Pro Tem Treat Comments on Sine Die Adjournment of 59th Regular Session

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, today released the following statement and highlights on the conclusion of the 59^th Oklahoma Legislature’s regular session.

“As we conclude another legislative session, it is a time of reflection and looking forward,” Pro Tem Treat said. “I am confident that I am exiting my term on a high note and leaving my position as pro tem in a mindset of peace and gratitude. I have always wanted to leave my service with the Senate and state in a better place than when I came into office. I am appreciative to those in my district who have entrusted me to serve as their senator in District 47 over the last 14 years. They put their confidence in me and have allowed me to be here since 2011 and I could not be more thankful for them entrusting me in this role. I am also thankful to all of the members who voted for me to serve as pro tempore of the Senate since 2019. I would be remiss if I didn’t extend my gratitude to the love of my life, Maressa, who has been by my side during this entire journey, as well as our children, Mason, Cooper and Olivia. My family is the most important part of my life and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without their love and support.  

“Together, with my family by my side and my Senate family, we have many accomplishments that we can be proud of and I can be confident to say that I am leaving the Senate better than I found it.”

2024 Senate Legislative Accomplishments

Car Tag Legislation

• Senate Bill 2035, the Mason Treat Act, creates a new system for temporary license plates on vehicles sold in the state, whether from a dealer or through private sale. 

• This change became Pro Tem Treat’s top priority after his 16-year-old son was involved in a near-deadly accident during a traffic stop on I-40 that was initiated due to there not being a tag on his car. While his car was legally owned and he had all the proper documentation, he didn’t have a tag on his car due to current law.

Transparent budget process

• The Senate made history by implementing a new process to make crafting a state budget transparent from beginning to end.

• This allowed the public and the press to have a behind-the-scenes look at every step in the Senate’s process, starting with discussing state agency budget requests and ending with negotiating with the House and the governor.

Immigration

• House Bill 4156 cracks down on illegal immigration in Oklahoma at a time when the Biden administration has failed to secure the U.S.-Mexico border.

• This critical public safety measure makes it a crime for illegal immigrants to be present in the state and includes misdemeanor and felony penalties for those found to be in violation of the law.

Grocery Tax Cut 

• Senate Bill 1283 eliminates the state portion of the grocery tax. Oklahoma was one of only 13 states to still impose this tax. 

• Senate Bill 1283 is the largest tax cut in state history.

• Once it goes into effect in the fall, Oklahomans will begin seeing immediate relief every time they go to the grocery store, saving average families 5.5 times more when compared to a 0.25% tax cut. City and county taxes still apply.

Survivors Act 

• The Survivor’s Act, or Senate Bill 1835, protects victims of domestic violence.

• The measure directs a court to consider as a mitigating factor that the person has been abused physically, sexually, or psychologically by the person’s sexual partner, family member or member of the household, the trafficker of the person or other individual who used the person for financial gain when being sentenced.

Increasing Criminal Punishment for Strangulation 

• Senate Bill 1211 increases the maximum time of imprisonment for strangulation offenses from three years to 10 years. 

• This legislation was necessary to offer protection for victims of this abhorrent crime as strangulation is often a precursor to more severe or even fatal forms of abuse. 

 Tornado recovery funds

• House Bill 2912 created a new revolving fund for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management to help local governments in communities hit by tornadoes.

• House Bill 2913 appropriated $45 million to help the state and storm-ravaged communities approved for FEMA assistance unlock federal disaster relief funds.

Public safety

• Senate Bill 1457 ensures first responders are eligible for paid leave and mental health treatment if a physician diagnoses them with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of their work in the line of duty. 

• Senate Bill 1658 eliminates the statute of limitations in rape cases when DNA evidence emerges or a suspect confesses to the crime to ensure rape victims get justice, regardless of how much time has passed.  

Increasing penalties for retail thefts

• Senate Bill 1877 allows law enforcement to aggregate the value of items stolen over a 180-day period in order to target repeat offenders and crack down on organized retail thefts.

• In an effort to protect frontline employees and retailers, Senate Bill 1735 expands the definition of second-degree burglary to include entering areas of businesses commonly reserved for personnel. Someone who enters such a restricted area with the intent to commit a crime may be charged with a misdemeanor for the first offense and a felony for subsequent offenses. 

Criminal justice reform

• Senate Bill 11 allows incarcerated Oklahomans to apply for tuition assistance and financial aid when they are close to completing their prison sentence. This encourages inmates to learn new skills or trades while incarcerated and helps them enroll in a degree program that can make it easier for them to find a job.

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