Author: Steve Lewis

Teacher pay, criminal justice reform, and cultural issues get attention with committee deadline looming (Capitol Update)

The firehose effect of early session continued last week with members scrambling to get their bills heard in committee before this Thursday's deadline. By this Friday, the number of active bills will be reduced considerably. One of the big items that got the spotlight was a $1,200 teacher pay raise passed in the House and sent to the Senate. [More...]

New legislators taking on overlooked problems (Capitol Update)

This year's crop of bills reflects the priorities of an unusually large group of new and almost new legislators. The priorities include a willingness to work on social issues that in the past may have been overlooked. [More...]

Expectations running high for new legislative session (Capitol Update)

Like most others, I’m feeling positive about the new legislative session. It’s sort of like just before the first game of the season every year. No wins, no losses, but lots of possibilities with expectations running high. We are fielding… Read more [More...]

State airplane is low hanging fruit for new governor (Capitol Update)

What is it about airplanes and state government? Governor Stitt announced, as one of his first official executive orders last week that he would order the sale of the state airplane. The governor, a pilot and successful businessman doing business… Read more [More...]

Push to end agencies boards could inject more politics and ideology into state agency operations (Capitol Update)

Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. It looks like we may be in for a wholesale change in the way state government works… Read more [More...]

Finding the courage to say “no more prisons” (Capitol Update)

Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. “We’re not going to build any more prisons.” I remember House Speaker Dan Draper making that declarative… Read more [More...]

Legislative leadership for next session is coming into focus (Capitol Update)

Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. With the appointment of House leadership by Speaker Charles McCall last week, the picture of legislative leadership… Read more [More...]

The first deadline for next year’s Legislature has already passed (Capitol Update)

Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. Although the legislative session does not begin until February 4th, the first deadline of the session, the… Read more [More...]

Early bill filings reveal legislators’ priorities (Capitol Update)

Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. With the new Legislature now sworn into office, members can begin filing the bills for the next… Read more [More...]

Transition team begins charting Stitt Administration’s direction (Capitol Update)

Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. There’s not a lot of legislative activity to report from last week. Most members were catching up… Read more [More...]