By Constitution Staff

February Governor Candidate Forum at Randall

A public forum for the candidates for Oklahoma governor is slated for February 19, at 7 p.m., at Randall University in Moore, 3701 South I-35. The event should conclude by 8:30 p.m. The event will be in the Barber Building (the biggest building on campus), in its main auditorium.

Candidates who have accepted invitations to participate include former House Speaker Charles McCall, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, former state Senator Mike Mazzei, former state Senator Jake Merrick, and Chip Keating, son of former governor, Frank Keating. All are Republicans, vying for their party’s nomination. Democrat State Representative Cyndi Munson was also invited, but she declined the invitation. (Interestingly, if the election were being held under the Jungle Primary being pushed by State Question 836, Munson would have an excellent chance of winning as the Republicans can be expected to split up the Republican vote, allowing Munson to slip in with a minority of the vote).

Candidates are also invited to meet with attendees, starting at 6 p.m., with volunteer tables, and distribute campaign literature, if they like. At the beginning of the forum, candidates will be each allowed to make a five-minute presentation, followed by a period of answering questions from the audience. The questions will be on cards provided by the university, and distributed by student volunteers. The student volunteers will sort through the questions and consolidate to avoid duplication of questions.

The format is not a debate format, per se. Candidates are not allowed to ask questions of other candidates. Each candidate will be given two minutes to answer the same question, as asked by the moderator. Speaking order will be by a drawing at the beginning of the event, and the answering of questions will be by rotation. Candidates will then be allowed a two-minute closing statement, in reverse order of the opening statements.

For more information on the event, please contact Steve Byas at 405-912-9028. Byas is director of the History Program at Randall University.

Ruling Against Dual Serving AG Opinion

The Oklahoma Supreme Court finally reached a conclusion over whether the governor’s Cabinet members can serve a dual role as head of a state agency – giving a victory to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt. Court Vice-Chair Dana Kuehn, writing for the seven-member majority, said individuals serving as the head of an agency can also serve in the governor’s Cabinet, which is an advisory position that sometimes has authority over an agency. The question began nearly two years ago when Norman Democrat Senator Mary Boren asked Republican Attorney General Gentner Drummond whether it was legal for then Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) Executive Director Tim Gatz to also serve in the same role at Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and also serve as Stitt’s Secretary of Transportation. In his February 2024 opinion, Drummond said Gatz’ appointment to the Cabinet post caused him to abandon the other two positions. Given the opinion, Gatz resigned the OTA position and Cabinet post but retained his position as ODOT Executive Director, a job he still holds. Both Stitt and Drummond praised the OSC for providing clarity to the issue.

Homeless Encampment Removal in Oklahoma City

On October 27, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced that the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) and Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) had begun the clean up of state property across Oklahoma City as part of Operation SAFE. The program, which began in Tulsa, is the state’s initiative to restore safety and cleanliness by removing homeless encampments, trash, and debris from state-owned property. The OHP has the legal authority to target state-owned property including underpasses, highways, state buildings, and other state-controlled land. “After the success of Operation SAFE in Tulsa, business leaders and stakeholders quickly requested the state to do the same here in Oklahoma City,” said Gov. Stitt. “We are partnering with Key to Home, an Oklahoma City-based public/private partnership, to connect those individuals we move from state property to services and housing. The state is doing its job, and just like in Tulsa, it’s the role of the city and non-profits to ensure Oklahoma City stays clean and safe for all residents.” Key to Home Partnership was established in 2023 to lead a unified city response. Today, more than 50 public, private, and nonprofit partners work together to bring outreach teams directly into encampments, connecting Oklahomans in need to shelter, treatment, and housing. Once an encampment is closed, ongoing monitoring prevents repopulation.

Additional 80 MPH Speed Limit on Turner Turnpike

The ongoing project to widen the Turner Turnpike from Bristow to Kellyville will include an 80mph speed limit zone when the project officially opens next spring. The widening from four to six lanes will create the second section to feature an 80mph speed limit. The widening of the 22-mile section from Sapulpa to Bristow was completed in 2019, and the segment between Kellyville and Sapulpa has an 80mph speed limit. Widening of the entire 86-mile turnpike, between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, to six lanes is expected to be completed by 2037 under the current ACCESS Oklahoma Plan.

