OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – This year’s legislative session saw a record number of vetoes from Governor Kevin Stitt. In total, he vetoed 68 bills, breaking the previous record set by former Governor Frank Keating in 1995. Before lawmakers adjourned Sine Die on Friday, they worked to override 40 of Stitt’s vetoes.
House Bill 1137 Override
In a political showdown between the Oklahoma Legislature and Gov. Stitt, lawmakers sent a loud and clear message to Native families across the state: your safety matters.
On Thursday, the House and Senate overwhelmingly overrode Stitt’s veto of House Bill 1137. This bill mandates the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) to create the Office of Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP).
The vote wasn’t even close — the House voted 91–0 and the Senate followed 40–4. The four senators who backed Stitt’s veto were Bergstrom (R-1), Daniels (R-29), Grellner (R-21), and Standridge (R-15).
Stitt’s original veto landed not with compassion, but a cold declaration that race-based offices violate the Constitution.
For the United Indian Nations of Oklahoma (UINO), this override isn’t just a legislative win — it’s a moral reckoning.
“This override tells Native families that their lives matter, their grief has been felt, and that Oklahoma is committed to justice,” said Ben Barnes, UINO Chairperson. “Missing and murdered Indigenous people had champions [Thursday].”
Oklahoma ranks second in the nation for missing and murdered Indigenous people, according to a 2024 report from the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. As of January 2025, there are 690 open cases, including 181 in Tulsa alone. Native women and girls bear the brunt, with homicide being the third leading cause of death for Native women aged 15–24.
HB 1137, authored by Choctaw Nation Representative Stewart (D-Tulsa) and Weaver (R-Moore), cuts the red tape holding the OSBI back from fully staffing its MMIP task force.
Originally created under Ida’s Law in 2021, the office can now coordinate with Tribal governments to investigate cases. They no longer have to wait on federal dollars.
House Bill 1389 Override
Authored by Representative Melissa Provenzano (D-Tulsa), HB 1389 will expand Oklahoma’s requirements for mammogram screenings. Specifically, it would require health benefit plans to cover mammograms for cancer diagnostics and supplemental screenings.
These tests are used to detect breast cancer, which impacts nearly one out of six Oklahoma women, including Provenzano. In response to the veto, Provenzano said she was stunned. “This bill seeks to make sure every woman can get care, regardless of her zip code,” she said in a press release.
In his veto message, Stitt said, “I am deeply sympathetic to the women across our state who have bravely fought breast cancer.” He continued, “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.”
Breast cancer is one of the most common and deadly forms of cancer for women across the country. Despite medical advancements improving early-stage detection, a gap in mortality persists between Black women and white women.
According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Black women, on average, have higher rates of breast cancer mortality. This is partly due to a disparity in healthcare access and insurance. Black women are also more likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer at a younger age. HB 1389 will help boost access for those who need it most.
On Thursday, the House of Representatives voted 83-3 to override the veto, and the Senate followed suit with 42-2.
Session overview
This year’s legislative session ended with lawmakers forced to spend their final hours cleaning up after Stitt’s record-breaking veto spree. By adjournment, they had overridden 40 of them, making it clear even Stitt’s own party was done with political games.
Among 40 of the 68 bills that the legislature has overridden are ones on expanding teacher retention and recruitment (HB 2778), a public corruption bill that prevents people from running in state office again (HB 2164), and a bill that will prohibit hand-held cell phone use in school and work zones (HB 2263).
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