OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives today elected Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, as Speaker of the House and Rep. Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, as Speaker Pro-Tempore for the 60th Legislature. "I am excited and deeply humbled to serve the state of Oklahoma in this capacity," said Hilbert. "This is not a responsibility I take lightly. Our state faces enormous challenges. Many of these won’t be solved overnight or even during our time in the Legislature. But our calling is greater: to tackle generational challenges, even if we don’t see the solutions come to fruition during our tenure.” The Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives is the body’s chief presiding officer and is responsible for committee appointments, the flow of legislation and the management of the House budget and staff. The speaker also serves as an ex-officio voting member on all House committees. In Hilbert's eight-year tenure in the House, he has authored over 40 bills that have been signed into law. Oklahoma’s budget is in better shape than it has ever been and the budget negotiation process is more transparent than ever, due in part to Hilbert’s efforts as Vice Chairman of the Appropriations and Budget Committee and his previous leadership positions. Hilbert, 30, will be the youngest House speaker in Oklahoma state history and only the second Republican speaker 30 years old or younger in any state since 1873. Hilbert was elected in 2016 to represent House District 29, which contains portions of rural Creek and Tulsa counties. He holds a bachelor's degree in agribusiness and a master’s in business administration from Oklahoma State University, where he also served as Student Government Association President. Hilbert and his wife, Alexis, have two daughters, Addison (5) and Dorothy (2). The family lives in Bristow and are members of Foundation Church in Sapulpa. The Speaker Pro Tempore is the second-highest ranking officer in the House and assists the Speaker in managing the legislative agenda, guiding bills through the legislative process and coordinating with committees. "I am truly grateful for this opportunity given to me by my peers and I am eager to get to work with Speaker Hilbert," said Moore. "Together, we will focus on strengthening our state's economy and addressing the needs of all Oklahomans—whether in schools, on our roads, in hospitals, workplaces, or public service agencies. The best days for Oklahoma are still ahead." Moore was elected to the House in 2020. He most recently served as chair of the House Higher Education and Career Tech Committee as well as a member of the Appropriations & Budget Committee, among others. During his time in office, he has voted on legislation to protect life and the Second Amendment, reduce rules and regulations, lower taxes, defend property owners' rights, preserve water resources, and protect girls' sports and parental rights. He's demanded law and order and voted to improve education and teacher pay, among many other conservative causes. Moore is a fifth-generation native of Custer County. He's a graduate of Clinton High School and holds a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma Christian University and a law degree from Oklahoma City University. He and his wife, Rachel, and their three children, live in Clinton. The 60th legislature will convene on Monday, February 3, 2025, for the first regular session.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Speaker-Elect Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, has the following statement in reaction to today's U.S. Department of Justice report: "With merely 17 days until Donald Trump moves back into the White House, this is a last-minute attack by the Biden administration. The fact is, we are already working collectively with our members, state agencies and service providers toward continual improvement in how Oklahomans with mental health challenges are served in our state. Oklahomans are far better equipped to make decisions on how to improve our mental health system than are bureaucrats in Washington." -END-
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, is serving in the leadership role of Tribal & External Affairs for the Oklahoma House of Representatives for the 60th Legislature. This is a new position for the House. "We have needed to fill this gap for a long time," Fetgatter said. "We need someone that can keep in constant contact not only with our sovereign tribal governments, but with our congressional delegation and our national and international commissions, as well as with our municipal and county governments. Building and strengthening these relationships will help us solve issues like renewing compacts between the state and the tribes, as well as help us better assist our citizens with infrastructure issues or numerous other concerns that exist at the city, county or national level." Fetgatter said the role also will have an economic development component as he will be working with businesses and corporations to bring more jobs and growth to boost the state's economy. "Representative Fetgatter has years of experience building consensus between the House of Representatives and our state and national partners," said House Speaker-Elect Kyle Hilbert, who named Fetgatter to the new position. "Keeping our House members informed on tribal governance issues as well as projects throughout the state, and even at the national level, that affect our constituents is vital." In his new role, Fetgatter also is also serving as House chair of the Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations. In the committee's Dec. 30 meeting, members voted to ratify a 10-year vehicle registration compact with the Cherokee Nation that was set to expire by the end of the year. "This is an example of the Legislature working to foster a better working relationship with our sovereign tribal governments for the benefit of all of our citizens," said Fetgatter, who is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation. He also envisions utilizing his new position to better inform the House members on issues such as the needs of municipalities, counties, rural water districts and other local government entities throughout the state, whether those be county roads and bridges projects, water needs or broadband expansion. He hopes too that he will be in closer contact with Oklahoma's members of Congress, leading to quick response times should the Legislature need something from the federal level. Fetgatter was first elected to the House in 2016 and most recently chaired the House Appropriations & Budget Finance Subcommittee, as well as being a member of the full A&B Committee. He has led initiatives to promote business-friendly policies in Oklahoma and has been dedicated to promoting economic development and diversity in the state. He has played a crucial role in extending incentives and tax credits for some of Oklahoma's largest industries, creating more stability and growth for the state.