44 Facts About Kevin Stitt

John Kevin Stitt was born on December 28,1972 and is an American businessman and politician serving as the 28th governor of Oklahoma since 2019.

Kevin Stitt grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in accounting.

Kevin Stitt is the founder and former chairman and CEO of Gateway Mortgage Group.

Kevin Stitt is the first Native American to serve as the governor of a US state.

John Kevin Stitt, known as Kevin Stitt, was born in Milton, Florida, on December 28,1972, to Reverend John L Stitt and Joyce Stitt.

Kevin Stitt's mother is of Cherokee descent and a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.

Kevin Stitt's family moved to Skiatook, Oklahoma, when he was five.

Kevin Stitt began school in Wayne, Oklahoma, and the family later moved to Norman, Oklahoma, where his father was the pastor of Riverside Church.

Kevin Stitt grew up alongside cousins who participated in All Indian Rodeo Cowboys Association, and has expressed pride in his heritage.

Kevin Stitt graduated from Norman High School and from Oklahoma State University with a degree in accounting.

Kevin Stitt started his career working for the Southwestern Company, a door-to-door educational bookseller.

Kevin Stitt later moved to Tulsa, where he met his wife Sarah Hazen.

Kevin Stitt was president and CEO until January 2014, when he became chairman-CEO.

Kevin Stitt has said he started Gateway in 2000 with "$1,000 and a computer".

NEWS9 said that according to Georgia's Department of Banking and Finance, Kevin Stitt was banned for five years and the company was banned for life from origination mortgages in Georgia.

In July 2017, Kevin Stitt announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor in 2018.

Kevin Stitt finished second, defeating, among others, Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb.

Kevin Stitt is focused on changing the structure of state government and cleaning up the mess we are currently in at the Capitol.

Kevin Stitt won the Republican primary in June 2022 and was reelected in November.

Kevin Stitt was inaugurated on January 14,2019, at the Oklahoma State Capitol.

On February 13,2020, Kevin Stitt announced that the moratorium would be lifted and executions resumed under his tenure.

Findings in a 2022 grand jury report filed by David Prater criticized Kevin Stitt for being grossly improper, claimed that he pressured the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, and that his private meetings seem to have violated the Open Meetings Act.

In May 2019, Kevin Stitt proposed several ideas, including making SQ780's sentencing standards retroactive, prohibiting criminal records from being considered for professional licensing, and restructuring the funding scheme for the various district attorney offices.

On May 7,2021, Kevin Stitt signed a bill prohibiting the teaching of critical race theory or its gender equivalent in public schools.

In 2022, Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law that prohibited nonbinary gender markers on birth certificates.

In May 2023, Kevin Stitt vetoed funding for Oklahoma's PBS network OETA, accusing it of broadcasting pro-LGBT content that "indoctrinat[es]" children.

In exchange for additional appointment powers and at legislative leaders' request, Kevin Stitt signed into law SB1, which established the Oklahoma Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency in the legislative branch.

The first law Kevin Stitt signed after taking office permitted anyone 21 or older, or 18 if a member or veteran of the United States Armed Forces, to carry a firearm without obtaining a permit or completing training.

Kevin Stitt signed HB2010, which expands the places a firearm may be carried to include municipal zoos and parks, regardless of size, as long as it is concealed.

Kevin Stitt's office maintained the compact is not subject to automatic renewal, a claim the tribes rejected, believing it will continue indefinitely unless changes are mutually agreed upon.

The Court ruled that Kevin Stitt "exceeded his authorities" in entering into the compacts because they would have allowed gaming that is illegal in Oklahoma, like sports betting.

In May 2023, Kevin Stitt vetoed legislation that would have allowed students to wear tribal regalia during their graduation ceremonies, but the state legislature overrode his veto.

In July 2020, a video Kevin Stitt made had a number of erroneous claims about Native American rights, such as that they do not have to obey the speed limit.

In March 2020, Kevin Stitt went out to restaurants amid the coronavirus pandemic and posted a photo on Twitter of him doing so with two of his children.

Kevin Stitt was the first United States governor diagnosed with COVID-19.

Kevin Stitt sent US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin a letter requesting that COVID-19 vaccine requirements for the Oklahoma National Guard be suspended.

Kevin Stitt subsequently fired the commander of the Oklahoma National Guard because the commander had advocated for his troops to be vaccinated.

Bynum requested that Kevin Stitt announce a state of emergency, but Kevin Stitt did not respond to Bynum's calls.

Kevin Stitt was in Paris and Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell was out of state.

Six days after the event, Kevin Stitt said he was in contact with Bynum and Bynum tried to redirect attention from the story.

In January 2023, Kevin Stitt announced his support for legalizing sports betting in Oklahoma after Representative Ken Luttrell filed a bill to allow federally recognized tribes in the state to offer sports betting.

Kevin Stitt signed legislation reorganizing the Oklahoma Supreme Court and the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals.

Kevin Stitt is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation through his great-grandfather, Robert Benton Dawson.

Kevin Stitt married Sarah Hazen on June 1,1998, and they have six children.