Stephens to serve as vice chair of Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Blake “Cowboy” Stephens, R-Tahlequah, will serve as the vice chair for the Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary for the 59^th Legislature. He will also serve on the Aeronautics and Transportation, Tourism and Wildlife, Public Safety, and Appropriations Committees.

“I am proud to hold this vice chairmanship for the next two years, and I am especially looking forward to hearing sensible legislation as it relates to our state budget and the operations of the state agencies we cover,” Stephens said.

As vice chair, Stephens will take part in overseeing appropriations for 17 state agencies that fall under the subcommittee, including the Department of Corrections, Department of Public Safety, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The Appropriations Committee reviews not only budget bills, but policy legislation that may have an impact on state revenues as well.

The Aeronautics and Transportation Committee handles policy related to roads, bridges, turnpikes and other transportation methods in the state such as airports, railways and waterways. The committee also reviews legislative issues pertaining to Oklahoma’s aeronautic industry, which is the state’s second largest industry, contributing billions to Oklahoma’s economy.

The Public Safety Committee looks at measures ranging from driver’s licenses and vehicles to law enforcement and corrections, along with firearms legislation. Stephens will also hold a seat on the Tourism and Wildlife Committee, which he added some may notice is structured differently than previous sessions, as Wildlife was previously paired with Agriculture.

“I’m very pleased with my assignments and plan to hit the ground running when we start holding regular meetings in February. I have one simple goal for my role in these committees, and it is to serve the best interests of our state and the wonderful people in it,” Stephens said.

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For more information, contact:
Sen. Blake Stephens at 405-521-5574, or email Blake.Stephens@oksenate.gov