As 2015 Legislature convenes, OETA to air Governor Mary Fallin’s 2015 ‘State of the State’
Published: January 30th, 2015
OKLAHOMA CITY – On Monday, February 2, OETA – The Oklahoma Network, will provide all broadcast television media in the state of Oklahoma with a video pool feed for the 2015 State of the State address of Governor Mary Fallin.
Live coverage of Gov. Fallin’s annual address begins live at 12:30 p.m. She will begin speaking around 12:45 p.m., and the broadcast of her remarks should last until about 1:30 p.m.
The speech will appear on Broadcast Channel 13 in Oklahoma City, on many cable systems, and online at oeta.tv. OETA is the statewide PBS network, providing educational and public television programming.
The address, delivered from the chambers of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, will outline Governor Fallin’s priorities for the 2015 Legislative Session and coincides with the release of her Executive Budget.
The State of the State Address will also be streamed live and archived on OETA’s website oeta.tv.
Fallin took the oath to commence her second term on Monday, January 12.
The State of the State address is always given in conjunction with the start of the legislative session. Recently, Speaker Jeffrey Hickman of Fairview was reelected to the top leadership position in the state House of Representatives. Early in January, he announced the full list of committee memberships.
Hickman is a Republican.
Minority Leader Scott Inman, a Democrat, has promised vigilance form the Democratic caucus, which retained 29 members, same as in the 2013-14 sessions of the Legislature.
On the annual organizational day, held January 6 at the state Capitol, Brian Bingman of Sapulpa was reelected as President Pro Temp of the state Senate.
The Senate Democratic leader is Randy Bass of Lawton.
The upcoming session could be challenging, as the government faces a modest reduction in revenues. Some agencies may face tighter budgets, as Fallin has hinted. Hickman has promised close scrutiny of tax incentives and credits, which some believe have become too generous to business interests. Bingman said he believes teachers in public schools are underpaid, and new Schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister is pushing for a teacher pay hike.
Fallin, Hickman and Bingman have all pledged support, after a two-year delay, of the state’s effort to reduce what the governor called “over-incarceration” in her second inaugural address.
OETA, also known as The Oklahoma Network, is the statewide PBS network, providing educational and public television programming.
NOTE: Editor Patrick B. McGuigan contributed to this report.