Representative Jim Grego

R

District 17

Hi, I'm Jim Grego and I represent the people of Oklahoma's 17th District.


representative

Leadership

Assistant Majority Whip

59th Legislature

News & Announcements

Apr 22, 2025
Recent Posts

House Moves Nonresident Hunting Lottery Legislation to Governor

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Jim Grego, R-Wilburton, on Monday secured passage of a bill that will create a lottery system for nonresidents seeking a hunting, killing or trapping permit with the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. Senate Bill 448 requires out-of-state hunters to pay a $100 permit fee in addition to the traditional hunting license fee to use refuge or wildlife management areas maintained by the commission. The measure now moves to the governor for his consideration of signing it into law. "This just allows the Wildlife Conservation Commission to know who is hunting in the areas they maintain," Grego said. "If they have more hunters than can be managed at one time, this allows the commission to establish a lottery system." Grego explained this can be done on a case-by-case basis for specific areas maintained by the Wildlife Conservation Commission. It does not affect in-state residents or private land. Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, is the principal Senate author of the bill. “The passage of Senate Bill 448 marks a significant step forward in safeguarding Oklahomans’ access to our state’s wildlife management areas," Hamilton said. This legislation prioritizes the rights of our citizens while continuing to welcome visiting outdoorsmen from other states through the lottery system and permitting process outlined in this bill. I am grateful for the support of my legislative colleagues and look forward to seeing this measure signed into law.”

Oct 24, 2024
Recent Posts

Grego Studies Vehicle Tax Evaluation

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Jim Grego, R-Wilburton, this week led an interim study examining criteria used by the state of Oklahoma to determine the retail value of vehicles for tax purposes. The study took place Oct. 23 before the House Appropriations & Budget Subcommittee on General Government at the State Capitol. "This issue was brought to my attention by one of my constituents and a neighbor of mine," Grego said. "He bought a truck, and there was fluctuation between what he paid and what the value of the vehicle was determined to be. So, my goal is to look at this issue and see if we can make some changes in the system to make this more fair for consumers who purchase vehicles." Grego invited Joe Mack McAlester of Wilburton to explain his experience. McAlester said he bought a used truck at an auction for a price that was well under the listed Blue Book value. He planned to use the vehicle on his farm, so he wasn't concerned that it wasn't in perfect condition. When he went to get his tag and title, however, he said was charged excise tax based on the full book value of the vehicle without consideration for the vehicle's condition. His argument was he should only have been charged based on what he paid, the same as how sales tax is calculated on other purchases, instead of the higher value. The difference in price would have saved him several hundred dollars. McAlester said he's talked to other neighbors who've had similar experiences. "I was very grateful for Joe's input on this topic as I know it's one that affects a lot of people in our state, particularly farmers and ranchers who tend to buy older vehicles to use for their work," Grego said. Representatives from Service Oklahoma and Tinker Federal Credit Union also presented during the study, sharing their methodology for determining a vehicle's value and how the state assesses taxes. Tinker is the largest indirect dealer financing partner in the state.  Grego said the methodology used to calculate excise tax was largely inherited from the Oklahoma Tax Commission. But the lenders explained that loan risk factors based on credit history, collateral values and other things all play a role in determining a vehicle's value. They also rely on industry standards such as those set by the National Automobile Dealers Association. Rep. Mike Dobrinski, R-Okeene, also participated in the study, giving insight as a former automobile dealership owner. He said he's willing to help Rep. Grego draft legislation that might help Oklahoma vehicle buyers pay less tax. 

Jun 14, 2024
Recent Posts

Representatives Commend Governor's Line-Item Veto of Education Budget Limits Bill

A group of legislators on Friday praised the governor's line-item veto of Sections 15 and 16 of Senate Bill 1122, which would have placed spending limits on the State Department of Education (SDE) for its Fiscal Year 2025 budget, which goes into effect July 1. The statement is issued by Reps. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid; Chris Banning, R-Bixby; Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle; Rusty Cornwell, R-Vinita; Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont; David Hardin, R-Stilwell; JJ Humphrey, R-Lane; Tom Gann, R-Inola; Jim Grego, R-Wilburton; Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa; Mark Lepak, R-Claremore; Cody Maynard, R-Durant; Jim Olsen, R-Roland; Clay Staires, R-Skiatook; Kevin West, R-Moore; and Rick West, R-Heavener. "We'd like to thank Governor Stitt for his thoughtful line-item veto of Sections 15 and 16 of Senate Bill 1122," they said. "These portions of the bill would have done nothing to improve the education of Oklahoma students and instead would have significantly damaged the Department of Education's ability to carry out its mission." The lawmakers said Section 15 of SB1122 would have required SDE to apply for every federal grant, while Section 16 would have included provisions that forbid SDE from using any money to secure media interviews or public relations, or for other public promotional purposes. The group noted that no other agency is subject to these restrictions. State agencies are granted the autonomy to decide which grants to apply for and almost every state agency spends money to communicate to the public about particular programs or services offered. Section 16 would have singled out and severely limited SDE in this function. The lawmakers spoke about the Teacher of the Year program, teacher recruitment efforts, certain financial disclosures, and other public relations messages that would have been hampered should this measure have been signed into law. On Friday afternoon, the governor issued Executive Order 2024-12, which prohibits all state agencies, rather than inequitably highlighting a specific agency, from entering into sole source contracts with public relations, marketing, or communications firms and vendors, as well as requires all PR vendors be procured through a 30-day request for proposal.