By Constitution Staff

Pre-election voter registration statistics show that Oklahoma reached a milestone – surpassing 2.4 million voters as of November 1, 2024. The State Election Board’s official pre-election voter registration statistics showed the total number of registered voters was the largest before a Presidential Election since Oklahoma began tracking pre-election voter registration statistics in 2000. The report showed a net increase of more than 141,023 registered voters since January 15, 2024.

The report revealed that registered Republicans made up 52.33% of Oklahoma’s registered voters, while Democrats made up 26.98% of the state’s registration. Independents represent the third largest group of registered voters in the state, with 19.72% of voter registration totals. Libertarians consist of less than one percent of the state’s registration at 0.95%. On January 15, 2024, Republicans were 51.73% of registered voters, while Democrats were 28.35%, Independents were 18.9%, and Libertarians were 0.95%. For comparison, on January 15, 2020, Republicans were 48.25% of registered voters, while Democrats were 35.32%, Independents were 15.89%, and Libertarians were 0.53%.

Voter List Maintenance

The State Election Board completed its routine, statutorily-mandated, biennial voter list maintenance on Friday, January 17 and Tuesday, January 21. The process removed 129,680 inactive voter registrations and 2,242 duplicate voter registrations from Oklahoma’s voter rolls. The removal of inactive and duplicate voter registrations is a thorough, multi-step process the State Election Board is required by law to conduct every two years following the General Election.

Duplicate registrations that were matched newer registrations by the same person at a new address. Inactive registrations that were removed were for voters who failed to confirm their address in 2021 and then had no voter activity through the 2024 General Election. State law lists seven reasons why a voter may receive an Address Confirmation Notice. Some of the most common reasons include having a first-class mailing from the Election Board returned as “undeliverable,” being identified as a potential duplicate of a voter registration in another county or state, or having no voter activity for an extended period of time.

In addition to the biennial, statutory voter list maintenance of inactive and duplicate voter registrations, county election boards continually update the voter rolls by removing voters who are deceased, have registered in another state or county, have surrendered their driver license in another state, who are convicted of a felony, or as otherwise required by law.

Oklahoma Partnership with Denmark

On December 2, Gov. Kevin Stitt joined the Ambassador of Denmark to the United States, Jesper Moller Sorensen, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Oklahoma and Denmark. The agreement focuses on increasing collaboration between the two governments in pursuit of a robust and innovative energy future. A second MOU signed was a partnership with EE North America, a Danish-owned energy company. The company says on its LinkedIn page, “We develop, construct and operate wind and solar farms all around the world.” The announced proposed partnership received push back from the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus. The MOU uses terminology such as “clean energy,” “green energy” and “carbon capture.”

State Senator Shane Jett, (R-Shawnee) chairs the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus. “Oklahoma’s oil and gas is all-natural, locally-sourced and we must reject the unscientific climate change cult ideology that has spread like a cancer through so many industries, states and nations. The battle against Oklahoma’s God-given natural resources is an assault on common sense, logic, reason and actually science-based evidence. The Oklahoma Freedom Caucus supports free enterprise and partnering with allies, but we caution against interfering with free market principles by directing tax dollars to private companies and creating an unfair marketplace with subsidies.”

New Governor Chief of Staff

On December 2, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced that pastor and former Oklahoma lawmaker Tom Newell would be his new chief of staff, bringing decades of experience in public service, ministry, and policy advocacy to the Governor’s Office. Newell most recently served as vice president for the Center for Culture and Family at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), developing and advocating for policies that empower Oklahoma families. He previously served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2010 to 2016. After years of service to the State of Oklahoma, Grayson Walker left the Governor’s Office to pursue opportunities in the private sector.

Prior to his time in public office, Newell pastored churches in Oklahoma, Missouri, and Pennsylvania. Since leaving the legislature, Newell served as the government affairs director for the Foundation for Government Accountability, the CEO of SALLT (Salt and Light Leadership Training), and the vice president of government affairs for Yes. Every. Kid. Newell received his undergraduate degree in Bible and Pastoral Ministries from Mid-America Christian University before earning an MBA from Liberty University.

Stitt Replaces Fired Energy Secretary

On December 3, Gov. Kevin Stitt named attorney Jeff Starling to replace Ken McQueen as his Secretary of Energy and Environment. Stitt fired McQueen after he appeared at a federal court hearing concerning a nearly two-decade old lawsuit concerning poultry industry waste polluting the Illinois River. Stitt said in a post on the social media platform X that the case was “a radical left attempt at backdoor regulation through litigation.”

