Meet A legislator

Stillwater high students Alex Kidangathazhe, left, and Abhi Sukhdial help facilitate questions from attendees as Rep. Trish Ranson (D-Stillwater) speaks at the Meet Your Legislators event hosted by Stillwater’s League of Women Voters on Thursday evening at the Stillwater Public Library.

By Jessica Marshall

jmarshall@stwnewspress.com

Stillwater Public Schools Superintendent Tyler Bridges, left, Board of Education member Marshall Baker, former Representative John Talley and Board of Education member Gay Washington attended the Meet Your Legislators event.

PHOTOS BY JESSICA MARSHALL/STILLWATER NEWS PRESS

Rep. Trish Ranson (D-Stillwater) found herself the only legislator to attend the Meet Your Legislators event Thursday evening at the Stillwater Public Library.

Library Director Stacy DeLano told attendees that other state and federal representatives had been invited, but each had responded that they

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would be unable to attend – leaving Ranson the only representative in attendance to discuss bills and field questions.

In the second-floor auditorium, community members and City, county and school officials listened as Ranson discussed the bills she’s bringing forward prior to the start of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature, which begins Monday.

She also answered questions written by attendees, as Stillwater High students Alex Kidangathazhe and Abhi Sukhdial helped facilitate the Q&A time.

Ranson said she was asked a great question at a recent event Oklahoma State University called “Pokes and Politics.”

“If we’re such a conservative state, why are you a Democrat?” a student asked.

“We are a conservative state, but (Democrats) are who shows up to vote,” Ranson told the student. “I represent people who maybe feel marginalized and maybe feel like their voices aren’t heard. And that is my job as a minority member of the minority caucus, to ask questions.

My job is to push back.

My job is to disagree.

That is my job. And guess what? I’m really good at it.”

Ranson has served House District 34 since 2018.

“One of the things that I have always been a believer in … is the common good,” Ranson said. “How do we make community, how do we work together, collaborate? How do we listen to folks who are not happy – finding what is the underlying emotion of anger. A lot of times it’s fear.”

As this is an election year, Ranson said she has already seen some bills presented that would be “hot button” issues, that are meant to make headlines. But the primary goal of the session is to pass a balanced budget.

“Most bills cost money, so then it becomes the bartering type of thing,” Ranson said. “Is that a priority because it costs money, or is it not a priority?”

Bills Ranson introduced

House Bill 3378 would change the terms of service for members of the Oklahoma Science and Technology Research and Development Board, an entity that ensures funding for research grants.

The bill would ensure the board doesn’t have members leaving service during crucial research application processes, and because it’s a policy bill, it doesn’t require additional funding.

House Bill 3379, or the Higher Education Workforce Development and Fair Admissions Act, would keep higher education administration from denying admission to students because of past felony convictions, except for felonies such as sexual assault or sexual battery. Ranson is concerned that incarcerated and post-incarcerated persons across Oklahoma receive higher education. House Bill 3380, or the Fostering a Future for Oklahoma Children and Families Act, is based on a recent executive order from President Donald Trump that would update foster care information systems, improve data transparency and use technology for foster parent recruitment. Ranson said she had foster care experts review the bill and they confirmed HB3380 would help the foster care system in Oklahoma and align the state with federal resources.

House Bill 3381 would require district attorneys to file quarterly reports on the number of cases involving children and youth in the court system. This bill would help keep district attorneys and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services from overlapping services.

House Bill 3382 is a state employee pay raise.

Employees making less than $70,000 would receive an 8.5% increase; those making more than $70,000 would receive a 2% increase.

House Bill 3383 would cap state employee shift hours at 14 hours total.

Some agencies ask their employees to work longer hours, and although they pay overtime, Ranson said 14-hour shifts aren’t necessary and are “disrespectful” to state employees.

House Bill 3384 seeks to cap property insurance premium hikes for renewals to 10% annually. Ranson said this bill is one way she’s working to help those seeking affordable housing.

Ranson is also bringing forward House Bill 1979 from a previous legislative session. HB1979 creates a stand-alone, statewide agency for early childhood services. The state currently has 19 different programs for children 0-5 years old in five different agencies.

Ranson also voiced her opinions about State Question 836 and the pros and cons of open voting in a Primary Election, data centers and their environmental impact on Stillwater and surrounding areas, how the six major state agencies govern the state, the state’s mental health resources and how she doesn’t prefer tax cuts because they cut funding for needed resources like bridges, transportation and more.

She also expressed concern about how some constituents are not getting vaccines and that county and regional measles case data has not been released by the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

She said bills have been introduced that repeal the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit program and cap the income level to $150,000 for the parents; offer a 20% pay raise for teachers, remove adjunct teachers from Pre-K to fifth grade, offer a minimum of $15 per hour for a school employee raise and add school counselors.

“Forty-ninth in education? That’s how much money we want to spend.

I’m just going to say that out loud,” Ranson said.

“We’re 49th in education because we are 49th in how we appropriate money to education.”

Lin Feazle, left, vice president of Stillwater’s League of Women Voters, reviews cards with attendees questions prior to the start of the Meet Your Legislators event Thursday evening at the Stillwater Public Library.

JESSICA MARSHALL/STILLWATER NEWS PRESS