Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall Friday appointed Rep. Todd Russ to chair the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education.
Rep. Russ replaces former Rep. Scott Martin, who resigned from the Legislature following the 2017 legislative session to pursue an opportunity in the private sector.
McCall said Russ has the experience and temperament to serve the state well in this new role.
“Rep. Russ is thoughtful, smart and determined, and I believe he will do a great job for our citizens and our schools on this committee,” said McCall. “Rep. Russ has long been a champion for our public schools, and he will help us develop policies that work for our students, teachers and taxpayers.”
Russ, a banker from Cordell, has several family members who are educators, including his wife, Khristy, who has taught for more than 20 years.
“I have been involved in the public education system my entire life, from attending school to being married to a career educator,” said Russ. “I understand the needs of our students and teachers and I know how important our public schools are to our rural communities. We have to find a way to fund our school system and pay our teachers more while streamlining our costs and improving our education outcomes for our students. There are no easy answers, but I am looking forward to working with the Department of Education, Speaker McCall and Education Committee Chairman Michael Rogers to develop real solutions during the upcoming session.”
Russ currently serves on the House Appropriations and Budget Committee and is chair of the House Ethics and Elections Committee.
