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State of the State: 2025 vs 2026
Governor Kevin Stitt -- comparing priorities year over year
Oklahoma 2025 vs. 2026: Governor Stitt's Shifting Priorities
Governor Stitt's 2025 address was organized around four explicit pillars — protecting taxpayers, being the best state for business, safeguarding savings, and defending the Oklahoma way of life — with heavy emphasis on economic competitiveness, energy abundance, and family values. By 2026, his final full session as governor, the speech shifted to a more legacy-oriented and reform-heavy tone, organized around three principles: reduce regulation, protect the vulnerable, and secure the state's future. The business recruitment messaging that dominated 2025 (data centers, Google, Devon, ONEOK) was largely replaced by structural governance reforms and direct challenges to institutional opponents.
Fiscal policy evolved significantly between the two years. In 2025, Stitt called for a half-point income tax cut and a "path to zero income tax," along with a $4 billion savings floor. By 2026, the path-to-zero framework was already enacted, and Stitt pivoted to proposing a constitutional amendment capping recurring spending growth at 3%, a $750 million Taxpayer Endowment Fund modeled on sovereign wealth funds in Wyoming, Alaska, and Texas, and a state question to freeze property tax growth. He also introduced support for federal Trump Accounts, proposing to re-appropriate $12 million to seed $250 per Oklahoma child born this year, with private sector partners like Williams and Continental joining the effort.
On education, the 2025 speech focused on school choice wins, eliminating virtual school days, cell phone-free schools, and creating 250 new apprenticeship/internship programs. The 2026 address took a more aggressive posture, calling for the elimination of the OSSAA (Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association), removing the cap on the Parental Choice Tax Credit, making it easier for charter schools to bypass local district approval, and — most notably — proposing that the Superintendent of Public Instruction be appointed by the governor rather than elected. Reading proficiency emerged as a core concern in 2026, whereas workforce development and virtual school days were not mentioned.
New flashpoint issues emerged in 2026 that were entirely absent in 2025. Stitt made a forceful call to send the medical marijuana issue back to voters to "shut it down," citing cartel activity, human trafficking, and foreign criminal interests. He also devoted significant rhetorical energy to the McGirt decision and tribal sovereignty, framing it as a fight for "One Oklahoma" and arguing that all Oklahomans should be subject to equal laws regardless of race. Meanwhile, the 2025 themes of energy abundance, fatherhood, Family Month, the Office of Faith Based Initiatives, immigration enforcement (Operation Guardian), and DOGE-OK were all dropped or went unmentioned in the 2026 address. The overall arc reflects a governor pivoting from economic boosterism to legacy-defining structural reforms in his final legislative session.
New Priorities in 2026
- +Proposed a constitutional amendment to cap recurring state spending growth at 3% annually via a state question on the ballot.
- +Called for creation of a $750 million Taxpayer Endowment Fund, a sovereign wealth fund modeled after those in Wyoming, Alaska, and Texas, projected to grow to $3.2 billion in 20 years.
- +Endorsed federal Trump Accounts and proposed re-appropriating $12 million to seed $250 per Oklahoma child born this year, with private sector contributions from Williams and Continental.
- +Called for a state question to freeze property tax growth, citing pressure on veterans, seniors, and young families.
- +Demanded elimination of the OSSAA, arguing the unelected sports association blocks students from playing at their transfer schools.
- +Proposed making the Superintendent of Public Instruction a governor-appointed position rather than an elected one, noting 38 states already do this.
- +Called for removing the cap on the Parental Choice Tax Credit to make it available to every Oklahoma family.
- +Proposed letting charter schools bypass local school district approval and go directly to the statewide charter board for authorization.
- +Called for sending medical marijuana back to voters to effectively shut down the industry, citing cartel activity, human trafficking, and foreign criminal influence.
- +Devoted major emphasis to the McGirt decision and tribal sovereignty, calling for 'One Oklahoma' where all laws apply equally regardless of race and pushing back against what he called the federalization of half the state.
- +Proposed an executive order ramping up work requirements and vetting for Medicaid, SNAP, and other welfare benefits, and called for a voter question to adjust Medicaid expansion.
