Rep. Rick West with students and educators from Pocola Schools on the House floor.
By Rep. Rick West
Back in 2018, I ran a bill that would have exempted certain hunters from having to tag bears. The bill passed the House, but with a lot of opposition. It eventually failed to advance in the Senate.
One of the guys originally opposed to my legislation brought a bear bill to the table this year, even inviting me to sit next to him as he presented the bill to the Energy and Natural Resources Oversight Committee. He acknowledged this time we’re on the same side of the issue. House Bill 4128 would authorize the Wildlife Conservation Commission to extend black bear season to open two weeks early, beginning Sept. 15, and to run concurrently with deer muzzleloading season. Archery will now open Sept. 15 as well. The bill passed the oversight committee and now is eligible to be heard on the House floor.
House Bill 3145 is another bill that passed in this oversight committee last week. This seeks to clarify that the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission supply hunting tags at a cost of no more than $10, but it would eliminate tag fees for feral swine and exotic wildlife not native to North America, which are hunted for sport and killed in a commercial hunting area.
Also passed was House Bill 3661. This would make the sales tax exemption for commercial forestry equipment permanent by removing the January 2027 expiration date.
I also got my grandpa bill – House Bill 2967 – out of committee. This would would expand the list of vehicle ownership transfers that would be exempt from excise tax to include those between grandparents and their grandchildren.
House Bill 2964 passed with an amendment that would allow fees for obtaining medical records to be assessed, but removes the requirements that fees be assessed to people accessing their medical records. If fees are assessed, the amount charged can only be up to the amount already listed in statute. This was a constituent request.
Recently, some state senators released a plan to fund a $254 million education investment package by using the Oklahoma Teacher’s Retirement System. I’m against this plan. Years ago, our state pension plans were insolvent. The federal government threatened to take over the systems. The state Legislature had to put millions into these programs and have finally gotten them to a place of stability.
We’ve given teachers three pay raises since 2018, and we’ve increased the amount of money going to our schools. We’ll give education about half the state appropriated budget again this year. But we can’t rob this pension system to do it. We’d never pay it back.
On a brighter note, I had a group from Pocola Schools visit the Capitol last week. Superintendent Jeremy Jackson, Middle School Principal Mark McKenzie, girls softball Coach Eddie Combs and Administrator Crystal Myers brought a group of about 45 kids. The groups was introduced on the House floor, and the kids got to tour the Capitol while Eddie and Crystal got to tour the inside of the Capitol Dome. Over of these kids had never been to the Capitol before. It’s always good to get this next generation interested in learning about their state government as they’ll be leading the show one of these days.
Remember to listen to my Capitol update on the radio at 7:35 a.m. every Thursday on KPRV.
As always, if I can help you with anything, please call my Capitol office at (405) 557-7413 or email me at rick.west@okhouse.gov.
Rick West serves District 3 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes part of LeFlore County.
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