Capitol Week In Review: Election Filing Deadline Brings 500+ New Candidates

Friday was the deadline for candidates to file for office in Oklahoma. The primary election is set for June 28.

Over 500 people filed to run for election this week, and some big names are expected to be on the ballot.

One of those names entering the election race was former head of the Environmental Protection Agency Scott Pruitt. He officially declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.

Pruitt was Oklahoma's attorney general before he took over the EPA. He resigned in 2018 while under investigation from the department’s inspector general.

Pruitt’s run comes on the heels of Republican Senator Jim Inhofe’s announcement that he will retire at the end of the year.  

Oklahoma will have two Senate elections in 2022. Republican incumbent Senator James Lankford is up for reelection and facing a primary challenge.

Thursday marked the third deadline for legislation to make a pass through, but House Speaker Charles McCall exempted five bills from that deadline.  

Governor Stitt signed an abortion bill Tuesday that makes performing an abortion in any situation, other than when the mother's life is at risk, a felony.

The mother would not be held criminally liable.

According to the bill, the felony charge for providers could carry up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000.

The State Powers Committee passed a bill Wednesday that would require school counselors to get permission from parents before they talk to a student about sex or sexuality. 

Advocates for 2SLGBTQ+ students say they're concerns students could be “outed” to their parents as a consequence. 

Senate Democrats spoke out about a bill Thursday that authorizes a 100% tax credit for donations from parents to their child's teacher, up to $1,000 annually. 

The next deadline for bills to move forward is April 28.