The Okmulgee Chamber of Commerce hosted its second Legislative Forum on Feb. 7, bringing together Senators David Bullard, Representative Scott Fetgatter, along with Representative Chris Banning to discuss upcoming legislation and pressing issues affecting Oklahomans. The forum provided an opportunity for citizens to hear directly from their lawmakers, ask questions, and gain insight into the workings of state government.

The event also served as a platform for candidates running for Senate District 8 to introduce themselves. Among them were Steven Baldridge, former threetime mayor of Okmulgee, Steve Sanford, councilman for the City of Henryetta, and Hoss Durrett, Vice Chairman of the Checotah Economic Development Authority and small businessman. The audience also received reminders about the upcoming mayoral election in Okmulgee on February 11, with early voting already underway.

--- Government Spending & Efficiency: The “OMES Mess” A significant portion of the forum was dedicated to discussing OMES (Oklahoma Management Enterprise System), a state agency responsible for consolidating government services. Both Senator Bullard and Senator Fetgatter criticized the agency for inefficiency, excessive costs, and bureaucratic red tape.

“OMES was designed to use the state’s buying power efficiently,” explained Senator Bullard, “but instead, it has become a mega-agency that controls everything, making it difficult for smaller agencies to function effectively.”

The lawmakers revealed that OMES has grown into a costly and inefficient entity, draining approximately $484 million in taxpayer dollars annually. One particularly controversial decision involves fleet management, where OMES plans to lease government vehicles from Enterprise instead of purchasing them outright.

“This agency was meant to save money, not waste it,” Senator Fetgatter added. “If I could get Elon Musk to rip through OMES and clean house, I would.” He went on to call the agency “O-Mess” and expressed support for legislation that would reduce its power or even dismantle it entirely.

--- Income Tax Cuts & Budget Concerns The state income tax cut proposal was another hot topic. Governor Kevin Stitt has been vocal about reducing Oklahoma’s income tax, but lawmakers are divided on how it should be implemented.

Senator Fetgatter provided a breakdown of the potential financial impact, stating, “The proposed tax cut would cost the state around $650 million. Combined with a $300 million revenue decline, that could lead to a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall.”

While supporting tax cuts in principle, Senator Bullard cautioned against rushing the process, emphasizing the importance of fiscal responsibility.

“We’ve been cutting taxes steadily,” he explained. “Our income tax used to be 7.4%, and now it’s down to 4.75%. The problem is that we have to make sure we’re not slashing too quickly, or we’ll end up like Kansas under Governor (Sam) Brownback.”

Instead of an immediate cut, lawmakers are considering a “trigger system” that would gradually reduce the tax rate when the state has a budget surplus of at least $400 million over three years. This approach, they argue, would prevent sudden financial crises.

--- Mental Health & Criminal Justice Reform A question from an audience member shifted the conversation to mental health policy, specifically House Bill 1343, which proposed moving mental health services under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections (DOC).

Senator Bullard confirmed that the bill’s author, Representative Justin Humphrey, has likely dropped the proposal, but the discussion highlighted Oklahoma’s severe mental health crisis - especially in the prison system.

“There’s a huge need for mental health beds, and our county jails are not equipped to handle inmates suffering from severe mental illness,” Senator Bullard explained.

Senator Fetgatter shared a personal story about his sister, who struggles with severe mental illness.

“She was standing in my dad’s yard talking to someone who wasn’t there,” he said. “We couldn’t get help for her. She got picked up, but after 72 hours, she was released again. She’s going to kill someone or herself, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”

Both lawmakers agreed that reopening mental health hospitals should be a priority, and funding those facilities would be a better use of state money than an immediate tax cut.

“I’d rather take that $600 million and invest it in mental health services instead of slashing the budget and leaving our most vulnerable citizens without help,” Senator Fetgatter stated.

--- Eminent Domain & Property Rights Representative Chris Banning discussed a bill he is pushing to ensure fair compensation for individuals forced to leave their homes due to eminent domain.

“If the government takes your land, they should pay you 150% of its fair market value - not just the appraised amount,” Banning said. He pointed to Missouri, which passed a similar law in 2022.

--- Education & Workforce Development

The state of Oklahoma’s education system and the workforce shortage were also major discussion points. Senator Bullard and Senator Fetgatter agreed that federal overreach in education has created unnecessary hurdles for local schools.

“We need to move education decisions back to the state and local level,” Bullard said. “The U.S. Department of Education is unconstitutional, and it has done nothing but complicate things for our schools.”

Fetgatter noted that Oklahoma is facing a labor crisis, particularly in skilled trades like plumbing, electrical work, and nursing.

“We’ve got an aging workforce, and the younger generation isn’t being trained for these careers,” he explained. “We need more vocational training programs, and we need to bring career tech education back into public schools.”

--- Final Thoughts

The forum wrapped up with announcements about upcoming legislative forums in Henryetta and Beggs, as well as reminders to vote in local elections.

The discussion made one thing clear: Oklahoma’s legislators are facing tough decisions on spending, taxation, healthcare and education. The choices they make this session will have long-term impacts on the state’s economy and public services.

As always, citizens were encouraged to stay informed, reach out to their senators and representatives, and participate in the democratic process.

--- Henryetta Forum

The Henryetta Chamber of Commerce held its first forum of 2025 also on Friday. There was a big crowd, with Senator David Bullard from Durant and Representative Scott Fetgatter answering questions. Hot topics included landlords and tenant evictions the weather and school funding with restrictions. Also every candidate for running for District 8 Senate seat was in attendance to introduce themselves. The next Henryetta forum will be Friday, March 7, at 11 a.m. at Shoney’s.

--- Beggs Forum

A Legislative Briefing was held at the Kanoke Coffee House in Beggs last Friday with Rep Scott Fetgatter. Four of the Republican candidates for Senate District 8 were there to meet the public and see what legislators do on their “day off” when they are back in their district.

Attending were Steven Baldridge (Okmulgee); Hoss Durrett (Checotah); Bryan Logan (Paden); Rep. Scott Fetgatter; David Nelson (Morris); Marsheila Prior, Chair Okmulgee County Republicans.

Mark your calendar to attend the Legislative Briefing on March 7 at 1 p.m. at Kanoke in Beggs. Ask questions and learn what is going on at the Capitol.