Activities at the State Capitol were brought home to their districts by State Senator Kendal Sacchieri (RBlanchard) and State Representative Johnathan Wilk (R-Goldsby) at the Library Community Room last week.
The elected officials were the guests of the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce for their annual State of the State Luncheon on Tuesday, August 26.
Sacchieri said the legislature was able to get a reduction of a quarter point in the state personal income tax, and a mechanism to trigger other decreases as the state grows. She said the state showed a growth in revenue for the month of July.
She said the Senate also considered establishment of a business court, court reform, administrative rules, economic development, education outcomes, and energy generation.
The education reforms included adopting a policy on no cell phones from bell to bell.
Sacchieri said the Senate reigned in the legislature’s rules-making processes and gave it back to the elected officials. They also were able to modify the Tort Claims Act.
She said the Senate had a record number of veto overrides — 47 votes on topics ranging from medical procedures, prescriptions, criminal law, regulations of business, and establishment of license plates.
“We provided a 1.58% increase in education funding compared to last year,” Sacchieri said. “We allocated $4 million to provide an increase in teacher maternity leave, and we passed a reform to the Oklahoma’s Promise program for teachers, which allows the children of seasoned teachers to qualify.”
She said they also allocated $20 million to the road fund for the Department of Transportation, and provided a $15 million increase to the Department of Public Safety to pay for increased intake at the OHP Academy.
Sacchieri said she partnered with State Representative Jonathan Willk on SB20, the Safe Roads and Trucking Act of 2025, which ensures that tractor trailer drivers in Oklahoma are proficient in speaking English, have a proper Visa or proof of citizenship.
Representative Wilk said he would skip discussing what happened last year at the Capitol since Sacchieri had already covered it so well. Instead, he said he would focus on what is to come.
Wilk said property taxes are a big part of the discussion because the public doesn’t support them, but there are things that the State is going to have to find a way to do. He said building the Mid-America Vocational Technology Center north site is among those.
“We’ve contacted the Department of Commerce, and we’re going to try to leverage some funds that the business leaders will put forward to try to get the Vo-Tech system built, because we need it,” Wilk said. “Don’t believe everything you hear just because there’s something being discussed up there (at the Capitol). It’s a long way from getting done.”
He also mentioned that discussions in Oklahoma City would also be on funding mechanisms for schools.
Wilk said another big topic will be the Medicare and Medicaid expansion that was put in Oklahoma’s Constitution. He said it was originally set up to be 10% state funds and 90% federal funds, but this is no longer sustainable on the federal level. He added that it may get to be possibly a 60/40 split.
Wilk said he also has been talking with ODOT on expansion of Country Club Road, or at least the turnpike in the area, in Newcastle.
Both Sacchieri and Wilk said if there are any questions, complaints or concerns, to please reach out to them.
State Senator Kendal Sacchieri (R-Blanchard) was one of the keynote speakers for the State of the State Luncheon, prepared by the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce. For her discussion, she outlined her work at the State Capitol during the last session, and highlighted some of the focus for the next session. • photo by Mark Codner
Joshua Hinkle, representing First United Bank at State Highway 9, provided information on the bank and its activities. First United was the main sponsor for the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce State of the State Luncheon. • photo by Mark Codner
State Representative Jonathan Wilk (R-Goldsby) gave an update on House of Representatives’ activities at the State Capitol in Oklahoma City during the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce State of the State Luncheon. • photo by Mark Codner
