Oklahoma Republicans have filed bills to memorialize slain activist Charlie Kirk through state holidays, campus plazas, and legislative recognition, sparking national debate.
Oklahoma lawmakers are advancing proposals to honor slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk with statewide memorials and campus tributes. State Sen. Shane Jett (R-Shawnee), leading the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus, filed three measures for the February legislative session. Senate Bill 1188 would designate Oct. 14, Kirk’s birthday, as “Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day,” commemorating his “extraordinary contributions to American discourse, faith, and freedom.”
Another measure, SB 1187, would require every public university to establish a “Charlie Kirk Memorial Plaza” featuring a statue and signage describing Kirk as a “martyr for truth and faith.” Jett also introduced a resolution to recognize Kirk as “a martyr for truth, faith, and the First Amendment.” Separately, Sen. Ally Seifried (R-Claremore) proposed a resolution honoring Kirk’s “faith, leadership, and devotion to America’s youth.”
The Oklahoman reported the measures follow the state GOP’s push for a Sept. 10 holiday marking Kirk’s death. Meanwhile, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) criticized a U.S. House resolution honoring Kirk, calling his rhetoric “ignorant.”