Bills created greater employment opportunities, growth

Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, has earned a perfect score of 100 percent for his votes on bills creating greater employment opportunities, eliminating red tape and unnecessary costs for Oklahoma businesses and promoting economic growth. That’s according to the 2023 RIED Report compiled by the State Chamber Research Foundation.

“The best way we can make our state even stronger and more prosperous is through job creation and policies that promote economic growth, and that takes a multifaceted approach,” Thompson said. “It’s about looking at how our educational institutions can better prepare students for great-paying jobs in emerging and expanding industries, from medicine, to aerospace and more. It’s also about cutting through red tape, providing incentives that will produce dividends for our state for generations, and working with all stakeholders in the public and private sectors to achieve these things. That’s the kind of economic policy I support, and I appreciate the State Chamber Research Foundation for their work to bring these issues to the forefront.”

According to the State Chamber Research Foundation, the RIED Report tracks voting records for bills dealing with business, industry, job creation, and economic growth issues deemed important by the private sector. The 2023 report focused on six specific pieces of legislation, including: • SB 93, requiring high school graduates to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to ensure more students who qualify for Pell Grants receive this resource to continue their education after high school.

• SB 621, creating the Oklahoma Workforce Commission, and creating a coordinated workforce plan.

• SB 930, authorizing the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission to create a career pathway in the aerospace industry with education and industry stakeholders.

• HB 1039X, discontinuing the collection of the franchise tax.

• HB 2452, keeping childcare rules under control of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, eliminating unnecessary red tape restricting availability of much-needed slots for children.

• HB 2459, expanding included expenditures in production credits for the state’s film incentive program to include more full-time higher education students, military or participants in a restorative workforce program.