House Bill 2239 passed the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee this week and the Senate Appropriations Committee under the guidance of Senate author Sen. Darcy Jech.
This measure would establish a pilot program to address the red cedar infestation throughout the state, beginning with a concentration on the North Canadian Watershed.
It would create the Terry Peach North Canadian Watershed Restoration Act, named after for the former Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Terry Peach who died last year.
Red cedars deplete our water supplies and pose a great fire danger in our state. Given the sustained and worsening drought in western Oklahoma and recent wildfires, support is strong for this long overdue effort.
I am already receiving requests from constituents for additional disaster funding for water improvement projects for ag producers after the $23 million we appropriated last year was exhausted.
I look forward to this bill passing the Senate floor and then giving it final passage in the House before it moves to the governor for his consideration of signing it into law. The time to act on this issue is now.
The House and Senate meanwhile continue to discuss different versions of education plans.
The House would like to increase public school funding by $500 million and give teachers across-the-board pay raises.
The Senate version would give rural schools less funding and would reward some teachers but not others. Because of this, I will continue to oppose the Senate version unless it is revised to the level of funding for rural schools as proposed in the House version.
This past week we held Ag Day at the Capitol. Agriculture producers from across the state gathered to show or demonstrate various products. Ag in the Classroom Awards were given, and a reception was held for the Agriculture Youth Council.
We also had a recognition ceremony for posthumous Hall of Fame inductee Bob Howard, the father of Sen. Brent Howard.
Bob Howard was a longtime farmer from Southwest Oklahoma who spent many years partnering with Oklahoma State University Extension to conduct numerous research projects on his farm, resulting in statewide improvements to wheat and pasture production systems.
In 2013, Howard was given OSU's prestigious Master Agronomist award. He also was a supporter of agriculture youth development programs such as FFA and 4-H and served as an FFA instructor at the Navajo School system.
He also served in several leadership roles for commodity groups including the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, the Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association, and the Jackson County Farm Bureau Board.
Also this past week, we held Oklahoma National Guard Appreciation Day to recognize the contributions of our local Guard members and to honor their bravery and courage in missions both local, nationwide and oversees.
This ceremony was timely as members of the Guard prepare to deploy to Africa. The Oklahoma National Guard was very helpful last summer with air support during our devastating wildfires in Western Oklahoma.
I'd like to give a special shoutout for Seiling native Melissa Secrest, executive secretary to the adjutant general of the Oklahoma Military Department, for her extra effort in helping to mobilize that effort through the Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino.
Please remember, if I can help you with something, do not hesitate to reach out. You also can follow regular updates on my House Facebook page or call or email anytime at (405) 5577407 or Mike.Dobrinski@okhouse.g ov.
In your service, Mike Dobrinski