Brian Hill speaks at Chamber luncheon
Hill discussed the past year in office and some of the work he will pursue for next year at the Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on Thursday. (Photo by Jacob Sturm)
By Jacob Sturm
news@mustangpaper.com
Mustang’s State House Representative, Brian Hill, was a featured guest at the Mustang
Chamber of Commerce luncheon, and provided insight into some of his recent activity serving
the public in his elected position.
Hill, who sat in front of the chamber inside the Mustang Town Center on Thursday morning,
shared some of the updates he could regarding restorative workforce, and addressed the
struggles employers are seeing across the state.
“Right now, one of the top programs in our state is the skills program through CareerTech,” Hill
said. “They’re going into the prisons and they’re training them for CDL’s. I don’t know if you’ve
noticed lately, but it’s really hard to hire truck drivers. It’s one of the top five labor needs we
have in the state.”
“… If someone gets a job the first three weeks that they’re coming out (of prison), they’re 90%
less likely to steal your stuff and go back,” Hill said. “That’s a win for you, and that’s a win for all
of us.”
He also mentioned a key role each representative or senator has as a legislator is to follow up.
He mentioned roughly 4,000 bills were filed last year, with approximately 10% of those bills
passing through and getting to the desk of Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt.
“If you do have part of that 10% that actually makes it into law, I’m of the fundamental belief
that you then have the responsibility as a steward to make sure that what you put your name
on is actually being implemented in the way it was intended when it was passed into law,” Hill
said.
During the luncheon, Hill mentioned the first bill he ran once in the role, which involved making
sure assessments were being done as kids entered foster care, and said the only way to know
the law is being followed is to attend the follow-up meetings.
He mentioned the restorative workforce parties Hill involved in the process with more recent
bills and how he keeps in touch with each to make sure the law is being implemented correctly.
The work doesn’t slow down, though.
Next on Hill’s docket for the restorative workforce bills Hill has worked on in the past will be
working over the next few months to make sure there is no blind spots in the legislation. He
said that will impact the legislation Hill files around November.
Hill also encouraged the Chamber members to visit with him and reach out so he knows what
issues they are dealing with.
