We’re quickly approaching the halfway point of the session. We must conclude our floor work on Senate bills this Thursday, March 23. There are 250 senate bills still awaiting a floor hearing. As we prepare for the next phase of the legislative session, we’ve signed on as co-authors for House bills, and I’ll be carrying 13 of these in our chamber. The topics covered include pest and disease management, unfair labor practices, black bear hunting, law enforcement training, non-resident hunting licenses, and other agricultural issues.

There are several other things we’re responsible for besides our legislation, and one of those is reviewing and approving the governor’s nominations to the various boards and commissions. Our Ag Committee was honored to approve Blayne Arthur’s nomination to continue serving as the Secretary of Agriculture. She has done an outstanding job during her tenure in supporting our state’s agriculture community, and I was proud to support her nomination.

Speaking of agriculture, thousands of 4-H and FFA members from around the state have come together in Oklahoma City for the world’s largest junior livestock show, the Oklahoma Youth Expo. These students’ months of hard work and dedication have come down to this event, where they will showcase their cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, and ag mechanics projects.

I had the pleasure of attending the Oklahoma Youth Expo Legislative & Celebrity Showmanship Competition on Tuesday. Each member, along with a 4-H or FFA member from their district, showcased the students’ projects in this special show. I was delighted to participate and exhibit a sheep with FFA member Cooper Priddy, who hails from Wellston. Furthermore, we had Kolton Hunt, a Wellston resident, as an AG Top 10 Finalist, and Katie Eisenhauer, from Arcadia, as the Champion Goat Showman. With hundreds of students taking part, this distinguished event is coming to a close, and I would like to wish all members the best of luck.

The past month has been extremely busy as we rushed to pass almost 300 bills and forwarded them to the House for further deliberation. Between floor sessions, I’ve met with countless constituents and attended meetings with various organizations, including the Oklahoma Railroad Association. Our Republican Caucus recently met with U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern, and I enjoyed learning about the work of our congressional delegation. This month’s Rural Caucus meetings have been interesting as we heard from the Department of Ag and USDA Director of Rural Development Kenneth Corn, a former senator, who discussed federal grants being offered to rural communities. These were very informative presentations.

I want to thank all the attendees of the legislative breakfasts, and I highly recommend you visit us if you’re in the area. Our next meeting is scheduled for this Friday morning in Chandler from 8-9 a.m., and we will be gathering at the Route 66 Interpretive Center. These are public meetings, and everyone is welcome to join us. Rep. Kevin Wallace and I will be in Prague at Ken’s Pizza on March 31; Davenport at Scotty B’s on April 14; Meeker at Fat Rooster on April 21; and then we’ll wrap up on April 28 in Wellston at the high school library. We look forward to seeing everyone.

To contact me at the Capitol, please write to Senator Grant Green, State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Room 529.1, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105; email me at Grant.Green@oksenate.gov or call (405) 521-5547.