Jim Grego (born November 8, 1955) is an American politician. He is a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

representing the 17th district in the

Oklahoma House of Representatives The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members introduce and vote on bills and resolutions, provide legislative oversight for state agencies, and help to craft the state's b ...

Political career

In 2018, the former State Representative for District 17, Brian Renegar was unable to run for reelection due to term limits, and Grego ran for the open seat. Grego came in second in a five-way Republican primary, advancing to a runoff against Joshua Hass, which he won. He went on to defeat Peggy DeFrange in the general election. As of July 2020, Grego sits on the following committees: * Agriculture and Rural Development (Vice Chair) * A&B Natural Resources and Regulatory Services * Public Health * Transportation

Oklahoma House of Representatives

In 2024, Grego co-authored House bill 3749 and Senate bill 1427, along with Senator

Warren Hamilton Warren Hamilton is an American politician and retired military officer serving as a member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 7th district. Elected in November 2020, he assumed office on January 5, 2021. Early life and education Hamilton was rai ...

to carve out 8.3 million dollars to bring back the Oklahoma State Penitentiary

Rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working va ...

, despite others, such as a representative of the Arnall Family Foundation, calling out the move as exploitative and dangerous toward the inmates and animals and a waste of funds that could be spent on reforms. The

Oklahoma Department of Corrections The Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC or ODOC) is an agency of the state of Oklahoma. DOC is responsible for the administration of the state prison system. It has its headquarters in Oklahoma City, across the street from the headquarters o ...

claims "the total cost of the renovations is $9.3 million, and after contributing $1 million, they're asking the legislature to help fund the remaining $8.3 million, but some lawmakers argue that money should be spent on other issues," such as Representative

Andy Fugate Andy Fugate (born August 10, 1966) is an American politician who has served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 94th district since 2018. References 1966 births Living people Democratic Party members of the Oklahoma House ...

. As of 2024,

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

"is the only state that has a behind-the-walls prison rodeo." ODOC Executive Director Steve Harpe claims that it would bring in revenue for the department and support functions like a call center, and that

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, and

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are eyeing Oklahoma because of it. Efforts for the rodeo revival stemmed father back than 2024, and 2023, George Young said that taxpayer dollars being used to revive the rodeo could be better spent on education programs for inmates or initiatives to improve prison health care.

Electoral record

Personal life

Grego was born in 1955 in

McAlester, Oklahoma McAlester is the county seat of Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. The population was 18,363 at the time of the 2010 census, a 3.4 percent increase from 17,783 at the 2000 census,Shuller, Thurman"McAlester" profile ''Encyclop ...

and earned a

Bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

from

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

in 1977. He and his wife, Sandy, have two children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grego, Jim Living people Republican Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives 21st-century American legislators People from McAlester, Oklahoma People from Latimer County, Oklahoma Oklahoma State University alumni 1955 births 21st-century Oklahoma politicians