Sen. Sharp receives perfect score on children’s issues during 57th Legislature

OKLAHOMA CITY – Each year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) tracks legislators’ votes on bills relating to the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma’s children.  Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, was one of only eight legislators out of 149 who received a perfect score for the 57^th Legislature, which included both the 2019 and 2020 legislative sessions.

“I spent most of my life in the classroom because my passion is helping children learn and reach their full potential.  Teachers, however, have more lessons to teach than just what’s in the textbooks. We’re counselors, disciplinarians, mentors and protectors,” Sharp said.  “Being in the legislature has given me the opportunity to help not just the kids in one school district, but around the entire state and on many more issues. I’m so proud of the work we’ve accomplished in recent years to protect the health and safety of Oklahoma’s youth and to help ensure they have a bright future.”

The OICA legislative scorecard included seven measures (HB 1282, HB 1276, HB 2804, SB 1436, HB 3251, HB 2791, SB 1303 and HJR 1040) from the 2020 legislative session. A “YES” vote on the first six bills and a “NO” vote on HJR 1040 were considered pro-child votes.  Legislators’ actions on these bills was added along with those 2019 bills selected by the OICA to come up with average pro-child scores for the 57^th Legislature.

Sharp was the co-author of HB 1276, which struck language allowing the courts to revoke or suspend a drivers or professional license for noncompliance with a child support order.  

“While I understand the need to hold those who don’t pay their child support accountable, taking away their driving privileges was not logical. People need a job to pay child support and to keep their job, they have to be able to drive to get there,” Sharp said.  “This was a commonsense measure, and I’m glad it passed unanimously through the legislature.”

The OICA legislative scorecard can be found at http://oica.org/2019-legislative-scorecard/.

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For more information, contact: Sen. Sharp: (405) 521-5539 or Ron.Sharp@oksenate.gov

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