Starling most recently served as chief legal and administrative officer and corporate secretary at Lagoon Water Midstream. Before joining Lagoon, Starling was assistant general counsel at Devon Energy Corp., where he managed litigation efforts and supported operational business units. He also worked as a partner at McGuireWoods LLP in Richmond, Virginia, and served as a legislative aide to former U.S. Sen. John W. Warner (R-VA). In addition to his professional accomplishments, Starling has a long history of civic engagement. Until recently, he chaired the Legal and Labor Reform Committee of the State Chamber of Oklahoma and serves on the state’s Task Force for the Study of Business Courts. A native of Danville, Virginia, Starling earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from Wake Forest University.

New State CFO Appointed

On December 17, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced the appointment of Aaron Morris as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the State of Oklahoma. Morris brings more than 20 years of public service experience, including serving as CFO for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) since 2018. Morris previously served as Director of Financial Management at OHCA, where he focused on financial strategy, revenue optimization, and provider reimbursement. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Central Oklahoma and an MBA from Cameron University. The Governor extended his gratitude to John Laws for his service to the State of Oklahoma. Laws had served as Secretary of Budget and CFO since 2022. He is returning to the private sector.

Reversal of Tribal Traffic Case

On December 5, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals in a 4-1 decision, reversed the dismissal of a Tulsa municipal traffic court case against an Osage citizen who was ticketed within the Muscogee reservation’s boundary. The Tulsa municipal court had dismissed the case on the basis of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in McGirt case. The attorney representing the defendant said that the appeals court decision undermines the recognition of indigenous sovereignty codified in federal law. The reversal provides hope that the abuses since the McGirt ruling might be mitigated.

Increase in Turnpike Tolls

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) approved a toll increase at its December 10, 2024, monthly meeting. The increased turnpike tolls, which average 15%, went into effect on January 1, 2025. Part of the resolution approved by the OTA board includes a 6% inflation-based raise that could be implemented every other year starting in January 2027. Also beginning January 1, to simplify the tolling process, the classification of vehicles has been reduced from five toll categories of vehicles to three: small, medium, and large. These classifications are still based on the number of axles on a vehicle traveling the turnpike system.

While the toll rate increase was designed to generate a 15 percent increase in toll revenues system wide, the specific toll increase varies by turnpike based on the amount of infrastructure improvements planned as part of the ACCESS Oklahoma long-range plan. As an example, the previous PIKEPASS rate to travel between Oklahoma City and Tulsa on the I-44/Turner Turnpike was $4.50. The toll is now $5.40, which reflects a 1-penny per mile increase. Even after the increases, OTA says it will still have one of the lowest toll rates in the nation, rising from an average 6-cents per mile to 7-cents per mile, compared to a national average of 22-cents per mile.

Cashless Tolling Conversion Complete

Motorists may now keep on rolling with cashless tolling on all 12 Oklahoma turnpikes. The last turnpike to switch to open road tolling was the I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike corridor between Tulsa and the Missouri state line. As part of the move to all electronic tolling with PIKEPASS and PlatePay, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) also launched a brand refresh of the PIKEPASS logo and of pikepass.com. The PIKEPASS logo debuted in 1991 when the OTA first launched electronic tolling on the turnpike system. This is the first update to the PIKEPASS brand in 33 years. The most striking change to the refreshed logo is its color scheme. Gone is the red that so many identified as vehicles stopping at cash toll booths. The logo is now a deep blue that transitions to green to convey to customers that they now will enjoy non-stop travel across the turnpike system.

St. Isidore Charter School Case

In October, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual Charter School (SISVC) and the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board went directly to the Nation’s highest court asking it to consider the case after the liberal leaning Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that the proposed school violated both the Oklahoma and U.S. Constitutions. On, November 8, Gov. Kevin Stitt filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the School Board’s decision to grant the Catholic school status as a charter school. Governor Stitt’s brief argues that denying St. Isidore a school charter solely because of its religious affiliation violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. Governor Stitt challenged the Oklahoma Attorney General’s intolerance of religious freedom by reaffirming the state’s commitment to education and family rights.

