Gov. Stitt Delivers State Of The State To Begin 2024 Legislative Session Begins

Oklahoma lawmakers are converging Monday on the state Capitol for the 2024 Legislative session, beginning at 12:30 p.m. with the governor's State of the State Address.

Monday, February 5th 2024, 1:48 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY -

News On 6 Live Stream: Oklahoma Democrats Respond To Gov. Stitt's State of the State Address |

State of the State Recap: Gov. Stitt Wants To Improve Oklahoma's Economic Outlook Through Lower Taxes, Business Deals, Education

Oklahoma lawmakers will oversee more than 2,000 bills as they return to the Capitol for the 2024 Legislative session on Monday.

Gov. Stitt will kick things off Monday at 12:30 p.m. with his State of the State Address.

Stitt is expected to highlight his accomplishments over the last year and repeat his call for tax cuts after a special session failed last week.

“We have a $5.4 billion savings account, and we can weather an economic downturn. I would never put Oklahomans in a bad situation and cut revenue below expenses, but let me pose it the other way. If you just keep raising expenses every year, you’re going to be in the same position,” Stitt said in January.

The governor has routinely pushed for the state to eliminate state income taxes in Oklahoma, even calling special sessions for the House and Senate to do so.

News On 6 political analyst Scott Mitchell said that completely doing away with income tax is something that the Senate disagrees with. He said an income tax cut would wipe out $300 million a year for the state. Mitchell said a more likely agreement would be to cut the state's portion of the grocery tax.

The backdrop to this session is a sometimes frosty relationship between the governor and the Republican leaders of the House and Senate.

This is Speaker Charles McCall and Senate Pro-Tem Greg Treat's last session under the dome. The big question today is whether the governor will offer an olive branch in his State of the State address or whether it will be another turbulent session for Republican leaders.

Tribal relations, economic development, crime, and education are also expected to be big topics.