Sherrie Conley

In 2018, Conley ran to represent the 20th district in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. She defeated incumbent Bobby Cleveland in the Republican primary runoff, and went on to win the general election against the Democratic candidate Steve Jarman. She faced a Republican primary challenge in 2020 and 2022, but won re-election both times.^[2]

In 2023, she was an author of SB 126, "which would require districts be notified if a student is arrested for a serious offense."^[3]

In 2021, Conley helped author Oklahoma HB 1775, which prohibits teaching eight concepts about race and gender. The bill was advanced by proponents as preventing teaching critical race theory. The bill generated controversy in 2023 after it was criticized for effecting lessons on the Tulsa Race Massacre. Conley, reacting to the controversy and in reference to the Tulsa massacre, said:

“it’s just a terrible tragedy in our state, and whether or not it was actually racism that caused the thoughts of the people that started it — we can try to speculate but to know for sure, I don’t think that we can.”^[4]

The remarks were compared to similar remarks by Ryan Walters made a week earlier by the Tulsa-based The Black Wall Street Times.^[5] She released a press release the next day clarifying:

"it is a well-established historical fact that the Tulsa Race Massacre was motivated by race. I was attempting to convey that I can never know another individual’s true intent because I cannot think their thoughts, nor was I alive during the time this event happened. I would like to apologize for any hurt caused by my statements; that was never my intent."^[6]

Conley serves as the Majority Caucus Secretary. She currently sits on the following committees:^[1]

• A&B Education
• Common Education
• Health Services and Long-Term Care
• Higher Education and Career Tech
• State Powers
• Transportation