On December 9, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who brought the case to the Oklahoma court to block the school charter, filed briefs asking the court to deny certiorari in the case. He says the Oklahoma Supreme Court decision was correct. While this is the first time a state has attempted to approve a religious public charter, Drummond said the facts of St. Isidore’s situation render it a “poor vehicle” for the U.S. Supreme Court to address constitutional considerations. “The Court would benefit from permitting this issue to percolate through the lower courts,” Drummond’s brief states.

Drummond Running for Governor

As has long been speculated, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond will be running for governor. The Governor’s Office in 2026 is an open race since Governor Stitt cannot run for reelection due to term-limits. Drummond is the first major candidate to publicly announce a campaign. “As a tough-on-crime Attorney General and decorated fighter pilot, I’ve proven I will always fight for our freedom and defend our values,” Drummond said. “Whether it was leading the first U.S. combat mission in the Gulf War, taking on the Biden Administration’s radical overreach, or standing up to Mexican cartels and Chinese crime syndicates, I will never back down from the battles we must fight.” Drummond made the announcement at the Osage County Fairgrounds in Pawhuska on January 13. The Republican AG said he has the support of the Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).

Drummond served as an Air Force pilot during the Gulf War, and is an attorney, rancher, and businessman. He is the principal owner of Blue Sky Bank. He was elected Oklahoma Attorney General in 2022 after losing the GOP nomination in 2018 to former Attorney General Mike Hunter. Before running for AG, he had not previously been active in the Republican Party and had contributed to Democrat candidates who ran against Sen. Jim Inhofe, Sen. Tom Coburn, and Rep. Jim Bridenstine. He also contributed to Joe Biden in August of 2020.

Byrd Running for Lt. Governor

State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd has registered a campaign for lieutenant governor in 2026. Byrd said a formal campaign kickoff will be announced in the near future. Byrd is a CPA and has spent over two decades in state government. Before her election to the post, she served as Deputy Auditor and Inspector. Byrd was elected Auditor and Inspector in 2018 and reelected in 2022. Due to term-limits, she cannot run for reelection in 2026.

Land Grab by Feds Stopped

On December 16, the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus (OKFC) celebrated the groundswell of grassroots opposition to the federal takeover of Oklahoma lands for a transmission line. The federal Department of Energy announced that the proposed Delta-Plains National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) will not proceed in its designation process. The proposed 4 to 18 mile wide, 645-mile-long Delta-Plains corridor would have crossed Oklahoma from the panhandle to Arkansas. The federal government would have used eminent domain to confiscate property to build the transmission line.

“We’ve seen communities have over 1,000 people rallying in opposition to this project and show up to voice their concerns,” said Sen. Shane Jett (R-Shawnee) who serves as OKFC chair. “Thankfully the voice of the people was heard. We commend all the state senators and state representatives who stood up for the freedoms of their constituents to stop this corridor cutting through Oklahoma. Governor Stitt and Speaker-Elect Hilbert deserve special recognition for their efforts, and we look forward to continuing working with them and with all Oklahomans who desire to advance freedom in this state. This is just a first step as the grassroots and legislators must continue to work together to stop this plan and any further attempts to take land from Oklahomans.”

“We’ve seen growing concern of infringements by the feds under this Biden-Harris regime,” said Rep. Jim Olsen (R-Roland) who serves as OKFC vice chair. “In this latest move, they planned on confiscating hundreds of miles of Oklahoma land on Biden’s orders for their Green Deal scam. We’ve heard from grassroots constituents across the state adamantly opposed to this. Due to their strong vocal opposition, this egregious plan was stopped. We’re thankful Speaker-elect Hilbert was directly involved and has echoed that this federal land-grab will not be moving forward.”

December General Fund Revenue

State General Revenue Fund (GRF) collections in December totaled $738.7 million, which is $24.5 million, or 3.4%, above the monthly estimate. This is $33.8 million, or 4.8%, above collections in December 2023. The first six months of Fiscal Year 2025 (which began July 1) show total GRF collections to be $4 billion, which is $27.1 million, or 0.7%, above the estimate, and $30.9 million, or 0.8%, below prior year collections for the same period.

“As we review December’s general revenue numbers, it’s encouraging to see overall collections are above estimates, even though some areas, like GPT-oil and GPT-gas revenues, fell short,” said State Chief Operating Officer and OMES Director Rick Rose. “Shifts in consumer spending and the state grocery tax elimination are reflected in the latest data, but stronger-than-expected income tax and interest have helped balance the picture. These collections are in line with the updated projections outlined by the state Board of Equalization, and we will revisit estimates during the next BOE meeting in February.”

