(The Center Square) – A group of 19 Republican governors sent President Joe Biden a letter calling on the administration to increase access to baby formula nationwide.

The letter urges the Biden administration to take various actions to make baby formula less expensive and more available. The letter tells Biden to cut tariffs, import quotas, and other trade barriers that block baby formula from entering the country. Additionally, the letter urges the FDA to update its labeling standards for baby formula from outside the country.

The governors want to allow baby formula to be imported from countries with equal or higher food safety standards to those of the United States.

“We agree that importation should be an immediate priority to replenish empty shelves, but until American domestic suppliers are back to full production capacity, your Administration must ensure the rapid importation of foreign formula from trusted trade partners such as the European Union, Canada, Mexico, and others,” the letter says.

The letter also lays out a couple of long-term goals. It calls on the country to improve its domestic supply chain for baby formula and urges independent and transparent reviews/recommendations on how to avoid future problems when baby formula used by the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) gets recalled.

The letter says that the out-of-stock rate for baby formula is at 40% across the country and is as high as 50% in some states.

The Republican governors who signed onto the letter include: Bill Lee of Tennessee, Doug Ducey of Arizona, Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Brad Little of Idaho, Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Larry Hogan of Maryland, Tate Reeves of Mississippi, Greg Gianforte of Montana, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, Doug Burgum of North Dakota, Mike DeWine of Ohio, Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Greg Abbott of Texas, Spencer Cox of Utah, and Mark Gordon of Wyoming.

(The Center Square) - Oklahoma lawmakers failed to override Gov. Kevin Stitt's vetoes of three bills that would have provided tax relief to Oklahomans as they ended the 2022 regular legislative session.

The two chambers were split on Senate Bill 1075, which would have eliminated the sales tax on motor vehicle sales. The Senate voted 38-9 to override the veto, while the House of Representatives voted 85-0 against killing the veto.

The House voted unanimously not to override Stitt's vetoes of House Bill 4473 and House Bill 4474, which would have given taxpayers a $75 rebate in December.

Stitt blasted lawmakers over the rebate bills at a news conference on Thursday.

"It's a slap in the face to hard-working Oklahomans and its a political gimmick during an election year," Stitt said. "I never expected Republicans to take a page out of Joe Biden's liberal playbook and waste $181 million sending government checks out."

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, called Stitt's demands disrespectful and dishonest in a statement Friday.

"The inflation relief plan the governor is speaking of is the same House inflation relief plan we already passed months ago," McCall said. "It's disingenuous for the governor to attempt to take ownership of something he has been absent on all session. We're glad the governor supports inflation relief, but his glory-mongering tantrum Thursday was wholly unbecoming of the office he holds."

Lawmakers passed HB 2962 earlier this month, reducing personal income taxes by .25%. Stitt approved the bill on May 21, according to legislative records.

Not all of Stitt's nine vetoes stood.

Both chambers agreed to override the veto of a bill that established higher education funding districts. The Board of Regents would create the funding districts that then would be agreed to by voters on a ballot measure.

Stitt's veto of Senate Bill 1695, which would have required some gubernatorial appointees to file financial disclosures, was also tanked by both chambers.

The Legislature will return for a special session on June 13 to consider the plan unveiled by Stitt on Thursday.

The special session on inflation relief is the second one lawmakers will attend. Another special session that considers how to spend funding from the American Rescue Plan Act is currently ongoing.

According to lawmakers, the state has $1.8 billion available but has $17.8 billion in requests made to a joint committee.

Lawmakers will also discuss a $700 million tax rebate Stitt hopes will lure a major manufacturer to the state. Panasonic is reportedly looking for a site to make electric batteries for vehicles. Eleven Republicans said in a statement Friday they are concerned about the manufacturer's "woke ideology."

"It t is our hope that this company, and any others utilizing tax credits footed by our constituents, will refrain from promoting and funding any kind of lifestyle the vast majority of Oklahomans believe runs contrary to the Bible and do not support," the Republicans said in a statement. "If they choose not to do this within their corporation, we ask that they refrain from pushing a different agenda in our communities, since our hope is that Oklahoma and these companies will form a long-term mutually beneficial relationship."

(The Center Square) - Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt criticized the $9.7 billion budget passed by state lawmakers and called them back into session to consider his plan to cut the state's grocery tax.

