Post jobs on government site

I mentioned this last time, but I can’t emphasize it enough. It’s imperative that our local businesses and companies post any job openings they have on the state’s online job search database at www.okjobmatch.com. I keep hearing stories of people unable to find jobs, but then I see ‘Help Wanted’ signs everywhere I go, especially in restaurants, grocery stores and other places in the service industry, and that’s just one industry. We have several more industries looking to hire statewide. 

You can post jobs or search them absolutely free. There are thousands of job openings statewide right now, and we have to do all we can to ensure our friends and neighbors know of all possible opportunities. Please help your fellow Oklahomans by spreading the word and sharing this website on your social media.

Also, don’t forget, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) started sending out the $1,200 “Back to Work Initiative” payments recently. The first 20,000 applicants who had an active unemployment claim between May 2-15 and who have completed at least six full weeks of paid employment between May 17 - Sept. 4 will be eligible for the incentive. Qualified individuals can apply for the program and upload their valid pay stubs at https://oklahoma.gov/oesc/individuals.html. It’s crucial that paystub photos be clear, and the amounts submitted online must match the amounts on the paystubs.

This session, we tackled several major issues, and one of growing concern is federal overreach. We passed several bills to address this while also protecting the will and liberties of Oklahomans. The budget even included funding for the Attorney General’s Office to defend state power, especially in the ongoing McGirt litigation.

We created a State Reserved Powers Protection Unit within the AG’s Office that will review federal policies for constitutionality, including monitoring and evaluating presidential executive orders to ensure they don’t violate the 10th Amendment. If a review concludes infringement, the AG will determine whether the state should seek an exemption or seek to have the action declared unconstitutional. It further empowers the state Legislature to also review any federal executive order, federal agency rule or federal legislative action to determine constitutionality and recommend action by the AG’s Office. If the AG declines to pursue action, the Legislature may by majority vote initiate an action to seek an exemption or seek to have an action declared unconstitutional by the courts.

Oklahoma is also now a Second Amendment Sanctuary State, meaning any future legislation, rules or ordinances by the federal government, a state agency or political subdivision in Oklahoma is pre-empted from infringing on citizens’ Second Amendment rights. It also states any federal, state, county or municipal act, law, executive order, administrative order, court order, rule, policy, or regulation ordering the buy-back, confiscation or surrender of firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition from Oklahoma law-abiding citizens is unlawful. This important legislation, which I proudly co-authored, was supported by at least 23 Oklahoma sheriffs, including Stephens County Sheriff Wayne McKinney and McClain County Sheriff Landy Offolter.

We also modified the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act to ensure religious institutions cannot be deemed “non-essential” during a pandemic or other emergency situation. Legislation was also signed prohibiting any municipality that levies a voter-approved dedicated tax to fund public safety or any other governmental service from redirecting all or a portion of that dedicated tax revenue to any other purpose without a vote of the people. 

These are just some of the great bills passed by the state Legislature and signed into law by the governor to protect the liberty, will and constitutional rights of Oklahomans. 

If you have any questions or concerns on legislative matters, please contact me at the Capitol. Please write to Senator Jessica Garvin, State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Room 237, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105, email me at Jessica.Garvin@oksenate.gov or call (405) 521-5522.