Rep. Collin Duel

Oklahoma Memorial Trail Ruck-Off

I am excited to announce that Guthrie has been chosen for the second annual Oklahoma Memorial Trail Ruck-Off. We are hosting the event to raise awareness about veterans' issues, support military recruitment efforts, and promote the newly established Oklahoma Military Trails.

As vice chair of the Legislative Veteran's Caucus, I have collaborated with several Oklahoma departments on this project to honor and enhance the state's military history. This year's ruck-off is named in honor of Pvt Oscar J. Upham, a U.S. Marine who earned the Medal of Honor during the Boxer Rebellion. Pvt. Upham passed away at the age of 77 in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

The march will start at 7:00 a.m. on May 18. Participants can choose between a four-mile or a twelve-mile route, with or without a 35-pound ruck. The closing ceremony is scheduled for noon at the WPA Armory, located at 724 E. Logan Ave., Guthrie, Oklahoma. Everyone will march the first four miles together. However, at mile four, the participants on the twelve-mile route will continue on their path.

I want to thank the City of Guthrie, the Guthrie Chamber of Commerce, and the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs for their partnership in putting on this event. I encourage everyone to join us on May 18 in Guthrie, whether you're walking, cheering from the sidelines, or attending the closing ceremony. Your presence will help us honor and raise awareness for our veterans.

To register for the event, visit https://calendly.com/cloverleafprecision/ruck-off-2024/.

Last week was the deadline for bills to pass through the opposite chamber. In total, both chambers approved 491 bills, with the House approving 230 Senate measures and the Senate passing 261 House bills.

We will spend the next few weeks focusing on the state budget. As per the Oklahoma Constitution, passing a state budget is one of the most important tasks. We have until the last Friday in May to deliver a general appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2025, which starts on July 1, to the Governor's desk.

I am thankful and honored that the constituents of House District 31 have entrusted me with the responsibility of serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-557-7350 or [email protected].

Remembering the OKC Bombing; '89er Day

The Oklahoma House of Representatives remembered the 29th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing earlier this week. House Resolution 1037 commemorates the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

The resolution expresses gratitude to those who responded to the horrific act of terrorism. A special presentation was held to remember the tragic event. During the presentation, Blayne Authur, Oklahoma's Agriculture Secretary, shared her personal story of losing her mother that day.

House and Senate sergeants who assisted in the recovery efforts after the bombing were recognized on the House floor. Acknowledged were House sergeants Bobbie Barnett, Joe Bullock, Harvey Weathers, and Nita Williams; House Chief of Security John Dawson; and Senate sergeants Rusty Higby and Stewart Meyer.

Last week, the Capitol hosted Guthrie Day. Guthrie residents had the opportunity to learn about the legislative process and tour the Capitol. It was great to visit with everyone who attended.

Speaking of Guthrie, 89'er Day started on Monday Day, commemorating the Land Run of 1889 and the birth of Guthrie. On April 22, 1889, tens of thousands of land seekers lined the borders of the Unassigned Lands of central Oklahoma in preparation for the first of five land runs.

Guthrie was the first Territorial Capital and the site of the initial settlement during the Land Run. The '89er Day Celebration' started on the first anniversary of the land opening and became an annual event. In 1935, the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Senate made it official and named Guthrie the "official" celebration site for the future.

Today, we celebrate the historical event in Guthrie with a family carnival, chuck wagon feed option, '89er queen competition, and the largest, oldest parade in Oklahoma history. I look forward to seeing everyone at the parade this Saturday as we commemorate Guthrie's rich history and the spirit of the 89'er Day Celebration.

On Thursday, the Governor signed House Bill 3781 into law. It includes Oklahoma in the Physician Assistants (PA) Licensure Compact. This compact allows states to recognize valid, unencumbered PA licenses issued by other member states through a compact privilege. Essentially, it means that licensed PAs can practice in multiple states without obtaining separate permits for each state as long as those states are part of the compact.

Over the next week, we will continue to hear Senate bills on the House floor. After that, the legislative focus will shift toward the state budget.

I am thankful and honored that the constituents of House District 31 have entrusted me with the responsibility of serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-557-7350 or [email protected].

