David Holt for Oklahoma State Senate

Won’t Back Down

Today, I announced that I will file “parent trigger” legislation before the 2013 legislative session.   More info can be found here.

And tonight, I saw a screening of “Won’t Back Down”, the new film that depicts a “parent trigger” law in action.

You know how at the end of “Waiting for ‘Superman’” part of you felt sort of hopeless and sad?  “Won’t Back Down” is the sequel that leaves you inspired and armed with the tools to do something.  I can’t judge the film on its cinematic excellence, but I can tell you it left me emotional, challenged and inspired.  If you have school-age kids, or you just care, please try to see “Won’t Back Down”.

And then help me get a parent trigger law passed in Oklahoma!

Rear Admiral Sean Pybus

Honored tonight to welcome Navy Seal and Rear Admiral Sean Pybus to the 30th Senate District of Oklahoma!

The Oklahoma Union Problem Persists

Here is a nice oped in today’s Oklahoman. For the local perspective on this, the average total compensation for 2,000 government union employees working for Oklahoma City is $100,000. This is thanks to powers given to the unions by Gov. Walters and the Legislature in 1994. These powers are why Oklahoma was named the most anti-taxpayer state in the South last year by a national think tank. The Legislature has still done nothing to rectify this problem.

This affects you because money spent on huge salaries is money that can’t be spent on streets, water, utilities, parks, and more police officers.

KWTV Channel 9 Reports on Senator Holt’s Sex Offender Bill

Last night, KWTV Channel 9 aired a report on Senator David Holt’s bill to require sex offenders to receive a court order before they are removed from the sex offender registry.   The report can be viewed here.

Tax Cuts

My view as we announced a tax cut agreement,

Last night, Governor Fallin and legislators announced an agreement to cut taxes.   Specifically, the income tax rate.   In 2013, the rate will drop from 5.25 to 4.8.   If revenues are healthy enough, the rate will drop again in 2015 to 4.5.

As the only Republican Senator who authored a tax cut in 2011, and the primary author of legislation to eliminate the income tax in 2012, I am thrilled that we are finally making progress in providing tax relief to Oklahomans.

Governor Fallin Signs Senator Holt’s Welfare Reform Bill

This week, Governor Mary Fallin signed Senator David Holt’s and Rep. Guy Liebmann’s welfare reform bill, HB 2388.   The bill establishes that welfare applicants using illegal drugs will no longer be able to receive welfare cash benefits.   More coverage can be found at the Tulsa World and Channel 6 from Tulsa.

Going to College

I was honored this weekend to be elected by the Oklahoma Republican Party as one of our party’s seven electors. When the Republican ticket wins Oklahoma in November (it has every year since 1968), then I will become one of the 538 members of the Electoral College, as provided for in Article II of the U.S. Constitution.

Update from the Capitol

We have now entered the final month of the 2012 legislative session.

Oklahoma’s legislative session is just one long process of elimination.   Deadlines come every few weeks, and what starts as 2,000 bills ends up being just a few hundred.   We are now coming down to the final weeks, and the bills that remain are few.

Today, two Senate bills I authored headed to the Governor’s desk for her consideration.   One ensures Bricktown’s continued growth as the state’s premier entertainment district, and the other formalizes Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan’s excellent SHINE program that forces convicted criminals to serve the community in productive ways.   The latter was named for late Oklahoma County employee Safari McDoulett.

Three House bills for which I served as Senate author have been signed by the Governor.   I also have a few other Senate and House bills still working their way through the legislative plumbing.

The Legislature as a whole still faces some big decisions, most notably the budget and the much-anticipated income tax cut.   I intend to do all I can to ensure that the size of our state government does not grow and that the tax cuts are as bold and aggressive as possible.

If you have any feedback in the coming weeks, don’t hesitate to contact me at (405) 521-5636 or Holt@oksenate.gov.

The Oklahoman: “Sign project helps identify route of ‘The Mother Road’”

The Oklahoman covers Senator David Holt’s Route 66 sign initiative here.

Senator Holt Praises Completion of Route 66 Signage Project

Today, Senator Holt praised the completion of a signage project marking Route 66 in Oklahoma City, a project he spearheaded.   The full story can be read here.

Two more bills headed to the Governor’s desk

Today, the House version of my Senate bill to move the Presidential primary to March 5, 2012 passed the Senate.  Also, my bill (SB 304) to name the Interstate 44 bridge over the Red River after President George W. Bush passed the House.   Both bills are now headed to the Governor.  More info on the primary can be found here and more info on the bridge can be found here.  McCarville Report’s coverage is here and here.

Fox 25: “Income Tax Changes”

Fox 25 in Oklahoma City interviews Senator Holt about income tax cuts here.

Business and Commerce

I was honored today to be named the Vice Chairman of the Senate and Business Committee.   Oklahoma’s business climate is on everyone’s mind right now, and I’m pleased to serve as Vice Chairman of a committee that will address the challenges head on.   My priority in this position will be to make sure Oklahoma has the friendliest environment for business in the nation.

Now It’s Really Official

My swearing-in in the Supreme Court chamber.

Today, I was sworn-in to the Oklahoma Senate.   We did a ceremony in the Supreme Court chamber first, with about 60 family and friends, including my two predecessors, Howard Hendrick and Glenn Coffee.   Justice James Winchester administered the oath, and Father Joseph Alsay of St. Augustine Episcopal Church delivered the invocation.  Rachel, George and my father joined me for the oath, and Rachel held the Holt family Bible.  Then, we did it again with the full Senate, and George joined me on the floor of the Senate chamber.   Then, in the afternoon I was honored to join Senate leadership as the Majority Caucus Vice Chairman.   It was a great day!

Governor Mike Huckabee

Me and Governor Huckabee

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was in Oklahoma City tonight.  My friend Scott Pruitt, former state senator and current managing partner of the Oklahoma City RedHawks, served as host. 

I first met Scott and his family when I gave them a tour of the West Wing of the White House around 2003, and we’ve stayed friends ever since.  Scott is very active with Governor Huckabee’s continuing efforts to elect conservative Republicans to office.

The event was at the Bricktown Ballpark during the RedHawks game.  My mayor, Mick Cornett, a Huckabee supporter, spoke.  And Scott was kind enough to introduce me to the assembled Huck fans.  The Governor spoke eloquently and with his usual charm about the current crippling deficit, the Fair Tax, and other topics.  He predicted gubernatorial victories this year in Virginia and New Jersey.  He talked about Huck PAC and his Fox News TV show.  And he sounded every bit the 2012 presidential candidate.

Lot of great Republicans there tonight, like GOP Chairman Gary Jones, Vice Chair Angie LaPlante, State Rep. Phil Richardson, Marc Nuttle, Sam Hammons and Crystal Drwenski, to name a few.  Thanks to Scott for putting on such a great event, and giving Oklahomans the opportunity to hear in person from Governor Huckabee.