Stitt's plan unveiled Thursday afternoon would also reduce personal income taxes, which coupled with the grocery tax cut would save families about $453 a year, he said. He is calling for a special session on June 13.

Lawmakers agreed to give individual taxpayers rebates of $75, which would be issued in December. That money would be federally taxed and not give families real relief, Stitt said.

"It's a slap in the face to hard-working Oklahomans and its a political gimmick during an election year," Stitt said. "I never expected Republicans to take a page out of Joe Biden's liberal playbook and waste $181 million sending government checks out."

Stitt vetoed House Bill 4473 and House Bill 4474, which would have established the Inflation Relief Stimulus Fund and allocated the $181 million for the $75 relief checks.

The governor also vetoed Senate Bill 1075, eliminating the $1.25% sales tax on motor vehicles.

"That's not real relief," Stitt said. "It only helps those who can afford a new car or truck in the first place. Cutting the new car sales tax does nothing for families who are struggling to afford prices for food, groceries, gas and everything in-between."

Several bills were floated during the legislative session that would have eliminated the grocery tax, some sponsored by Democrats.

"I applaud the Democrats," Stitt said. "If they're on board with grocery tax elimination, let's go."

Stitt said his administration was largely left out of budget negotiations and accused lawmakers of making "backroom deals."

He said he would not sign the budget bill but would let it go into effect.

The governor vetoed two other bills. One would have allocated $360,000 to print attorney general opinions.

The other would have blocked "appropriation to private, out-of-state companies that directly negotiated a pay increase with members of the Legislature rather than the Oklahoma Department of Corrections," according to a news release from Stitt's office.

In what has been dubbed the Great Resignation, Americans have been quitting their jobs in record numbers in recent months - a trend that shows no signs of slowing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 4.5 million Americans quit their job in March 2022, the most ever recorded in a single month, and up from 4.4 million quits in February.

Explanations for the high quit rates vary. A recent survey from Pew Research Center found that low pay, limited opportunities for advancement, and a lack of flexibility are among the most common reasons.

Whatever the explanation, the consequences are clear. Record-high quits are exacerbating a labor shortage in the United States and creating an existential crisis for many small businesses, and quit rates vary considerably among states.

According to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 55,000 people in Oklahoma quit their jobs in March, the most recent month of available data - a 27.9% increase from one year earlier.

The total number of monthly quits in the state accounts for 3.3% of the total workforce, higher than the 3.0% share of workers nationwide who quit their jobs in March.

Though there are some notable exceptions, states with lower unemployment rates often have higher quit rates. Since quits do not include workers who retired, each of the 4.5 million Americans who quit in March will presumably take another job. A stronger job market, therefore, may incentivize workers to look for better opportunities, while workers in states with weaker job markers may be deterred. The March jobless rate in Oklahoma stood at 2.7%, compared to the national unemployment rate of 3.6%.

RankStateMarch 2022 quits as share of workforce (%)Total quits in March 2022 (000)March 2022 unemployment rate (%)1Alaska5.1165.02Arizona4.51373.33Florida4.44043.24Wyoming4.2123.45South Carolina4.1903.46Utah3.8622.07Montana3.8192.38Georgia3.71773.19Idaho3.7302.710North Carolina3.61683.511Colorado3.51003.712Alabama3.5732.913Louisiana3.5664.214Nevada3.5505.015Mississippi3.5414.216West Virginia3.4243.717Indiana3.31042.218Kentucky3.3634.019Oklahoma3.3552.720Delaware3.3154.521Arkansas3.2423.122New Mexico3.2275.323Hawaii3.2194.124Texas3.14114.425Tennessee3.11003.226Washington3.01044.227Oregon3.0593.828Vermont3.092.729Nebraska2.9302.030South Dakota2.9132.531California2.84864.932Illinois2.81674.733Ohio2.71504.134Michigan2.71174.435Virginia2.71083.036Wisconsin2.7792.837New Jersey2.61074.238Minnesota2.6742.539Maryland2.6704.640Iowa2.6403.341Kansas2.6362.542New Hampshire2.6182.543Rhode Island2.6133.444North Dakota2.6112.945Missouri2.5743.646Maine2.5163.647Pennsylvania2.31364.948Massachusetts2.2794.349Connecticut2.2364.650New York2.01854.6

(The Center Square) - A new law would make all livestock that supports families exempt from personal property taxes in Oklahoma.

