Lawmakers move to override record number of vetoes as session nears end

With just a day left in the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers at the Oklahoma State Capitol scrambled Thursday to finalize their work, focusing much of their attention on a historic number of veto overrides.

Stitt Sets Record for Vetoes in a Single Session

Governor Kevin Stitt has now vetoed more than 60 bills this session, surpassing the previous single-session record held by former Governor Frank Keating. The governor has repeatedly defended his vetoes, stating in recent press conferences that he believes too many bills are being sent to his desk each year.

“It's a strange thing in our democracy that he gets full veto power there,” said Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City. “When it's valuable policy that's well-vetted and thought through, it makes sense for us to override.”

More Than 40 Veto Overrides Taken Up Thursday

Both chambers took up more than 40 veto override votes throughout the day. To successfully override a veto, a bill must receive a two-thirds majority in both the House and the Senate. If the bill contains an emergency clause, that threshold jumps to three-fourths.

At this point, each chamber has only voted to override vetoes on bills that originated in their respective chambers. To finalize any override, the opposite chamber must also vote to approve it with the required majority.

Controversial Measures Among Bills Up for Override

Among the vetoed legislation that lawmakers moved to override were:

1. HB1137, which would allocate state funds to investigations into Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP),
2. HB1273, addressing protections for domestic violence victims,
3. HB2048, concerning mammogram coverage requirements,
4. HB1592, aimed at combating organized retail crime,
5. HB1216, creating penalties for falsely representing service animals.

Also included were several Senate Bills, such as SB424, SB770, and SB1050, among others.

Deadline Approaching Fast

Despite the flurry of activity, most of the bills under consideration may ultimately fail to gain the necessary votes in both chambers. Lawmakers have until 5 p.m. Friday to complete their work.

Previous Coverage: 

3 things to know about this year's vetoes from Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt 

Gov. Stitt vetoes cosmetology board extension, raising safety and licensing concerns 

Why did Gov. Stitt veto a breast cancer screening bill passed by lawmakers?