office, more than the population of about 40 U.S. states.

An impeachment effort is underway in the House for Mayorkas, the recipient of this letter, over similar concerns about the lack of border enforcement and Mayorkas policies.

The Biden administration has blamed Republicans, saying they have not passed the needed funding to secure the border. Republicans have pushed back, saying Biden’s changes to things like asylum policies have turned border agents into a processing and entry program instead of deterrence.

The Monday letter sided with Texas and said states “have an independent duty to defend against invasion.”

The letter was signed by attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The leadership of the Arizona state legislature signed as well.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes co-led the effort.

“The invasion on our southern border has made every state a border state,” Bird said in a statement. “While the Biden Administration has opened the door wide for drug cartels, traffickers, and potential terrorists to cross our border, States have been left to fend for themselves. If the Biden Administration won’t do its job to secure our border and keep Americans safe, it should step aside to let the States do the job for them. Iowa proudly stands with Texas in this fight.”

Notably, Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, introduced the “State Border Security Act” last week, which would block federal agents from “dismantling, removing, destroying” border barriers installed by states.

(The Center Square) — Twenty-five Republican governors said Thursday they back Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to defend the state's border with Mexico.

Abbott invoked the invasion clause of the U.S. Constitution on Wednesday and said the federal government broke its compact with the states.

The "Guarantee Clause" of the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, Section 4) "promises that the federal government 'shall protect each [State] against invasion." Fifty-one Texas counties have declared an invasion, citing an imminent threat created by transnational criminal organizations bringing in enough fentanyl to kill the entire state's population, and expressing support to defend Texas' sovereignty.

The governors said they support Abbott.

"Because the Biden administration has abdicated its constitutional compact duties to the states, Texas has every legal justification to protect the sovereignty of our states and our nation," the governors said.

The Biden administration sued Texas over the placement of wire barriers at the border in Eagle Pass. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday reversed a decision by a lower court that stopped the federal government from removing the wire.

Abbott has ordered the Texas National Guard to continue building the wire barriers.

"We stand in solidarity with our fellow Governor, Greg Abbott, and the State of Texas in utilizing every tool and strategy, including razor wire fences, to secure the border," the governors said in a statement. "We do it in part because the Biden Administration is refusing to enforce immigration laws already on the books and is illegally allowing mass parole across America of migrants who entered our country illegally."

Separately, former President Donald Trump also backed Abbott and the state of Texas' response.

"When I was President, we had the most secure Border in History. Joe Biden has surrendered our Border, and is aiding and abetting a massive Invasion of millions of Illegal Migrants into the United States," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Instead of fighting to protect our Country from this onslaught, Biden is, unbelievably, fighting to tie the hands of Governor Abbott and the State of Texas, so that the Invasion continues unchecked. In the face of this National Security, Public Safety, and Public Health Catastrophe, Texas has rightly invoked the Invasion Clause of the Constitution, and must be given full support to repel the Invasion."

Trump and Biden appear to be headed for a rematch of the 2020 election in November.

The governors' statement is signed by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon.

(The Center Square) — Twenty-five Republican governors said Thursday they back Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to defend the state's border with Mexico.

Abbott invoked the invasion clause of the U.S. Constitution on Wednesday and said the federal government broke its compact with the states.

The "Guarantee Clause" of the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, Section 4) "promises that the federal government 'shall protect each [State] against invasion." Fifty-one Texas counties have declared an invasion due to the millions of migrants that have illegally crossed the border during Biden's term.

The governors said they support Abbott.

"Because the Biden administration has abdicated its constitutional compact duties to the states, Texas has every legal justification to protect the sovereignty of our states and our nation," the governors said.

The Biden administration sued Texas over the placement of wire barriers at the border in Eagle Pass. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday reversed a decision by a lower court that stopped the federal government from removing the wire.

Abbott has ordered the Texas National Guard to continue building the wire barriers.

"We stand in solidarity with our fellow Governor, Greg Abbott, and the State of Texas in utilizing every tool and strategy, including razor wire fences, to secure the border," the governors said in a statement. "We do it in part because the Biden Administration is refusing to enforce immigration laws already on the books and is illegally allowing mass parole across America of migrants who entered our country illegally."

The statement is signed by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon.

(The Center Square) — Twenty-five Republican governors said Thursday they back Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to defend the state's border with Mexico.

Abbott invoked the invasion clause of the U.S. Constitution on Wednesday and said the federal government broke its compact with the states.

The "Guarantee Clause" of the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, Section 4) "promises that the federal government 'shall protect each [State] against invasion." Fifty-one Texas counties have declared an invasion due to the millions of migrants that have illegally crossed the border during Biden's term.

The governors said they support Abbott.

"Because the Biden administration has abdicated its constitutional compact duties to the states, Texas has every legal justification to protect the sovereignty of our states and our nation," the governors said.

The Biden administration sued Texas over the placement of wire barriers at the border in Eagle Pass. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday reversed a decision by a lower court that stopped the federal government from removing the wire.

Abbott has ordered the Texas National Guard to continue building the wire barriers.

"We stand in solidarity with our fellow Governor, Greg Abbott, and the State of Texas in utilizing every tool and strategy, including razor wire fences, to secure the border," the governors said in a statement. "We do it in part because the Biden Administration is refusing to enforce immigration laws already on the books and is illegally allowing mass parole across America of migrants who entered our country illegally."

The statement is signed by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon.

(The Center Square) - The Oklahoma Senate will convene for a special session on Monday but will not vote on a proposed income tax cut called for by Gov. Kevin Stitt, according to Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat.

