(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."
via Oklahoma's Center Square News