Sen. Leewright named Legislator of the Year by AGCOK

State Sen. James Leewright has been recognized by the Association of General Contractors of Oklahoma (AGCOK) for his efforts on behalf of the state’s construction industry.  Leewright, R-Bristow, was given AGCOK’s Legislator of the Year award at their annual banquet held recently in Tulsa.

Leewright, who chairs the Senate’s Committee on Business, Commerce and Tourism, said he was honored to be named Legislator of the Year.

“Oklahoma’s construction industry helps fuel our economy, providing good-paying jobs and helping grow communities throughout our state,” Leewright said.  “The work they do shapes our cities and towns, enhancing commerce and quality of life with the construction of schools, homes, and businesses.” 

AGCOK President Jeff Kusler praised Leewright for his efforts.

“The AGC of Oklahoma is proud to recognize the organizations and people who are making a difference in our state,” Kusler said.  “Our Legislator of the Year fought to protect our industry’s integrity at the state level this past legislative session.”

Leewright was the Senate’s principal author of House Bill 2666, the Construction Management Act, which was approved and signed into law during the 2019 session.  The measure was aimed at clarifying state statutes that had previously resulted in various political subdivisions interpreting the law differently.

“House Bill 2666 was an attempt to address ambiguity in the statutes so that everyone would be on the same page,” Leewright said.  “We actually began working on this back in 2017 and worked to bring all of the stakeholders to the table.  Our goal was to ensure the law was interpreted and applied consistently moving forward.  I thank AGCOK for this recognition for my part in getting the legislation enacted.”

-END-

MAKE IT COUNT OKLAHOMA! Census Day is April 1 and Oklahoma needs a full count. An undercount in the census of just 2 percent can cost the state $1.8 billion in lost federal money over the next 10 years. Fill out your census form, Oklahoma. Learn more at:www.2020census.gov.