As we reached a major deadline at the Capitol this week, I was proud to see my House Bill 4260 pass off the Oklahoma House floor. This bill focuses on supporting our first responders when they face serious medical emergencies tied to the demanding work they do every day. I appreciate my colleagues for recognizing the importance of this legislation.

HB4260 would allow firefighters, peace officers and emergency medical technicians to receive workers’ compensation benefits if they suffer a heart attack or stroke within eight hours of completing a shift that involved strenuous emergency response activity or training.

When first responders run toward danger, they put more than their safety on the line. The physical strain of fighting a fire, pursuing a suspect or responding to a medical emergency can take a real toll on the heart. This bill acknowledges that reality and helps ensure they are not left struggling to access benefits after giving everything on the job.

The bill now moves to the Senate, where Sen. Avery Frix, R-Muskogee, is serving as the Senate author.

This week also marked an important deadline, as all House bills had to be heard on the floor to remain eligible this session. That meant long days and late nights, with third readings stretching into the early morning hours before starting again the next day.

With that deadline now behind us, we sent 456 measures to the Senate. Next week, we will begin hearing Senate bills in the House. Those proposals will go through the same process, starting in policy committees, then moving to oversight committees, before becoming eligible for consideration on the House floor.

In addition to our legislative work, several important events were recognized at the Capitol this week, including Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day on March 23, Nonprofit Advocacy Day on March 25 and Manufacturing Day on March 26.

As always, it is an honor to serve you at the Capitol.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve. I will continue working every day to represent the values that make Oklahoma a great place to call home.

You can email me at neil.hays@okhouse. gov or call my office at (405) 557-7302. I’d love to hear from you!

Neil Hays serves District 13 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes parts of McIntosh, Muskogee and Wagoner counties.