Sen. Matthews opposes legislation to remove affirmative action from Dept. of Wildlife Conservation

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa, voiced his opposition to legislation ordering the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission to end affirmative action at the Department of Wildlife and Conservation, even though women and minorities remain greatly unrepresented. SB 1840 was approved by the Senate Tourism and Wildlife Committee on Monday.

“No one has been able to show me an example of someone getting a job they weren’t qualified for because of affirmative action, and I contend that’s because it hasn’t been an issue, but data provided from the Department of Wildlife shows there is a problem with underrepresentation of minorities and women,” Matthews said.

Data provided from the department in 2023 showed that 78.6% of their employees were male, and just over 85% were white. The employment data showed that of the 341 employees:

• 290 were white
• Three were Latino
• Four were Black
• 37 were American Indian or Alaska Native
• 21.4% of all employees were female

“Having an affirmative action plan simply ensures that qualified people, including women and minorities, receive information about employment opportunities,” Matthews said. “Having a more accurate representation of qualified women and minorities on staff brings important perspectives to an agency’s culture and service. Removing this language from our statutes is a step backwards for Oklahoma.”

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For more information, contact:  Sen. Kevin Matthews at 918-955-2283 or Kevin.Matthews@oksenate.gov.