Stitt wants lawmakers to consider a decrease in the state's personal income tax by one quarter of a percentage point. The special session occurs just a week before the start of the 2024 legislative session.

Treat said Wednesday the regular session is the time to discuss tax cuts.

“During the regular session and only after we have certified numbers from the Board of Equalization, is when we will know how much we have to spend," Treat said. "I feel like the governor’s numbers compared to what we are seeing are simply not accurate."

Stitt said last week that general revenue fund collections are $196 million, or 5.1% above estimates, according to the Board of Equalization. The state has $5.4 billion in savings, he said.

“All I asked was for Senator Treat to put a quarter-point tax cut up for a vote," Stitt said Wednesday. "The Senate is refusing to do what 65% of Oklahomans support: cutting taxes. If anything is a waste of taxpayer money, it is the refusal of Senate leadership to give Oklahomans a well-deserved pay raise.”

House Speaker Charles McCall told KOCO News the House will pass the tax cuts in the special session.

Democrats have called the special session "a publicity stunt."

"We have not even completed our agency budget hearings to gain a comprehensive understanding of our state's fiscal picture, including the potential loss of federal dollars post-Covid," said House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, last week. "We will have four months beginning February 5 to deliberate fiscal and policy ideas.

(The Center Square) – A group of Republican governors are calling on President Joe Biden to halt his electric vehicle mandate proposal.

In a letter to the president, the governors said they aren't opposed to electric vehicles, but rather overreaching federal government mandates that “penalize retailers and do not reflect the will of the consumer” in the U.S.

“Even with deep price cuts, manufacturers’ incentives, and generous government funding, federal mandates on electric vehicles are unrealistic,” the governors wrote.

The EPA is pushing for two-thirds of vehicles in the U.S. to be battery-powered by 2032 in an effort to help combat man-made climate change and reduce America’s dependency on oil.

The administration has taken steps in recent months to build more charging stations, but lack of infrastructure is an issue for the governors. They add in the letter that there's a concern about “grid capacity and reliability.”

Thousands of car dealerships have also signed on to a letter asking the Biden administration to “tap the brakes” on the EV mandate proposal, The Center Square previously reported.

"There are a number of reasons why consumers are leaving these cars on dealership lots – the cost, the infrastructure required, and the battery content requirements are untenable for today’s car buyers," the governors' letter said. "Even if consumers determine over time that battery electric vehicles are appealing, the reality is that the lack of a strong, domestic marketplace makes electric vehicles prohibitively expensive for the American consumer."

Republicans who signed on to the letter are Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, (South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, and Virginia Gov. Mark Gordon.

"Ultimately, we must continue to maintain consumer choice. Your mandates are unrealistic, costly, and prescriptive solutions that harm American consumers," the governors wrote.

Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters announced Tuesday that he had appointed the creator of a social media account known for its outspoken criticism of sexualized materials in school libraries to an advisory board that will govern them.

Walters announced Chaya Raichik, who created and operates an account on X, formerly Twitter, called “Libs of TikTok,” would be on the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s Library Media Advisory Committee.

“Chaya Raichik and I have developed a strong working relationship to rid schools of liberal, woke indoctrinators, union smut peddlers, and Epstein Island advocates," Walters told Chalkboard News in a statement. "Oklahoma is ground zero to take back our schools from the radical leftists. I am proud to have her as a fierce defender of conservative values.”

The Library Media Advisory Committee offers guidance and recommendations to the Oklahoma State Board of Education pursuant to Oklahoma Administrative Codes and is "aimed at removing pornographic or sexualized content from public schools in the State of Oklahoma," according to a spokesperson from the Department of Education.

The committee is comprised of volunteer parents, current and retired librarians and English teachers who have been appointed by Walters, according to the spokesperson.

At time of publication, there was no publicly available information about the committee.

In his announcement letter on X, Walter said Raichik would work against “indoctrination” from the “radical left.”

"Chaya is on the front lines showing the world exactly what the radical left is all about — lowering standards, porn in schools and pushing woke indoctrination on our kids," Walters said in a statement posted on X. "Because of her work, families across the country know just what is going on in schools around the country.”

“Her unique perspective is invaluable as part of my plan to make Oklahoma schools safer for kids and friendly to parents,” Walters added. “Chaya has a much-needed and powerful voice as well as a tremendous platform that will benefit Oklahoma students and their families."

The account, Libs of TikTok, posted on Tuesday that “the groomers are fuming that we’re gonna remove [porn] from Oklahoma schools.”

That post also said some want to “ensure your kids have access to graphics” of specific sex acts and included screenshots from books that have been removed from libraries or caused controversy for their illustrations or depictions.

The account has been vocally critical of allowing students access to materials that contain mature or explicit content, sometimes causing firestorms online and in real life. After Libs of TikTok exposed a school librarian last year, the school received bomb threats, according to the New York Post.

Critics, including state Rep. Mickey Dollens, a Democrat, argued Raichik is not qualified and that the appointment is politically motivated.

“Why would Superintendent Walters appoint a social media influencer to the state’s Library Media Advisory Committee? What are her qualifications?” Dollens asked on X Tuesday.

Dollens wrote in the post that Raichik is not a librarian, has no education background and does not live in the state.

“We cannot overlook why Superintendent Walters made this controversial appointment,” Dollens posted. “Just last week, it was reported that Walters used taxpayer dollars to expense his travel to promote himself and attend media appearances, speaking engagements, and a horror movie premiere, despite an order from the Governor’s office banning public spending for most out-of-state travel.”

Reporting from The Frontier, an Oklahoma-based nonprofit publication, showed Walters submitted over $4,000 in out-of-state travel expenses for reimbursement despite a prohibition by the governor for such spending.