Gumm Continues Effort to Establish Children’s Cabinet

Sen. Jay Paul Gumm on Monday successfully amended House Bill 1032 to include language that would create Oklahoma’s first-ever Children’s Cabinet. Gumm’s proposal would streamline services for organizations and agencies serving Oklahoma’s children.

Gumm, a Durant Democrat, previously authored Senate Bill 697 to establish the Children’s Cabinet, but the legislation stalled in the House of Representatives after being unanimously approved by the Senate. Gumm said he was surprised the House failed to act on legislation that would allow for more efficient service with no fiscal impact to the state.

“This proposal would allow us to maximize the resources we dedicate to children’s issues at no additional expense to the state,” said Gumm. “I can’t imagine why the House didn’t appreciate the importance of this effort, given our state’s challenges with issues relating to child health and safety. This proposal is a win-win for the state of Oklahoma, and I’ll keep fighting to see that it is approved by the Legislature.”

Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, a leader on the initiative, said she would continue her efforts to move the plan forward.

“I’m pleased that Sen. Gumm was able to breathe new life into such an important proposal,” she said. “By bringing experts together, we can maximize our resources to address our most pressing needs.”