July 1, 2025

Friends,

It’s been an exciting few weeks to be an Oklahoman as the Thunder are now National Champions!  I will never let go of the fact that they should have been named simply the Oklahoma Thunder but like the whole state, I celebrate the big win for so much more than a title.  I love seeing ourselves as champions and the rest of the world seeing the unity, grit, determination, and drive of Oklahomans.

Thanks to all that joined Senator Dossett and me at last week’s townhall.  We reviewed the good (our bills!) and the bad (the initiative petition rollback!) of the 2025 legislative session and thanks to you all we had a good discussion.  Your engagement is so valuable!  I am grateful to all who come out to the townhalls, email, call or catch me around town with concerns, thoughts and feedback.  I always feel like we are doing the work of problem solving together.  For our next gathering, we are going to switch up our time and place and have a constituent coffee.  Details on an August date and location to come in the future.

Gettin’ Sued

Out of the more than 3,000 bills that were filed in the 2025 session, approximately 550 bills are set to become law.  Three of the more controversial new laws drew legal challenges and are set to begin making their way through the courts.  After a procedural setback, a suit claiming the new social standards for Oklahoma are unconstitutional will be filed with the Oklahoma Supreme Court.  Former Attorney General Mike Hunter represents the plaintiffs in the case and said, “This case is an important one for the Supreme Court to be the final word on …. It affects hundreds of thousands of young people in Oklahoma public schools. It deserves a review by the highest court in the state, and that’s what we’ll be seeking.”

One of my least favorite bills from the session –  the bill that limits Oklahomans’ access to the initiative petition process – also drew two lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the new law.

Finally, a lawsuit was filed that challenges the constitutionality of the creation of business courts by Senate Bill 632.  If enforced, this bill creates two specialized courts in Tulsa and Oklahoma counties to handle any business litigation with damages exceeding $500,000.  A major concern for many is what qualifies as “business litigation” and whether the jurisdiction is so broad that too many civil cases end up in these specialized courts.

I will keep you all updated on the status of these lawsuits as they make their way through our legal process.

Study Up

As we prepare for the next legislative session, legislators conduct interim studies to evaluate a variety of public policy issues.  You can see a list of the proposed interim studies here, topics range from from feral hogs to loss of federal medicaid dollars.  We send proposals to the Speaker about topics we wish to delve into, most of the time with an angle of preparation for upcoming legislation.  The House submitted requests for 154 studies.  I should know by the end of July if HD 70’s studies were approved.  The studies are open to the public and hosted at the State Capitol if you happen to be in Oklahoma City but they will also be live-streamed so I will make sure you have the schedule and links to watch, if desired.

I submitted three studies for consideration:

• Oklahoma’s current response to human trafficking and strengthening victim services with Senator Todd Gollihare (R-Kellyville)
• Impacts of building code revision to encourage the development of workforce housing
• State sales tax exemption for non-profits with Rep. Marilyn Stark (R-Bethany)

What Else is Happening 

During our “off time”, I’m doing lots of one on one meetings with constituents and community stakeholders to learn of the chief concerns in our area.  This has put me squarely in the middle of several discussions about Tulsa’s response to homelessness, as the concerns for public safety continue to present.  It’s a complicated problem with no silver bullet and a lack of resources but there seems to be a growing sense that we can do better as a community.  I’m interested in your thoughts on the topic and what your concerns and frustrations are.  If you have a minute, please share some comments on this form.

Oklahomans take celebrating the 4th of July very seriously and so do I!  I try to remember we are celebrating our independence from a monarchy that set in motion the country that sets the standard for freedom, liberty and self-governance.  That’s a lot of responsibility for us to uphold.  In each of our own ways, I believe we have to always keep working together toward the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence and never give up on them or each other.  So have fun this 4th, celebrate and be safe – and in between hot dogs don’t forget where we started and where we are still trying to go.  To a more perfect union!

Let’s Keep Going