On Monday, the Legislative Showmanship was held at the Ok l a h o ma Youth Expo. Legi slators from every corner of the state joined Oklahoma’s future farmers and ranchers for the Oklahoma Youth Expo, the world’s largest junior livestock show. It was an excellent opportunity to meet with the future agriculture industry leaders.

This annual event hosts over 7,000 FFA and 4-H members and more than 13,000 heads of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, and ag mechanics. OYE awards nearly $2 million to exhibitors and more than $300,000 in academic scholarships. It has a $25 million economic impact on the Oklahoma City economy.

I want to thank Kannon Lawley, a part of Haskell FFA, for allowing me to show her sheep, Dolly. This is the second consecutive year that I’ve shown one of Kannon’s sheep during the Legislative Showmanship, and I must say that she takes excellent care of her animals!

Agriculture education programs like 4-H and Future Farmers of America create opportunities for Oklahoma’s youth to build life skills and grow students into dedicated, committed young adults who appreciate the value of hard work and determination.

Last week, the House completed its third reading deadline on Thursday, March 14. We passed 422 bills and joint resolutions off the House floor before the deadline, just a fraction of the thousands of measures filed this year.

It was a short week at the Capitol; we’ll now swap bills with the Senate and consider their 279 bills, beginning with hearing measures in our House committees before they advance to the floor. I serve as the Vice Chair of the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Controlled Substances Committee. I also serve on the Transportation Committee, Banking, Financial Services and Pensions Committee, and A&B Education Subcommittee.

In the coming weeks, we will work to finalize the state budget. The Senate recently concluded its work in this area and released its budget figures, which do not include cash from prior fiscal years or money available to be appropriated from various state funds.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-557-7302 or neil. hays@okhouse.gov.

Rep. Neil Hays, a Republican, serves District 13 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which covers McIntosh, Muskogee and Wagoner County.