OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma Legislature is voting to override several vetoes from Governor Kevin Stitt on Friday.
The first bill up for a vote was House Bill 3819, authored by House Speaker Charles McCall and Rep. Kevin McDugle of the House, along with President Pro Tempore of the State Senate Greg Treat and Sen. Micheal Bergstrom of the Senate.
Under the bill, it would be “unlawful for any state agency to direct, put in contract, or in any way prohibit a vendor, client, employer or independent contractor, person, or any other entity from contacting or communicating with any member of the Legislature.”
After the reading of Stitt’s message for the reasoning of his veto, House Majority Leader (R) Jon Echols remarked that whoever wrote the governor’s response did not read the bill.
The vote to override the veto passed 94-3.
The second bill up for a vote was House Bill 4049, authored by McCall, Rep. Dell Kerbs, Rep. Brian Hill, Rep. Randy Randleman and Rep. Robert Manger of the House and Sen. David Bullard, Bergstrom, Sen. Larry Boggs and Sen. Paul Scott of the Senate.
The measure related to registration renewals for motor vehicles, modifying options available when renewing registration online, and providing for a deposit of certain funds.
House Minority Leader (D) Emily Virgin again remarked that it would seem that whoever wrote the governor’s veto response was not in tune with the issues. Echols added that there is too much friction on these issues that should have passed easily.
The vote to override the veto passed 89-7.
The House also discussed House Bill 4018, which would create a Rural Broadband Expansion Council.
The vote to override the veto passed 90-6.