Stitt Orders End of Remote Work

Gov. Kevin Stitt issued Executive Order 2024-29 directing state agencies to end remote work for full-time employees. The directive goes into effect February 1, 2025. “COVID altered the way we did business for a time, but that time has passed. Now, we need to put stewardship of taxpayer dollars as our top priority. Oklahomans deserve a government that operates with full accountability and delivers services effectively. Returning to traditional work environments is a critical step in achieving that goal,” said Stitt. Agency executives can provide exceptions for employees with non-standard work hours, roles where in-office employment is deemed unreasonable, and agencies facing office space constraints. Those agencies must report the exceptions to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES).

Facilitate University NIL Competition

On January 9, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed Executive Order 2025-01 to keep Oklahoma’s collegiate athletics competitive with other programs. The order enables universities and colleges to facilitate direct payments to student-athletes for the use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL) while federal and legal decisions are pending. The order allows for the creation of foundations that will act as a clearing house for entities to contribute to NIL funds without fear of retaliation or investigation from athletic organizations such as the NCAA or athletic conferences. It also protects taxpayer dollars from being used. “Oklahoma is home to some of the nation’s most outstanding student-athletes,” said Stitt. “This executive order ensures that these student-athletes have access to the same opportunities as their peers in other states. It’s about leveling the playing field and maintaining the competitive edge that defines Oklahoma athletics.” The order will automatically expire upon final settlement approval in the federal NIL litigation or the enactment of a federal law governing student-athlete payments.

Secure Oklahoma NOW Initiative

In light of the New Year’s terror attack in New Orleans, Gov. Kevin Stitt created the Secure Oklahoma NOW (Not on Our Watch) Initiative to better prepare for threats of terrorism and targeted violence. “Sadly, Oklahomans are familiar with the devastating impact terrorists can have on our communities. In the wake of the attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Year’s Day, it’s our responsibility to stay vigilant and prepared,” said Stitt. “The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety will bring together experts from law enforcement, emergency management, and public safety to develop a comprehensive guide to protect our high-value targets and major events, ensuring we are always one step ahead.” The Secure Oklahoma NOW Initiative will have a 12-member Advisory Council to assist the Department of Public Safety in publishing industry standard security protocols for large events.

Oklahomans Earn Congress Leadership Posts

Oklahomans in Congress have been named to top leadership posts for the 119th Congress. U.S. Senator James Lankford won the job of Vice Chair of the Senate Republican Conference. He was reelected to his Senate seat in 2022. Oklahoma First District U.S. Representative Kevin Hern (R-Tulsa) was elected Chair of the House Republican Policy Committee. He previously served as chair of the Republican Study Committee. The Republican Policy Committee Chair is the 5th most senior role in the House of Representatives. Hern was re-elected in November to his fourth two-year term. Last April it was announced that Fourth District Rep. Tom Cole had moved up into leadership position to be Chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

New Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore

On its organizational day on January 7, Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle) was officially named as the Senate Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate. He replaced Pro Tem Greg Treat (R-Oklahoma City) who was term-limited and not able to run for reelection in 2024. Paxton was first elected in 2016 to Senate District 23 which includes portions of Grady and Canadian counties. He is a fifth-generation Oklahoman, born in Chickasha and raised on his family’s farm in Tuttle. He has experience as a businessman, volunteer firefighter, farmer and rancher. He is one of the more moderate or liberal Republicans in the Legislature, earning a 62% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index rating state legislators. Pro Tem Paxton was confirmed by a vote of 39-8, along party lines.

Oklahoma House Elects New Speaker

On January 7, the Oklahoma House of Representatives elected Rep. Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow) as Speaker of the House and Rep. Anthony Moore (R-Clinton) as Speaker Pro-Tempore for the 60th Legislature. The Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives is the body’s chief presiding officer and is responsible for committee appointments, the flow of legislation and the management of the House budget and staff. The speaker also serves as an ex-officio voting member on all House committees.

Hilbert, 30, is the youngest House speaker in Oklahoma state history and only the second Republican speaker 30 years old or younger in any state since 1873. Hilbert was elected in 2016 to represent House District 29, which contains portions of rural Creek and Tulsa counties. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness and a master’s in business administration from Oklahoma State University, where he also served as Student Government Association President.