"According to the Oklahoma Constitution Article 10, animals with value less than $100 are exempt from personal property tax," said Rep. Dustin Roberts, R-Durant, in an email to The Center Square. "HB 1682 extends this exemption to all livestock no matter their value."

The list of livestock exempt includes horses, cattle, mules, asses, sheep, swine, goats and poultry, according to a news release.

The law includes livestock owned by "a general or limited partnership, a corporation, a limited liability company, an estate, a trust, or other lawfully recognized entity, as well as those owned wholly or in part by a resident or corporation of a state other than Oklahoma."

"This bill will save Oklahoma ranchers and families that raise livestock quite a bit in taxes," Roberts said. "It's part of a broader effort to make sure Oklahoma taxpayers get to keep more of their hard-earned income, which in turn boosts our overall economy."

The bill would not have an effect on state revenue since the state "does not collect any ad valorem taxes," Roberts said.

Oklahoma lawmakers passed House Bill 2805 last year that exempted livestock used to support families from ad valorem taxes.

Cattle is big business in Oklahoma. The 2017 USDA Ag Census, the last one taken, shows the market value of Oklahoma livestock was $5.95 billion, according to Roberts.

"Cattle represented $3.73 billion of that total," Roberts said. "Swine is the next largest of all livestock at $1.03 billion."

The bill passed both chambers unanimously and was signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt last week. It goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023.

(The Center Square) - Ford Motor Company has agreed to pay $19 million to 40 states as part of a settlement over false advertising, according to a news release by Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge.

The state will receive $245,765.75 of the settlement, according to Rutledge.

The automobile manufacturer is accused of falsely advertising the fuel economy of the 2013-2014 models of its C-Max hybrids. Ford ran an advertising campaign called the "Hybrid Games" in which the company claimed the C-Max models had better fuel efficiency than the Toyota Prius, according to the news release. An investigation revealed the videos were deceptive. Ford lowered the model's fuel economy rankings twice.

The company is also accused of misleading consumers about the payload capacity of its 2011-2014 Super Duty pickup trucks. Ford based its calculations on "a hypothetical truck configuration that omitted standard items such as the spare wheel, tire and jack, center flow console (replacing it with a mini console), and radio," according to the news release. But the special configuration was only available for fleets and not all F-250, F-350, and F-450 models.

"Thousands of Arkansans, myself included, have relied on Ford and its claims regarding payload capacity and fuel economy of its vehicles to ensure their ability to perform on the farm or on a country gravel road," Rutledge said in a statement. "As gas prices soar and inflation continues to rise, today's settlement ensures that Arkansas consumers can trust car manufacturers, like Ford, when they purchase a vehicle."

Burglary - defined as the unlawful entry of a structure, such as a home or business, to commit a theft or felony - is the most serious nonviolent offense tracked by the FBI. There were just over 1 million burglaries reported in the United States in 2020, resulting in billions of dollars in stolen property.

Most burglaries in the U.S. are committed in residential properties, and more often during the day than at night. Not only do victims of burglaries typically suffer material loss, but they can also be impacted psychologically. Many burglary victims have reported heightened anxiety, difficulty sleeping, feelings of vulnerability, and even post-traumatic stress disorder in some cases.

Encouragingly, burglaries are becoming less common in the United States, with total reported cases dropping by 7% in the most recent year of available data. The decline in the burglary rates nationwide is being driven by steep declines in burglary rates in some major metropolitan areas.

In the Fort Smith metro area, which covers parts of Arkansas and Oklahoma, the total number of burglaries fell by 13.5% - from 1,506 in 2019 to 1,303 in 2020. The resulting decrease in the area's population-adjusted burglary rate was one of the largest of any U.S. metro areas.

The reported burglary rate in Fort Smith declined by about 83 incidents for every 100,000 people from 2019 to 2020. Despite the decrease, the metro area's burglary rate of 520 reported incidents per 100,000 people remains well above the national rate of 314 burglaries per 100,000 people.

All crime data used in this story is from the FBI's 2019 and 2020 Uniform Crime Reports. We considered all U.S. metropolitan areas for which the boundaries defined by the FBI match the boundaries as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.