Last week, the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate held a joint session to honor Veterans Awareness Day. Oklahoma takes pride in its military and veteran presence, with over 286,000 veterans making up 8.7% of its population.

Oklahoma's five military installations, which train servicemembers and manufacture equipment, are crucial to national security. These bases also significantly impact the state, providing employment to over 133,000 people and creating thousands of private-sector jobs. Additionally, these installations have generated millions of dollars in investments.

A state like Oklahoma prides itself on offering veterans a chance to succeed. In Oklahoma, veterans experience a lower unemployment rate (4%) than the state's (5%). Additionally, veterans in Oklahoma earn a higher median household income than the average household in the state, making an average of $9,000 more annually.

Last week, Rep. John Talley and I recognized Sergeant First Class George Shafer as Veteran of the Week before the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

George joined the United States Army when he was 19. He completed both Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, where he graduated at the top of his AIT class.

After being selected, he underwent a five-week training program called CBRNE Recon School at Ft. Leonard Wood. He was then assigned to his first duty station at Fort Polk, Louisiana. He was placed with the 51st Chemical Company, the sole CBRNE Reconnaissance Company in the U.S. Army.

On 9/11, George was part of the quick reaction force under the 18th Airborne Corps, and he deployed overseas to Camp Doha, Kuwait, where he was a nuclear, biological, and chemical reconnaissance team leader.

After graduating from Liberty University, George has been pursuing his seminary studies at Regent University. He serves as a chaplain at the American Legion Post 58 in Guthrie, Oklahoma, where he resides with his wife, Meredith. His oldest child, one of four, is following in his footsteps and serving with the Air National Guard, currently on deployment.

On another note, I have been elected as the new vice chair of the House Veterans Caucus for the upcoming legislative session. I want to thank Representative Steagall for his leadership for the past five years. As the newly elected vice chair of the Oklahoma House Veterans Caucus, I look forward to working with Chairman Burns as we advocate for our veterans and their families.

On Tuesday, I met with the Guthrie High School AP class, their teacher Kara Tarrant, and principal Dusty Throckmorton. I'm glad they could visit the Capitol, and we had a great discussion about the legislative process.

I am thankful and honored that the constituents of House District 31 have entrusted me with the responsibility of serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-557-7350 or [email protected].

Yesterday, I was re-elected to serve another term as your Representative for House District 31! It is truly an honor and privilege to continue working on behalf of our community. Your voices matter, and I am here to ensure they are heard in the legislative process. Please know that my door is always open. Thank you for your continued trust and support!

It was a short week at the Capitol, but last week, the House completed its third reading deadline on Thursday, March 14. We passed 422 bills and joint resolutions off the House floor before the deadline, just a fraction of the thousands of measures filed this year.

These bills covered various topics, including multiple tax cut measures, a cost-of-living adjustment for state employees, modified graduation requirements, and crackdowns on crime. As the House is the body closest to the people, many of these bills directly resulted from constituent requests.

I want to discuss two bills I passed last week: House Bill 3775 and House Bill 3776. HB3775 increases the floor of the range of punishment for several domestic violence crimes. HB3776 adds several domestic violence felonies to the list of 85% crimes.

These bills represent significant progress in our ongoing efforts to protect victims and hold perpetrators of domestic violence accountable for their actions. The House will now swap bills with the Senate and consider their 279 bills, beginning with hearing measures in our House committees before they advance to the floor.

In the coming weeks, we will work to finalize the state budget. The Senate recently concluded its work in this area and released its budget figures, which do not include cash from prior fiscal years or money available to be appropriated from various state funds.

On Monday, the Legislative Showmanship was held at the Oklahoma Youth Expo. Legislators from every corner of the state joined Oklahoma's future farmers and ranchers for the Oklahoma Youth Expo, the world's largest junior livestock show. It was an excellent opportunity to meet with the future agriculture industry leaders.

This annual event hosts over 7,000 FFA and 4-H members and more than 13,000 heads of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, and ag mechanics. OYE awards nearly $2 million to exhibitors and more than $300,000 in academic scholarships. It has a $25 million economic impact on the Oklahoma City economy.

