Representative Jeff Boatman

R

District 67

Hi, I'm Jeff Boatman and I represent the people of Oklahoma's 67th District.


representative

News & Announcements

Apr 20, 2023
Recent Posts

Legislators Celebrate National Teacher of the Year Rebecka Peterson

Legislators from the Oklahoma House of Representatives today congratulated Rebecka Peterson, a math teacher at Union High School, for being named National Teacher of the Year for 2023 by the Council of Chief State Schools Officers (CCSSO). Peterson has taught math, ranging from Intermediate Algebra to Advanced Placement Calculus, for the past 11 years at Union High School. Rep. Jeff Boatman, R-Tulsa, said House District 67 was proud to claim Peterson as one of their own. "Rebecka represents the absolute best of Oklahoma and is a wonderful example for every educator in the state," Boatman said. "She finds new ways to make math fun and exciting while helping her students excel, and her accomplishments have set the bar high for herself, her students and educators across the state. Her exemplary work encouraging the next generation of Oklahomans to love mathematics is setting our state up for success, and I'm very proud to have Rebecka as my constituent." "It's incredibly exciting that our National Teacher of the Year is not only someone who works at a school serving my House district, but is someone who can convey complex math coursework in a way that helps our young people succeed in skills needed in life and in our future workforce," said Rep. Ross Ford, R-Broken Arrow. "Congratulations to Rebecka Peterson and bless her for her dedication to helping our next generation excel." "When I heard the news, my first thought was 'well of course she won!'" said Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, who is a former Tulsa-area public school teacher and administrator. "Rebecka has made us all so very proud. She is the finest example of the kinds of teachers who serve in Oklahoma public schools. We have the best teachers in the nation, and now the nation knows!" "I'm so proud of Rebecka," said House Common Education Chair Rep. Rhonda Baker, R-Yukon. "Her accomplishments in the classroom not only benefit her students and her school, but now has elevated Oklahoma onto the national stage, where her success story makes us all shine bright." Peterson will spend a year as an ambassador for students and teachers, where she will travel across the nation to encourage and attract more teachers to the profession. Peterson's win marks the first time that a Union High School teacher has had a finalist. It is also the first time since 1964 that Oklahoma has had a national winner.

Apr 12, 2023
Recent Posts

Mental Health Caucus Chairs Call for Strong Finish to Session

The chairs of the Oklahoma Legislative Mental Health Caucus today encouraged their colleagues to continue momentum on mental health and substance abuse issues, applauding ongoing bipartisan collaboration in this area amid an opportunity for major legislative successes in 2023. The bipartisan, bicameral caucus was launched in 2021 to elevate the importance of addressing Oklahoma’s mental health and substance abuse crises and to facilitate discussion among lawmakers. Now in its third year, it is co-chaired by Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, Rep. Jeff Boatman, R-Tulsa, and Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa. “Although other issues have dominated the headlines this session, legislators have quietly advanced bipartisan policies that will benefit countless Oklahomans with mental health and substance abuse treatment needs,” said Kirt. “There is a real opportunity to finish the session on a strong note, and I’m grateful for all our colleagues who come together across chamber and party to make positive changes for our people.” An estimated 752,000 – more than a quarter – of Oklahoma adults have a mental illness, and 474,000 have a substance use disorder, according to data from Mental Health America. The state has the sixth-highest suicide rate in the nation, and health systems have seen record utilization of emergency rooms by children with suicidal thoughts. Despite record need, fewer mental health professionals are entering the state’s workforce than ever before. According to a report published last year by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency, Oklahoma higher education institutions conferred only 2,029 degrees aligned with mental health professions in 2021, a ten-year low. "It's been a breath of fresh air to have so many agencies, programs and people wanting to be involved with the caucus,” said Provenzano. “There is a sense of goal-oriented seriousness and focus that will benefit Oklahomans for the long haul, and we look forward to continuing the work." The caucus chairs stressed the importance of addressing Oklahoma’s shortage of behavioral health professionals with workforce development funding, public-private partnerships, incentives and recruitment strategies. Nearly 100 bills related to mental health and substance abuse remain active ahead of the April 13 deadline to pass bills in a committee of the opposite chamber, including opportunities to help more Oklahomans access life-saving care. Other opportunities remaining this session include improving access to therapists and other clinicians in insurance networks, fostering collaboration between primary care physicians and behavioral health specialists, and funding mental health and criminal justice diversion programs under State Question 781. “Too many Oklahomans face obstacles to accessing live-saving mental health care services,” said Garvin. “The Legislature has made tremendous progress in removing many of those obstacles, but there is still more to be done. By continuing Oklahoma’s recent momentum through this year’s legislative session, we can enact some of the most meaningful mental health care reforms not just in our state’s history, but for any state in the nation.” These legislative proposals come on the heels of record investments by the Legislature in mental health facilities through American Rescue Plan Act funding, budget increases for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS), and bipartisan legislative initiatives advancing issues such as telehealth access and mental health parity in recent years.  “During the past couple of years, our colleagues have worked together to fund some amazing mental health facilities. That is only the first step toward the solution, though,” said Boatman. “We must continue to work together to solve the massive mental health workforce shortage facing our state. This is going to require fully engaging resources from our state, county and local governments, as well as private sector and tribal partners.” The caucus meets monthly and is a forum for legislators to discuss bipartisan solutions for the mental health and addiction challenges facing Oklahoma. Members benefit from data and best practices shared by the nonpartisan policy research group Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, consultation from ODMHSAS and other experts. In the first two months of the 2023 session, the Oklahoma Legislative Mental Health Caucus hosted robust discussions about mental health issues and the participation of mental health providers in the state’s Health Information Exchange. An upcoming meeting will focus on veterans’ mental health.

Mar 24, 2023
Recent Posts

Measure Could Allow Installment Payments on Property Tax

Legislation allowing county treasurers to provide the opportunity for residents to prepay ad valorem taxes is heading to the Senate. Rep. Jeff Boatman, R-Tulsa, said senior citizens and other Oklahomans living on a fixed income deserve flexibility and options to pay their property tax. "Property taxes are the only tax Oklahomans can't prepay," Boatman said. "Providing the flexibility to pay in installments gives budgeting options to our senior citizens and other people living on a tight budget and lessens their worries about whether they can afford to pay at a later date." HB2003 establishes procedures for county treasurers to accept 12 installments payments for the prepayment of ad valorem taxes for the upcoming fiscal year. The measure provides each treasurer discretion to accept installments payments and requires qualifying taxpayers to provide written notice to the treasurer by January 15 each year of their desired payment method. Accounts with delinquent taxes, accounts with an ongoing valuation protest, taxes paid through an escrow account and public service corporations are not eligible for installment payments. HB2003 passed the House 52-31 this week and now moves to the Senate, where it is authored by Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore.