Committees

OKLAHOMA CITY – The House of Representatives this week passed legislation increasing the minimum number of instructional days for schools operating under a school-hours calendar and ties the change to an additional $175 million in state funding to the State Department of Education over FY27 and FY28. House Bill 3151 by Rep. Rob Hall, R-Tulsa, would require schools using the hours-based model to provide at least 173 days of instruction beginning in the 2027-28 school year while maintaining the current minimum of 1,086 instructional hours. Hall said increasing the number of instructional days will help ensure students spend more meaningful time engaged in the classroom.  "Time spent with students in the classroom is the highest and best use of the resources we invest in our schools," Hall said. "Increasing the minimum number of instructional days is a much-needed step toward improving educational outcomes in our state. Spreading instructional time over more days will help keep students engaged throughout the school day and make the time our educators spend with them more effective."  HB3151 also requires school districts that hold parent-teacher conferences during the school day to provide an in-person option for parents and legal guardians. "There are few actions we can take that lead to better outcomes than ensuring our kids have more time in front of high quality classroom teachers," said Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. "I appreciate Oklahoma State School Board Association (OSSBA), Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA), Oklahoma Education Association (OEA), Professional Oklahoma Educators (POE), Organization of Rural Oklahoma Schools (OROS), United Suburban Schools Association (USSA), ExcelinEd, Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), Oklahoma Parents for Student Achievement (OPSA) and the Oklahoma STATE Chamber for their support of this measure."  "Over the past decade, Oklahoma has experienced a decline in the number of in-person instructional days offered to students," said Secretary of Education Dan Hamlin. "In recent years, the state has made considerable progress in restoring instructional time to levels that align more closely with national norms. This bill builds on that progress and places Oklahoma on a path toward having a nationally competitive education system."  The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Rande Worthen, R-Lawton, today announced he will not seek reelection to the Oklahoma House of Representatives, bringing his legislative service to a close at the end of his current term. "Serving the people of Oklahoma has been one of the greatest honors of my life," Worthen said. "Together we worked to support safer communities, stronger schools and policies that reflect the values of our state. I’m proud of what we accomplished and grateful for the trust placed in me by the voters I’ve had the privilege to represent." Worthen, a former prosecutor, has focused much of his legislative work on public safety, conservative fiscal policy and education reform. As chair of the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee, he worked on legislation aimed at strengthening Oklahoma’s criminal justice system and supporting law enforcement across the state. "Though some may try to claim they forced me out of running again, I have been considering it for some time now. I have been a supporter of every pro-life bill before the legislation during my time in office. But when their bill came before my committee which required charging girls as young as 13-17 years of age with murder, I knew I would not hear a bill that would require that result even when they were victims of rape or incest," said Worthen. Worthen said the decision to step away from public office comes after significant reflection. "It has not been an easy decision, but after much prayer and consideration over the past year, I believe this is the right time,” Worthen said. “Public service has always been about people — my family, my neighbors and the future of our state. I’m thankful to my wife and children for their support and for the opportunity I’ve had to represent the people of my district." Worthen expressed confidence in Oklahoma’s future and encouraged citizens to remain involved in public service. "Strong communities depend on people who are willing to step up and serve," he said. "I look forward to supporting the next generation of leaders who will continue moving Oklahoma forward." -END- Rep. Rande Worthen, a Republican, represents House District 64 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes parts of Lawton and Comanche county. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, secured House passage of legislation aimed at strengthening Oklahoma’s long-term transportation funding and improving transparency for major infrastructure projects. House Bill 4280 would increase the funding ceiling for the Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety (ROADS) Fund by $10 million beginning in fiscal year 2027, raising the annual cap to $670 million. The ROADS Fund provides dedicated state funding for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s eight-year Construction Work Plan, which schedules highway and bridge projects across the state. "Oklahoma has made meaningful investments in transportation over the past several years, but inflation and rising construction costs mean we have to adjust if we want to stay on track," Miller said. "This measure helps ensure the ROADS Fund remains reliable and sustainable so ODOT can continue planning and delivering the highway and bridge projects our communities depend on." Oklahoma’s state highway system is valued at approximately $126 billion, with an estimated $33 billion in identified deficiencies. While the Legislature has made several one-time investments in transportation in recent years, the ROADS Fund remains the state’s primary long-term funding mechanism supporting the eight-year Construction Work Plan. HB4280 also includes a transparency provision requiring the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to notify state leaders and local legislators if a project in the eight-year Construction Work Plan is significantly delayed or removed. The notice must outline the project affected, the reason for the delay or removal, the amount of funding needed to keep the original timeline and the impact on ODOT’s Asset Preservation Plan. The bill passed the House with the title off, a standard procedural step for legislation with a fiscal impact, and will return to the House for final consideration if approved by the Senate before being sent to the governor.