Gov. Kevin Stitt praises his COVID-19 response, outlines priorities in State of the State speech

Feb. 1—In his third annual State of the State speech, Gov. Kevin Stitt praised his pro-business approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, lashed out at the Biden administration and called for kids to return to in-person learning despite the ongoing health crisis.

Stitt used his address to outline his policy priorities and reflect on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic that has consumed much of his past year.

And in the House chamber, the signs of the ongoing pandemic were obvious as the number of guests for the speech were limited and spaced out, according to social distancing protocols.

Stitt expressed sorrow for the more than 3,000 Oklahomans that have died from COVID-19.

"We mourn with those who mourn," he said, quoting the Bible.

But the governor also applauded his decision to fully reopen businesses on June 1, when many states still had business restrictions in place due to the pandemic.

Governors who shut their states down for months due to the pandemic are now realizing Oklahoma took "the smart approach," Stitt said. Unlike most governors, Stitt has refused to implement a statewide mask mandate despite repeated calls for such an order from many Oklahoma health professionals.

"Some states shut down completely for months at a time," he said. "But we found the right balance between protecting public health and protecting Oklahomans' right to provide for their families."

House Minority Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman, called the governor's speech "revisionist history" because of the picture he painted of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stitt's failure to take more stringent actions to curb the pandemic have cost Oklahomans financially, emotionally and physically, she said at a news conference in front of SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital.

"As COVID-19 rages in Oklahoma ... no state wishes they would have responded to this pandemic as Oklahoma has," she said. "From his own lack of personal responsibility to the lack of public health policies enacted, Governor's Stitt's response to this pandemic has been an example of failed leadership."

COVID-19 response

Stitt praised Oklahomans for following his recommendation of taking "personal responsibility" to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and painted a rosy picture of what's next for the state amid the unprecedented health crisis.

He promised more COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, partly a result of the Biden administration seeking to speed up the vaccine rollout and buy more doses directly from Pfizer and Moderna.

"My vision is to get our summer back, and we can do it by continuing to lead the nation in vaccinations," Stitt said.

Oklahoma is among the leading states for vaccination administration per capita, but the state is still months away from having widespread vaccinations that could halt the pandemic.

Stitt cited a recent decrease in new COVID-19 infections and fewer patients being hospitalized to suggest that Oklahomans are taking personal responsibility to slow the spread of the virus.

January was Oklahoma's worst month of the pandemic. Nearly 100,000 residents contracted COVID-19 last month and more than 1,000 Oklahoma died due to the virus.

"The governor and the Legislature must ensure our state agencies have all necessary resources to defeat the pandemic," she said. "We need to continue funding personal protective equipment (PPE), testing, and vaccine distribution. Oklahomans are doing their part, but there is still much work to be done to get our positive test rate under control and to reduce the number of hospitalizations.

Medicaid managed care

Stitt also plugged his vision for partially privatizing Oklahoma's Medicaid program, a plan opposed by local health care groups.

The governor pointed to the 40 other states that outsource care of Medicaid recipients to health insurance companies.

"It's not a red state or blue state thing," Stitt said. "It's the smart thing to do."

Facing opposition from some Republican legislators and most in the Democratic minority, it's unclear whether Stitt could face pushback on his managed care plan this legislative session.

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority has contracted with four insurance companies to manage care for a majority of the state's Medicaid recipients at a cost of up to $2.2 billion.

But the Oklahoma Legislature controls state funding, and some lawmakers have talked about simply not funding the contracts. It's not clear whether enough lawmakers oppose managed care to make that happen.

Republican power

Signaling improved relations with legislative leaders, Stitt said he is working with House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, and Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat on a joint legislative agenda for the year.

Both legislative leaders applauded Stitt's speech and echoed the governor's call to help Oklahoma rebound from the pandemic. Republicans hold a historic supermajority in the Legislature.

"Governor Stitt's leadership has Oklahoma positioned for big success this session," McCall said. "The governor will find strong support in the House for keeping the economy open, resuming in-person school, empowering parents and improving school finances."

The governor hinted that his administration and the Republican legislators won't be afraid to push back against President Joe Biden and other Democratic leaders in Washington, D.C.

Stitt also specifically criticized Biden for imposing nearly two dozen executive actions in his first weeks on the job. The governor, who aims to slash state regulations by 25%, warned against government and bureaucratic red tape.

"More than 80% of the House and the Senate are now led by conservative Oklahomans," Stitt said. "We will keep burdens low on our taxpayers. We'll support our oil and gas industry and protect it from radical liberals in Washington."

McGirt ruling

Citing unanswered questions raised by the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma, Stitt said the decision is the most pressing issue for Oklahoma's future.

He urged leaders of the Five Tribes to negotiate with him on criminal and civil jurisdiction in eastern Oklahoma, but did not mention that Congress would first have to grant authority for any changes to federal criminal jurisdiction in Indian Country.

Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that major crimes involving Indians in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation's reservation must be handled by the federal government because the tribe's reservation was never disestablished.

Some tribes have expressed hesitation to negotiating with the governor's office on tribal issues after Stitt's heavy-handed push to renegotiate the state's tribal gaming compacts.

"We have been clear that any outcomes must fully respect and preserve our hard-fought sovereignty," Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin said in a statement. "There is no future for Oklahoma that does not include strong tribal governments, and we hope that going forward the governor recognizes the need for cooperative solutions that are respectful of our rights and our history."

Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby said the tribe looks forward to working together in a manner that respects tribal, state and federal sovereignty.

"We have a long history of working closely with the State of Oklahoma to address significant challenges and develop solutions for the benefit of all Oklahomans," he said. "Given our history, we believe good faith negotiations based on an accurate evaluation of the facts offer a productive path forward."

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