Sen. District 8’s Press Releases

State Sen. Roger Thompson has been given the Guardian of Free Enterprise Award from the State Chamber of Commerce for his legislative initiatives and leadership in the Oklahoma State Senate. The awards ceremony was held December 4 in Oklahoma City. Chamber President and CEO Fred Morgan applauded Thompson’s service and achievements in the Legislature.

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Family, friends and supporters looked on Wednesday as Sen. Roger Thompson was sworn in to serve another four years in the State Senate.  The ceremony was held in the Senate Chamber a week after Thompson was reelected to the District 8 seat. During Thompson’s second term he will hold one of the most powerful positions in the Capitol, serving as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Sen. Roger Thompson has been named Rural Legislator of the Year by an organization that advocates for rural schools.  The Organization of Rural Oklahoma Schools (OROS) was formed in 1984 and represents 330 school districts and over 400 individual schools across the state. Funding and the opposition of forced consolidation of school districts are among the issues OROS has prioritized for rural education.

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State Sen. Roger Thompson said he and other legislative and state leaders successfully worked with the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) to give the first across-the-board reimbursement rate increases since 2009. Long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes will receive a four percent increase, while other Soonercare (Oklahoma Medicaid) providers, including hospitals, will receive a three percent increase. The rate increases are expected to go into effect on October 1.

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Senator Greg Treat, president pro tempore-designate of the Oklahoma Senate, announced his selections of Senate appropriations subcommittee chairs for the next legislative session that convenes in February. Treat also named the vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and named the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, which will return to a standing committee during the next session.
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State Sen. Roger Thompson said the end to an effort to repeal education funding was great news for Oklahoma schools and for the entire state.

The State Supreme Court ruled in June that the petition to repeal increases in cigarette, fuel and energy taxes was deeply flawed and said the ballot title was misleading. The court also said required information about legislation the petition was seeking to repeal left out required material. Under the ruling the group, which was led by former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, had until July 18 to circulate a new petition. read more.

State Sen. Roger Thompson has been appointed to serve on the Executive Committee of the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) of the Council of State Governments (CSG). The appointment was made by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz who also named Thompson to the Fiscal Affairs and Government Operations committee.

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Senator Greg Treat, Majority Floor Leader and Republicans’ selection to serve as the next Senate leader, on Wednesday announced the senators who will round out his leadership team.

Treat said Senator Kim David, current Senate Appropriations Committee chair, will serve as the next Majority Floor Leader and that Senator Roger Thompson, current chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Finance, will serve as the next Appropriations Committee chair. David, the first woman to serve as Appropriations Committee chair, will be the first woman to serve as Majority Floor Leader. read more.

OKLAHOMA CITY— State Senator Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, was presented with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Distinguished Service Award on Thursday, February 1 in Oklahoma City.

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Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz announced Tuesday appointments to fill vacancies in leadership positions in various Senate committees. The appointments are:

Senate Energy Committee:
Sen. Mark Allen, R-Spiro, chair
Sen. Eddie Fields, R-Wynona, vice-chair

Senate Transportation Committee:
Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, chair
Sen. Joseph Silk, R-Broken Bow, vice-chair

Senate Business Commerce and Tourism Committee:
Sen. James Leewright, R-Bristow, chair read more.