RankMetro area1-yr. decline in burglary rate (burglaries per 100k people)Burglaries per 100k people, 2020Total burglaries, 2020Total burglaries, 20191Florence, SC2766731,3791,9452Sumter, SC2525297421,0933Lawton, OK2325747231,0104Vallejo, CA2186152,7513,7275Madera, CA2082263536826Sebring-Avon Park, FL2063123335467Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV1983758,68313,0038Sioux City, IA-NE-SD1763945698169New Bern, NC17653065788110Burlington, NC16043073899311Panama City, FL1464437751,09712Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ14639959381613Modesto, CA1463321,8252,62814Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ1414148891,17115Bakersfield, CA1397086,3587,59516Stockton, CA1313692,8173,77117Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY12718127947218Elmira, NY12715913123819Greenville, NC12035063885220Brownsville-Harlingen, TX1192751,1651,67021Abilene, TX11733056876522Tallahassee, FL1154451,7282,15423Anchorage, AK1134881,4881,83724Monroe, LA1128361,6651,90325Lafayette, LA1055152,5233,03126Goldsboro, NC10461575888727Toledo, OH1043652,3373,01128The Villages, FL10013919131829Jacksonville, FL983164,9966,41030Chico, CA983848331,11131Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI922209,47213,45132Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL912687,1389,38933Wilmington, NC883721,1271,38034Canton-Massillon, OH884021,5911,94635Alexandria, LA8810191,5411,68236Fort Wayne, IN862058511,20037Rockford, IL853401,1321,42438Spartanburg, SC855251,7031,94139Fort Smith, AR-OK835201,3031,50640Clarksville, TN-KY832868931,14541Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH832871,0151,31742St. George, UT8215027340843Charleston-North Charleston, SC743092,5333,08444Roanoke, VA7420965688745Johnson City, TN7327856771246California-Lexington Park, MD7122425533347Gainesville, FL693391,1201,34548Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA6936917,14020,26849Yuma, AZ6930165379350Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL682681,6292,019

Burglary - defined as the unlawful entry of a structure, such as a home or business, to commit a theft or felony - is the most serious nonviolent offense tracked by the FBI. There were just over 1 million burglaries reported in the United States in 2020, resulting in billions of dollars in stolen property.

Most burglaries in the U.S. are committed in residential properties, and more often during the day than at night. Not only do victims of burglaries typically suffer material loss, but they can also be impacted psychologically. Many burglary victims have reported heightened anxiety, difficulty sleeping, feelings of vulnerability, and even post-traumatic stress disorder in some cases.

Encouragingly, burglaries are becoming less common in the United States, with total reported cases dropping by 7% in the most recent year of available data. The decline in the burglary rates nationwide is being driven by steep declines in burglary rates in some major metropolitan areas.

In the Lawton metro area, located in Oklahoma, the total number of burglaries fell by 28.4% - from 1,010 in 2019 to 723 in 2020. The resulting decrease in the area's population-adjusted burglary rate was one of the largest of any U.S. metro areas.

The reported burglary rate in Lawton declined by about 232 incidents for every 100,000 people from 2019 to 2020. Despite the decrease, the metro area's burglary rate of 574 reported incidents per 100,000 people remains well above the national rate of 314 burglaries per 100,000 people.

All crime data used in this story is from the FBI's 2019 and 2020 Uniform Crime Reports. We considered all U.S. metropolitan areas for which the boundaries defined by the FBI match the boundaries as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.

RankMetro area1-yr. decline in burglary rate (burglaries per 100k people)Burglaries per 100k people, 2020Total burglaries, 2020Total burglaries, 20191Florence, SC2766731,3791,9452Sumter, SC2525297421,0933Lawton, OK2325747231,0104Vallejo, CA2186152,7513,7275Madera, CA2082263536826Sebring-Avon Park, FL2063123335467Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV1983758,68313,0038Sioux City, IA-NE-SD1763945698169New Bern, NC17653065788110Burlington, NC16043073899311Panama City, FL1464437751,09712Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ14639959381613Modesto, CA1463321,8252,62814Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ1414148891,17115Bakersfield, CA1397086,3587,59516Stockton, CA1313692,8173,77117Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY12718127947218Elmira, NY12715913123819Greenville, NC12035063885220Brownsville-Harlingen, TX1192751,1651,67021Abilene, TX11733056876522Tallahassee, FL1154451,7282,15423Anchorage, AK1134881,4881,83724Monroe, LA1128361,6651,90325Lafayette, LA1055152,5233,03126Goldsboro, NC10461575888727Toledo, OH1043652,3373,01128The Villages, FL10013919131829Jacksonville, FL983164,9966,41030Chico, CA983848331,11131Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI922209,47213,45132Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL912687,1389,38933Wilmington, NC883721,1271,38034Canton-Massillon, OH884021,5911,94635Alexandria, LA8810191,5411,68236Fort Wayne, IN862058511,20037Rockford, IL853401,1321,42438Spartanburg, SC855251,7031,94139Fort Smith, AR-OK835201,3031,50640Clarksville, TN-KY832868931,14541Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH832871,0151,31742St. George, UT8215027340843Charleston-North Charleston, SC743092,5333,08444Roanoke, VA7420965688745Johnson City, TN7327856771246California-Lexington Park, MD7122425533347Gainesville, FL693391,1201,34548Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA6936917,14020,26849Yuma, AZ6930165379350Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL682681,6292,019