More Motor Vehicle Enforcement Actions

On November 4, Gov. Kevin Stitt provided an update on Operation Guardian, following a commercial motor vehicle enforcement action in eastern Oklahoma. “Operation Guardian continues to successfully keep Oklahomans safe,” said Gov. Stitt. “To lawfully operate a commercial motor vehicle in Oklahoma, you must be here legally and you must be able to understand English. These are common sense standards that we will continue to enforce.” Earlier in the week, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a 15-hour operation along the I-40 eastern corridor. Officers made over 500 contacts, including 209 CMV inspections. The operation resulted in 70 illegal immigrants taken into custody, 34 of whom were operating large commercial motor vehicles. Additional arrests included individuals with active felony warrants, including one confirmed INTERPOL warrant.

This operation came after a similar one in September, where the OHP conducted a 30-hour operation with ICE along I-40 in Western Oklahoma. That operation resulted in 520 contacts and 120 arrests of illegal aliens, including 91 commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers, with criminal histories including DUI, illegal re-entry, money laundering, human smuggling, assault, conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and possession of controlled substances. Those detained came from countries including Tajikistan, India, El Salvador, Uzbekistan, Russia, Ukraine, Mexico, and others, and held commercial driver licenses from multiple states, including California, Illinois, Washington, and New York. A third operation was conducted in January. As we went to press, the statistics resulted from that operation were not yet available.

Hands-Free Law Takes Effect for Drivers

Oklahoma drivers are no longer allowed to hold their phones while driving through school or work zones. Enforcement of the law began November 1, marking a step forward in keeping school children, road crews and motorists safer on Oklahoma roads. House Bill 2263, by Rep. Nicole Miller (R-Edmond) bans the use of handheld phones and other electronic communication devices in areas where extra attention is needed for safety. Drivers can still use hands-free features to make calls or use navigation without taking their eyes off the road. Violating the new rule carries the same penalty as texting while driving. The law also includes privacy protections, preventing law enforcement from searching or downloading data from a phone without a warrant or probable cause. Violations carry the same penalties as the state’s texting-while-driving ban.

Clemency Granted for Tremane Wood

On November 13, just hours before the scheduled execution, Gov. Kevin Stitt granted clemency to death row inmate Tremane Wood. Governor Stitt accepted the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board’s recommendation to commute the sentence to life without parole. The governor said his decision followed a full review of the case and brings Wood’s punishment in line with the sentence received by his brother for the same murder. The pair was found guilty for the 2002 killing of 19 year old Ronnie Wipf during a robbery in Oklahoma City. Stitt said he prayed for the Wipf family and the surviving victim, calling them models of forgiveness.

Election Calendar Modernization Takes Effect

On January 1, 2026, a new law modernizing Oklahoma’s election calendar went into effect, bringing greater clarity, consistency and efficiency to when elections are held across the state. Senate Bill 652 consolidates Oklahoma’s election dates into five standard election days each year, held in February, April, June, August and November. Previously, Oklahoma law allowed for up to 12 possible election dates in odd-numbered years and up to seven in even-numbered years. Frequent, low-profile elections often draw a small fraction of registered voters while requiring significant time and resources from county election boards and poll workers. The legislation was authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle) and was carried in the House by Rep. Mike Osburn (R-Edmond). While the new law reorganizes the timing of certain special elections, propositions and candidate races, it leaves all existing voting processes intact. Absentee voting, early voting and voter access options remain unchanged. The bill also preserves key exceptions, including the governor’s authority to call special elections outside the standard calendar when necessary.

Oklahoma Voter Registration

According to data in Oklahoma State Election Board (OSEB) voter registration database, at the end of 2025, there were 2,402,227 registered voters in Oklahoma. The largest number of Oklahoma’s voters are Republicans, who make up 53.31% of registered voters. Democrats are the second-largest party with 25.33% of registered voters. Democrats had long been the largest political party in Oklahoma, but were passed by Republicans in January 2015. While Republican registration continues to grow, Democrat registrations remain on a downward trend. Meanwhile, both the Libertarian Party (which gained recognition in 2016) and independent voters (those with no party affiliation) continue to see steady growth. Libertarians now account for almost 1% of Oklahoma voters and independents round out the total with 20.39% of registered voters. There are now 1,280,561 Republicans, 608,545 Democrats, 23,296 Libertarians, and 489,825 are registered as independents.

Voter Registration Updates

In December, the State Election Board mailed postcards to more than 71,000 voters requesting that they update their voter registration address. State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said the postcards were mailed to voters who were identified by the U.S. Postal Service as having completed a National Change of Address Card within the past 12 months. Election officials say the effort helps ensure clean voter registration rolls and is part of the State Election Board’s regular voter list maintenance process. Voters who receive the postcard should log into the OK Voter Portal to update their voter registration address or they can complete a paper Voter Registration Application and submit it to their County Election Board. A directory of county election boards is available on the State Election Board website. “Remember, if you have moved to a new address, you will need to update your voter registration,” said Ziriax. State law requires voters to register to vote at their place of residence.

Sooner State Party

The Sooner State Party is a new political party in Oklahoma that according to cofounder C.J. Webber-Neal that aims to unite Oklahomans and represent independents. In order to become a recognized political party in Oklahoma and run candidates under the party banner, the group must gather 34,599 valid signatures by February 20. The party supports and odd mixture of positions, including tribal sovereignty, abortion rights, the Second Amendment, and responsible gun ownership. It also emphasizes the importance of a strong military, law enforcement, unions, and education for all children.

Oklahoma law allows the formation of new political parties if supporters can collect signatures from at least 3% of the registered voters who cast ballots during the previous gubernatorial election. In order to continue to exist, a political party then must have a candidate receive at least 2.5% of total votes for a statewide elected office in one of the two preceding general elections, according to state law. The Libertarian Party was the last to gain access to the ballot in 2016 and has retained that access.

Oklahoma Legislative Calendar

The Second Regular Session of the 60th Legislature will begin with the State of the State Address by Gov. Kevin Stitt on February 2. The deadline for lawmakers to submit legislation for the 2026 legislative session was January 15. After legislation is filed, it must be reported out of Committee in the chamber of origin (House or Senate) by March 5. The deadline for Third Reading (and passage) of Bills in the chamber of origin is March 26. If approved in the chamber of origin, legislation must be reported out of Committee in the opposite chamber by April 23. The Deadline for Third Reading of Bills from the opposite chamber is May 7. These deadlines do not apply to Resolutions and appropriations bills, which can be filed throughout the session. Upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership of both chambers, a measure can be exempt from all cutoff dates in both chambers. Legislation must receive final approval in both chambers by the end of the session which must occur no later than May 29 (5 PM).

House Completes Bill Filing for 2026 Session

The Oklahoma House of Representatives completed bill filing on January 15, for the Second Regular Session of the 60th Legislature. A total of 1,578 House Bills and 50 House Joint Resolutions were filed before the deadline. Last year, the Clerk of the House reported 1,928 House Bills, 29 House Joint Resolutions, three House Resolutions, and two House Concurrent Resolutions were filed before the 2025 deadline. Of those, over 1,600 House measures remain eligible for consideration in the 2026 legislative session. Joint resolutions may be filed at any point during the session. (As we went to press, the Senate had not reported their totals.)

Emergency Powers Bill

In the last legislative session, Senate Bill 862, was successfully passed out of the Senate Public Safety Committee, but did not get a vote in the full Senate. The Emergency Powers Bill, by Sen. Johnathan Wingard (R-Ada) is designed to ensure that unconstitutional mandates like those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic never happen again in our state. The legislation prohibits the government and its employees from requiring residents to receive a shot or vaccine, requiring residents to wear a mask or medical device, restricting medical treatment based on vaccination status, compelling residents to show any documentation of vaccination status, imposing restrictions that are not codified into law, restricting the rights of residents to exercise free speech or free assembly, restricting Second Amendment rights, or restricting travel. The measure subjects any official or government employee of violating these provisions to a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years and/or a maximum fine of $50,000.00. Such persons shall also be subject to termination or removal from office, a $10,000.00 fine, and personal assumption of liability. Sen. Wingard will try to push the bill in this year’s legislative session.

Prevent Sharing of REAL ID Noncompliant Data

State Sen. Kendal Sacchieri (R-Blanchard) filed Senate Bill 1229 to ensure that Oklahomans opting out of the federal REAL ID will have genuine privacy and security protections. Sen. Sacchieri recently learned that the state motor vehicles agency, Service Oklahoma, will be sharing both the REAL ID compliant driver license data – and the Noncompliant driver license data – with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) central data network. The bill provides that personally identifiable information submitted during the application process for a REAL ID Noncompliant Driver License or Identification Card shall be stored in a separate and siloed database from the database used to store personally identifiable information provided to receive a REAL ID Compliant Driver License or Identification Card. Applicants for a Noncompliant Driver License or ID Card may request a biometric data waiver from Service Oklahoma. The measure directs Service Oklahoma to delete the all personally identifiable information and any duplication of such information related to the waiver within 90 days as well as refrain from providing the data to third-party entities. Applicants with a felony on their record shall not be eligible for the waiver. Applicants may also request the issuance of a Noncompliant License or ID Card without a photo.

End Evolution-Only School Curriculum

State Sen. David Bullard (R-Durant) filed legislation to restore balanced instruction in Oklahoma classrooms and promote critical-thinking skills by ensuring students are not subjected to one government-mandated ideology about the origins of life. Senate Bill 1868 prohibits public school teachers from presenting the theory of evolution as the sole explanation for the origin of human life. Bullard’s bill requires public and charter schoolteachers who instruct students on biological evolution to also provide education on the concepts of creationism and/or intelligent design. The legislation also protects teachers and students from censorship by preventing the State Board of Education and local school boards from prohibiting objective discussion of the scientific strengths and weaknesses of biological evolution, creationism and intelligent design.

“For decades, we have taught fiction as fact and forced the theory of evolution on our kids. That ends now. Senate Bill 1868 fixes this problem by putting both evolution and creationism in the classroom for students to learn,” said Bullard, a former history and government teacher. Bullard notes that even Charles Darwin, who is credited with the foundation of evolutionary studies, doubted his own theory that is now forced on every student in our public schools without scrutiny. He pointed to the following quote that Darwin wrote in a 1857 letter to Asa Gray: “I am quite conscious that my speculations run quite beyond the bounds of true science.” Bullard added, “Either we teach both ideas or we allow parents to teach their kids this important topic. We must also stop this indoctrination of our kids using a theory that even its creator openly doubted.”

Clarify School Library Material Standards

State Rep. Chris Banning (R-Bixby) filed legislation prohibiting obscene materials in Oklahoma public school libraries. House Bill 2978 would update state law governing school library media programs by prohibiting the acquisition of materials that meet Oklahoma’s legal definition of obscenity. The measure removes references to subjective community standards and instead relies on established statute, creating a consistent statewide framework for school library decisions. “This legislation provides a straightforward statewide rule that helps ensure school libraries stay within the definition of education. According to Black’s Law Dictionary, education is defined as providing proper moral, intellectual and physical instruction,” Banning said. Under the proposed bill, school districts would follow the existing legal definition of obscenity outlined in Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes when acquiring library materials. Banning says this approach reduces confusion, limits conflict and gives administrators clear direction while preserving the innocence of our youth.

Protect Children from Predatory AI

State Sen. Warren Hamilton (R-McCurtain) filed legislation to protect children from predatory AI chatbot features that could expose them to content that is explicit or threatens their safety. Senate Bill 1521 prohibits the design of AI chatbot features that expose minors to explicit content or coerce suicide, non-suicidal self-injury, or imminent physical or sexual violence. Additionally, the legislation requires AI chatbot developers to implement age verification tools on their platforms and freeze accounts until the user’s age is verified. Companies that fail to comply with the provisions of the measure could face civil penalties up to $100,000. “Entirely too many innocent children have been exposed to harmful and explicit content through AI and online platforms, leaving them susceptible to exploitation, trauma, and lifelong psychological harm,” Hamilton said. “These measures may add steps for users, but they are essential to safeguarding Oklahoma youth from AI content that puts their safety at risk.”

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safeguards

State Rep. Cody Maynard (R-Durant) filed a three-bill legislative package establishing commonsense safeguards for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Oklahoma. The measures seek to clarify that AI systems are not persons and cannot hold legal rights, ensure state agencies use AI responsibly with human oversight, and protect minors from harmful AI chatbots and social AI companions.”We can embrace innovation while defending constitutional principles, parental rights and basic human dignity. AI should assist humans, not replace human responsibility,” Maynard said.

House Bill 3546 would affirm that AI systems and algorithms may not be granted legal personhood under the Constitution or laws of Oklahoma. House Bill 3545 would create guardrails for AI use in state government. It would restrict high-risk uses such as manipulation, unlawful discrimination through automated classification systems, real-time remote biometric surveillance in public spaces, and deceptive or malicious deepfakes. It also would require human review of certain AI-driven recommendations and would strengthen transparency by requiring agency reporting and an annual statewide AI report published by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. House Bill 3544 would protect minors from AI systems designed to simulate human-like relationships. It would prohibit the deployment of social AI companions and human-like AI chatbots to minors and would require reasonable age certification measures, with a narrow exception for certain therapeutic tools under strict professional oversight.

Safeguard Against Deep-Fake Advertising

State Rep. Neil Hays (R-Checotah) refiled legislation that creates punishments for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deep-fake technology without consent of the person whose name, image, likeness or voice is used to create digital content and advertising that is disseminated to the public with the intent to harm. Hays filed House Bill 3073 in 2024. The bill passed the House but was not advanced in the state Senate. Hays will refile the measure with some minor changes for the upcoming legislative session. “As we awaken each day to more sophisticated AI-generated media, we must recommit to the fundamental truth in advertising and the basic rights of every Oklahoman,” Hays said. “Every Oklahoman deserves to control their name, image, likeness and voice - and to know that when they are depicted, especially in an effort to influence the public, that they’re portrayed accurately.” Hays emphasized the marketplace and public discourse depend on trust. “If we erode trust because people are unsure whether what they see or hear is real, then we erode the very foundation of free and fair communication,” he said.

Protection from Data Centers Utility Rate Increases

State Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) filed legislation to protect Oklahomans from having to pay increased utility rates by ensuring data centers pay their share of infrastructure costs as they expand across the state. House Bill 2992, titled the Data Center Consumer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026, would require data centers to pay their share of infrastructure costs associated with their significant electricity demands. It would prevent those costs from being passed on to residential, industrial and small-business ratepayers through higher utility rates. “This bill is about protecting ratepayers and making sure massive energy users cover the infrastructure needed to support their operations instead of shifting that burden onto families and small businesses,” Boles said.

Data centers are specialized facilities that store, process and manage digital information. Often referred to as the home of the internet, they house servers, networking equipment and electrical systems that allow everything from cloud storage to video streaming and online banking to navigation apps and email to function in real time. According to the Pew Research Center, a typical AI-focused hyperscale data center can consume as much electricity each year as 100,000 households. Even larger facilities currently under construction are expected to use multiple times that amount.

High Cost of Home Insurance

Senate Minority (Democrat) Leader Julia Kirt (D-Oklahoma City) filed a trio of bills she says would make insurance rates in Oklahoma more affordable. Kirt said the bills were backed up by an interim study she held last fall on insurance rates. Senate Bill 1438 would put profit caps on insurance companies by refunding excess insurance company profits to customers at the end of each year. Florida has a law like this on the books, and they’ve already seen a positive impact for consumers, with $1 billion being refunded to customers and a number of companies filing for rate decreases. Senate Bill 1444 would require insurance companies to file paperwork justifying a rate before being able to move forward with an increase and give the power to the Insurance Commissioner to reject rate increases that are too high. Senate Bill 1435 would remove a person’s credit score from consideration in determining premium prices. Some states have already banned the use of credit scores in setting premiums.

Ensure Assistance Programs Go to Citizens

Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow) filed two bills to ensure taxpayer-funded assistance programs are only reserved for those who are lawfully present in the United States. The bills will make sure the state is Safeguarding Eligibility, Compliance and Use of Resources Efficiently (SECURE) when it comes to state and federal assistance. “Oklahoma taxpayers should never be forced to subsidize benefits for individuals who are in our country illegally. These services are intended for legal tax-paying citizens, and we are going to make sure that is who is receiving these benefits in Oklahoma,” Speaker Hilbert said.

The bills, House Bill 4422 and House Bill 4423, both reinforce eligibility standards for public assistance programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid and Women Infant Children (WIC), by clarifying that individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States are ineligible for taxpayer-funded benefits. The legislation strengthens verification requirements to ensure state agencies are complying with federal law and that benefits are directed to eligible recipients only.

Protecting Oklahoma Workers and Sovereignty

State Sen. Dusty Deevers (R-Elgin) filed a slate of five America First immigration bills aimed at curbing illegal immigration and protecting Oklahoma workers from visa program abuses. “Oklahomans are incredible people with an incredible heritage and work ethic. Reckless federal immigration policies in recent decades are stealing that inheritance and displacing Oklahoma workers,” Deevers said. Senate Bill 2073 would prohibit all state entities from taking jobs from Oklahomans through use of the H1B and OPT programs. Senate Bill 2076 bans state contracts with companies utilizing H1B and OPT employees instead of Oklahomans. Senate Bill 1850 establishes E-verify in Oklahoma to ensure illegal immigrants are not displacing Oklahoma workers. E-Verify is a system that confirms legal residency by matching employee information against existing SSA or DHS records. It provides the government no information it does not already have and keeps no personal data. E-verify only informs employers whether the employee is a legal resident. Senate Bill 2056 increases the remittance tax on foreign wire transfers from $5 plus one percent to $10 plus three percent. Senate Bill 2098 establishes that citizenship is not automatically granted to children born to two illegal immigrant parents.

