Passage of HB 4457
On May 20th, the Oklahoma State Legislature passed HB 4457, which establishes an Oklahoma Route 66 Commission (different from the existing Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission) and the Route 66 Commission Revolving Fund.
The Governor vetoed this legislation on May 26th but the OK House and Senate overrode that veto the next day. Thus, it became law.
The Commission that this bill establishes will consist of nine members:
Governor-appointed member from the Oklahoma Tax Commission
Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (or designee)
Executive Director of Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation (or designee)
3 members appointed by President Pro Tempore of the OK State Senate:
A citizen of a county containing a portion of Route 66
A city manager, asst. city manager, or economic development director for a municipality on Route 66 with a population greater than 10,000
An Oklahoma citizen with expertise or experience in historic preservation
3 members appointed by the Speaker of the OK House of Representatives:
A citizen of a county containing a portion of Route 66
A business owner whose business is locating along Route 66 in a city or town that has less than 10,000 residents
An Oklahoma citizen with expertise or experience in marketing
The Revolving Fund is apportioned to be up to $6.6 Million annually; it becomes available on July 1, 2023.
The Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission, which was formed a few years ago and has been meeting quarterly, is focused on Centennial-related issues but has no built-in funding mechanism. Public dollar fundraising is going to be part of that process and the thought is that these two separate commissions will work hand-in-glove on projects and initiatives for all 400+ miles of Route 66 in Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association does have representation on the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission and we will stay engaged as this new Commission is put together. We are all working towards a common goal and are excited to see what opportunities this new development will bring to the Mother Road. More news as we get it!
Many thanks to House Representatives Wallace, Martinez, Lawson, Waldron, Lowe, Blancett, Osburn, and O’Donnell as well as Senator Thompson and Hall for making this happen. Additional thanks to the other representatives and senators that supported the passage of this bill after the veto to ensure this money will be available to help support our dozens of Route 66 communities from Quapaw to Texola.
