April 27, 2026

 

Friends,

Spring is here, and Tulsa is looking as green and beautiful as always!  I am always so glad to be back home from the Capitol.  Spring also brings harsh weather and this week I’m also thinking about our neighbors in Enid, who caught the worst of the season on Thursday night.  The F4 tornado caused widespread destruction.  It’s truly a miracle that there were no serious injuries or fatalities.  If you’re looking for a way to help, head to the United Way of Enid’s Tornado Relief Fund here.

Big thank you to everyone who joined my recent coffee chat at the wonderful Apple Barrel Cafe.  These constituent conversations are one of my favorite parts of the job.  I learn so much from hearing directly from neighbors about what you are seeing, what you are worried about, and what you want the Legislature to understand about life in Tulsa.  At the coffee, I mentioned the fun day we had passing the bill affording additional recess time for elementary kids.  Below is a picture of the fourth graders in the gallery seeing the bill be passed!

What Still Keeps Us in Session

With the budget done, the legislature is now going round and round on some policy measures.  Probably the biggest issue is asking the voters to change who is eligible for Medicaid.  This is done by state question and whether it’s on the November ballot or an earlier ballot is determined by how many votes the measure gets.  If a ballot question gets 50 plus 1 it goes to the next regular election ballot – the general ballot in November.  It can only go to an earlier ballot if the measure gets two-thirds and at this point that would be the August run-off ballot where the voter turnout is typically very low.

 

Let’s take a minute and level-set on what we are talking about as I’ve had many questions about what happens if Oklahoma changes its current Medicaid coverage.  The traditional Medicaid program covers low-income children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities.  For this population, the federal government pays approximately 65% of the cost of care and the state pays the other 35%.

 

In 2014, states could take advantage of expanding that program for any individual between 18-64 who makes 120% of the federal poverty level (approx. $21,000 a year for a single person) or less.  For this population, the federal government pays 90% of the costs to cover these working-age adults and the State pays the other 10%.  After several years of the Oklahoma legislature declining to expand the program, Oklahoma voters decided this was a good deal for us and to put it in our state constitution.

 

I think voters understand that more health care benefits are good for not only the individuals in need, but also for the economy which reaps the benefits of these federal dollars in our healthcare system and beyond.  Several proposals have been moving through the Legislature that would ask voters to remove Medicaid expansion from the state constitution and place it in statute instead.  You can read about the various proposals here.  They sound technical, but the impact would be significant: it would give future legislatures far more power to change, limit, or potentially undo expansion without having to go back to the people for approval – and I don’t get the sense it’s to expand coverage!

 

I have serious concerns about these measures and will continue to question why we need a change at all.  I will keep you updated as these measures move in the final days of session.

Bills in the Books and in the Burial Ground

We have reached the part of session where some bills are officially becoming law, some are still being negotiated, and many are headed to the legislative burial ground.

 

Two immigration bills denying benefits to children of undocumented parents are looking near dead.  I did not support these bills and cannot see a world in which I would if they are somehow resurrected.

 

In some good news, SB1432, authored by Sen. Jo Anna Dossett and me, was signed by the Governor last week!  This bill makes permanent quality paths to alternative teacher certification and the idea for the policy and program was designed right here in Tulsa by Tulsa Public Schools.  Using this alternative pathway, Tulsa Teacher Corps has welcomed and supported 489 diverse career changers on their path toward teaching and certification since 2019.  To date, Tulsa Teacher Corps has issued 135 standard certificates and there are currently 223 corps members actively pursuing certification through Tulsa Teacher Corps.

 

Oklahoma in the National News 

The Wall Street Journal featured Tulsa as an “unlikely cultural capital” worth adding to your travel list!  It is always nice to see national recognition for what we already know: this is a fantastic, creative, welcoming place to call home.

 

I read an article this weekend that included information I thought you all would be interested to know about as well.  A new report from the federal government found that there were over 13 million electric shutoffs across the country during 2024.  Oklahoma had the highest electric shutoff rate in the nation at over 570,000, which translates to roughly 3 shutoffs for every 10 customers over the course of the year.  Now some of those may be repeat shutoffs, but that’s still a lot!

 

I’m curious about the reasons Oklahoma is number one.  Of course we are a poor state with high poverty rates and low incomes so I assume that combined  with recent energy price hikes and long hot summers requiring heavy air conditioning are major factors.  But I wonder if we have the right consumer protections in place and how we compare to other states in terms of our rates?  I want to learn more and see if we are out of control on our rates or missing some consumer protections.

May 30, 2026: The Biggest Moment on the Mother Road

 

Tulsa is celebrating 100 years of Route 66 with Capital Cruise, a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® attempt for the largest classic car parade ever. From vintage muscle to family treasures on four wheels, thousands of stunning cars will cruise right through the heart of the Capital of Route 66. It’s shaping up to be the biggest birthday bash the Mother Road has ever seen, with vendors, live music, and Route 66 festivities planned throughout the entire weekend.

 

You can register to drive in the parade, sponsor or exhibit at the Capital Cruise Expo, lend a hand as a volunteer, or simply come join in on the fun and be a part of history at this link! I think this is going to be a really fun day in Tulsa.  I’m volunteering as a block captain – hope to see you there!

Scam Alerts

I get inundated with scam ads and calls every day and often don’t know what is real and what isn’t.  Attorney General Drummond issued a warning about scam investment ads on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Scammers use deceptive ads, fake platforms, cryptocurrency schemes, and even AI videos to make scams look more real than ever.  If you believe you’ve been targeted, please contact the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit at 833-681-1895.

 

And you can limit scam calls by signing up for the state’s Anti-Telemarketer Consumer Registry, Oklahoma’s “Do Not Call” list.

 

Stay Tuned

We will do a wrap up of the legislative session at the next constituent conversation, so stay tuned!  In the meantime, please keep reaching out.  Your voice really does shape how I approach this work and I love hearing from you.

Let’s Keep Going!