AG Drummond Slams Gov Stitt Vetoes

Both Governor Stitt and AG Drummond spoke at the OKGOP Convention, but the continuing public battles prove Oklahoma doesn't need two parties to fight when ambition and ego take the stage.

Oklahoma Attorney General and announced gubernatorial candidate Gentner Drummond in a media release today blasted recent vetoes by Gov. Stitt, including measures he asserted would strengthen public safety, improve government transparency and accountability, and force health insurance companies to cover mammograms. All passed the Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support — reflecting the will of everyday Oklahomans Drummond asserted in remarkably robust language.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, not shy in his own defense, maintains an ongoing list of vetoes available online that were also undated today and are included here at the end of Drummond's rant.

“Sadly, Gov. Kevin Stitt has clearly decided he no longer cares about serving the citizens of Oklahoma and is instead focused on serving special-interest groups and playing petty politics,” Drummond said. “While his days are thankfully numbered, his loyalty to lobbyists and insiders will continue damaging public safety and transparency until his term is over.”

Drummond pointed to a trio of Senate bills related to public safety: Senate Bill 54 would have stiffened penalties for drunk driving; SB 631 would have ensured tougher punishment for shooting into a dwelling; and, SB 37 would have created a mass casualty revolving fund.

“Public safety should always be a Governor’s top priority, but Kevin Stitt has proven time and again that he is soft on crime and weak on violent offenders,” Drummond said. “If you don’t believe me, go ask the families whose loved ones have been murdered, raped or otherwise victimized by the monsters the Governor released in his infamous mass commutation.”

Drummond said he was particularly disgusted by Stitt’s veto of SB 37 because of a massive tragedy that was narrowly avoided around the time of last November’s election.

“Gov. Stitt partnered with the Biden Administration to import poorly vetted Afghan refugees, using millions of our tax dollars to pay for their food and shelter, and of course one of them turned out to be a radical ISIS terrorist,” Drummond said. “That terrorist was plotting a mass shooting at our polling places to interfere with President Trump’s election but thank God our brave law enforcement officers stopped him. Oklahomans expect their Governor to support bills that protect them, not veto them.”

Drummond also criticized Gov. Stitt’s veto of House Bill 2163, which would have established a Public Access Counselor Unit within the Office of the Attorney General. Under the legislation, the unit would investigate violations of the Open Records and Open Meeting laws, shining light on the malfeasance and corruption of the Stitt administration.

“I give the Governor credit for telling Oklahomans the truth about why he vetoed this bill: He doesn’t want me to have increased authority to hold him and his failed political appointees accountable for refusing to follow the law,” said Drummond. “As Attorney General, I serve the people of Oklahoma, not bureaucrats or politicians. My client is the Oklahoma taxpayer, not powerful insiders or special-interest groups. The Governor’s veto will not stop me from doing everything within my power to uphold the law and fulfill my duty to the people.”

Finally, he slammed the Governor for vetoing two bills that directly affect the health and pocketbook of every Oklahoman who buys prescription drugs or requires a mammogram. SB 773 would have ensured that an investigation into a pharmacy benefit manager receives the cooperation of any entity interacting with that PBM, while SB 1389 would have expanded health insurance coverage of breast cancer screenings.

“I cannot imagine a more sickening thing for a Governor to do than stand with PBMs and health insurance companies instead of fighting for the Oklahoma families routinely abused by these self-serving and greedy entities,” Drummond said. “Our loved ones expect their Governor to help them get the health care they need at the lowest possible price. Unfortunately, Gov. Stitt is putting these special-interest groups before Oklahomans.” Drummond commended the Legislature for passing each of these measures and encouraged them to continue fighting on behalf of their constituents.

"Oklahomans should be thankful our legislators worked to build overwhelming bipartisan support for these bills and sent them to the Governor’s desk,” Drummond said. “While each measure passed with strong veto-proof majorities, I understand there are many factors for legislative leaders to consider before initiating a veto override — not the least of which is the fragile ego of the current Governor — but I encourage them to do so.”

Last Modified today (May 13, 2025) the following is a list of legislation vetoed by Governor Kevin Stitt during the first regular session of Oklahoma's 60th Legislature. The list will continue to be updated online as legislation is received and acted upon by the governor:

SB 773 - Veto Message: Oklahoma statute already gives the Attorney General authority to go after bad actors in the PBM space. This bill hands additional power to an Attorney General who has shown again and again that he will abuse it. To date, he has used his office to sue agricultural farmers, tech companies and other Oklahoma businesses for political gain. After increasing his budget 68% since taking office, and asking for another 204% increase for next year, the Attorney General is making another attempt to grow his office and expand his authority. Senate Bill 773 gives the AG new tools to go after more industries and keep the fines and fees levied on them, without meaningful oversight or checks on his actions. This bill gives him a financial incentive to sue people.

SB 875 - Veto Message: This bill would mandate the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) to impose steep, additional penalties on contracted entities that fail to meet existing minimum spending thresholds for primary care services. It’s unclear why legislation is necessary for what seems to be a contractual issue already within the OHCA’s and healthcare providers’ purview.

SB 924 - Veto Message: This bill would allow the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission to alter the administrative appeals filing process in a way that creates uncertainty for the people and businesses they serve. This language is incongruous with the stated intention of the bill, and its operative terms are undefined in the statute. Administrative appeals for unemployment should be transparent and straightforward and allow both the citizen and employer to know what is expected without needing a law degree. In short, this language would create ambiguity for both the Commission and the citizens it intends to serve.

HB 1487 - Veto Message: This bill is yet another law adding more special interest license plates to the 266 existing designs. While I appreciate enthusiasm for non-profits, causes, and the occasional obscure organization, we might want to pump the brakes on turning our roadways into rolling billboards. Special interest plates might be well-intentioned, but piling them on clutters the system, complicates enforcement, and often serves more as symbolic feel-good policy than meaningful progress. If the Legislature wanted to drive real change, they would streamline the fees for all license plates and ensure the state is not losing money on this effort instead of turning Service OK into Etsy for car bumpers.

SB 694 - Veto Message: The current municipality annexation and detachment law is fine how it is— it rightly requires approval from three-fourths (3/4) of registered voters and property owners in the area. This bill would block detachment even with that support, undermining local democracy and inviting unnecessary interference from the Capitol.

HB 2163 - Veto Message: This bill grants the Attorney General sweeping and unchecked authority to access records from any state agency, board, commission, or independently elected official—including confidential and privileged documents. That kind of power is unprecedented in Oklahoma and would undermine the balance of power among independently elected offices. Under this law, the Attorney General could demand internal records and attorney-client communications from agencies—even in cases where he is suing or investigating them. That creates a dangerous conflict of interest. For example, the current Attorney General has sued the Statewide Charter School Board, an entity he previously represented. If this bill became law, he could compel the board to hand over privileged information, giving him an unfair advantage in ongoing litigation. No office should be allowed to stack the deck in its own favor. Oklahomans have several effective tools to ensure transparency and accountability in government. Public records laws and the courts provide a neutral, fair process to review and resolve disputes over access to information. This bill bypasses that process and concentrates too much power in one office.

SB 37 - Veto Message: I am committed to protecting all four million Oklahomans from those who seek to harm them, but growing government and creating new, unfunded revolving funds will not accomplish that end. Should law enforcement feel it needs more money to protect Oklahomans, they should approach that request through the normal appropriations process.

SB 54 - Veto Message: This legislation seeks to expand penalties and mandatory sentencing requirements for individuals convicted of driving under the influence, particularly in aggravated cases or for repeat offenses. While I share the Legislature’s commitment to public safety and to holding impaired drivers accountable, I cannot support this bill in its current form. Under current law, aggravated DUI is a misdemeanor, triggered only when a driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.15 or higher. Senate Bill 54 would elevate aggravated DUI to a felony and significantly broaden its scope. A driver could now face felony charges not just for a high BAC, but for conduct such as causing a property-damage accident of over $500, crossing the center line, speeding more than 20 miles per hour over the limit, or simply having a passenger under the age of 18. Additionally, the bill removes meaningful judicial discretion by mandating jail time and increasing financial penalties, regardless of the individual circumstances of the offense. Our courts must be able to consider the facts of each case and tailor sentences accordingly— especially for nonviolent and first-time offenders. Imposing one-size-fits-all penalties risks unjust outcomes and unnecessary incarceration.

SB 128 - Veto Message: This bill seeks to expand minimum wait times in eviction proceedings, making the already burdensome and difficult process of obtaining an eviction that much more burdensome. The existing procedures already provide adequate due process and notice. This bill would also do the opposite as intended. Instead of assisting renters in arrears, it would incentivize landlords to specifically not rent housing units to low-income households, for risk of greater eviction costs. We cannot overcome economic realities with good intentions.

HB 1137 - Veto Message: While I support efforts to solve missing persons and homicide cases, I cannot endorse legislation that singles out victims based solely on their race. House Bill 1137 requires the creation of a unit within the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) that focuses exclusively on missing and murdered Indigenous persons. But every missing person— regardless of race or background—deserves equal attention and urgency. Oklahoma already has both the Missing Persons Clearing House and the Cold Case Unit within OSBI, which are tasked with investigating disappearances and unsolved cases across all communities. Creating a separate office that prioritizes cases based on race undermines the principle of equal protection under the law and risks sending the message that some lives are more worthy of government attention than others. Justice must be blind to race. Our resources and investigative efforts should be deployed based on the needs of the case, not the identity of the victim.

HB 1216 - Veto Message: House Bill 1216 ratchets up subsequent fines levied by the Construction Industries Board to five times their current level. Subsequent fines are already set at $1,000 for any violation, big or small. Quintupling fines on Oklahoma businesses for any regulatory violation, regardless of the regulations’ relation to public safety, is little more than administrative overreach.

HB 2167 - Veto Message: This bill would significantly increase the cost for publishing legal notices in newspapers and force newspapers to create a statewide website to house these legal notices electronically, among other things. I have said publicly and repeatedly that we need to lower Oklahomans’ financial burden, not raise them. These measures would create unreasonable burdens on private entities and an unreasonable financial barrier to the just, speedy, and inexpensive resolution of legal disputes.

SB 583 - Veto Message: Government shouldn’t be in the business of “gotcha” with hard working business owners. This bill expands the Oklahoma Tax Commission’s authority to shut down businesses over easily remedied paperwork errors, even when those businesses worked to fix those errors . Although the bill would also extend the grace period for a non-compliant businesses before closure, I believe this bill will result in more unnecessary business closures. I therefore believe this bill will too harshly penalize hardworking Oklahomans.

HB 1389 - Veto Message: I am deeply sympathetic to the women across our state who have bravely fought breast cancer. While early detection and access to care are critical priorities, this legislation imposes new and costly insurance mandates on private health plans that will ultimately raise insurance premiums for working families and small businesses. Mammograms are already covered, and when a doctor sees the need for further tests, they are empowered to order further tests that can be covered by insurance. Without fail, when government gets involved in markets, prices rise for everyone. Rather than expanding government mandates, we should focus on empowering individuals and encouraging innovation in the marketplace to improve access and affordability.

HB 1157 - Veto Message: This bill does several things, and none of them good. This bill grows government and cedes authority to an unelected bureaucrat, giving Oklahomans less power over their government. Additionally, it adds another permit and gives the administrator the authority to buy vehicles and add to our state fleet. I have been clear that I will not sign legislation that grows government and makes it harder for businesses to operate in Oklahoma. Earlier this year, I issued Executive Order 2025-03, aimed at reducing the state’s costly oversupply of vehicles. Last year, I issued Executive Order 2024-13, requiring state agencies review and reform their permitting processes. This bill flies in the face of both of those Executive Orders by expanding the state’s bloated fleet and adding yet another unnecessary license.

SB 363 - Veto Message: Private religious institutions shouldn’t have to play “mother may I” with the state regents. This bill is another example of government stepping into a process it shouldn’t have a role in. If a student chooses to pursue a degree at a private religious school, they should be allowed to do that at the institution of their choice.

SB 465 - Veto Message: Institutions of Higher Education are seeking special treatment when it comes to auctions and events involving alcohol. No other charitable groups—like cancer foundations or local nonprofits—would get the same break this legislation provides. Our laws should apply equally to everyone. In any event, the Legislature should pass a law that removes the limit for all charitable and non-profit organizations.

HB 1819 - Veto Message: A fee increase is nothing more than a bureaucrat’s attempt at a pay raise. This bill would raise optometry license fees from $300 to $500, which will raise prices for Oklahoma consumers for something as simple as kids’ glasses. Every time government gets involved, prices go up. Not on my watch.

HB 1910 - Veto Message: I appreciate the intent behind this legislation, but I cannot support the invention of new programs with vague goals and no accountability. If local communities want to start gardens or green spaces, they don’t need a government mandate—they need freedom, private partnerships, and fewer obstacles. I won’t ask citizens to foot the bill for a program that should be driven by local businesses, nonprofits, churches, or local governments.

HB 2170 - Veto Message: Don’t stick a new fee into a cleanup bill.

SB 424 - Veto Message: I vetoed a nearly identical bill in 2023. Like its predecessor, this requires the State Department of Health to create a certification program for community health workers – another license and more government intervention. While these workers offer important services, I believe decisions about employing them should be left to private employers, not mandated through government expansion.

SB 837 - Veto Message: The Legislature’s overzealous commitment to vanity license plates has resulted in a bloated catalogue full of taxpayer-funded advertisements for special interest groups. The legislation allows for a fee increase on a seemingly existing license plate, but there is no Oklahoma City Zoo license plate currently available. It’s bananas that our Legislature has time to dedicate to creating more novelty license plates but doesn’t have the time to pass tax cuts. The Legislature should stop monkeying around and address the elephant in the room. It’s time to boa up and pass tax cuts.

SB 870 - Veto Message: While I am supportive of protecting vulnerable children, this bill is too broad and leaves many terms undefined. Even law enforcement believe this bill is so vague it could lead to overcriminalization. There is already a failure to report statute, but it requires that the violator knew of misconduct and chose not to report. On the other hand, this bill criminalizes people who suspect – even when they don’t really know if a crime has been committed – and do not report. This bill may unintentionally discourage volunteers and employees from serving, out of concern that they could face prosecution for not being sufficiently vigilant in identifying potential misconduct. I would encourage the legislature to clarify the above, expand it to more than just OJA and get it to my desk to better protect Oklahoma children without the ambiguity.

SB 1014 - Veto Message: I agree with the premise that we should prefer local Oklahoma companies, all else equal, but this is already allowed under the law as localities may give those companies preferential treatment. This bill would take away flexibility in the bidding process. We should continue to allow localities flexibility so that they can pick companies who can give them the best services for the best price. If this bill becomes law it would reduce competition and qualified bidders and ultimately hurt consumers.

SB 1050 - Veto Message: This bill undermines the ability of insurers to detect waste, fraud, and abuse and recover fraudulent or improper payments, which will drive up costs across the system. Oklahoma families are already burdened by rising health care premiums. We should not be adopting policies that increase those costs further.

SB 1089 - Veto Message: While Senate Bill 1089 is well-intended, I am concerned that it shifts competency restoration decisions from qualified clinicians to judges and attorneys, which will result in worse outcomes for Oklahomans and higher burdens on taxpayers. Additionally, many of the concerns raised by this bill have already been addressed in the Briggs v. Friesen consent decree, which was agreed to by the plaintiffs, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the Attorney General, and the Legislature. I’m concerned this bill would unnecessarily increase the Department’s exposure to legal liability. I encourage the Legislature and the Department to continue collaborating in good faith to develop mutually agreeable legislation that more effectively addresses the underlying concerns driving this proposal.

HB 1751 - Veto Message: Through EO 2023-14 and EO 2025-03, I have made my intentions clear that the State of Oklahoma and its agencies need to be intentional about the cars it purchases and maintains. In what is branded as a “clean-up bill”, language allowing Service Oklahoma to increase the state’s fleet numbers and purchase more cars is hidden in this 86-page bill.

SB 522 - Veto Message: This bill would require the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority Executive Advisory Council to organize a special task force. This is like holding a meeting to schedule a meeting about meetings. Creating yet another advisory group is bureaucracy dressed up as productivity. We don’t need more panels, round tables, or reports that end up collecting dust. We need action, leadership, and real solutions.

Edit Note: Please forgive the length of this compilation, but the significance of specific differences between these two state leaders deserves, in the author’s judgement, full hearing from both sides in one presentation.