OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) – The Oklahoma Legislature, as a whole, received a passing but not high grade when it comes to supporting legislation that will grow the state’s economy and workforce, according to this year’s RIED Report.
The State Chamber Research Foundation (SCRF) – a division of The State Chamber of Oklahoma – issued the 2024 RIED Report this week, giving the legislature a score of just over 75 percent for its voting record on pro-growth legislation during this past legislative session.
“The 2024 report shows that overall, Oklahoma has moved in an appropriate direction legislatively. The report details all of the pro- and anti-growth measures that we track, and where each legislator stands,” said Ben Lepak, SCRF Executive Director “I think there were a lot of missed opportunities this session. There are ways that the legislature could position our state to better compete with other states, with more and better targeted legislation.”
RIED profiles each state legislator’s individual voting record on bills that impact business, industry, job creation and economic growth issues that matter most to the private sector. Each legislator is graded on his or her vote on each bill.
This year’s report rated legislators based on their votes for 13 bills. The report found that seven legislators voted 100 percent “pro-growth” on those 13 bills, while 38 legislators voted over 90 percent pro-growth.
“This session was an important one for the state’s economy. We identified some leaders in both the Senate and the House, some true pro-growth champions, that can lead our state to greater heights,” said State Chamber President and CEO Chad Warmington. “We look forward to having their support as we head into 2025 and continue to push for reforms that will help grow our state’s economy.”
The following legislators received a perfect score for their pro-growth votes during the 2024 legislative session:
- Rep. John George
- Rep. Brian Hill
- Rep. Tammy Townley
- Sen. Bill Coleman
- Sen. Ally Seifried
- Sen. Roger Thompson
- Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat
RIED is the acronym for the Research Institute for Economic Development – an SCRF program that promotes economic growth through the evaluation of business, job and economic growth issues considered by the legislature.
Legislators are scored on their votes on economic bills at the end of each legislative session. Absences are not counted against the final score.
“Overall, I think the legislature was fairly pro-growth; the only anti-growth bill we scored was ultimately vetoed by the governor. However, both the Senate and House are trending slightly less pro-growth from 2023,” said Amanda Hall, RIED Director.
Two of the prominent bills scored in the 2024 report include Senate Bill 1447 and House Bill 3278.
SB 1447 establishes the Oklahoma Office of Economic Development, Growth and Expansion (OkEDGE) and the Division of Community Outreach and Revitalization Enterprise (CORE) within the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. The bill also creates a legislative committee to review certain incentive packages for relocating or expanding businesses. Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the bill into law in June.
HB 3278 establishes the Graduation Act of 2024. It reworks high school graduation requirements, giving students more flexibility in building their educational pathway so they can better become college, career or military ready. Stitt signed the bill into law in May.
RIED material is not an endorsement of legislators.
“Interested persons should formulate their own opinions relative to the data,” State Chamber officials said.
The full 2024 RIED Report is shared below:
