Representative Trish Ranson

D

District 34

Hi, I'm Trish Ranson and I represent the people of Oklahoma's 34th District.


representative

Leadership

Minority Caucus Chair

59th Legislature

News & Announcements

Aug 29, 2023
Recent Posts

House Democrats Call on Speaker of the House to Form Special Bipartisan Committee to Investigate State Superintendent

OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, House Democrats called on the Speaker of the House to form a special bipartisan committee to investigate possible impeachment charges for State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters amid recent bomb threats at Tulsa area elementary schools believed to be linked to Walters' rhetoric about Tulsa Public Schools. “Oklahomans deserve a public school system where parents, students and teachers feel safe to go to school and the needs of our students are prioritized over dangerous political rhetoric,” said House Democratic Caucus Chair Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater. House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City said the special bipartisan committee would investigate the current state superintendent to determine if his actions rise to the level of impeachment. “Allocating funds for public education should be free of corruption or political gain. There is already evidence of Walters’ corruption through misspent federal dollars along with discrepancies in his campaign finances. Paired with his toxic rhetoric that is impacting the safety of our schools, we believe it is more than enough to, at the very least, investigate him,” Leader Munson said. Rep. Provenzano mentioned that the rhetoric from the state superintendent has been harmful and potentially compromised the safety of school children. She also believes he is willfully neglecting his duty of office. “The rhetoric from the state superintendent has, up until now, been designed to distract and ?sow chaos. But now, elementary schools in the Tulsa area have received bomb threats as a ?result of disinformation shared by him. Our children deserve to be safe. The willful neglect of ?that duty, even in the highest offices in our state, cannot and will not be ?overlooked. Enough is enough,” Rep. Provenzano added. Leader Munson said, "We share in the growing frustration of Oklahomans across our state who want action to address their deep concerns for the future of public education. It is now time for action." -END-

Apr 4, 2023
Recent Posts

House Democrats Call for Clean Teacher Pay Bill

OKLAHOMA CITY –The Oklahoma House Democratic Caucus on Thursday expressed support for a bipartisan proposal, initiated by Senate Republicans, to fund a teacher pay raise without entangling it with the contentious issue of private school vouchers. Democrats urged that teacher pay discussions be separated from the politically charged private school voucher debate. “Oklahoma teachers face numerous challenges,” said Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater. “My concern is that the Legislature's egos and politics will hinder our bipartisan efforts to build and retain a robust teacher corps.” Ranson also proposed an amendment to double the graduated teacher pay raises in Senate Bill 482, by Republicans Sen. Adam Pugh and Rep. Mark McBride. The Ranson amendment would increase teacher pay by: $6,000 for teachers in their first through fourth year (up from $3,000 in the original bill);  $8,000 for teachers in their fifth through ninth year (up from $4,000 in the original bill);  $10,000 for teachers in their 10th through 14th year (up from $5,000 in the original bill); $12,000 for teachers with 15 years + of service (up from $6,000 in the original bill) She emphasized the importance of a clean vote on the amended teacher pay bill. “Teacher pay raises have consistently received bipartisan support,” Ranson said. “Let's capitalize on this backing and make Oklahoma attractive to top-tier teachers within our state and beyond.” Ranson expressed interest in utilizing a portion of the $300 million from the Republican House Voucher Plan to cover the increased cost of the historic pay raises her amendment calls for. "Democrats are committed to voting on a clean teacher pay bill. This amendment is a game changing opportunity for public education" said Rep. Melissa Provenzano D-Tulsa. "The proposed vouchers, claiming to promote school choice, don't provide funding for new students but merely cover current private school attendees. It’s a flawed approach that neglects the educational improvement of 700,000 Oklahoma public school students. By redirecting these funds to our teachers, we can substantially enhance our children's education and support Oklahoma educators." -END-

Mar 13, 2023

Ranson's HB 2014 Provides Extended Maternal Care, Passes House Floor

OKLAHOMA CITY –Having a baby can be dangerous in Oklahoma. Oklahoma’s maternal mortality rate is 23.5 deaths per 100,000 live births. Oklahoma also ranks #2 in the nation for the number of people without health insurance. House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater wants to change that. HB2014, authored by Rep. Ranson would instruct the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority to seek a federal Medicaid Waiver to make sure women maintain their insurance for the first 12 months after giving birth. The legislation was a recommendation by the Governor’s HELP Task Force last Fall. The goal of the task force was to provide ways the state could support mothers who recently gave birth. The bipartisan bill unanimously passed the House and will head to the Senate for consideration. “Passing this bill is a great way legislators can continue to support mothers for a year after they give birth” Rep. Ranson said. Rep. Ranson said OHCA is currently in the process of seeking the waiver and this bill will put that process into law. “The intent of the bill is simple. We don’t want having a baby to be a death sentence. We want the process of bringing a life into this world to be safe, supportive and comfortable,” Rep. Ranson said. The expansion of healthcare benefits to mothers will take place retroactively from January 1, 2023. -END-