Prohibit Foreign Ownership of Oklahoma Land

Sen. Brian Guthrie (R-Bixby) filed two pieces of legislation to further efforts to prohibit foreign land ownership in Oklahoma by closing loopholes within state statute and the Oklahoma Constitution that allow aliens to obtain land. Senate Bill 1582 defines a bona fide resident as a lawful permanent resident under state law and provides such residents with the same rights to acquire and hold land as United States citizens. Senate Joint Resolution 31 proposes a constitutional amendment to prohibit persons who are not citizens of the United States from owning land in Oklahoma. If passed by the Legislature, the proposal would go before Oklahoma voters as a State Question. “These bills ensure bona fide residents who live here, work here, and pay taxes in Oklahoma can continue to own land, while prohibiting non-citizens from exploiting loopholes to gain ownership of our land and resources,” said Guthrie. The measures also provide that those who cease to maintain bona fide residency must sell or transfer ownership of the land within 5 years. If the non-citizen or their heirs do not relinquish the property within the allotted time, it is subject to forfeiture to the state.

Ban Sharia Law in Oklahoma

State Rep. Gabe Woolley (R-Broken Arrow) filed House Joint Resolution 1040, which would prohibit the use of Sharia Law or any similar foreign legal code in Oklahoma courts. If approved by both the Oklahoma House and the Oklahoma Senate, the proposed constitutional amendment would be placed on a statewide ballot as a State Question. In 2010, Oklahoma voters approved the Save Our State Amendment, which sought to ban Sharia Law, with nearly 70% support. The amendment was later struck down by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and never took effect. Woolley said he believes now is the right time for the amendment to make a meaningful difference and ensure Oklahoma does not follow the path of other states. “With a new administration and 16 years having passed, I believe it is time to attempt this ban once again to protect our American way of life in Oklahoma,” Woolley said. “We have seen what is happening in Dearborn, Michigan, New York, Texas and Europe. Oklahoma does not want to become to the next Dearborn, Michigan.”

Broken Arrow Islamic Center

The Islamic Society of Tulsa (IST) was disappointed that the City Council of Broken Arrow voted on January 12, 2026, to deny its application to build a multiuse Islamic Center adjacent to the Creek Turnpike and Olive Avenue. In rejecting the IST application, the Council not only rejected the recommendation of its Planning Commission, but also the determination of City staff that the proposal met all requirements of the Zoning Variance and Special Use Permit. But members of the city council said the decision was based on concerns about existing infrastructure, including a possible surge in traffic, unresolved questions about sewage and adherence to Broken Arrow’s Comprehensive Plan passed in 2019. IST said it intends to pursue all options to challenge and reverse this myopic and discriminatory decision through legal avenues, including a challenge brought under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, which prohibits government entities and municipalities from imposing discriminatory or substantially burdensome land use regulations on religious institutions.

Enforcement of Hunting Laws in Eastern Oklahoma

In a December court filing, state officials challenged the claim made by tribal leaders that tribal members in eastern Oklahoma are not subject to state hunting laws. Attorney General Gentner Drummond sided with the tribal claims. In the federal court filings, state officials reiterated what the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta: States do not need permission from Congress to exercise their sovereign authority, and eastern Oklahoma continues to be part of, not separate from, the State of Oklahoma. Gov. Kevin Stitt reaffirmed his commitment to equal application of state law across Oklahoma. “A foundational American value is that laws are applied equally to everyone, regardless of race,” said Governor Stitt. “The Attorney General is out of line in using his position to push a result that helps his political allies while hurting Oklahoma’s own interests and ignoring decades of responsible conservation.” The tribes’ position, echoed in Attorney General Drummond’s opinion, argues that federal law somehow “preempts” Oklahoma’s wildlife laws in eastern Oklahoma. But the state’s filings explain that the tribes and the Attorney General fail to identify any federal law or treaty that strips the state of jurisdiction, and there is no legal precedent, treaty, or federal law that would instruct a state to not enforce state law on state-owned or state managed property.

