Oklahoma State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

3. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- I stand on Proverbs 24, verse 3. A Woman's body is sovereign, and belongs solely to her, and Almighty God. Her health decisions rest only between her, and her trusted medical leadership.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- No

2. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
- No

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No

4. An income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- Yes

5. Selling the Grand River Dam Authority?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- The Health of my State is serious business. There is NO HEALTH, without responsible fiscal consideration. We have multiple avenues before us: 1) We must return to a gross production tax of SEVEN percent. 2) Insure that we invest in the tools to collect online sales taxes. 3) Possible consideration of returning to a tax bracket of 5.25% on individuals earning a MINIMUM of Two Hundred Thousand dollars net adjusted income if needed. State leadership must be conscious of these needs, and enact policies consistent with our values as a forward looking State.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- Yes

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

3. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- I do not support voter-id requirements due to their effect. Voter ID requirements have the sole purpose of suppressing the voting rights of the poor and underprivileged. It basically amounts to a poll tax. There is no amount of disenfranchisement that we can allow in our state, let alone our nation; the right to participate in government through voting is far too important.

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- No

3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- Yes

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- "Enforcement" is too large a term, too important a concept, and too much of a grave responsibility to be thrown around lightly. Federal immigration laws should be enforced by the federal government. States should be left to tend to the safety, health, and education of their own citizens without the burden of an unfunded mandate regarding immigration.

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- No

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- No

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Oklahoma?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- Blindly reducing or increasing regulations on private industry is bad policy. Good regulations need to be enforced; bad regulations should be fixed or abolished. Lowering taxes and spending government dollars to affect the business cycle can be used strategically. Unfortunately, the fiscal "strategies" employed in the past have amounted to simplistic blanket solutions to complex problems. Tax incentives that are continued beyond their "useful intent" begin to hurt the health of the state of Oklahoma rather than help it. Blanket tax cuts and incentives should not be the priority; the priority must become responsible fiscal policy that helps all Oklahomans.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Oklahoma?
- No

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Oklahoma high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No Answer

4. Do you support increasing funding for the state education budget?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- Adopting federal education standards in Oklahoma is a complex topic. Certainly the federal funding that our schools need should not be ignored. Oklahoma is tasked with educating students; the federal government should input only in the capacity of funding the things that they have mandated federally.Unlawful immigrants who graduate from Oklahoma high schools do not fulfill the requirements for in-state tuition at most universities.Oklahoma's children are our most precious resource and responsibility. Today's students will be the leaders of tomorrow. Oklahomans have the tenacity to improve education funding. Now, we require leaders who will make education a priority.

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- Yes

4. Do you support increased regulations on the hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") industry?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- The government should always take a marked interest in the cleanliness of our water, the development of our resources, and the health of our environment.The wastewater generated from hydraulic fracking is an issue that needs to be addressed to ensure the safety of our water resources. We should never accept ANY wastewater generated outside of Oklahoma.

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- No

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- Second Amendment rights do not require a license to bear arms in one's home, but for safety's sake there does need to be a license protocol to open/concealed carry a firearm. Sellers of firearms should always be required to follow background check laws, regardless of their location, whether they be gun shows or retailers.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- Yes

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Oklahoma's health care programs?
- Yes

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- Yes

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- If all individuals pay for their own healthcare, the cost of healthcare for everyone goes down. By requiring individuals to purchase healthcare and insurance we reduce the burden carried by those who are responsible and purchase their own healthcare and insurance. Violating someone's religious rights is something that the governments should never do. That being said, religion should never be an excuse for not vaccinating children.

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Oklahoma's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Oklahoma's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

3. Do you support greater efforts by Oklahoma state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- There is never an excuse to discriminate against other humans.

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- My top 3 legislative priorities will be: returning to a 7% Gross Production Tax, accepting Medicaid expansion, and properly funding education.