Sen. District 8’s Press Releases

The Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday gave final approval to the state budget, which includes huge investments in public school classrooms, a teacher and state employee pay raise, as well as significant investments in criminal justice reforms all while saving $200 million.

The Fiscal Year 2020 budget bill, House Bill 2765, passed on a 37-11 vote.
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State Sen. Roger Thompson has been chosen to serve on the Executive Committee of the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) of The Council of State Governments (CSG). Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat appointed Thompson to the panel, and to the organizations’ Fiscal Affairs and Government Operations Committee.

A bill designed to promote innovation without risking tax dollars has been approved by the Senate and is now heading to the governor for his consideration. Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson is Senate principal author of House Bill 2670, the Pay for Success Act, which was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate Tuesday. The House principal author for the measure is Rep. Kevin Wallace, Chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee.
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The full Senate has given unanimous approval in the Senate for legislation exempting the American Legion from state sales taxes on goods and services. House Bill 1003, by Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson and House Majority Leader Mike Sanders, was approved by the full Senate on Wednesday.
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State Sen. Roger Thompson has been appointed to the Budgets and Revenue Committee for the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).  Thompson, who chairs the Oklahoma State Senate’s Appropriations Committee, was appointed by NCSL leadership.

The committee’s jurisdictional areas include federal and state policies with fiscal implications, including funding for services and programs, budget processes, tax and revenue systems, legislative oversight, unfunded mandates and state-local fiscal relations.  

The full Senate has given unanimous approval to a bill to give court reporters throughout the state a $2,000 pay increase. State Sen. Roger Thompson is the author of SB 349 which was approved by the Senate Wednesday. Thompson, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said because court reporters’ salaries are specified in Oklahoma statute, last year’s state employee pay increase didn’t apply to them. He said it was a technicality that needed to be corrected.
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The Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved a bill by Senators Roger Thompson and Wayne Shaw that would permit state agencies to enter into pay-for-success contracts with private entities if there is a public benefit to the state.

Senate Bill 210 sets out the conditions for pay-for-success funding models made between state agencies and private entities. Under the measure, pay-for-success contracts must identify performance targets and outcomes against which the program can be measured to determine quantifiable public benefits or monetary savings.
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Members of the Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday voted Senator Greg Treat as president pro tempore, the chamber’s top leadership post.

Treat previously served as the majority floor leader, the Senate’s second-highest leadership office, and was selected by Senate Republicans last year as their choice to lead the Senate. On Tuesday during organizational day, the entire Senate made it official and voted to name Treat as the Senate leader.
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OKLAHOMA CITY Senate leadership on Wednesday were cautiously optimistic about next years budget after a state board certified an estimated $612 million in new funding for the upcoming budget year.

However, Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat and Senate Appropriations Chairman Roger Thompson both said lawmakers and the public should not set unattainable expectations for next year.

Sen. Roger Thompson said he is continually tracking economic factors that impact the state budget as he prepares for the upcoming legislative session.  It was announced in June that Thompson, R-Okemah, will serve as Senate Appropriations Chair in the 57th Legislature, filling one of the most crucial roles in state government.

Thompson said in recent years, all members of the Senate have been appointed to the full Appropriations Committee.  This year, there will be just 16 members, including the chair and vice chair.