Despite House, Governor Push To End Grocery Tax, Oklahoma Senate Declines To Take Up Inflation Relief

The Oklahoma Senate declined to take up several bills aimed at providing inflation relief, including a proposal to end the state grocery tax. 

Representatives in the Oklahoma House passed several measures that would permanently, or temporarily, eliminate the state sales tax on groceries or lower personal income tax.  

None of the House bills were taken up in the Senate, both of which are Republican-controlled. Lawmakers in both chambers have left the capitol ahead of a Friday deadline. 

Speaker of the House Charles McCall (R) said Monday the chamber is prepared to return if Senators act on one of the bills.  

“At a minimum, a moratorium on the grocery tax like the one the House has passed repeatedly would provide long overdue relief to Oklahomans fighting historic inflation. The House is open to any options to provide the inflation relief Oklahomans deserve,” McCall said in a statement.  

Gov. Kevin Stitt preceded the special session with a call for immediate inflation relief and encouraged lawmakers to cut the grocery tax.  

Related: Gov. Stitt Pushes For Elimination Of Grocery Tax Despite Challenge In State Senate

Republican leadership in the Senate signaled before the start of the special session that it would not take up any tax cuts.  

Senate President Pro-Tem Greg Treat of Oklahoma City, who supports eliminating the grocery tax, told reporters a “workgroup” is secretly researching tax cuts on a large scale.  

The work group, which does not include a Democrat, will present its findings before the regular session in February, Treat said.  

“The group looked at (the grocery tax) and didn’t think that was going to provide the most relief to individuals,” Treat said. He added that lowering the personal income tax to “as close to zero… as possible” is a “hope” of the group.  

Oklahoma City Rep. Mickey Dollens (D) said the lack of action on the grocery tax measure is a sign of “dysfunction” inside the Republican supermajority.   

Oklahoma is one of 13 states that tax groceries, Dollens said, and ending the tax has been proposed in the legislature for years.  

“When one party, whether that be republican or democrat, gets that much power, there's going to be factions,” Dollens said. “What we're seeing right now is that people in their own party aren't getting along and can't cooperate and get simple measures done.” 

A spokesperson for Gov. Stitt’s office declined to comment on Monday.