Sen. Warren Hamilton calls on Gov. Kevin Stitt to convene special session

In a letter sent to Gov. Kevin Stitt on Monday, State Sen. Warren Hamilton requested the governor convene a special session for the Legislature to prevent private businesses from requiring employees to be vaccinated. The McCurtain Republican said he’d like to see the Legislature prohibit any entity from mandating the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Oklahomans have made their voices heard – they do not want to be forced by the government – or any business – to take any type of vaccine,” Hamilton said. “Why do we have to use such force to get so many people to do something that’s allegedly good for them?”

Hamilton said nearly 1,100 individuals have voiced their support of the letter, including 167 that self-identified as health care workers. The letter has been endorsed by Liza Greve with Oklahomans for Health and Parental Rights; Don Spencer, president, Oklahoma Second Amendment Association; Paul Blair, Fairview Baptist Church, Edmond; Dan Fisher, Fairview Baptist Church, Edmond; and 14 Oklahoma sheriffs.

“My hope is the governor will use his executive authority to call us into special session so we can perform our duty to protect the God-given rights of the great Americans we are privileged to represent,” Hamilton said. “The issue is neither the efficacy nor the safety of the vaccine, but rather the mandate. No entity has the authority to compel a person to put something into their body, through injection or ingestion, against their will.”

Members of the Legislature who signed the letter to the governor include: Sen. George Burns, R-Pollard; Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow; Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee; Sen. Jake Merrick, R-Yukon; Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman; Sen. Blake Stephens, R-Tahlequah; Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore; Rep. Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle; Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola; Rep. David Hardin, R-Stillwell; Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane; Rep. Kevin McDugle, R-Broken Arrow; Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland; Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy; Rep. Wendi Stearman, R-Collinsville; Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener; Rep. Danny Williams, R-Seminole; and Rep. Max Wolfley, R-Oklahoma City.