American politician
Jon Echols (born December 3, 1979) is an American politician who served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives representing the 90th district from 2012 to 2024.[1][2] He is the Majority Floor Leader.[3]
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Echols also received the 2015 Distinguished Service Award for Higher Education from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the Council of College and University Presidents.[4] He would go on to receive the award in 2020 and 2021 as well.[5][6]
In 2016, Echols asked Sheriff Regalado's Office to make a change to a key standard to bid on the Tulsa Jail’s medical contract so that his company could bid. Echols said he asked for the standard to be changed so that in-county companies would have a fair opportunity to make bids for the contract.[7]Turn Key Health Clinics was founded by Representative Jon Echols.[8] He is the co-founder and president. Echols has said that "he works for the company’s CEO mostly outside of Oklahoma to minimize perceived conflicts of interest."[9]
59th Legislature
In 2023, Echols was the House author on Senate Bill 840 (co-authored by Sen. Greg McCortney, R-Ada), a bill that "deals with name, image, likeness — the new endorsements phenomenon known as NIL." Echols marked it as "high-priority."[10] The bill would allow "for colleges and universities to back opportunities for NIL; allows schools to set parameters to prevent NIL activities from interfering with school or team activities; allows schools to be compensated for use of logos or facilities; prohibits students from securing NIL compensation using a school logo; allows schools to require that athletes take financial literacy and contract courses; doesn’t require that athlete compensation be in line with market value; and does not count scholarships as compensation."
In mid-April 2023, Echols steered SB 519 through committee. It "would give charter schools right of first refusal for leasing Commissioners of the Land Office property."
In October 2023, Echols voiced support for Israel in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, calling Hamas a terrorist organization and saying that Israel is in its rights to "wipe" Hamas out, but pointing out that Hamas is "not our Muslim brothers and sisters"[11]and differentiating between Hamas and Palestinian civilians in Gaza.[11]
In 2024, he voted in favor of a bill that would require adults to show and ID before accessing porn sites.[12]
In March 2024, House Bill 1105 was introduced. It aimed to overhaul the Oklahoma law that gives "residents the power to file initiative petitions about legislative issues. With the required number of legally sufficient signatures, the initiative triggers a public vote." The bill that would change that process, authored by Speaker McCall.
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