OKLAHOMA CITY – Addressing the issue of tax cuts and working with Gov. Kevin Stitt to reduce the personal income tax is a top priority for new Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle).
In recent interviews with Oklahoma City television and print media, Paxton reviewed past budget struggles and the opposition to personal income tax reduction. He said it will be done, hopefully in this legislative session, in a responsible and enduring way.
“There are multiple versions of tax cuts out there,” Paxton said in an interview on KFOR’s Flash Point. “I am a proponent of an income tax cut,” he said, referring to the numerous pre-filed bills addressing taxes. The deadline to pre-file bills was Jan. 16 and the first regular session of the Oklahoma 60th Legislature will begin at noon Monday, Feb. 3, with the State of the State address from Stitt.
“Last year, we passed the largest tax cut in the history of the State of Oklahoma by eliminating the state portion of the grocery tax. Now we’re going to come in here and talk about an income tax this year.
“Now, the thing is how much do we do? Both (House) Speaker (Kyle) Hilbert and myself came into the Legislature in 2016 and endured two years of very tight budgets; $600 million dollar deficit; $1.1 billion deficit. We were there when we didn’t have the money to operate the state. We don’t want to put ourselves back in that position,” he said.
Paxton told the news show hosts that it seems like a lot of the state agencies received top priority in the last several years on the list of things to take care of and “taxpayers kind of come in last. Maybe this is the year we move the taxpayers up to the top. But we’re going to do it in a way that’s responsible and will be enduring. I want to make sure we do it in a way that’s extremely responsible, not just for this year or next year, but for five, 10, 20 years to come.”
The governor proposed a .25% (quarter of a cent) tax cut on Oklahoma’s state income tax in his 2024 State of the State address. Amid nonproductive negotiations with former Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, Stitt took that proposal off the table as the legislative session progressed. He revised his request and asked for an elimination of all personal income tax brackets except for the 4.75% bracket. By the end of the session in May, only the state’s portion of the grocery tax was repealed. No other tax cut proposals were approved.
2025 pre-filed bills, resolutions Paxton submitted 32 proposed bills and two Senate Joint Resolutions. A joint resolution is passed by both chambers of the Legislature which, if signed by the governor, has the force and effect of law. The two pre-filed resolutions by Paxton include: Senate Joint Resolution 6, which would be a constitutional amendment pertaining to the Commissioner of Labor. It would amend Section 1 of Article 6 of the law and would direct the governor to appoint the Commissioner of Labor by and with the consent of the Senate. The first appointment would be made upon the expiration of the term of the person elected in 2022. The proposal would also amend Section 4 of Article 6, which would remove the term limits for the Commissioner of Labor.
SJR 7, would also be a constitutional amendment and pertains to the Insurance Commissioner. It would amend Sections 1 and 23 of Article 6 in the Oklahoma statutes and direct the governor to appoint the Insurance Commissioner by and with the consent of the Senate. The first appointment would be made upon expiration of the term of the person elected in 2026 and removes term limits for the position.
Topics of the 32 pre-filed bills submitted by Paxton include medical marijuana, business courts, elections, public utilities, the State Election Board, the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System, the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement Act, the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act, boards and commissions, teachers, tobacco products, a motor vehicle repair consumer protection act and an income tax credit. Southwest Ledger will follow these proposals as the legislative session progresses over the next several months.
Other southwest Oklahoma legislators have also pre-filed multiple bills before the deadline. They include: Sen. Brent Howard (R-Altus) pre-filed 23 proposals on topics ranging from prison and reformatories, income tax, judicial officers and retirement, governmental tort claims, water and water rights, data privacy, county election boards, open records, property and critical infrastructure, alcohol licensure, healthcare and prescription drug pricing.
The Ledger will follow these proposals as the legislative session progresses over the next several months, in addition to the following proposals by southwest Oklahoma’s two new senators who were recently seated.
Sen. Spencer Kern (R-Duncan) pre-filed six proposals on topics ranging from contractors, district courts, healthcare, sales transactions, fish and wildlife and agriculture. Sen. Kendal Sacchieri (R-Blanchard) pre-filed 15 proposals on topics ranging from the environment, firearms, state government, childcare, income tax, ad valorem tax, used motor vehicles, schools, bonds, the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, ballots and sinking funds.
Overall Senate bill statistics Legislative statistics show the following senate committees and the number of pre-filed measures each has received. They are: Education - 201; Judiciary, 182; Health and Human Services, 169; Rules, 104; and General Government, 102.
Statistics also show the most viewed and monitored Senate pre-filed bill is SB 484, which pertains to municipalities and would prohibit certain municipalities from maintaining certain services. The measure was submitted by Sen. Lisa Standridge (R-Norman) and addresses the definition of “homeless” and “homeless shelters” and what municipalities can provide temporary housing and services based on the city’s population.
Overall, more than 3,100 measures have been pre-filed between both chambers of the legislature prior to the start of the new session on Feb. 3.