Session reaches halfway point

We’re officially to the halfway point of session. Last Thursday, we successfully met our deadline to act on Senate bills in our chamber. We ended up approving 320 of the roughly 400 Senate bills on the floor agenda. We’ll now return to our committees to begin the process all over, but with the nearly 375 House bills that were approved across the rotunda.

I’m happy to say my two veteran’s measures were among those approved by the Senate. Again, Senate Bill 1667 authorizes county assessors to suspend notifications to disabled veterans exempt from paying ad valorem taxes. SB 1670 modifies the sales tax exemption granted to surviving spouses of veterans by including spouses married to military members who have died while in the line of duty. These bills must now pass through the House committee process and be approved by the full House before they can go to the governor’s desk. 

While not my bill, we approved legislation to include a special designation on driver licenses for our 100% disabled veterans and their spouses or surviving spouses who qualify for the sales tax exemption. Once my SB 1670 becomes law, this will also pertain to those spouses whose loved ones are killed in the line of duty.

My two memorial highway bills have also advanced, designating a section of Highway 17 near the east municipal limits of Elgin as the Speaker Pro Tempore Jim R. Glover Memorial Highway and designating a section of I-44 near the State Highway 36 interchange as the William Mark Miller Memorial Highway. Because there are so many bills filed each session to memorialize Oklahoma’s sons and daughters, once they pass their first committee, they’re all combined into one omnibus measure. This year, SB 1521 will include all of these special memorial projects.  

I had a wonderful time at the Oklahoma Youth Expo, especially at the Legislative Showmanship Competition. I was paired with Waurika FFA member Cody Ramsey and his steer, Corona, who was born during the pandemic. He’s an outstanding young man and I enjoyed getting to work alongside him. I want to congratulate all of our FFA and 4-H students who participated in the world’s largest junior livestock show. 

On Wednesday, our southwest delegation was pleased to welcome the Great Plains Technology Center Leadership Class to the Capitol. Then Thursday was Ag Day at the Capitol, which is always a special time as I get to see so many folks from our district coming to share about the great things happening in the agriculture community. Among others, participants included the Beef Council, Oklahoma Forestry Division, Cotton Council, the USDA, the state Ag Department, OSU Extension, Farm Bureau, and numerous small business owners, sharing their culinary creations. I want to thank everyone who took the time to attend this important event. 

Thank you again for the privilege of serving our district and the State of Oklahoma in the Senate. If I can be of any assistance, you can reach me at (405) 521-5563 or Chris.Kidd@oksenate.gov.