Sen. District 8’s Press Releases

At the heart of it, the state’s budget is about the people and the services they depend on, from public safety to mental health, education, and other vital programs and services.  For the past year, I’ve been working with my Senate Appropriations subcommittee chairs, along with our counterparts in the House, to write a budget that is driven by the philosophy that the budget is not just a spreadsheet about money – it’s about people and how these investments impact lives and shape our state’s future.  What are the needs throughout Oklahoma, and how best can we me

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, said he is drafting legislation restoring powers to the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission, including the ability to hire and fire the agency’s executive director and restoring oversight of contracts and financial expenditures. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – The full Senate gave approval Thursday to House Bill 4455, creating the Large-scale Economic Activity and Development (LEAD) Act of 2022, aimed at securing a massive manufacturing facility to Oklahoma which will create a minimum 4,000 direct jobs.  Once indirect jobs are factored in, that number could more than double to up to10,000 jobs.  Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, is the Senate principal author of the measure.The House principal author is Rep.

Equalization certified that the Legislature would have more than $10.4 billion available to appropriate for Fiscal Year 2023, which begins this July 1.  A lot of people are very excited about that figure, including me.   But when we start drilling down into those numbers, what we’ve learned from past budget years and how we prepare for those to come, it’s clear we need to take a thoughtful, conservative approach.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson has won full Senate approval for a bill aimed at moving district court funding from fees to appropriated funding through the Legislature.  Senate Bill 1458 would eliminate a slate of fines and fees currently charged upon conviction.

OKLAHOMA CITY –The Oklahoma Senate approved a resolution Monday affirming the historical ties between the state and the people of Ukraine and supporting their fight against the violent and illegal Russian invasion.  Senate Resolution 27 was introduced by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, issued the following statement after the Oklahoma State Board of Equalization (BOE) met on Tuesday to certify revenues available for appropriation for the Fiscal Year 2023 budget.

For several months now, state revenues have been rolling in above the estimates, pointing to a bright economic future for Oklahoma.

OKLAHOMA CITY – On the heels of Tuesday’s advisory by the U.S.

OKLAHOMA CITY –Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson is applauding a federal court decision backing Oklahoma’s fight to stop the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates for private health care workers.  He says the action proves the Legislature took the right steps last session in appropriating additional funds to fight federal overreach.