Latest news with #HouseBill1389
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Oklahoma's female lawmakers condemn governor's veto of mammogram legislation
Oklahoma House lawmakers give Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, a standing ovation on Friday after she thanked the chamber for their support this session as she battled breast cancer. (Photo by Janelle Stecklein/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY — A bipartisan group of 28 female lawmakers sent Gov. Kevin Stitt a letter expressing their 'profound disappointment' that he vetoed a measure aimed at expanding access to mammograms. The women wrote Saturday that Stitt's veto of House Bill 1389 was 'disheartening to patients, doctors, families and the very values we all hold dear in our great state,' but said that female lawmakers were celebrating the Legislature's overwhelming decision to override Stitt's veto. The House voted 83-3 to override the veto and the Senate voted 42-2. They pledged to 'continue (to) fight for the women and families who need these protections.' The measure, which becomes law Nov. 1, requires two additional mammogram tests to be covered by health insurance in Oklahoma. The bill was authored by Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, who is battling breast cancer. Only six women in the Legislature did not sign the letter. In his veto message, Stitt said he vetoed the bill because while he's 'sympathetic' to people battling breast cancer, the legislation would have imposed 'new and costly' insurance mandates on private health plans and raised insurance premiums. Spokespeople from the Governor's Office did not return a request for comment Monday. The lawmakers, who penned the letter, said the measure will help with the early detection of breast cancer by requiring insurers to cover the costs of screenings that are recommended by medical experts and are 'widely recognized as essential tools.' The Legislature voted late Thursday to override Stitt's vetoes. House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, said he supported the veto override during a press conference after the House adjourned. 'A lot of women across the state of Oklahoma reached out about the mammogram bill,' he said Friday morning. 'As we know, an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure, particularly when it comes to cancer. Early prevention and treatment is way cheaper, as well as better health outcomes, than finding cancer later in life.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Oklahoma's female lawmakers celebrate overriding Stitt's mammogram bill veto
Twenty-eight female state lawmakers – both Republicans and Democrats – have signed a letter to Gov. Kevin Stitt expressing 'profound disappointment' in his veto of a measure to expand insurance coverage for breast cancer imaging and advanced diagnostic tests. In the letter, dated Saturday, May 31, they also told Stitt they are celebrating the Oklahoma Legislature's override of that veto. House Bill 1389 was authored by Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa – who is battling breast cancer – and Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City. In his veto message, Stitt, a Republican, said he was 'deeply sympathetic to the women across our state who have bravely fought breast cancer' but he thought the bill would 'impose new and costly insurance mandates on private health plans that will ultimately raise insurance premiums for working families and small businesses.' The female legislators disagreed. 'Your veto is disheartening to patients, doctors, families and the very values we all hold dear in our great state,' they wrote. 'The Legislature passed HB 1389 with overwhelming, bipartisan support. We celebrate the override of your veto this past Thursday and we will continue fight for the women and families who need these protections.' During a marathon legislative session that didn't end until after midnight on May 30, lawmakers overwhelming overrode that veto. In an emotional scene on the Senate floor, Provenzano – a House member – sat next to Stanley during the override vote. After the vote, Stanley introduced Provenzano and gave her a high-five, saying, 'We did it!' A spokeswoman for Stitt did not immediately return a message seeking a response to the letter. There are 34 women among the 146 legislators who currently comprise the Legislature – 20 in the House and 14 in the Senate. (Three House seats currently are vacant.) Among those signing the letter were two women in House Republican leadership: Rep. Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin. House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, and Provenzano led all female House Democrats in signing. Prominent Republican senators who signed the letter included Stanley (who's on Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton's leadership team), Sen. Kristin Thompson, R-Edmond, and Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore. Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, and Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, were among the Democratic senators who signed. Only one female House member, Rep. Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle, did not sign. She was one of only five legislators – and the only woman – to vote against the veto override. Five female senators also didn't sign – Senate Majority Floor Leader Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville; Sen. Julie McIntosh, R-Porter; Sen. Kendal Sacchieri, R-Blanchard; Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman; and Sen. Nikki Nice, D-Oklahoma City. Those signing the letter wrote about the importance of breast cancer screenings covered by the bill in detecting cancer at earlier stages. 