Oklahoma Poultry Waste Case

In December, Gov. Kevin Stitt criticized the recent court judgment in State of Oklahoma v. Tyson Foods, Inc., and urged Attorney General Gentner Drummond to request a stay in the case, noting the severe consequences that the chicken litter plan will have for family farms across the state. He denounced the judgment that requires Tyson, Cargill, George’s, Simmons, and Cal-Maine to fund decades of cleanup and comply with new limits on how poultry waste can be used. “These family farmers did everything the right way. They got the permit, followed the rules, and they’re still getting sued,” Governor Kevin Stitt said. “If you can do exactly what the state requires and still end up in court, what are you supposed to do? This isn’t about chicken litter or clean water anymore – that’s what the Legislature is for. Laws should be made in the open, not forced on families through lawsuits.” Under the judgment, the court adopted Drummond’s proposal that punishes producers. As a result, poultry companies and the farmers who raise birds under contract will be bound to decades of oversight by a court-appointed Special Master. “This judgment doesn’t just hit poultry producers,” Governor Stitt said. “It threatens cattle ranchers, grain farmers, and the entire agricultural economy that feeds Oklahoma and the nation.”

College Dropout Performed Utility Audits at OCC

State Representatives Tom Gann (R-Inola), Kevin West (R-Moore), and Rick West (R-Heavener) are challenging the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) orders approving some $1.5 billion of 2023 fuel and purchased power costs incurred by ONG, OG&E and PSO. In a brief filed with the Oklahoma Supreme Court on December 18, 2025, they asked the Court to overturn the OCC’s approval orders and require new, lawful fuel audits and prudence reviews by outside, independent auditors and experts, instead of the OCC’s Public Utility Division (PUD) staff. The legislators believe an employee of the OCC, who dropped out of college, has been performing the audits of the utility companies. The representatives’ brief includes an email from the University of Central Oklahoma confirming that the OCC PUD staff member, Cody Alsup, does not have a degree from the university. He has been employed by the OCC PUD since 2019 and served as the OCC’s lead analyst in the 2022 and 2023 fuel cases for PSO.

At that staff member’s recommendation, the OCC approved more than $1.2 billion of PSO’s fuel costs passed through to customers in those cases. OG&E, PSO and ONG paid some of the highest natural gas prices in U.S. history during a two-week cold snap in February 2021, incurring some $2.8 billion in fuel costs during the storm and another $1.8 billion for the rest of the year. “State law requires audits of the utilities’ fuel charges every year. It also requires the OCC to make sure those costs were fair, just, reasonable and prudent before approving them. These laws exist to protect ratepayers, but the OCC doesn’t seem to care whether the people conducting these audits and prudence reviews are qualified or not,” said Rep. Gann. In September, the OCC’s director of administration, Brandy Wreath, told House members that recent challenges were the result of staffing shortages.

OCC Names New Director of Administration

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) has appointed longtime Oklahoma government and conservative political operative Jim Marshall as interim Director of Administration succeeding Brandy Wreath who was relieved of his duties on December 30 in an unanimous vote by the three elected commissioners. Wreath was given a “confidential” severance agreement. Wreath was appointed to the position in June 2022. Prior to his appointment, Wreath served as the director of OCC’s Public Utility Division. He joined the commission in 2006.

As Director of Administration, Marshall is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the OCC that includes its four core divisions, two support divisions, an annual budget of $92 million and more than 550 employees. Prior to being selected by commissioners, Marshall served the late former Labor Commissioner Brenda Reneau as Chief of Staff, the late former Labor Commissioner Mark Costello as Chief of Staff, former Acting Department of Health Commissioner Jerry Regier as Director of the Integrity Task Force, former Insurance Commissioner John Doak as Director of Outreach and Human Resources, and as Director of Operations for the current Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready before retiring in 2021. Marshall earned a Bachelor of Science in Management of Human Resources degree from Southern Nazarene University, a Master of Public Administration and a Master of Arts in Economics degrees from The University of Oklahoma. He also earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Northcentral University.

New OMES Director and Tax Commissioner

On December 17, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced that Oklahoma Tax Commissioner Mark Wood would transition to Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) and that he appointed Dan LaFortune to fill the vacancy at the Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC). Wood served as a Commissioner for the OTC since his appointment in November 2021, including his final role as Chairman. With more than 37 years in public accounting at Arthur Andersen LLP and Ernst & Young LLP (EY), he has guided large public and private enterprises through complex federal and state tax matters, mergers and acquisitions, and organizational restructuring. Wood holds a Bachelor of Accountancy and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics from the University of Oklahoma. He also taught courses at OU and Oklahoma City University and serves on multiple community and professional boards.

