OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — Rep. Kyle Hilbert officially became the youngest House of Representatives speaker in Oklahoma history.
Members of the House of Representatives elected Hilbert, R-Bristow, to serve as speaker of the House for the 60th Oklahoma Legislature this week. The House also elected Rep. Anthony Moore to serve as speaker pro-tempore.
“I am excited and deeply humbled to serve the state of Oklahoma in this capacity,” said Hilbert. “This is not a responsibility I take lightly. Our state faces enormous challenges. Many of these won’t be solved overnight or even during our time in the Legislature. But our calling is greater: to tackle generational challenges, even if we don’t see the solutions come to fruition during our tenure.”
Hilbert, who is 30 years old, is the youngest House speaker in Oklahoma state history and the second Republican speaker 30 years old or younger in any state since 1873.
Moore said he is honored to serve as speaker pro tempore, the second-highest ranking officer in the House. Moore will assist Hilbert in managing the legislative agenda, guiding bills through the legislative process and coordinating with committees.
“I am truly grateful for this opportunity given to me by my peers and I am eager to get to work with Speaker Hilbert,” Moore said. “Together, we will focus on strengthening our state’s economy and addressing the needs of all Oklahomans—whether in schools, on our roads, in hospitals, workplaces, or public service agencies. The best days for Oklahoma are still ahead.”
The Oklahoma House of Representatives Republican Caucus elected Hilbert to serve as the House’s speaker-elect for the upcoming 60th Legislature in November.
As speaker, Hilbert will be the House’s presiding officer. His responsibilities will include committee appointments, the flow of legislation and management of the House budget and staff. He will also be an ex-officio voting member on all House committees.
He was elected in 2016 to represent House District 29, which contains portions of rural Creek and Tulsa counties. He has authored more than 40 bills that have been signed into law since becoming a representative.
Hilbert accomplished the following as a representative:
- Wrote DRIVE Act, which moved Oklahoma’s transportation funding into the 21st century;
- Spearheaded modernization of Oklahoma’s ad valorem tax reimbursement system;
- Led the effort to create and implement a transparent process for the distribution of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to targeted and transformational projects across the state; and
- Authored the Redbud School Funding Act, which directs a portion of marijuana tax revenue to school districts with below-average local property taxes, enabling them to address urgent infrastructure needs. The act also stopped countless lawsuits in their tracks as it settled longstanding questions of funding disparity amongst public schools.
Hilbert said he looks forward to working with Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, who was officially elected Senate President Pro Tempore this week.
“I have worked closely with Sen. Paxton on significant legislation – including combatting ghost employees and allowing gubernatorial appointment when there is a U.S. Senate vacancy – and look forward to partnering with him and Gov. Stitt as we build on the momentum from Election day for a conservative vision for Oklahoma,” he said.
The first regular session of the 60th Legislature convenes on Monday, February 3, 2025.
