Statement from Senate Democrats on governor’s State of the State address

OKLAHOMA CITY –Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, issued the following statement on behalf of the Senate Democratic Caucus following the governor’s State of the State address:

“The governor gave a partisan and highly divisive speech that was more about politics than solutions. That is not the approach Oklahomans need right now. Instead, we should prioritize our state's real challenges.

“Our caucus has five priorities this session: protect and support students and teachers; help Oklahomans find good jobs and pay their bills; make it easier to get the healthcare you need; improve neighborhood safety with smart criminal justice reforms; and give every Oklahoman a fair shot regardless of their race or ethnicity.

“Rather than siphoning taxpayer dollars into a voucher scheme that will defund schools, we are calling on our colleagues to put the $4 billion in savings they are so proud of to good use addressing real problems like COVID learning loss and employment shortages in education and healthcare.

“We are gravely disappointed that the governor and his colleagues continue to attack Oklahomans’ access to the healthcare they need and the right of patients and doctors to choose what’s best for themselves.

“Our caucus will continue to work diligently to improve the lives of Oklahomans in a meaningful way. I sincerely hope the governor and our colleagues in the Legislature will join us in that effort.”

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