OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, today announced the long-awaited reduction in Oklahoma's grocery tax will take effect Thursday. 

The tax cut, which was approved during this year's legislative session, marks a significant step toward easing the financial burden on Oklahoma families. It also represents the largest tax cut in state history. 

(August 26th) On Monday, State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax announced that post-election audits conducted following Oklahoma's June Primary Elections confirmed the accuracy of the state's voting system with a 100% match of the certified election results.

Little logic to open primaries

Backers of an “open primary” system in Oklahoma claim that our current election system is fatally flawed and would be better if it looked more like California’s system.

That alone is a clue the proposed system is no panacea.

Since 2010, California voters have been subjected to a “top two” primary system. All candidates from all parties are placed on a single primary ballot, sometimes called a “jungle primary,” and all voters—Democrats, Republicans, third-party and independents—can cast ballots in the primary for any candidate. The top two finishers then proceed to the general election.

(Oklahoma City) – Voters in 53 counties head to the polls Tuesday for the August 27 Runoff Primary Election and several nonpartisan elections. The State Election Board offers these tips and reminders to Oklahoma voters ahead of the election.

Washington, D.C. (August 19th) – The office of Congressman Josh Brecheen is now accepting service academy nomination applications.

The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.

OKLAHOMA CITY (August 20th) – Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, today issued the following statements about the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA).

"For the last year I have been working with whistleblowers from the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority to expose improper and possible criminal acts. These whistleblowers have documented an abundance of shady purchasing practices, including failure to use purchase orders and conducting business without proper contracts. They assisted me in putting all these improper purchases in files and on a thumb drive to give investigative authorities. Two of the whistleblowers alleged a top executive at OMMA was conspiring to do business with a company that employed that executive’s wife. Whistleblowers produced a tape of this executive, sounding aggressive and intimidating, telling employees there was nothing wrong with the business transactions but because of the employees, the transaction would be terminated and that their actions had been an embarrassment. The tape is very compelling and appears to be an admission of guilt. I do want to report that these two brave whistleblowers have been fired.

A little late on posting this, but the Oklahoma Constitution's Conservative Index was released a month ago. 

Three state senators and ten state representatives scored a perfect 100% conservative rating this year; Senators Nathan Dahm, Warren Hamilton (press release below), and Shane Jett, and Representatives Chris Banning, Chad Caldwell, Dean Davis, Tom Gann, Jim Grego, John Kane, Jim Olsen, Marilyn Stark, Kevin West, and Rick West.

OKLAHOMA CITY (July 31st) – Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, received a perfect score on the 2024 Oklahoma Conservative Index. The annual rating by The Oklahoma Constitution evaluates lawmakers' votes on key conservative measures. This year’s rankings were based on support of measures to protect the rights of biological women, combat illegal immigration, avoid wasteful government spending, and more.

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Josh Brecheen announced the following in-person town halls for the month of August. Constituents are invited to attend and share their thoughts and ask questions on policy issues impacting Washington, D.C. and Oklahoma.

Congressman Brecheen has so far held 102 in-person town halls during his first term in office, visiting every county in Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District.

OKLAHOMA CITY (August 19th) — With the State grocery tax set to be eliminated on August 29, Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, celebrated the additional money going back into the hands of the people of Oklahoma.

“On the campaign trail, I promised Southwest Oklahomans I would work to get the government off our backs and out of our pocketbooks. Though I had hoped for even greater tax cuts and filed legislation to do so, I am very pleased that we were able to at least get rid of the 4.5 percent state grocery tax, which is set to be eliminated for all Oklahomans beginning on August 29. In addition to eliminating the State sales tax, the new law also prohibits cities and counties from raising local grocery tax rates until July 1, 2025. According to recent data, the new law will save the average family of four in Oklahoma roughly 60 dollars per month.”

Washington, D.C. (August 14th) – Congressman Josh Brecheen opposes the Southeast Oklahoma Power Corporation’s (SEOPC) attempts to build a hydroelectric power plant on the Kiamichi River in LeFlore and Pushmataha Counties.

SEOPC has ties to a Chinese Communist Party-linked individual and the project would require the eminent domaining of 35,000 acres of Oklahoma land, including many homes, farms, and ranches in the surrounding area that have been owned by Oklahoma families for generations. All the power produced would then be sold in Texas, not Oklahoma.