Merry Christmas, Happy New Year

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year

By State Rep. Josh Cockroft

I would like to begin this holiday column by thanking the constituents who have elected me to represent them at our state Capitol. I am constantly honored and humbled by your trust. Lawmakers will soon meet again for the legislative session in February and we have already been busy preparing ourselves.

House republicans attended a caucus meeting in which we discussed the details of our party’s agenda for the 2012 legislative session. Although we are all conservatives, each of us represent districts that vary in their priorities. We caucus together to try and resolve these differences so that we do not have to spend as much time debating amongst ourselves during the session.

We are in the process of filing legislation for the 2012 legislative session. The first step is to file bills without detailed legal language. Then, we consult with our legal staff to ensure the appropriate legal jargon is used to convey our intent. Laws are open to scrutiny and interpretation by Oklahoma’s judicial branch so it’s very important that we get the language just right.

I am looking forward to the challenges of the 2012 session. I believe that there is the political willpower to begin the process of phasing out the income tax. I will begin running my regular column again in January to keep you informed on what your lawmakers are doing.

The military men and women who protect our liberties and provide for our safety must regularly forgo the comforts of this holiday season. Firefighters, emergency responders and members of law enforcement also regularly work on Christmas to ensure the safety of their communities. I would like to thank you for your service and your protection.

I wish everyone a joyous Christmas and a wonderful New Year. As always, I would love to hear from you. I can be reached at the Capitol at (405) 557-7407.