REP. NEIL HAYS (405) 557-7302S

During their recent visit to the State Capitol, I had the pr ivi lege to honor the Muskogee Rougher football team, which won the Class 6A state football championship this year. The team had an impressive 11-2 record this season and defeated the Stillwater Pioneers 28-26 in the playoffs. Great job, team.

Now that we have completed hearing bills from the opposite chamber, we have started the conference committee process. A conference committee is a joint committee tasked with preparing a single version of a bill that has passed through the two legislative chambers in different forms.

Bills are assigned to a conference committee if the chamber of origin rejects amendments made in the second chamber or if the bill has a stricken title or enacting clause. Senate and House leadership assign at least three chamber members to the committee.

If a conference committee agrees, it will propose a Conference Committee Report (CCR). The report must gain a majority of signatures from each chamber’s members assigned to the committee. CCRs are then submitted for a vote by the originating chamber and then to the second chamber.

Reports can be approved or rejected but not amended. If the CCR is approved, the bill is brought up for a vote on the fourth and final reading. If a CCR is rejected, another conference may be requested with the same or different members appointed by the two chambers.

This process is crucial for resolving legislative disagreements between the two chambers. For instance, a conference committee was requested for Senate Bill 1520 after House Amendments were rejected. Now, House and Senate members will work together to create a single version of the bill.

Governor Stitt has signed more than 235 bills into law, including Senate Bill 1457. This bill aims to extend compensation eligibility to first responders who suffer from mental injury or illness as a result of their duty.

This is a significant improvement from the current coverage, which excludes first responders unless an underlying physical injury exists. Our first responders risk their lives every day to ensure the safety and security of their community. This bill is critical to ensuring they have access to mental health services. I ran a similar bill last year and am proud to support this one.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-557-7302 or neil. hays@okhouse.gov.

Rep. Neil Hays, a Republican, serves District 13 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which covers Mc-Intosh, Muskogee and Wagoner County.