Chuck Hall

1. You have served in the Oklahoma Senate since 2018 and currently chair the Appropriations Committee. What do you consider your most significant legislative accomplishments during your time in office, and what work remains unfinished?

The Oklahoma Constitution places only one single responsibility on the Oklahoma Legislature and that is to develop, negotiate, and pass a balanced budget in each regular session. As chairman, that is a responsibility that I take very seriously. In my time as chair, we have successfully funded the core services of government while building the largest savings account in state history, all on the heels of a corporate income tax cut, two cuts to personal income tax rates, reducing our six tax brackets to just three and I helped direct the largest single tax cut in state history, which eliminated the state tax on groceries. Just a year ago, we made another historic investment of $75 million in recurring dollars to improve county road and bridge funding, and most recently, I have directed my attention to supporting water infrastructure needs in our state and red cedar eradication efforts. There are still plenty of needs that must be addressed. Education, health and mental health, public safety and transportation remain vital to Oklahoma's needs prospectively. I hope to continue my work, along with my colleagues, to deliver in this regard while maintaining true fiscal responsibility in the process.

2. As Appropriations Committee chair, you sit at the table where state budget decisions are made. How has holding that position allowed you to better serve Senate District 20 constituents, and what specific funding priorities have you been able to advance for this region that might not have happened otherwise?

It's an honor for me to have been appointed to my leadership position in the Senate. It can take years to develop the confidence and trust by those you serve with to obtain such a role. While I help direct a budget that serves all 4 million Oklahomans, I can't help but have an eye on the needs back home. I pledged to never forget where I came from, and that pledge is sacred to me. In Stillwater alone, I helped direct the largest single state investment for Oklahoma State University in the school's history by making over $300 million available for the construction of a new, state-of-the-art veterinary school. OSU also holds one of the top agronomy programs in the country and this latest budget includes a multi-million dollar investment to refurbish and expand their facilities. The brand-new, 31,000-square-foot terminal at Stillwater Regional Airport, which is scheduled to open in August, had several funding partners, including an appropriation through the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics. I've also continued to advocate for investments at the OSU Medical Authority to advance research, technology and grow our workforce in the medical field. All around Senate District 20 we have made investments in water grants and low interest water loan programs. During this latest session, I increased the cap on the state's P3 Pooled Finance program which helps local communities and expanding businesses collaborate on essential infrastructure development. This program funds critical infrastructure projects — such as roads, water systems, rail access, and bridges — that are often too expensive for rural towns or smaller municipalities to tackle alone. Additionally, as the Senate chairman of the ARPA committee, I was in a position to direct millions of American Rescue Plan Act dollars to our communities, which included funding for two expansion projects of YMCA programs in Perry and Stillwater.

3. The Stillwegian has reported that Oklahoma State University's Lake Carl Blackwell dam — an 89-year-old structure rated in poor condition — needs $22 million in rehabilitation work that OSU has no funding to complete. OSU has indicated it plans to seek state legislative support. As Appropriations chair, do you believe the state has a responsibility to help fund this project, and if so, what path would you pursue to get it done?

As you can imagine, I work closely with leadership at Oklahoma State to regularly evaluate all of their budget requests. Most recently, they have requested appropriators consider funding a new Life Science building on campus. I have not heard directly from the university, as of yet, in regards to the dam at Lake Carl Blackwell needing rehabilitation, but it should not be a surprise to anyone due to its age. I expect to receive a presentation soon, along with recommendations, from OSU prior to our next legislative session. Historically, the Legislature has been generally supportive of funding critical needs at our state universities. There are likely several funding options to address the situation, but potential funding will be preceded by a formal request from the university, documentation which defines the problem, proposed solutions, engineering reports and a complete public vetting by the appropriations subcommittee and the full appropriations committee.

4. Your opponent has criticized two specific votes — one on a social worker licensing bill he says would have exposed Christian counselors to professional discipline, and one on a health care conscience protection bill he says you killed in committee. How do you respond?

