OKLAHOMA CITY – An economic initiative supported by two southwest Oklahoma legislators helped to reestablish the Oklahoma- Israel Exchange Commission, known as OKIE.
Reps. Trey Caldwell (R-Lawton) and Dick Lowe (R-Amber) were among the supporters of Senate Bill 729, which was a carryover bill from last year originally authored by Sen. Paul Rosino (R-Oklahoma City). In April, Rosino’s name was removed from the bill and Sen. Darrell Weaver (R-Oklahoma City) became the principal Senate author.
Gov. Kevin Stitt approved the proposal on June 14 and it will become effective on Nov. 1.
“Israel is one of the United States' best allies, and Oklahoma has had a longstanding relationship with the Israeli people,” Rep. Mark McBride (R-Moore), co-sponsor of the measure, said in a legislative press release. “This bill would help us better facilitate economic exchange with this important trade partner, including in the technology sector, which would greatly benefit our state.”
The intent of the commission is to foster cooperation between the people of Israel and of Oklahoma on projects of mutual benefit, stated text of the new law. The projects include exchange in the a reas of agriculture, industry, trade and commerce, energy research, and education and cultural differences.
Groundwork for OKIE was originally established over 30 years ago when then-Gov. David Walters signed a joint resolution with the Israeli Consul General. A history section at the website okisraelexchange. com explains this was the result after a group of about 20 participants from Oklahoma City and Tulsa traveled to Israel in August 1992 and met with government officials. It became an official nonprofit organization during the administration of then-Gov. Frank Keating in 1997.
Music education became the f irst exchange after the Walters mission when an ongoing educational exchange between Oklahoma City University School of Music and HED Music School/Ono College in Tel Aviv was launched. In 2003, the exchange began to tap into the Israeli talent pool and promote joint Oklahoma- based ventures.
Edie Roodman, executive director of OKIE, recently told Carla Hinton at The Oklahoman that the exchange was defunded due to state budget cuts when Mary Fallin was governor. It had been funded under the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Roodman said in the June article that she was “cautiously optimistic that Gov. Kevin Stitt would sign SB 729 into law because he has been a strong supporter of Israel.”
In 2023, Oklahoma’s exports to Israel totaled $83,817,380, according to statistics at jewishvirtuallibrary. org/oklahoma-israel- cooperation. Total exports to Israel from the time period of 1996 to 2023 to tal $1,093,549,142. The latest data showed that in 2015, Oklahoma companies received more than $1 million in foreign military financing to provide material for the Israeli Defense Forces.
Online documents show that since 1996, Oklahoma companies have received nearly $20 million in FMF. Those companies include Starline Inc. in Bethany, OCV Control Valves in Tulsa and Overbilt Trailer Co. in Drumright.
The revival of the exchange venture, SB 729, establishes that the commission will be located in J erusalem and be made up of nine member s, who would not all be required to be in I srael. The members will be appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, speaker of the House of Representatives and the governor.
Each member must be a representative of either an Oklahoma public institution of higher learning, the Israeli-American community in the state , an Oklahoma industry engaged in or see king to engage in trade with Israel or a tr ade association engaged in or seeking to engage in trade with Israel. Legislative members will serve a two-year term.
Information at jewishvirtuallibrary. org notes that a good way to break into the Israeli market is through a joint venture with an Israeli company. Funding for such projects is available from the Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation.