After a busy week of committee work, I am pleased to report that a few bills of mine passed in committee and are now eligible to be considered by the full House.

The first bill, House Bill 3072, mandates that drivers slow down to at least 10 miles per hour below the posted speed limit when approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle or other designated vehicle displaying flashing lights.

I attempted to pass this last year under the “John Mills Bill” in honor of John Mills, a tow truck operator from District 13 who lost his life in a tragic accident on Highway 69 in November 2022. However, the Senate amended the bill, removing this particular section.

Under House Bill 3072, an individual who commits this violation for the first time can avoid paying a monetary penalty by completing Operation Work Zone awareness training. The program requires a fee of $75.00, but it’s helpful because it will waive the fine for a first offense, which is $ 1,000.

I wanted to remind you about House Bill 3073, which I mentioned last week. This bill is crucial as it criminalizes publishing or distributing digitized representations of someone else’s name, image, voice, or likeness without their writ-ten consent. It also prohibits any such act with the intention to cause harm.

Last, I want to discuss House Bill 3071, which is scheduled to be heard in the House General Government Committee on Tuesday. This bill aims to prevent the use of state funds to benefit individuals who are not authorized under federal immigration law to be in Oklahoma or the United States.

I will keep you updated on the progress of these bills throughout the legislative session.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-557-7302 or neil. hays@okhouse.gov.

Rep. Neil Hays, a Republican, serves District 13 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which covers Mc-Intosh, Muskogee and Wagoner County.