Bipartisanship rears its head in Oklahoma Legislature

Session notes: It wasn't exactly Kumbaya Week in the Oklahoma Legislature, but several measures of note did advance with bipartisan support. Examples include:

• A potentially controversial data privacy bill that advanced from a House committee and Speaker Charles McCall predicted will win approval from the body despite business concerns.

House Bill 1602 is being carried by Republican Josh West of Grove and Democrat Collin Walke of Oklahoma City, and seems to have bipartisan support.

• HB 1569, by Rep. Jacob Rosecrants, D-Norman, known as the Play to Learn Act, seems to be gaining steam after languishing for several years in the face of Republican disinterest. The measure advocates "movement, creative expression, exploration, socialization, and reading for pleasure" as part of early childhood education.

• HB 1739, by Rep. Sheila Dills, R-Tulsa, was originally introduced in the previous Legislature by Democrat Chelsey Branham, who lost her re-election bid last fall.

The bill allows juveniles who are more or less on their own to access Department of Human Services assistance without going into state or tribal custody.

Read more: https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/political-notebook-bipartisanship-rears-its-head-in-oklahoma-legislature/article_15add300-6d64-11eb-8c8c-a7e34f2343bb.html

No state Bigfoot season though.