- +Highlighted that veto overrides on spending bills have cost taxpayers nearly $800 million during his tenure, framing it as a cautionary point about legislative discipline.
Dropped from 2025
- −The 2025 call for a half-point cut to individual and business income tax rates was not repeated, as the 'path to zero' framework had already been enacted into law.
- −The $4 billion savings floor proposed in 2025 was replaced by the more ambitious $750 million Taxpayer Endowment Fund concept.
- −DOGE-OK, the state-level government efficiency initiative inspired by Elon Musk and President Trump, was launched in 2025 but not mentioned in 2026.
- −The Energy Abundance Agenda and extensive promotion of oil and gas companies (Devon, Continental, ONEOK, Expand Energy) and data center investments (Google, $20 billion Trump announcement) were absent in 2026.
- −Business courts, championed in 2025 with Jon Echols and Secretary Jeff Starling, were not mentioned in 2026.
- −Eliminating virtual school days, a specific 2025 proposal citing Oklahoma's 148-day in-seat requirement versus Kansas's 186 days, was dropped entirely.
- −Cell phone-free schools, including the spotlight on Bixby Superintendent Rob Miller, were not referenced in 2026.
- −The call for 250 new apprenticeship and internship programs and broader workforce development emphasis was absent in 2026.
- −The fatherhood crisis received extensive treatment in 2025 with detailed statistics (250,000 Oklahoma children without fathers, correlations to dropout rates and incarceration) but was not mentioned in 2026.
- −Family Month declarations and the emphasis on family meals and intentional family time were not repeated.
- −The Office of Faith Based Initiatives, highlighted in 2025 with the story of Daniel and May Cave, was not referenced in 2026.
- −Operation Guardian and immigration enforcement, including National Guard deployment to Texas and coordination with the Trump administration on deportations, were not mentioned in 2026.
- −Criminal justice reform specifics, including the story of John Standfill and the call to eliminate fines, fees, and court costs for those who have served their time, were dropped as a focal point.
- −The 2025 framing around four explicit pillars (protect taxpayers, best state for business, safeguard savings, protect the Oklahoma way of life) was replaced by three new principles (reduce regulation, protect the vulnerable, secure the future).
Shifted Emphasis
- ↔Tax policy shifted from proposing specific rate cuts (half-point reduction) in 2025 to defending the already-enacted path-to-zero framework and proposing constitutional spending caps and property tax freezes in 2026.
- ↔Education reform escalated dramatically — 2025 celebrated past wins (open transfer, tax credit, religious charter schools) while 2026 went on offense, calling to eliminate the OSSAA, remove the Parental Choice Tax Credit cap, appoint rather than elect the superintendent, and ease charter school authorization.
- ↔Savings strategy evolved from a defensive $4 billion floor in 2025 to an offensive $750 million sovereign wealth fund proposal in 2026, reflecting a shift from protecting savings to actively investing them for long-term growth.
- ↔The tone toward government spending hardened — 2025 spoke generally about fiscal discipline, while 2026 included specific attacks on veto overrides costing $800 million, Medicaid projected to consume 37% ($6 billion) of the budget, and an explicit call to ramp up work requirements for welfare programs.
- ↔Criminal justice shifted from a reformist posture in 2025 (second chances, eliminating fines and fees, closing four prisons) to a public safety and law enforcement posture in 2026 (marijuana industry as a cartel threat, McGirt creating prosecution challenges).
- ↔The relationship with the federal government shifted — 2025 enthusiastically aligned with Trump on DOGE and border enforcement, while 2026 expressed caution about federal reliability, warning about the $38 trillion federal debt and urging Oklahoma not to depend on federal funding.
- ↔Business and economic messaging went from front-and-center boosterism with specific company names and investment figures in 2025 to background context in 2026, where economic success was cited as past achievement rather than active agenda.
- ↔The overall rhetorical framing shifted from a forward-looking economic growth pitch in 2025 to a legacy-consolidation and institutional-reform speech in 2026, reflecting a governor in his final session seeking to lock in structural changes.
