Although I like to criticize our crazed right-wing legislators for the nutty, usually-unconstitutional law proposals they flood our state with each legislative session, I do like to give them credit for being experts at the craft of legislative grandstanding.
Seriously, I don't think anybody does it better. If there's a nutty idea out there that will rally their base, troll their adversaries, and get them a lot of media attention in the process – good or bad – they'll have it packaged into a bill, heard before a committee, and pitched to a tipsy legislative aide at a bar before they knew what hit them.
For as good as Oklahoma Republicans are with this process, our Democrats seem equally as bad. That being said, some of them are now taking on their right-wing edge lord colleagues and coming up with their own grandstanding laws.
For example, State Rep. Forrest Bennett – the nice and chummy state rep from OKC with flowing locks and cornfed good looks who can charm the socks off any grandmother – thought he would prove some point, and get a lot of positive attention and "you're so cool" love, after he introduced a bill that would make child support start at conception.
Naturally, it backfired. Check this out:
This week I filed HB3129, which codifies that a father’s financial responsibility to his baby & their mom begins at conception.
— Forrest Bennett (@ForrestBennett) January 21, 2022
If Oklahoma is going to restrict a woman’s right to choose, we sure better make sure the man involved can’t just walk away from his responsibility.