'This screening is intended for cases of breast cancer that are harder to detect due to dense fibrous breast tissue; while not suitable for everyone, individuals in this category face a higher risk of their cancer going undetected until it is larger or has already begun to spread. 'HB 1389 was a bipartisan effort that passed the House 95-0. It included contrast-enhanced mammograms and molecular breast imaging in the definition of diagnostic breast cancer exams and required insurance coverage for supplemental screenings based on personal and family medical history. These screenings are not experimental. They are recommended by experts and widely recognized as essential tools in the early detection of breast cancer, which saves lives.' This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma female lawmakers celebrate overriding mammogram bill veto
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Legislative session mixed bag for Oklahoma governor who ‘got everything he wanted' until very end
Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks at his weekly media availability on May 28, 2025. (Photo by Janelle Stecklein/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – The legislative session, which ended Friday, was a mixed bag for Gov. Kevin Stitt. He got his income tax cut, business courts and ban on cellphones in schools, prompting him to say Wednesday it was probably the best session in his seven years in office. 'Look. The governor should be very happy,' House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, said early Friday. 'He got everything he wanted this session.' But then came Thursday, effectively the final day of the legislative session. Lawmakers removed his embattled mental health commissioner and spent hours overriding dozens of his vetoes, including House Bill 1389, which expands insurance coverage for diagnostic mammograms. Stitt panned both the veto overrides and Friesen's firing. State Superintendent Ryan Walters didn't fare well, watching lawmakers and Stitt halt his efforts to require citizenship status checks for students and the completion of the naturalization test for teachers. They also balked at his $3 million request to purchase Bibles for public school classrooms. But lawmakers stopped short of putting the kibosh on his controversial social studies standards, dictating what must be taught in school, and which have already drawn a court challenge. The standards include language requiring students be taught about unfounded 2020 election 'discrepancies,' the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and Bible stories. Democrats said they were largely left out of the budget process. While Stitt championed it, Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, said the .25% income tax reduction was the worst bill of the session. It cuts the top bracket from 4.75% to 4.5% and contains a pathway toward eliminating the tax entirely. 'It is going to undermine our options as a state,' Kirt said. Stitt let the general appropriations bill, outlining the state's nearly $12.6 billion budget, take effect without his signature. The budget gives most agencies a flat budget, but provides $250 million for the Oklahoma State University veterinary school and $200 million for a University of Oklahoma pediatric heart hospital. Perhaps one of the most controversial measures passed and signed into law was a bill putting more restrictions on the process voters use to get things on the ballot. Senate Bill 1027, which among other things implements restrictions on the number of people who can sign initiative petitions, is expected to draw a legal challenge. Sports betting failed to get across the finish line for yet another year. A bill that would have barred synthetic dyes and over a dozen other ingredients from food got left on the cutting room floor, as did a measure requiring a Ten Commandments display at the Capitol. A bill that would add items to Oklahoma's back-to-school sales tax holiday didn't muster the support needed for passage nor did a measure that would have made Nov. 5 President Donald J. Trump Day in Oklahoma. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Oklahoma lawmaker battling breast cancer ‘stunned' after Stitt vetoes bill requiring insurance to cover cancer screenings
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Gov. Kevin Stitt is under fire after vetoing a bipartisan-supported bill that would have required insurance companies to cover certain screenings that can catch breast cancer early, a decision that has left the bill's author, who is battling breast cancer herself, heartbroken. The bill, House Bill 1389, had rare, unanimous bipartisan support in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and near-unanimous support in the Senate. 'It was amazing,' said Rep. Melissa Provenzano (D-Tulsa). Provenzano said her idea for the bill came about after she got a call from a single mom in her district. She said the woman went in for a routine mammogram, but when her doctor saw something concerning and recommended a second diagnostic mammogram, her insurance wouldn't cover it. 'And it was $1,200,' Provenzano said. Gov. Stitt vetoes bill that would extend Oklahoma eviction timeline The woman told Provenzano something that stuck with her. 