Representative Forrest Bennett

D

District 92

Hi, I’m Forrest Bennett and I represent the people of Oklahoma’s 92nd District.


representative

Leadership

Assistant Minority Leader

58th Legislature

Assistant Minority Floor Leader

59th Legislature

News & Announcements

Mar 6, 2024
Recent Posts

McBride Praises Passage of Oklahoma Ireland Trade Commission Bill

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, today commented on the House passage of House Bill 3305 that would establish the Oklahoma Ireland Trade Commission. The commission would consist of nine members with the purpose of advancing business and other mutually beneficial activities between Oklahoma and Ireland. The Commission would be required report any findings or recommendations to the governor and legislative leadership within one year of its first meeting and by Feb. 1 each year thereafter. "Ireland has long been a great trade partner and an important ally to the United States and to the state of Oklahoma," McBride said. "We have many residents in our state of Irish descent, and we have a rich history of sharing resources. This will help increase our partnerships in business, culture and goodwill." McBride is the House author of the measure, but he said it was important that it move forward as a bipartisan effort. It was carried in committee and on the House floor by Rep. Forrest Bennett, D-Oklahoma City.  "I'm thrilled to see progress on this project," Bennett said. "Oklahoma's ties to Ireland go back many, many years, and this commission will ensure that our relationship continues and strengthens into the future. Working with Rep. McBride on this legislation has been great and reinforces the desire to forge further bipartisanship through this commission." Bennett said the legislation was in collaboration with Mark Daly, chair of the Senate of Ireland. He said there are efforts in other states to create similar trade commissions. He also shared some statistics. Ireland is home to 950 U.S. companies that use the island-nation as a jumping off point for the European trade market, which has 450 million consumers, and the United Kingdom market, which is 67 million consumers. Ireland is the ninth-largest investor in the United States' economy. Bennet also made reference to an existing relationship between the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma and the Irish that has existed since members of the Choctaw Nation sent aid to the Irish during that country's devastating potato famine in the 1840s. In 2017, a sculpture commemorating the gift was dedicated in Midleton in County Cork, Ireland. HB3305 passed the House on a vote of 88-2. It now moves to the Senate where it is authored by Sen. Greg McCortney, R-Ada. 

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-

Mar 16, 2023

BENNETT WINS PASSAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING BILL

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed HB2098 on Tuesday. The bill, authored by Rep. Forrest Bennett (D-OKC), would bring the state one more step toward long term affordable housing solutions in the state of Oklahoma. The legislation comes from a 2022 interim study conducted by Bennett and co-author Rep. Daniel Pae (R-Lawton) on the underlying causes of homelessness. “Folks find themselves experiencing or on the cusp of homelessness for a variety of reasons,” Bennett said. “And while we work to address the other concerns, making way for the development of available, attainable affordable housing should be a top priority for us here in Oklahoma.” One idea that came from the interim study, colloquially called “Homes for Homes,” has been the basis for this legislation. The idea is that when a person sells personal property, like a home, they would be able to donate up to 1% of the proceeds to a fund overseen by the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency. The fund could then ultimately be utilized by cities and towns and other entities when exploring funding mechanisms for the development of affordable housing.  “We think this is a winning idea for Oklahoma,” said Bennett. “The fund would be grown intentionally by charitable residents of our state, who would be rewarded for that generosity by being able to deduct the value of their gift from their taxable income.” Participants would be eligible for tax deductions up to 1% of the sale value, with a cap on property sales of $5 million.  “The idea of tax incentives is to encourage the kind of behavior you want to see – and creating a way for the state to support the development of much-needed affordable housing seems like the perfect behavior to encourage,” Bennett said regarding the program.  The bill, which passed 76-6 this week, now heads to the Senate, where it will be sponsored by Sen. John Michael Montgomery.