Policy Topics Addressed
Affordability
Governor Stitt highlighted cutting taxes by $1.6 billion, increasing median income by nearly $11,000, and proposed freezing property tax growth through a state ballot question. He emphasized the Path to Zero income tax plan with a 3% cap on recurring spending growth, and called for constitutional codification. He also proposed ramping up Medicaid work requirements and welfare vetting to control spending growth, noting Medicaid could consume 37% of the budget within 10 years.
Agriculture
Governor Stitt emphasized ensuring food stamps are used for "real food, not junk food" and called the marijuana industry a threat requiring voter reconsideration. He highlighted Oklahoma's economic growth including agricultural sectors.
Economy & Jobs
Governor Stitt reported the strongest economy in state history, with median income increasing nearly $11,000, unemployment among the nation's lowest, and $1.6 billion in tax cuts. He championed the Path to Zero income tax plan and proposed a Taxpayer Endowment Fund seeded with $750 million. He emphasized diversifying the economy while maintaining one of the lowest unemployment rates nationally.
Education
Governor Stitt aggressively championed school choice, calling for eliminating the Parental Choice Tax Credit cap, allowing charter schools to bypass local district authorization, and abolishing the OSSAA sports association. He proposed making the Superintendent of Public Instruction a gubernatorial appointment rather than an elected position, and pushed for continued investment in literacy, noting too many students are not reading at grade level.
Environment & Energy
Governor Stitt briefly touched on energy through celebrating Oklahoma's ethanol industry and the state's overall economic performance without major energy-specific proposals in this address.
Government Reform
Governor Stitt called for a constitutional 3% annual cap on recurring spending growth, proposed eliminating the state's high school activities association (OSSAA), and advocated making the Superintendent of Public Instruction an appointed rather than elected position. He also called for a state question to allow adjustments to Medicaid expansion and emphasized reducing regulation as a core governing principle.
Healthcare
Governor Stitt called for sending the marijuana issue back to voters to 'shut it down,' characterizing the medical marijuana industry as plagued by 'cartel activity, human trafficking, and foreign influence.' He also emphasized reducing Medicaid spending, noting it is projected to consume 37% of the annual budget ($6 billion) within 10 years, and called for work requirements and voter approval to adjust Medicaid expansion.
Housing
Governor Stitt addressed housing primarily through the lens of property taxes, proposing a state question to freeze property tax growth to protect the American Dream of homeownership. He framed rising property values as both positive (growing state) and concerning (pricing out veterans, seniors, and young families).
Immigration
Governor Stitt praised border security efforts and linked immigration to the marijuana industry, claiming it "enables cartel activity, human trafficking, and foreign influence." He framed immigration enforcement as part of broader public safety and protecting the Oklahoma way of life.
Infrastructure
Governor Stitt highlighted the need for energy infrastructure to support AI and data centers, emphasizing that regions producing more electricity will thrive. He noted the importance of our public power system and called for modernizing the tax code to fund infrastructure through economic growth rather than new taxes.
Public Safety
Governor Stitt highlighted shrinking the prison population by 25% while maintaining record-low recidivism. He called for shutting down the medical marijuana industry, citing cartel activity, human trafficking, and foreign influence. He emphasized his declaration of war on the marijuana industry as a public safety measure and called for a voter referendum to shut it down.
Social Services
Governor Stitt called for sending a question to voters that would allow adjustments to Medicaid expansion, noting that Medicaid is projected to consume 37% of the annual budget ($6 billion) within 10 years. He issued an executive order ramping up work requirements for Medicaid, SNAP, and other federal welfare benefits, framing government programs as a 'trampoline, not a hammock.' He also proposed using existing funds to add $250 to Trump Accounts for every Oklahoma child born this year.
Tax & Budget
Governor Stitt highlighted $1.6 billion in tax cuts during his tenure and the Path to Zero income tax plan. He called for a constitutional amendment capping recurring spending growth at 3%, a state question to allow Medicaid expansion adjustments, creation of a $750 million Taxpayer Endowment Fund from existing savings, and a state question to freeze property tax growth. He warned against veto overrides of spending bills, which he said cost taxpayers nearly $800 million.
Technology
Governor Stitt focused on eliminating the state's medical marijuana industry, arguing it enables cartel activity and criminal interests, and calling for a voter referendum to shut it down. He discussed school choice and education technology but did not propose major new technology initiatives.