By Janice Francis-Smith | The Journal Record
OKLAHOMA CITY – Bond issues for municipalities throughout Oklahoma could become more expensive due to new legislation that would prohibit banks that have “anti-gun” policies from contracting with the state.
That’s all right with the bill’s Senate author, who considers those increased costs as the price of protecting Second Amendment rights.
House 3144, by state Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, and state Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, is patterned after a bill passed in Texas last year. It passed the Senate with a vote of 37 to 8 and is headed to the House after being amended.
The list of banks to which HB 3144 would apply includes the largest banks in the nation: JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, PNC and Goldman Sachs, as well as PayPal and General Electric Credit Union.
“Today the firearm industry is being attacked and discriminated against,” Murdock said as he presented the measure before the state Senate on Wednesday. “These basically New York City woke banks have policies that state if a gun manufacturer manufactures high-capacity magazines they will not loan them money, if a business sells long rifles to anyone under 21 they will not loan them money. This bill simply states that if you have these policies the state of Oklahoma will not do business with your company.”
State Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, noted that the bill does not just apply to the state’s ability to contract, but to all political subdivisions within the state, including cities, counties and local water boards.