by Jessica Dietrich, Director of Government Relations and Public Policy, and Bailey Ashbaker, Senior Policy Analyst and Engagement Specialist
State Updates:
Season’s greetings from the Policy Team at Hunger Free Oklahoma! The year is winding down, but advocates are warming up to get ready for another state legislative session. Coming off the November elections, there are a lot of questions about the energy in the Legislature. There are a lot of new leadership and freshman legislators, so this session will be a great opportunity for building relationships and establishing connections.
The Senate has announced there will be 17 standing committees, one more than existed during the 59th Legislature. Senate Pro Tem Designee Paxton created one new committee: Local and County Government. Senator Paxton pulled apart the Tourism and Wildlife Committee and added wildlife issues to Agriculture and Rural Development, recreating the Agriculture and Wildlife Committee and removing the reference to rural development, and created the Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism Committee.
Senator Paxton also split up the Retirement and Insurance Committee’s jurisdiction, creating the Retirement and Government Resources Committee and adding insurance issues to what had been the Business and Commerce Committee. It will now be called the Business and Insurance Committee.
The Senate Finance Committee becomes the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee under Senator Paxton’s committee structure.
Legislative Calendars and Deadlines
- Bill Request Deadline – December 6, 2024
- Fiscal Bill Filing Deadline – December 20, 2024
- Bill Introduction Deadline – January 16, 2025
- Session Begins – February 3, 2025
- Session Adjourns – May 30, 2025
View the 2025 Senate Committee and Appropriations Subcommittees Chairs and Vice Chairs here.
Summer Meals Regional Convenings 2025
Hunger Free Oklahoma is excited to announce another series of Summer Meals Regional Convenings for 2025! Our Convening Planning Team is hard at work prepping programming and content for all those interested in summer meals and feeding programs. Here are the tentative dates and locations for the events
- Woodward – Thursday, January 23, 2025
- McAlester – Thursday, February 13, 2025
- Ponca City – Thursday, February 27, 2025
More in-depth details coming soon! Email Alissa Snider or Treasure Standeford for more information.
Federal Policy Updates:
Federal Budget and Farm Bill
Congress will need to pass a continuing resolution (CR) no later than Friday, December 20, 2024, to avoid a government shutdown. Congressional leadership is reportedly in agreement on a funding extension into March 2025, but there continue to be disagreements over additional what additional items will be included in the must-pass funding extension. At this time, it appears that a Farm Bill extension into 2025 will be one of the items included in the final CR text. As a reminder, Congress did not pass a Farm Bill by its September 30, 2024, deadline. Congress needs to extend the current Farm Bill before January 1, 2025, to avoid disruptions to several Farm Bill programs.
SNAP Benefit Theft
SNAP benefit theft has been on the rise nationwide. Until recent Congressional action, stolen benefits would not be replaced. The stolen benefit replacement provision was set to expire September 30, 2024, but was extended in the federal budget extension that goes through December 20. At this time, we believe an extension of stolen benefit replacement will likely be included in the CR mentioned above. HFO strongly supports a permanent extension of the replacement benefit provision to ensure families can continue to receive the assistance they need. HFO also supports security measures that safeguard EBT cards and users against benefit theft.
2025 Senate Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs:
Agriculture and Wildlife – Mondays at 10 a.m. in room 230
- Senator Casey Murdock, Chair
- Senator Roland Pederson, Vice Chair
Aerospace and Transportation – Mondays at 10 a.m. in room 535
- Senator Darcy Jech, Chair
- Senator Avery Frix, Vice Chair
Revenue and Taxation – Mondays at 1:30 p.m. (or after session) in room 4S.9
- Senator Dave Rader, Chair
- Senator Dusty Deevers, Vice Chair
Health and Human Services – Mondays at 1:30 p.m. (or after session) in room 535
- Senator Paul Rosino, Chair
- Senator Brenda Stanley, Vice Chair
Public Safety – Tuesdays at 9 a.m. in room 230
- Senator Darrell Weaver, Chair
- Senator Warren Hamilton, Vice Chair
Education – Tuesdays at 10 a.m. in room 535
- Senator Adam Pugh, Chair
- Senator Ally Seifried, Vice Chair
Retirement and Government Resources – Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. in room 4S.9
- Senator David Bullard, Chair
- Senator Micheal Bergstrom, Vice Chair
Judiciary – Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. (or after session) in room 4S.9
- Senator Brent Howard, Chair
- Senator Todd Gollihare, Vice Chair
Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism – Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. (or after session) in room 535
- Senator Kristen Thompson, Chair
- Senator Bill Coleman, Vice Chair
Local and County Government – Tuesdays after adjournment of Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism in room 230
- Senator Warren Hamilton, Chair
- Senator George Burns, Vice Chair
Rules – Wednesdays at the call of the chair in room 535
- Senator Adam Pugh, Chair
- Senator Dave Rader, Vice Chair
Appropriations – Wednesdays at the call of the chair in room 535
- Senator Chuck Hall, Chair
- Senator John Haste, Vice Chair
Business and Insurance – Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. (or after session) in room 535
- Senator Bill Coleman, Chair
- Senator Jerry Alvord, Vice Chair
Energy – Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. (or after session) in room 230
- Senator Grant Green, Chair
- Senator Tom Woods, Vice Chair
Technology and Telecommunications – Thursdays after adjournment of Energy in room 4S.9
- Senator Ally Seifried, Chair
- Senator Darcy Jech, Vice Chair
Administrative Rules – Thursdays at the call of the chair in room 4S.9
- Senator Micheal Bergstrom, Chair
- Senator Shane Jett, Vice Chair
Veterans and Military Affairs – Thursdays at the call of the chair in room 535
- Senator Brenda Stanley, Chair
- Senator Tom Woods, Vice Chair
2025 Appropriations Subcommittees Chairs and Vice Chairs:
Health and Human Services – Wednesdays at 10 a.m. in room 535
- Senator Paul Rosino, Chair
- Senator Brenda Stanley, Vice Chair
Natural Resources – Wednesdays at 10 a.m. in room 230
- Senator Kristen Thompson, Chair
- Senator Casey Murdock, Vice Chair
OMES – Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. (or after session) in room 5S.3
- Senator Grant Green, Chair
- Senator Jack Stewart, Vice Chair
Select Agencies – Wednesdays at 9 a.m. in room 4S.9
- Senator Roland Pederson, Chair
- Senator Dana Prieto, Vice Chair
Public Safety and Judiciary – Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. (or after session) in room 230
- Senator Todd Gollihare, Chair
- Senator Brent Howard, Vice Chair
Education – Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. (or after session) in room 535
- Senator Adam Pugh, Chair
- Senator Ally Seifried, Vice Chair
General Government and Transportation – Wednesdays at 1:30 (or after session) in room 4S.9
- Senator Tom Woods, Chair
- Senator Darrell Weaver, Vice Chair
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