House, Senate Bring Back Over Two Dozen Bills Vetoed By Governor

At the Capitol, lawmakers are using their final days of this legislative session to override some of Governor Stitt’s vetoes. The House and Senate together brought back over two dozen bills that were vetoed during this session today.

These overrides ranging from bills dealing with agriculture, public health, substance abuse services and more.

“There's no logical reasoning or rational thinking to veto this bill,” said Sen. Todd Gollihare (R-Kellyville).

“A part of a fight to save Oklahomans from overdoses and deadly fentanyl,” said Sen. Paul Rosino (R-OKC).

“This bill was a good intention to help potential victims in long term care facilities but unfortunately it got tied up in a group of bills the governor vetoed for unrelated policy issues,” said Sen. Jessica Garvin (R-Duncan).

A majority of the bills were caught up in a mass veto from Governor Stitt earlier this session.

“Senate bill 632 was a request by the governor himself,” said Sen. Gollihare.

The governor vetoed 20 bills last month, trying to push the Senate to make a decision on education legislation.

“As part of the tantrum 20, the governor has attempted to damage the success of our college athletics programs and the possible success of our athletes,” said Sen. Greg McCourtney (R-Ada).

Senate bill 840 modifies the provisions of the student athlete Name, Image and Likeness, (NIL) rights act. The bill had bipartisan support in both the House and Senate and was passed in both chambers overwhelmingly.

The author, Sen. Greg McCourtney, said it would have made Oklahoma athletics more competitive with surrounding states.

“This veto threatened to move us out of the top 25 instead of keeping us in the top 10,” said Sen. McCourtney.

Another bill brought back will allow Oklahoma students to wear tribal regalia to their graduation ceremonies.

“In the governor's veto message he said that school districts or institutions should be allowed to set their dress codes at their official graduation ceremony, which senate bill 429 already provides for,” said Sen. John Michael Montgomery (R-Lawton).

Also brought back by the House and Senate, a bill to extend the contract for OETA until 2026.

The governor vetoed the House bill that would continue funding OETA earlier in the session, after the bill passed out of the House and Senate with bipartisan support.

Stitt said the reasons for his veto was that OETA calling it an outdated system, and said, “I don’t think Oklahomans want to use their tax dollars to indoctrinate kids.”

”This is just one of the things that shocked so many legislators as well as our constituents, we've been hearing for a month that something as good as OETA was being taken away. Thankfully democrats and republicans came together to override this veto,” said Rep. Mickey Dollens (D-OKC).

Full List of Veto overrides: SB 34, SB 58, SB 60, SB 123, SB 125, SB 162, SB 249, SB 267, SB 291, SB 299, SB 369, SB 395, SB 479, SB 563, SB 617, SB 623, SB 711, SB 712, SB 840, SB 841, SB 889, SB 951, SB 976, HB 1843, HB 2255, HB 2263, HB 2820, HB 2863