(The Center Square) - The Oklahoma Legislature passed a bill Thursday that would allow civil actions against any physician that performs an abortion.

House Bill 4327 allows abortions in cases of rape, incest or to save the mother's life.

"This bill furthers our efforts to protect the life of the unborn and to stop those who participate in their deaths," said Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy. "The sanctity of life is our most precious gift, and I'm happy to have lent my support to this and all the other pro-life bills that have passed the House."

The bill is similar to one passed by lawmakers in Texas and other states.

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a separate bill last month that would make performing abortions a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. The law makes exceptions for medical emergencies and for saving the life of the mother.

Stitt said he would sign every pro-life bill that came across his desk.

"These issues belong to the states and other states may do things differently," Stitt said. "But in Oklahoma I represent all four million Oklahomans. They overwhelmingly do not support abortions in the state of Oklahoma."

The bill passed Thursday drew the ire of groups and politicians.

"Today, Oklahoma passed a law effectively banning abortion from the moment of fertilization—the latest in a series of blatant attacks on women by extremist legislators," Vice President Kamala Harris said on Twitter. "It has never been more urgent that we elect pro-choice leaders at the local, state, and federal level."

A document leaked from the U.S. Supreme Court indicates justices are leaning toward striking down the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion in America.

"Politicians aren't waiting for the Supreme Court's ruling to block our access to abortion," the American Civil Liberties Union said in a Twitter post.

(The Center Square) - Oklahoma lawmakers will hold a concurrent legislative session to discuss spending funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.

The state has $1.8 billion available but has $17.8 billion in requests that were made to a joint committee, according to a news release from the Senate and House of Representatives.

"Ensuring the joint committee's public-driven process can run its full course is in Oklahoma's best interest," said Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, in a statement. "A concurrent session allows for a comprehensive, strategic plan to be enacted through appropriations after a full vetting of submissions and public discussion of how to best deploy these resources."

The Legislature will also discuss how to recoup nearly $700 million in tax incentives offered to a company should they choose not to locate in Oklahoma.

The state is reportedly vying with Kansas for a Panasonic manufacturing facility that would make batteries for electric cars. The project is referred to as "Project Ocean."

"We are confident Project Ocean will choose Oklahoma, but should it not, this mechanism allows for the legislative action necessary for the allocated funds to be quickly recaptured," said House Speaker Pro Tempore Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, in the news release.

Lawmakers will also discuss $250 million included in the state budget for the Progressing Rural Economic Prosperity Fund (PREP). The fund is used to upgrade areas of the state in hopes of competing for future economic opportunities, lawmakers said.

"The details of how to best deploy that $250 million in a way that helps make all of Oklahoma competitive for future economic megaprojects remain under discussion and, once finalized, can be codified in this session," said Senate Appropriations Vice Chairman Chuck Hall, R-Perry.

Lawmakers convened the special session Wednesday. It's scheduled to continue past the current legislative session.

The Legislature continues to wrap up a flurry of bills, including the $9.7 billion budget.

The Senate approved the spending plan by a 34-13 vote Wednesday. Four Republicans and all Senate Democrats voted against the bill. The budget includes $75 tax rebates for single filers and $150 rebates for married filers that would be paid in December.

Members of the Democratic caucus said the bill did not do enough for schools or residents.

"Oklahomans deserve a budget that is more responsive to the needs they have today," said Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, a member of the Senate appropriations and finance committees. "Today, a majority of Oklahomans face difficulty meeting their usual household expenses. They do not need $75 in December. They need relief today. "

The budget bill is now in the House of Representatives.