The Speaker Pro Tempore is the second-highest ranking officer in the House and assists the Speaker in managing the legislative agenda, guiding bills through the legislative process and coordinating with committees. Moore was elected to the House in 2020. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma Christian University and a law degree from Oklahoma City University.

The new House leaders are among the more moderate or liberal Republicans in the Legislature. Hilbert has a 58% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index rating state legislators. Moore scored 59 percent. The 60th legislature will convene on Monday, February 3, 2025, for the first regular session.

Claims of Zero Abortions

State Sen. Dusty Deevers (R-Elgin) and Sen. Warren Hamilton (R-McCurtain) responded to comments made by Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert regarding abortion legislation in the upcoming session. Hilbert was quoted by Oklahoma Voice as saying, “When there’s not any reported abortions, I don’t know how you further reduce from zero.” Deevers and Hamilton have filed legislation in recent years to fully abolish abortion.

“As a pastor and local activist, I have been engaged in the fight to protect preborn children for years prior to becoming a Senator. I have much respect for Speaker Hilbert as Christian man, but as much as I desperately wish there were zero abortions in Oklahoma, zero `reported’ abortions is not the same thing as zero abortions,” Deevers said. “Data shows that roughly 3,274 self-managed abortions are legally performed annually in Oklahoma in addition to 4,000 abortions committed by Oklahomans driving to other states.”

Self-managed abortion is an abortion performed outside the formal medical system, most often through abortion pills ordered online and delivered through the mail. These abortions remain legal in Oklahoma due to express provisions in recently passed pro-life laws which establish that “Under no circumstances shall the mother of the unborn child be prosecuted for causing the death of the unborn child.” Given that there is usually no in-state actor in a self-managed abortion other than the mother, these abortions are functionally legal. “3,274 little human beings are murdered annually on our watch,” Hamilton said. “As legislators, this fact should grieve us and stir us to continued action.”

While Oklahoma Statute 63-1-733 technically outlaws self-managed abortion by establishing that “No woman shall perform or induce an abortion upon herself,” Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a December 2023 opinion in response to inquiry from Hamilton and seven other legislators that he would not enforce that statute, in part, because of the legislature’s insistence on not prosecuting self-managed abortion in more recently passed pro-life laws.

State Government Efficiency Portal

The Oklahoma House of Representatives added to its transparency portal a government efficiency survey intended to root out duplication of services, waste and inefficiencies in state government. This initiative piggybacks on the federal effort to eliminate government waste through the newly-created federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). “We will work hand-in-hand with President-Elect Trump and our federal delegation on broader efforts to make government more efficient with DOGE,” said new House Speaker Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow). “As lawmakers, we want the assistance of Oklahomans who have first-hand experience with duplicative and wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars.”

Oklahomans can enter any examples they have experienced of state governmental waste or duplication into the easy-to-use portal, which will be submitted to House budget leaders for review to be utilized during legislative budget hearings and the crafting of the FY26 state budget. The government efficiency survey may be accessed via the homepage of the House website, okhouse.gov. All submitted agency FY26 budget requests have been updated and can also be viewed in the portal.

Oklahoma House Bathroom Usage

During its approval of rules for the upcoming session of the Oklahoma Legislature on January 7, the Oklahoma House of Representatives adopted a new rule limiting the use of the female restroom in the legislative chamber. The rule, which was sponsored by the newly-elected Rep. Molly Jenkins (R-Coyle), would limit usage to only “a person born as a biological female.” She said the rule is intended to discourage a transgender individual from entering the women’s restroom. It was opposed by Democrat members of the legislative body. A member who violates the rule could face censure, which may include losing the right to vote on legislation.

Protect Women’s Sports

Senators James Lankford and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) have reintroduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to preserve Title IX protections for female athletes. “Common sense should tell us that women and girls shouldn’t be forced to compete in sports or share a school locker room with biological males,” said Lankford. “Although the Biden Administration fought to erase biological differences, I want to uphold equal opportunity for the next generation of female athletes.”

The legislation would ensure that Title IX provisions treat gender as “recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” It bans recipients of federal funding from operating, sponsoring, or facilitating athletic programs that permit a male to participate in a women’s sporting event. The bill would reverse the harmful federal Department of Education rule that forces schools to allow males to share private spaces with females and compete in women’s sports, or risk losing their funding.

