Jan. 16 was the deadline for legislation to be filed for the First Session of the 60th Legislature, which starts Feb. 3.
House members filed a total of 1,928 bills, 29 joint resolutions, three resolutions, and two concurrent resolutions. Senators filed 1,124 bills and 17 joint resolutions. The speaker of the House and the president pro tem of the Senate can file bills at any time.
The next step for each measure will be a first and second reading in the chamber of origin. These readings are constitutionally required to happen on separate legislative days. Then we have several weeks of committee hearings before bills are eligible to be heard on the House floor. So, the start of session can feel a bit like watching paint dry for those who are watching. We gavel in and out of session quickly for the first several days, even weeks, but much is happening in committee rooms during this time.
Of course, we have the pomp and circumstance on the first day of session of convening the House and Senate in joint session to hear the governor’s annual State of the State address. This is where the governor touts his successes from the last year and lays out his priorities for the coming year. While he will present his budget request, it’s important to know that budget bills originate and have to pass in the Legislature. The governor can then pass or veto any part of the final budget.
For policy bills, they will be assigned to various committees where they must pass before advancing to be considered for a vote on the floor in their chamber of origin.
In the House this year, we have a two-step committee process for policy bills, much like what we already require for appropriations and budget bills. Once a bill passes in regular committee, it must pass an oversight committee before being eligible to be heard on the floor.
Once bills pass in their chamber of origin, they must undergo the same reading, committee and floor vote process in the opposite chamber. If they pass both the House and Senate, they are sent to the governor for his consideration of signing them into law.
Even though we have more than 3,000 measures to consider this year, only about 400 of those are likely to make it through the full legislative process to become law. This is by design. We don’t need 3,000 new laws no matter how wellintentioned.
In my next column, I’ll detail the legislation I’ve filed this session.
In the meantime, if I can help you with anything, please do not hesitatetoreachout:(405)557-7383 or Josh.Cantrell@OKHouse.gov.
Remember, if I can help you with anything, please do not hesitate to reach out: (405) 557-7383 or Josh. Cantrell@OKHouse.gov.
Josh Cantrell serves District 49 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes Love County and parts of Carter and Marshall counties.