Welcome to the Oklahoma House of Representatives

The Oklahoma House of Representatives has approved the Shai Cooper Act, a bill aiming to streamline the adoption process while ensuring the safety of children.  Rep. Erick Harris, R-Edmond, introduced House Bill 2647 , which would establish clear provisions on when a court can waive preplacement home studies and expand the eligibility for these waivers to include immediate relatives of the child.  Immediate relatives, including siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, could apply for a home study waiver if they have been married for at least one year, have no felony convictions and have no protection orders against them.  "The Shai Cooper Act ensures that children are given the best opportunities for stability and that family members who are committed to their well-being can act quickly to provide loving homes," Harris said. "By making this process more accessible and flexible, we are helping to strengthen families and protect the interests of our most vulnerable children. I was honored to carry this legislation in recognition of one of my constituents and help make this process easier for other Oklahomans who find themselves in similar situations." The bill is named after Harris' constituent 13-year-old Shai Cooper, who is adopted. HB2647 passed the House floor 86-0 and now moves to the Senate for consideration. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – The House passed two measures this week that would reform the way judges are vetted and selected in Oklahoma. The state's Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC), established in 1967 by an amendment to the state Constitution, is charged with nominating the three most qualified candidates for appointment by the governor to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Court of Civil Appeals, as well as district and associate district judgeships when vacancies occur outside the normal election process for those positions. Currently, six of the 15 members of the commission are attorneys and nine are non-lawyers. "A majority of Oklahomans are ready to modernize how state judicial applicants are vetted and appointed," said Speaker Pro Tem Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, who is the author of the bills. "The judiciary provides a vital check and balance function as laws are created, and it is important the system remains above reproach and is managed by those who know the law best. These two measures would update the nominating process in a way that would benefit the public while preserving the integrity of this system." House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, added, "These changes have been a long work in progress as we've listened to and considered the concerns of all Oklahomans. Our ultimate goal is for those who are most familiar with the law to promote judicial candidates that have demonstrated a strong record of competence, a commitment to administer justice based on existing law, and who have exhibited the highest moral character. These bills would allow us to make some much-needed changes to this long-established process." House Joint Resolution 1024 would send to a vote of the people a state question asking whether to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to make changes to the structure and terms of the members serving on the JNC. If approved, the question would establish that at least one member of the JNC be from each of the state's five congressional districts at the time of their appointment. If the state were to get another congressional seat, a change to the composition of the commission would be automatic. The six JNC members appointed by the governor and the six members of the Bar Association would serve six-year terms. The change would remove restrictions allowing the three at-large members to either be an attorney or have a familial relationship with an attorney. It would remove the prohibition on political appointments, allowing all appointments to be from one political party, if desired. It also would allow those appointed by House and Senate leaders to succeed themselves beyond their initial two-year terms. A yes vote would limit commissioners from serving more than 12 years. House Bill 2103 seeks to modernize the statutory portion of the JNC. It would prohibit any JNC member from participating in the decision-making process if the member is related to a nominee to the third degree either through ancestry or by marriage. The measure establishes penalties for violation and disclosure requirements, including the amount of any contributions made to the judicial campaign of any applicant. Both measures now move to the Senate where they are authored by Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – The House passed legislation authored by House Speaker Kyle Hilbert that removes restrictions on teachers from teaching in public schools after retirement. House Bill 2288 eliminates an existing 36-month waiting period for teachers who retire before they can return to teaching in Oklahoma public schools. The bill will allow career teachers to continue teaching past their retirement age while also drawing on their earned retirement benefits. Currently, teachers are allowed to go into a job in the private sector or in a private school, but must wait 36 months before returning to a public school classroom. "Our state has a teacher shortage and we must do all we can to keep quality teachers in our public school classrooms as long as they are willing to continue teaching," said Hilbert, R-Bristow. "We need to allow these teachers – many of whom are still in their prime working years - to draw down the retirement benefits they have earned while remaining in the classroom if they choose to do so." The bill passed the House with a vote of 74-7 and will move to the Senate for further consideration.