By Rep. Scott Fetgatter
If you haven’t been to the Capitol lately, you may not recognize it at the moment. Large portions of the north and east side are covered in scaffolding and temporary walls. Now, they are some of the fanciest temporary walls you will ever see, but nonetheless, they are temporary. I’m sure some of my colleagues aren’t fond of the constant clanging of tools and pounding of a jackhammer, but for an old construction guy like me, it’s a great reminder of home. It’s a great reminder that the reason I am in this building is to represent the hardworking people of District 16.
In the last few days, I have had many questions from my constituents regarding the budget. As some of you may have heard, we have an $878 million budget deficit. On top of that, this past week, the Oklahoma Board of Equalization certified a $34 million revenue shortfall for the budget that was passed last year, which mandates across the board cuts to Oklahoma agencies. It will be up to the legislature and the governor to figure out a budget that closes our deficit and puts our state on firmer financial ground.
Thus far, most of the conversations and debates have been built around new legislation and new ideas. In the next couple of weeks, all of those conversations will shift to the budget. When you are facing an $878 million deficit, it may seem backward to focus on new legislation first. The reason it is done like this, however, is because new legislation must fit into the new budget.
Speaking of new legislation, I would like to let you know that I passed my first piece of legislation through the House. It was more of a “house cleaning” bill than anything, but it was still a good opportunity go through the process of passing a bill through committee and the House Floor. House Bill 1501 changed the meeting requirements for the Wildlife Conservation Commission. The bill will now move to the Oklahoma Senate.
Another piece of legislation that I am proud to be a co-author of is House Bill 1306, the Blue Lives Matter Bill. This piece of legislation mandates that anyone convicted of murdering a police officer be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole. There are two driving factors in my support of this bill. First, there is no circumstance where murdering a police officer should lead to any type of parole. Second, the men and women in blue that are risking their lives each day need to know that they have support at the Capitol and throughout the state.
Like construction walls, my time at 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. is temporary. As Speaker Charles McCall said during his acceptance speech, we have a short window to do the work of the people. Because of this short window, I truly enjoy opportunities like the one afforded to me at the Okmulgee County 4H and FFA Premium sale where I was able to purchase Camarie Lansdale’s goat. Whether at the Capitol or back home, I am happy to spend my time supporting Oklahoma’s agricultural future.
As always, I consider it a great joy in life to serve you in the Oklahoma Legislature. If you have questions, concerns or feedback, please reach out to my office at (405)557-7373.