House Media

Communications & Public Affairs Division

  • Daniel Seitz > Director of Communications & Public Affairs – House Republican Caucus
  • Tricia Pemberton > Deputy Director of Communications & Public Affairs – House Republican Caucus
  • Tori Garrett > Press Secretary – House Republican Caucus
  • Caroline Estes > Digital Media Specialist – House Republican Caucus
  • Madelyn Hague > Deputy Press Secretary
  • Kandis West > Director of Communications – House Democratic Caucus


Latest Press Releases


Nov 1, 2024
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Gann's State Agency Budget Transparency Law Takes Effect

OKLAHOMA CITY – A law requiring state agency directors to certify their agency's annual budget is filed with the state Department of Libraries within the time required under state law takes effect today. House Bill 3113, authored by Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, requires agency executive directors to certify their agency is in compliance with the Oklahoma State Government Open Documents Initiative when they submit their annual agency budgets to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and the Legislature. "We found not all agencies were filing their budgets with the Department of Libraries and thereby giving the public online access, or they were woefully behind in doing so," Gann said. "If the agency head has to sign off on the process, it is more likely to not be overlooked." The amended law says the officer shall certify the agency is in complete compliance with the requirements of Title 62 Section 34.11.3, which requires an electronic copy to be online at documents.ok.gov, and Title 65 Section 3-114, which requires hard copies to be placed in the Department of Libraries if for any reason an electronic version cannot be filed. Gann stated requiring the certification of this process by the agency head will ensure state agencies budgets are filed for public view and access in a timely manner. The law already requires agencies to file budgets with the director of the state's Office of Management and Enterprise Services on or before the first day of June in each year, or as soon thereafter as possible. Copies of all agency budgets also shall be made available electronically to the staff of the Joint Legislative Committee on Budget and Program Oversight. The agency budget shall include a description of all funds available to the agency for expenditure and set out allotments requested by the agency by quarter and the entire fiscal year. The budget is to be accompanied by an organizational chart of the agency, a statement of agency mission and program objectives. The budget also shall delineate agency spending by such categories and with at least as much detail as is specified in the legislative appropriation and as prescribed by the director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services.



Oct 31, 2024
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Rep. Kevin West: 'What a Waste of Time'

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahomans will fall back an hour Sunday morning, and they're scheduled still to spring forward an hour March 9, 2025. This is because of the Legislature's refusal to adopt meaningful legislation on daylight saving time, according to Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore. West has authored several bills that would send to a vote of the people a question on whether to adopt permanent standard time in Oklahoma, stopping the twice-yearly time change. The measures have not advanced through the legislative process. Instead, last session, the Legislature passed and the governor signed into law Senate Bill 1200. The measure specifies that should a federal law ever authorize states to observe daylight saving time year-round, Oklahoma shall adopt it as the year-round standard of time. "This is a terrible idea and a do-nothing law," West said. "We tried this in the past and had to petition the federal government to repeal it because of the problems caused by it remaining dark until after 8 a.m. in the winter." West said in 1974 the entire nation was mandated to go to daylight saving time. In the winter of 1974, several states, including Oklahoma, petitioned the federal government to end it after complaints of children going to school in the dark and employees starting the work day before the sun rose. The act ultimately was repealed in 1975. Federal law allows states to be on standard time year-round. Arizona, Hawaii and most U.S. territories currently do this. The law requires states that wish to adopt daylight saving time year-round to ask permission from the government to do so, but so far the federal government has not granted any of these requests. West also pointed out that the Sunshine Protection Act in Congress would require states to be on daylight saving time year-round. The act would allow states to not participate only if they take legislative action to do so. The act has not passed. States that choose not to opt out of daylight saving time are required to set their clocks forward an hour at 2 a.m. the second Sunday of March each year and back an hour at 2 a.m. the first Sunday of November. "I've heard from numerous constituents, parents and business owners over the course of my legislative service that there is a strong desire to stop the changing of the clocks," West said. "The only way to accomplish that is to switch to permanent standard time. I've proposed several measures that would accomplish this, but we must have the legislative boldness to put this question before Oklahomans." West has studied the issue in detail. In a previous legislative study, he invited experts to discuss the science of time change and the detriments of changing the clock twice yearly. The U.S. Congress first implemented daylight saving time through the Standard Time Act in 1918 during World War I as a way to "add" more daylight hours to conserve energy. The act also established five time zones across the U.S. The Uniform Time Act in 1966 mandated the country use daylight saving time but allowed states to opt out and to stay on standard time year-round. The thought behind daylight saving time is that by setting the clocks back an hour in November, more daylight time is gained in the early mornings. When an hour is added in March, more daylight is gained in the evenings. West said there are additional concerns such as health-related risks, increased auto accidents and work-related injuries that rise when daylight comes after people start their day. West said he's received an enormous amount of positive feedback from Oklahomans who support not having to change the clock twice yearly, specifically noting the time it takes to adjust to the change. West said he'll keep pushing for legislation to put the question before state voters. 