I want to thank Rylin Wells of the Guthrie FFA chapter, for coaching me along as we showed her pig. Agriculture education programs like 4-H and FFA create opportunities for Oklahoma youth to build life skills and grow students into dedicated, committed young adults who appreciate hard work and determination.

I am thankful and honored that the constituents of House District 31 have entrusted me with the responsibility of serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-557-7350 or [email protected].

House Veterans Caucus Elects New Leadership Welcome to Oklahoma's House of Representatives website!

Last week, the Board of Equalization certified the Legislature will have the authority to appropriate up to $13.96B toward the Fiscal Year 2025 state budget, which is $698.7 million, or 5.3% more than authorized for Fiscal Year 2024.

The Board is responsible for carrying out the state's balanced budget procedures, as outlined in the Oklahoma State Constitution. It certifies revenue collections for prior years, sets expenditure limits for the governor and the Legislature based on current-year revenue estimates and determines the overall limit on yearly expenditure growth.

OMES compiles revenue projections from revenue-collecting agencies, analyzes the information, and presents the information to the Board for its consideration and approval. Projections for the General Revenue Fund are estimated by the Tax Commission staff utilizing multiple models and resources from across the state and country.

Revenue estimates presented to the Board are based on current- and prior-year collection trends, economic forecasts, federal and state tax law changes, and other foreseeable factors. Revenue certified at the December meeting serves as the basis for the Governor's Executive Budget, which is presented in the State of the State address.

Now that the Board has delivered final revenue projections, the process of determining each agency's budget begins in earnest. Legislators can work together toward crafting a budget that reflects the varied needs and priorities of Oklahomans while ensuring fiscal responsibility and stability.

This certification is a significant milestone in the budget process. It paves the way for the Senate to take decisive action toward providing tax relief to the people of Oklahoma.

Just this week, the Senate passed a bill to eliminate the state's portion of the grocery tax. The House passed the bill 11 months ago and has been awaiting a vote in the Senate along with an income tax cut. The House wants to lower the tax burden for Oklahomans by passing the .25% income tax cut legislation. While the grocery tax is a good first step, more action is needed to give back money to the people.

I am thankful and honored that the constituents of House District 31 have entrusted me with the responsibility of serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-557-7350 or [email protected].

House Passes Tax Cuts in Special Session; Regular Session Begins

Our legislative session officially began on February 5, but the State Capitol has been busy preparing all month.

We had a January 18 deadline to file new legislation, and I filed a few different bills to consider this year. I'll share details about those bills in a future column.

Every bill faces challenges on its path to become law. This year, just over 1,200 House Bills were filed before the deadline, and there are still 1,463 House Bills filed last year that are eligible to be considered this year. Hundreds more were filed in the Senate.

History tells us that less than 10% of filed bills are ultimately signed into law, and what bills are pursued depends on a number of factors, including legislative support, outside stakeholders, and prioritizing the most pressing matters.

In the Governor's annual State of the State, he renewed his call for tax cuts. He has called the Legislature into special session three times to cut taxes. Personally, there has never been a more opportune time to cut taxes and provide economic relief to our fellow Oklahomans.

The House met in special session last week, passing a bill that would cut the income tax rate by 0.25% retroactively to include 2023 tax filers and those going forward. This would reduce the top tax rate from 4.75% to 4.50% and eliminate the tax completely for those earning the least in the State.

Senate leadership, however, has said they do not plan to cut taxes until they have final revenue certifications from the state Board of Equalization, which happens mid-February. That chamber met in special session but adjourned to a call of the chair before we could pass our tax legislation to them.

However, the Speaker of the House has introduced several measures for our regular legislative session that started this past week, so there's still hope for an income tax cut for Oklahoma taxpayers.

I am thankful and honored that the constituents of House District 31 have entrusted me with the responsibility of serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-557-7350 or [email protected].

Yesterday, I was honored to have received the 2023 Oklahoma Sheriffs' Association Legislative Award. Receiving this award was extra special considering Logan County’s very own Sheriff Devereaux, who is also the President of the Oklahoma Sheriffs’ Association, was the presenter.

House Passes Legislation to Establish Neil's Law

Oklahoma House of Representatives today approved legislation that would establish Neil's Law and enact the Oklahoma Elder Exploitation and Abuse Act.

