Representative Andy Fugate

D

District 94

Hi, I’m Andy Fugate and I represent the people of Oklahoma’s 94th District.


representative

Leadership

Minority Floor Leader

58th Legislature

Minority Floor Leader

59th Legislature

Minority Floor Leader

60th Legislature

News & Announcements

Apr 17, 2025

Several House Democratic Members debate against Resolution proclaiming state-sanctioned religion in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY – Several members of the House Democratic Caucus stood up to debate against HCR 1013, which would proclaim in Oklahoma that “Christ is King,” arguing that it excludes Oklahomans who identify with other religions as well as Oklahomans who are not religious. “We spent over an hour on the House Floor today and did not solve a single problem for everyday Oklahomans,” said House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City. “We did not help ease financial burdens for working families, we did not do anything to help Oklahomans who need housing and healthcare. What the Republican supermajority did today was politicize personal, deeply-held religious beliefs. This resolution does not solve problems, it’s pandering. Oklahomans want us focused on improving our state and focused on the issues that will do that.” Rep. Mickey Dollens, D-Oklahoma City, stated that our government is a democracy, not a theocracy. “I want to amplify the voices of Christians who recognize this resolution as rooted in Christian Nationalism which is not a religion but a political ideology rooted in power, control, and exclusion,” Dollens said. “I want to amplify the voices of all Oklahomans with different religious beliefs, as well as atheists and agnostics. What we are doing here today elevates one religion over another. It sends a message to all other religions recognized by the IRS that they are not as important as Christians. We are not a theocracy, but that is where we are headed with legislation such as this. This is the opposite of religious freedom. The only way to protect that freedom is to uphold the constitutional principle of separation of church and state. Our founding fathers were intentional with their language in not naming a specific deity, and this resolution is disrespectful to them, the constitution, and Oklahomans of all religious faiths.” Rep. Michelle McCane, D-Tulsa, an open atheist, debated against HCR 1013, asserting that there are ways to properly recognize religions without elevating one over all others. “I would happily vote for a resolution acknowledging the contributions of Christianity and Christians in Oklahoma, that is not what this resolution says,” McCane said. “This puts one deity over all others and is exclusionary, even among Christians. I don’t believe the government should exclude anyone. Moreover, the bible states those in government were placed there by God and goes on to say the people must obey the government. That would include following the Constitution which requires separation of church and state. This resolution is not about reflecting the values stated in the bible, it is about prioritizing one subsect of Christianity over others, and all other religions, and Oklahomans who are not religious. This is a waste of taxpayer dollars, a waste of time for our legal staff to write it up, and worthy of reporting to DOGE.” Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City, argued that this resolution does not reflect biblical values. “If we want people to know that 'Christ is King,' then the legislature should show it with the work we do. Words alone are not enough,” said Fugate. “We should defend the principles of Jesus, instead we defund them. The words of Jesus are recorded in Matthew 25. For some reason, it’s no longer acceptable to be ‘sheep’. But Jesus said the sheep who take care of the poor, the sick, the hungry, the homeless, the stranger, and the imprisoned are those who will inherit his kingdom.” -END-

Mar 12, 2025

House Democratic members defend quality, certified teachers in early childhood classrooms

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Democratic members Rep. Michelle McCane, D-Tulsa, Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, and Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City, debated against HB 2125. The bill expands the ability to put adjunct teachers into effectively any classroom with the exception of special education. “We know that early childhood education is important and requires special training,” McCane said. “It is imperative we make sure we have certified teachers in these classrooms. Furthermore, I can say having just come from working at a public school after the pandemic, we have serious issues with behavior that require training for classroom management. This bill would be an ineffective fix to the ongoing teacher shortage in Oklahoma. What we really need to ensure we have certified teachers in every classroom is to increase teacher and support staff pay, give teachers and support staff better insurance rates, and incentivize teachers to want to come to the State of Oklahoma. We have a State Superintendent who has no qualms attacking our public schools and our public school teachers and yet we have done nothing to rein him in when we know he is causing teachers to leave the classroom. This bill does not provide a temporary solution to the teacher shortage, it is a Band-Aid on a gaping wound.” Waldron said a better solution would be to place certified teachers in every classroom. “We need to figure out how to put certified teachers in every classroom, and this bill does not do that,” Waldron said. “Instead, this bill normalizes lowering the standards for our public school teachers. Simply put: one can love students and want to teach, but not know how to manage students and all their complexities, especially classrooms containing our youngest students.” Fugate said childhood education is the foundation of all students’ education and should be prioritized.  “Children deserve the best start to their education,” Fugate said. “While we emphasize the science of reading and teaching, these principles are often overlooked when decisions are made. Adjunct teachers bring passion and dedication to the classroom, but young learners need educators with thorough training and a variety of teaching methods to truly thrive.” -END-

Mar 6, 2025

House Democratic members comment on bill redundancy, need to rein in State Superintendent

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Democratic members Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City, and Rep. Forrest Bennett, D-Oklahoma City, released the following statements addressing HB 1621’s passage out of the Government Oversight Committee today. “This bill creates a new law and grows government in an unnecessary way,” Leader Munson said. “It does nothing to hold the State Superintendent accountable and instead takes the advice of an out-of-state advocacy group instead of considering the real needs of Oklahomans. This bill is more about creating political leverage than improving public education in Oklahoma. The State Superintendent does not follow the current transparency process and if we actually listened to Oklahomans, especially those in public education, we would be working to hold him accountable to the current processes we have.” Fugate reiterated that the Oklahoma State Department of Education already has a transparency process. “This bill is not necessary. Oklahoma has had a comprehensive transparency portal for all state government activities, including OSDE, since the Governor launched it in 2019. The portal is here:  https://oklahomastate.opengov.com/ .” Fugate said.  “I understand members are justifiably outraged by the State Superintendent’s lack of interest in following procedures. Giving him another thing to ignore won’t fix that problem. It is naive to assume OSDE would abide by this bill. What we really need is to rein in the State Superintendent.” Bennett says the best way to get the accountability this bill is seeking is to correct the mismanagement of the State Superintendent. “We are not lacking in tools of transparency,” Bennett said. “The real issue is mismanagement by the State Superintendent. My no vote wasn’t in opposition to transparency, it’s about the fact that my colleagues are ignoring the real issue: Oklahomans want to see this Superintendent held accountable.” -END-