'I have to pay my electric after the food on the table, so I was just not going to get it,' Provenzano said the woman told that, Provenzano teamed up with the Susan G. Komen Foundation to write the bill, which would require insurance companies to cover diagnostic mammograms at no cost to patients. Early detection, she said, could save countless was around the time she filed the bill that Provenzano got news of her own: She had breast cancer.'December 11th, I was diagnosed,' Provenzano said. 'And that just sort of rocks your world because it's fear of the unknown.'She has been undergoing chemotherapy, once a week, for the past 11 weeks, while the bill made its way through committees and onto the House floor, where it received unanimous approval on March 10. 'I turned around and it was just, you know, dots of pink,' Provenzano said. 'Everybody had something on. And it was moving and human. And it reminded me that we're humans first. And this is an apolitical thing at the end.' Even Republican lawmakers voiced strong support. 'Representative Provenzano — regardless of party lines, I guarantee it, I can speak for everyone… we all care about you,' Rep. Steve Bashore (R-Miami) told Provenzano after the vote. The bill sailed through the Senate and landed on Stitt's desk on Tuesday. 'I didn't expect a veto,' Provenzano said. But Stitt vetoed the bill Tuesday. 'I was stunned, to say the least, you know, because one in eight women in the United States are diagnosed every year,' Provenzano said. Stitt explained his decision in a video statement on Facebook Tuesday evening. Senate committee rejects immigration rules for Oklahoma schools 'It would have imposed new and costly insurance mandates on private health plans, which would actually raise premiums on Oklahoma families and businesses,' Stitt said. Provenzano said that reasoning is not backed by facts. 'When you have early detection, like I had access to, like all women deserve access to, you're saving dollars and saving money for the insurance companies on the back end,' Provenzano said. For Provenzano, it's hard not to take it personally. 'It feels personal,' Provenzano said. 'But I have to separate myself from that. I just want to say, did you read the bill? Did you understand what it was we're trying to do, and why this will save lives? And I just want to be able to have that conversation.' Provenzano said she still hasn't received a call from the governor. As she heads into her final week of chemotherapy, Provenzano said she's confident the future will hold fewer vetoes—and more moments of unity. 'When we strip away the politics, really beautiful things happen,' Provenzano said. 'And I'll keep working on that.' Stitt was scheduled to hold his weekly press conference on Wednesday, where News 4 planned to ask him about his decision, but it was postponed until Thursday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Oklahoma governor rejects measure requiring insurers to cover more breast cancer tests
Gov. Kevin Stitt has vetoed a measure meant to expand Oklahomans' access to breast cancer screening, saying he doesn't want to raise insurance rates. House Bill 1389 would require health care insurance providers to cover tests such as breast ultrasounds for people who are at higher risks of breast cancer, even if no abnormality is seen or suspected at the time. Contrast-enhanced mammograms and molecular breast imaging would also be covered in those cases and as part of diagnostic testing. Lawmakers from both parties criticized Stitt's decision to veto the bill, which had widespread support and cleared the House floor 95-0. For many legislators, the measure carried a special significance. The bill's author, Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her colleagues in the House wore pink in her honor on the day she introduced the measure. Provenzano said in a statement that Stitt's veto left her "stunned and in disbelief." She noted women in Oklahoma are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than the U.S. norm. More: Oklahoma governor vetoes MMIP bill, saying investigators shouldn't prioritize cases 'based on race' The governor said in his May 6 veto message that while he was sympathetic to women battling breast cancer, he believed the legislation would raise costs for health insurance companies and "ultimately raise insurance premiums for working families and small businesses." He said insurance plans already cover mammograms, and that doctors can order more tests if needed. Provenzano said many tests still aren't covered, which is why the legislation is needed. She pledged to "get to work" on moving the bill forward, which could still become law if legislators vote to override Stitt's veto. In her statement, Provenzano said the measure was meant to build on a 2022 bill that required insurance providers to cover diagnostic mammograms. Stitt signed that measure into law. Jennifer Monies, an adviser to House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, has not yet responded to questions about Hilbert's response to the veto and whether he plans to pursue an override. As the bill made its way through the Legislature, more than 20 lawmakers, including several Republicans, signed on as co-authors. Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, the bill's main backer in the Senate, said she was disappointed by the governor's veto. 'This legislation was vetoed due to the belief that the provision of this care could contribute to higher insurance premiums, although the reality is that the costs of providing preventative screenings are minuscule when compared to the costs to treat late-stage disease,' Stanley said. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Gov. Stitt vetoes bill expanding breast cancer test coverage