It's election season and claims are being made by many candidates. It's the process that every candidate either seeking an office for the first time or an incumbent looking to serve another term experiences. I've seen the two votes identified by my opponent. Of the thousands of votes I've taken in the Oklahoma Legislature over the past eight years, I'm not surprised that an opponent would find a couple that he takes issue with or simply did not understand the rationale behind the vote. Respectfully, I study every bill closely. I look at the pros and cons of each policy, and I cast my vote based on what I believe best represents the needs and wants of my district and what is best for Oklahoma prospectively. The first bill that you referenced was a clean-up bill to provide definitions of "unethical behavior" for counselors and licensed therapists that did not currently exist. It seemed only reasonable that counselors and/or therapists comport to a widely held set of ethical standards. The second bill that you referenced failed to advance out of committee on a 6-6 vote. There are always a couple of different reasons for not supporting a piece of legislation: you either reject the policy altogether or you would like to see changes to the policy before it becomes law. For me, it was the latter. The way the bill was proposed — while good policy — did not go far enough, in my opinion. It would have created a bifurcated and confusing system of rules where one doctor would be granted protection for decisions made based on their conscience, while doctors in other facilities or practices would not be granted the same protections. I want all doctors to have the same legal protections for decisions based on conscience. My vote was a request for a re-write of the policy to be all inclusive.

5. Oklahoma lawmakers and voters are debating proposals to limit property taxes. What is your position on property tax reform, and how would changes affect funding across Senate District 20?

Let's start with the second half of the question first. We know that our property taxes fund our local schools, county governments and public safety. A complete elimination of property taxes without a well-thought-out plan to replace the funding would cripple our communities. No one likes to pay taxes, and I believe advocates are correct that with property taxes comes the feeling that you never really completely own your property. However, schools, county governments and public safety are an absolute necessity. In the absence of property taxes, you can bet we would see a dramatic increase in some other form of taxes, such as sales tax, use tax, consumption tax or higher taxes on our commercial and farm land. I think the Legislature took some very reasonable steps to address the concerns of many of my constituents by passing Senate Joint Resolution 39, which is a proposed amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution that would lower the caps on annual increases in the fair cash value of property and create a tiered system to better protect seniors from rising property taxes. The proposal will be submitted to voters during the general election on Nov. 3, 2026. State Question 847, if passed, would give Oklahomans the lowest fixed rate cap on personal property in the nation.

Responses have been lightly edited for grammar, spelling, and AP style. Substance and positions have not been altered.

It is my pleasure to offer my endorsement of Sen. Chuck Hall and his continued service to District 20.

Since working with Sen. Hall in my professional capacity on local economic development efforts, I have been consistently impressed by his commitment to his constituents and his approach to public service. He is not only present at community events and local meetings, but he is also willing to engage in meaningful conversations on difficult issues. I have personally witnessed him field challenging questions regarding state budgets, policy decisions, and differing viewpoints with both passion and grace.

One of the leadership qualities I admire most about Chuck is his humility. In an era when many feel pressured to have immediate answers, he is willing to acknowledge when he does not know something. More importantly, he follows through by doing the necessary research and providing thoughtful, informed responses. That commitment to understanding issues fully before making decisions reflects both integrity and respect for the people he serves.

While I have not always agreed with every vote Sen. Hall has cast, I have never questioned the sincerity behind his decisions. I genuinely believe his votes reflect the interests of the majority of his constituents and are based on the information available to him at the time. He approaches his responsibilities with diligence, thoughtfulness, and a genuine desire to serve the people of District 20.

Good leaders possess humility, accessibility, courage, honesty, and the willingness to listen. Throughout my experience working with him, Chuck Hall has consistently demonstrated those qualities. I am confident he will continue to represent District 20 and the state of Oklahoma with distinction, and I am proud to offer my support and endorsement. – Kari Moore