Rep. Collin Duel, R-Guthrie, filed House Bill 2741, establishing a civil cause of action for incapacitated persons and vulnerable adults against those who neglect, exploit, or abuse them.

"Oklahoma's most vulnerable deserve protection from neglect, abuse and exploitation," Duel said. "I am proud to go the extra mile to protect the safety and financial well-being of older and vulnerable Oklahomans."

The measure allows for claims of elder neglect, exploitation, or abuse to be filed in any district court within the county where the act or omission occurs.

HB2741 holds that anyone who is found guilty of committing neglect or financial neglect against a vulnerable adult will be liable for actual damages in an amount that compensates the vulnerable adult for the loss they incurred as a result.

It also holds that anyone found guilty of exploiting or abusing a vulnerable adult will be liable for damages three times the actual damages incurred by the individual. The guilty party will also be responsible for punitive damages in both cases.

HB2741 allows for the district court in which a claim is filed to issue a restraining order or other injunctive relief to prohibit any further violations.

It passed the House 81-0. It now moves to the Senate.

The Legislative Update, March 6th through March 10th


We had a busy week hearing 163 measures on the House floor.
My first bill, House Bill 2737, passed on the House floor on Wednesday. It expands second amendment rights in Oklahoma and removes the prohibition on carrying ammunition and fi****ms larger than .45 caliber.

This week I voted yes on the Oklahoma Computer Data Privacy Act, House Bill 1030, authored by Rep. Josh West. It would require consumer consent before personal data collected can be shared by major technology companies operating in the state.

Oklahoma needs to catch up in this matter as other states have already passed similar legislation or are considering it to protect their constituents.

This legislation aims to acknowledge Oklahomans' Constitutional rights to privacy and establishes that gathering personal data without knowledge or consent is a privacy violation. It passed the House on vote of a 84-11.

This week State Question 820 failed, which would've created a state law legalizing the recreational use of ma*****na for persons 21 or older. The votes against recreational ma*****na were overwhelming in nearly every county in the state, but seen more in the rural areas.
I believe this sends a clear message to the Legislature that we must continue to better regulate the existing ma*****na industry in Oklahoma.

On Wednesday, the Oklahoma Youth Expo officially started. OYE is the world’s largest junior livestock show. Every March, more than 7,000 4-H and FFA members bring more than 13,000 head of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and ag mechanics projects to Oklahoma City to exhibit.

Good luck to all the hard-working FFA and 4-H students from around the state!

Oklahoma Capitol Visit to Find Out How a Bill Passes This year's curriculum includes Oklahoma civics, so we headed to the Capitol to see what we could learn. Our state house representative, Collin Duel, hosted ...

Legislative Update

This week we wrapped up committee meetings and heard dozens of bills. Altogether, the House advanced 543 bills out of committee; now, they can be heard on the House floor.

Once a bill moves to the House floor, the entire chamber will vote on them. Later this month, we will send our ‎approved House bills to the Senate and then begin considering Senate bills. ‎

On Thursday, I presented the doctor of the day, Doctor Chesley Gilbertson, on the House floor.

With session underway, I wanted to update everyone on how to look up bills to stay informed!

Filed bills may be viewed at okhouse.gov by visiting "Legislation," then "Basic Bill Search," where you can enter the bill number to view the full text of the bill.

To view bills filed by a certain legislator, select "Advanced Bill Search" under "Legislation." From there, you can select the legislator's last name to view bills they've filed.

You can also view all the bills that have been filed to date by visiting "Selected Step Reports" on the far left and select "Introduced." Here, you can choose bills filed only in one chamber or you can select everything and view all the bills.

You can also view committee meetings and floor proceedings at okhouse.gov by visiting "News & Media," where you can watch live proceedings or recordings.

I am thankful and honored that the constituents of House District 31 have entrusted me with the responsibility of serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-557-7350 or [email protected].

Rep. Duel: Bill would ban transgender surgeries The House has a fundamental responsibility to protect the safety of Oklahoman children, which is why I support House Bill 2177, authored by Rep. Kevin West and Rep. Jim Olsen.  House Bill 2177…