Oct 30, 2024
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Humphrey Studies Prison Conditions, Inmate Deaths, Staffing Shortages

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, on Wednesday held an interim study on Oklahoma prison conditions. The study will be before the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee, which Humphrey chairs. "I've talked many times about the deplorable conditions in Oklahoma prisons that not only affect prisoners but also their family members and the public at large, including the Oklahoma taxpayer," Humphrey said. "These conditions include numerous allegations of rape, murder, inhumane conditions, extortion and more. Today's study is an attempt to force an independent investigation into the Oklahoma Department of Corrections." Humphrey dedicated the study to the family of Mar'Quiel Ross, who recently was killed while incarcerated in a state prison. He issued a citation in Ross' honor, declaring he will seek to discover the whole truth behind Ross' death.  Humphrey shared documents that showed Ross should have been housed in a minimum security prison because of his sentence – he was the passenger in an allegedly stolen vehicle. Instead, Ross was placed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, the highest security prison in the state. Ross also was not released when he should have been, Humphrey said. Instead, he says he has more than enough records to show the release date was altered to cover up Ross' death at the hands and feet of other inmates. Ross' family said they were notified of the death of their loved one by another inmate and only contacted by the Department of Corrections (DOC) seven days after his body had been taken to a funeral home, Humphrey said. Humphrey also showed several graphic videos of inmate violence, including a prisoner being stomped and beaten until he was bloody and incoherent. Additional study presenters included Attorney Matt Frisby who discussed what he says is an increased number of wrongful terminations of Oklahoma Department of Corrections employees. He spoke on his success in representing many of these employees and the cost to DOC when the cases are appealed in district court. Frisby said prior to January 2023, he had only two cases appealed. Since that date, every case he's won has been appealed, with at least a dozen pending. He said DOC doesn't bother to put together its own case in these appeals or bring forth any witnesses. Instead, the attitude seems to be, "We are DOC, and we shouldn't be questioned," he said. He also shared that the cost of hiring attorneys to appeal the cases are between $270 and $500 per hour. Jason Lemons, a 22-year former correctional officer, said he retired because of staff shortages and the unwillingness of DOC leadership to properly address security concerns. He accused DOC of falsifying manpower reports, and said there's not enough staff to run the prisons safely. He also said security changes under current department leadership is resulting in more contraband, including illegal drugs, being brought into the facilities. If something is not fixed, the state will have a prison riot, he said. DOC whistleblower Dr. Whitney Louis reported on the investigation into her whistleblower and rape allegations as a long-time prison psychologist. She said she was reprimanded and later fired for reporting cases of abuse. Two separate judges have ruled the department has to restore her job, but that has not been done. Her case is now in district court, where she said her own tax dollars are going to fight against herself. She related multiple cases she said she witnessed of inmates being mistreated and denied adequate care. She said she herself was sexually assaulted by a prison employee. Louis previously presented to the committee. Justice reform advocate Emily Barnes detailed her history in starting Hooked on Justice. She shared reports of incidences of violence and inhumane conditions for inmates in Oklahoma prisons and the effects those have on family members of those incarcerated. Former DOC warden Luke Pettigrew discussed his experience in the corrections' system and spoke about current vs. past conditions. He said having prison knowledge and prison experience are two different things, and in his experience prisons are less secure than in the past because of understaffing and a lack of experience in leadership." Pettigrew said at one time the director's position required a master's degree. Now, it requires no degree and five years of professional experience. Deputy directors are still required to have a master's degree. So, it takes less to be the director, he said. "Contraband is at its highest," he said. "I've been told here recently by inmates that the value of drugs in prisons is now at street value because of the increase in supply. DOC does not have enough staff in prison to hold inmates accountable for the ones who want to be troublemakers and drug users and things like that." Bobby Cleveland, executive director of Oklahoma Corrections Professionals (OCP), reported on what he says are poor conditions in state prisons caused in part by a shortage of staff and DOC's alleged refusal to work with OCP. "They don't respect the inmates, and they don't respect the employees," Cleveland said. Humphrey said under former directors, many potential lawsuits against the department were dropped, saving taxpayers money, because of the department's willingness to work with correctional employees and lawmakers.  Humphrey said if he can't get an outside investigation into the department he will pursue a grand jury trial.