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Oklahoma lawmakers filed a number of bills for the upcoming session that herald the U.S. Constitution while or even as grounds for defying federal law and resisting the federal government. (Photo by Janice Francis-Smith)

OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahoma lawmakers filed a number of bills for the upcoming session that herald the U.S. Constitution while or even as grounds for defying federal law and resisting the federal government.

Lawmakers met Thursdays deadline to file bills for the upcoming legislative session, which begins Feb. 7, with more than 2,200 new measures. While many focus on business and issues unique to Oklahoma, several bills grapple with issues of faith, culture and values currently debated on the national stage.

A total of 1,482 House Bills, 18 House Joint Resolutions and two House Concurrent Resolutions were filed in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, while 774 Senate Bills and 23 Senate Joint Resolutions were filed.

Republicans hold a clear majority in both chambers of the Oklahoma Legislature. Several Republican-authored bills exhibited opposition to the federal government, where Democrats occupy the White House and hold a slim majority in Congress.

Senate Bill 495 by Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, clarified in its language that the author was not suggesting secession from the United States, even as the bill declared that the State of Oklahoma will not accede to the federal government in matters regarding abortion.

The measure provides that the Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land, and yet asserts that Oklahoma lawmakers fulfill their oaths to the Constitution by refusing to assent to the legal fiction that such Constitution prohibits this state from exercising its reserved police powers to outlaw homicide and from exercising its constitutional and God-given duties to provide equal protection to all persons within its jurisdiction

Nothing in this act shall be construed as an intent by this state to withdraw from the United States of America, reads the text of SB 495. To the contrary, this act is in accordance with and in furtherance of the Constitution of the United States and the principles which made America great. This state urges the federal government to honor the same by supporting this act.

Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow who is currently campaigning for a seat in Congress filed several bills which state outright defiance to federal authority and accepted provisions of the U.S. Constitution. Dahms SB 1226 would prohibit illegal alien anchor babies from receiving citizenship in Oklahoma, as it was described in a statement announcing the measure.

Similarly, Dahm and others filed several bills intended to protect Oklahomans right to own firearms in defiance of any federal law that would outlaw said firearms.

Mirroring last years arguments regarding Critical Race Theory, Oklahoma lawmakers are also joining in with legislation filed nationwide targeting issues of culture and values.

SB 1442 by Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, prohibits schools from teaching social emotional learning, or SEL curriculum. Designed to assist children dealing with trauma and build character, SEL curriculum is being targeted by dozens of Republican lawmakers nationwide following publication of a Parents Bill of Rights authored by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, claiming the program treats educators as therapists performing duties that should be left to parents.

Read more from the original source:
Culture wars a big focus of upcoming legislative session - Journal Record