Welcome to the Oklahoma House of Representatives

OKLAHOMA CITY – Following a landmark year for education policy, a bipartisan group of Oklahoma legislators from both the House and Senate today announced the formation of the Oklahoma Reading Caucus, focused on sustaining and expanding recent progress in early literacy and student outcomes. The caucus will center its work on maintaining the momentum from this year’s legislative efforts to strengthen reading instruction—drawing inspiration from the widely recognized “Mississippi Miracle,” a model that has led to dramatic gains in student literacy through evidence-based policy and classroom support. The caucus will be co-chaired by: Mike Lay, R- Jenks Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa Ally Seifried, R-Claremore Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City "Every child should be reading proficiently by the end of the third grade, and we will support the evidence-based policies necessary to achieve that goal," said Rep. Mike Lay, House co-chair. "This year, Oklahoma took meaningful steps to improve our state’s reading outcomes and now our job is to make sure that progress continues." Sen. Ally Seifried, Senate co-chair, added, "We have seen other states make tremendous progress by committing to strong, consistent policy grounded in the science of reading. Oklahoma has taken important steps in the right direction, but our work is far from finished. This caucus is about building on that progress and following through on our commitment to Oklahoma students." The Oklahoma Reading Caucus will prioritize: Methodical implementation of the improved Strong Readers Act Data monitoring of outcomes, both short and long term Any needed legislative modifications to the law to further improve outcomes Promoting school districts seeing results Learning from high-performing states to inform Oklahoma policy By bringing together lawmakers from both chambers and both parties, the caucus aims to create a durable, collaborative framework for education policy that transcends political cycles and keeps students at the center. "Improving literacy is one of the most important things we can do for Oklahoma’s future," said Rep. Suzanne Schreiber. "This caucus is committed to working together and delivering results that last." "Wanting all of our students to be able to read on grade level is not a partisan issue," said Sen. Mark Mann. "Any good legislation will require tweaks along the way, but we want to make sure any changes to the law are grounded in data and putting students first." The caucus will convene regularly and engage with educators, parents, and national experts to guide its work and ensure policies translate into meaningful impact for children across the state.

Rep. Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City, and Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Sapulpa, considered Tuesday the current driver's license suspension policies within the state and the resulting economic impact on the workforce and families. "We want processes to work well for people who want to do the right thing and are striving to do the right thing," West said . "We do not want unnecessary barriers, and for those who are not striving to do the right thing, we want the consequences to be fair and administered properly." "As a former chief U.S. probation officer for Oklahoma’s Northern District, I saw firsthand how suspending driver’s licenses for missed court dates or unpaid fees can put people in a no-win situation," Gollihare said. "A suspended license disrupts their ability to work and support their families, and these policies can unintentionally push more people toward public assistance programs. This was an important conversation on a complex issue, and I look forward to working with Representative West and stakeholders to find a balanced solution." Lauren Krisai, executive director of Justice Action Network, shared that licenses may be suspended for many reasons, including failure to pay, failure to appear and financial responsibility. Licenses may also be suspended for driving offenses such as DUIs, though that was not the focus of Tuesday's study. "There are a lot of hidden economic costs of suspending a license," Krisai said , adding that it prohibits people from legally driving to work, school and the grocery store. She later added that the ripple effect also affects employers and manufacturers if an employee can't get to work. Jeremy Hutchinson, director of strategic initiatives for Unify.us, asked the committee, "What kind of policy is that that we impose a sanction a punishment and then beg please ignore this and go to work and take your kids to school and try to be a responsible member of society?"  Krisai highlighted House Bill 29 in Ohio, which retroactively eliminated suspensions for failure to pay traffic tickets. The bill, which was supported by the Ohio Manufacturers' Association, Ohio Association of Municipal/County Court Clerks, and numerous county chambers and local businesses, allowed over 7,000 people to fully regain their legal driving status. Michael Olson, policy counsel for Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform, said if 180,000 people with suspended licenses stopped driving, Oklahoma's workforce would reduce by nearly 9%. He added that during the 2008 recession, Oklahoma's labor force dropped by 2%, and said a 9% drop would present "a massive problem for the state." Fines and Fees Justice Center Regional Director Sarah Couture said that the average length for driver's license suspension for failure in Oklahoma to pay is three years and two months. "Debt-based driver's license suspension costs people their livelihoods, it cuts economic growth, it undermines public safety and it does not compel payment of debts," Couture said . "Ending debt-based license suspension increases employment, increases the tax base and overall GDP, and improves public safety." Couture estimated a net fiscal tax revenue benefit of over $42 million if Oklahoma passed comprehensive driver's license suspension reform. "An increased workforce would also logically result in reductions of state expenditures on public benefits like Medicaid, SNAP and other social welfare problems due to increased earnings in populations often affected by driver's license suspensions," she said . At the conclusion of the study, West thanked speakers and attendees for participating in the conversation. "We are in a maze that we have created that makes it very difficult for people who are wanting to do the right thing to do the right thing," West said , later adding, "This is something that we can address, and it will help the people of the state of Oklahoma. It will help the businesses of the state of Oklahoma, and it will help change families in this state."

Rep. Derrick Hildebrant, R-Catoosa, chair of the Oklahoma Veterans and Public Safety Caucus, and Rep. Chris Banning, R-Bixby, an Air Force veteran, applauded the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ announcement that it processed a record-high 3,111,399 disability compensation claims in Fiscal Year 2026. "Veterans should not have to face unnecessary delays or barriers when seeking the benefits and care they have earned through their service, sacrifices, and dedication to our nation. We are grateful for all they and their families have given in defense of our freedoms," the lawmakers said. "This reduction in the claims backlog means more veterans and their families are receiving the timely support they deserve. Recognizing and honoring their sacrifices with meaningful, dependable service is significant progress for veterans across Oklahoma and the nation. "We deeply appreciate the men and women at the VA who are diligently working to serve those who have served our country. We will continue supporting efforts that make it easier for Oklahoma veterans and their families to access the benefits, health care, and services they have earned through their sacrifice and commitment to our nation." The VA reported that its FY2026 claims total exceeded the previous record of 3,001,734 claims set in FY2025. The department also reported that its benefits backlog has been reduced by more than 70%, while claims-processing accuracy has reached 94%, the highest level in two years.