“Lock The Clock”

In January, Oklahoma U.S. Sen. James Lankford and Florida Sen. Rick Scott introduced the Sunshine Protection Act to officially “lock the clock” and end the twice-yearly time change and make Daylight Saving Time (DST) the national year-round standard. “Twice a year Oklahomans ask themselves-why do we still have to change our clocks? It is past time to get this bill to the President’s desk so we can stop the annoying twice-a-year reset of the clocks. Let’s lock the clocks,” Lankford said. “In 2018, as Governor of Florida, I signed legislation that would allow the state to opt out of the practice of changing the time and I’ve been a leading effort in getting this done on the federal level. I’m excited to have President Trump back in the White House and fully on board to LOCK THE CLOCK so we can get this good bill passed and make this common-sense change that will simplify and benefit the lives of American families,” Scott said.

This bill would apply to states who currently participate in DST, which most states observe for eight months out of the year. Standard Time, from November to March, is only observed for four months out of the year. Oklahoma is one of 20 states that have passed legislation to remain on DST year-round if a federal law, such as the Sunshine Protection Act, allows states to so.

Prevent Blocked Railroads

Senator James Lankford applauded new grants to tackle railway congestion across Oklahoma. “Oklahomans know how vital rail service is to our economy, but trains should not block an ambulance or prevent us from getting to work or school on time. These new grants will increase safety and access for each affected community,” said Lankford. During the approval process Lankford sent letters of support to the U.S. Federal Railroad administrator Amit Bose outlining the need for each project.

The grants were awarded through the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and will provide $25.4 million for the Occupied Crossing Mitigation Project in Davis, OK, $1.2 million for the Mannford Railroad Crossing Planning Project to Improve Basin Road Connection, $400,000 for the Prioritizing Crossings to Save Lives in Central Oklahoma Project, and $424,000 for the Claremore Rail Corridor Revitalization: Enhancing Mobility and Safety for a Connected Community Project.

Victory Over California EPA Filing

On January 15, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had closed the file on California’s request for a waiver for its Advanced Clean Fleets regulation. Under the Clean Air Act, California could not enforce its proposed regulation without an EPA waiver. Earlier in the month, the EPA granted several other requests that California made, but it did not act on its Advanced Clean Fleets request. California withdrew the request January 13, and the EPA closed the file.

In September, Drummond joined 23 other state attorneys general in filing a letter with the EPA arguing that the agency should not allow California to exceed its statutory and regulatory authority by implementing an electric-vehicle mandate that would disrupt the Nation’s logistics and transportation industries. California’s proposed regulation attempted to impose an electric-truck mandate on fleet owners, operators and manufacturers, including trucking companies that drive one truck for as little as one day per year in California. Also signing the comment letter were the attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.

LA Fire Burns Will Rogers Ranch

The January wildfires in California directly impacted the Will Rogers State Historic Park and burned the home to the ground. Will Rogers is known as “Oklahoma’s Favorite Son,” and his legacy is also preserved at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, OK. Trait Thompson, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society, said, “We are deeply saddened to learn about the fire that destroyed Will Rogers State Historic Park in Los Angeles, which includes Will Rogers’ former home and 186 acres of land. This tragedy resonates with the Oklahoma Historical Society because Rogers (Cherokee) was born in Indian Territory in 1879, and the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore is dedicated to honoring and preserving the legacy of ‘Oklahoma’s Favorite Son.’” Rogers moved to California in 1919 and became Hollywood’s most popular and highest-paid actor in the 1930s.

Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry, great-granddaughter of Will Rogers, is the family representative and is active with the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, as well as a founding member of the Will Rogers Ranch Foundation, which supports the Will Rogers State Historic Park in California. “The Rogers family is devastated by the loss of the California ranch and the overwhelming loss of the community. Our hearts go out to all those neighbors who have lost their homes. The community of Pacific Palisades has always been a generous supporter of the Will Rogers State Historic Park.” The family donated the ranch in 1944 to the State of California to act as a living museum to Will Rogers.

Oklahoma Political Party Conventions

Oklahoma political parties will hold off-year conventions in 2025. The Oklahoma Republican Party 2025 State Convention is tentatively scheduled for May 3 - 4, in the Oklahoma City metro area. Precinct Meetings leading up to the state convention will mostly be in January and February, and County Conventions mostly in February and March. Oklahoma Democrats will hold their state convention on June 28-29 in Broken Arrow. Precinct Meetings will be in March, with County Conventions in April, and Congressional District Conventions in May. The Oklahoma Libertarian Party convention will take place on Saturday, April 12th in Moore.