House Media

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. John George, R-Newalla, on Monday secured House passage of House Bill 3263 , which would recognize the morel as the Oklahoma state mushroom.  George said each spring, tens of thousands of Oklahomans take part in the tradition of hunting morel mushrooms, a delicacy known for its unique flavor and difficulty to locate. While many like to post about their finds, they are protective of their hiding places. “Most years, I am out there with the many Oklahomans who enjoy searching for the morel,” George said. "Some people consider this almost as important as deer hunting in the fall, with families planning their time around this activity in the spring. Naming the morel as the state mushroom is a fun way to recognize this pursuit, but it also could help communities by promoting tourism and educating people about safe mushroom hunting and consumption.”  House Majority Leader Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa, said he and his stepfather would often hunt these elusive mushrooms together. Lawson amended HB3263 to be titled the “David Beyer Act of 2026” after his stepfather, who passed away two years ago.   “My stepfather got me started hunting morel mushrooms, and it was something we really enjoyed doing together,” Lawson said. “It’s incredibly special to me and my family that Rep. George allowed me to name this bill in memory of my stepdad. I’m glad some of my family could be here today as we remembered him, and I’m glad the state is recognizing the importance of the morel mushroom to Oklahoma’s culture.”  George said he hopes this bill will not only serve as a great representation of the morel hunting community but also encourage more people to explore Oklahoma’s diverse landscape.  HB 3263 passed on the House Floor and is now eligible to for consideration in the Senate where it is authored by Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain.

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.

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.