State Lawmakers Preview Upcoming 2022 Legislative Session

The 2022 legislative session kicks off Monday with Governor Kevin Stitt’s State of the State Address.

Lawmakers have filed thousands of bills ahead of the session, which starts Feb. 7, all during an election year that is sure to have an effect on the session.

With the House of Representatives split between 82 Republicans and 18 Democrats, the GOP remains in the driver’s seat.

House Majority Leader Jon Echols, R-OKC, said Republican priorities include reeling in illegal marijuana grows, expanding broadband internet access, pushing back against the federal government and beefing up election security.

Across the aisle, Minority Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman, said her caucus will focus on things like recruiting teachers, government transparency and ending the sales tax on groceries.

Controversial bills on banning library books, COVID-19 home remedies and the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol have already captured headlines.

“I would navigate through press release bills. Wait till you see what happens inside the legislative session,” Echols said.

“It’s important to take everything seriously at this point, I think,” Virgin said. “We haven’t heard Republican legislative leaders take any sort of stand for or against those pieces of legislation.”

In all, lawmakers have filed more than 3,000 bills ahead of this session. On average, roughly five percent of those bills will become law.