With the Governor’s appointment of LaFortune, the OTC will gain valuable public-sector expertise to help advance its ongoing modernization and service goals. LaFortune brings nearly 31 years of experience with the Internal Revenue Service, where he served as a Program Manager, Team Manager, and Internal Revenue Agent. Most recently, he worked within the IRS Large Business and International Division as a Program Manager in the Western Compliance Practice Area, leading large corporate and flow-through entity audits across Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Louisiana. He graduated from Westfield State University, where he earned a degree in Business Management and a minor in Accounting.

New Tourism Department Director

Governor Stitt has appointed Amy Blackburn as the new director for the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation (OTRD) She replaces interim director Sterling Zearley who served in the department’s Division of State Parks. Blackburn previously served as the division director of marketing and communications at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. She most recently served as director of the Center for Future Work at Oklahoma State University, In her role at the Department of Commerce, Blackburn oversaw branding efforts and improvements to the state’s travel information centers. She also hosted hundreds of business leaders during the 2022 PGA Championship. The OTRD manages state parks, lodges, and golf courses, promotes tourism, supports historic and community events, and provides guidance to state and local leaders on tourism and recreation matters.

Oklahoma Democratic Party New Chair

On December 8, 2025, the Oklahoma Democratic Party announced that State Rep. John Waldron had resigned from his position as Chair and that the Vice Chair, Erin Brewer, had assumed the role of Chair. A new Vice Chair was selected at the Democratic State Central Committee meeting in January. State Rep. Ronald Stewart of Tulsa is the new Vice Chair. We are beyond grateful for his service to our state and party, particularly his commitment to building a strong slate of candidates for 2026. State Rep. Waldron has a 5% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index published by the Oklahoma Constitution newspaper, Rep. Stewart is even more liberal, with a cumulative average of zero. The Oklahoma Democratic Party is led by the extremes of their party, which may explain why their voter registration numbers continue to fall.

Oklahoma Archbishop Meets with Trump

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City – the new president of the of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) – met with President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House on January 12. It marked the first time that a U.S. president had met with the president of the bishops’ conference in nearly a decade – that was during Trump’s first term. Historically, the bishops have been aligned with Republicans on abortion issues, and Coakley has been outspoken in his opposition to gender-affirming care and “the transgender movement,” another area of agreement with the Trump administration. The archbishop is considered to be more moderate than his predecessor who opposed the mass deportations of illegal immigrants. At the meeting where Coakley was elected, he called immigration a “difficult and neuralgic topic,” but said that it would continue to be a priority for the conference of bishops.

Coakley was elected president of the USCCB at its gathering in Baltimore for their Plenary Assembly on November 11, 2025. Coakley was elected on the third ballot from an initial slate of ten candidates. The 70-year-old Archbishop already held a leadership role in the USCCB, serving as secretary. He was ordained a priest in 1983 for the Diocese of Wichita before being appointed Bishop of Salina in 2004, and he was named archbishop of Oklahoma City in 2010.

OCPA 30th annual Citizenship Award Dinner

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) will hold its 30th annual Citizenship Award Dinner on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. This year, Emily Compagno will be the keynote speaker. Compagno is a co-host of Outnumbered on the FOX News Channel and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She is a nationally recognized voice on law, culture, and faith. The Citizenship Award Dinner brings together friends and supporters of OCPA to celebrate the ideas and principles that make Oklahoma strong. There will be a Reception at 6:00 p.m., with the Dinner and Program at 7:00 p.m. For tickets call 405-602-1667 or go to: https://ocpathink.org/event/citizenship-award-dinner-2026

Dedicating Name for Guthrie Post Office

All seven members of the Oklahoma congressional delegation secured the passage of S.2293 designating the Post Office in Guthrie, Oklahoma, as the “Oscar J. Upham Post Office.” The designation received unanimous approval in both chambers and was signed by President Donald Trump on December 18, 2025. Oscar J. Upham was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on July 19, 1901, for “extraordinary heroism in action in the presence of the enemy at Peking, China, July 21 to August 17, 1900.” Following his military service, Upham returned to Guthrie, Oklahoma where he served as a mail carrier for more than three decades before passing in 1949.

Passing of Former Rep. Bruce Niemi

Former state Rep. Bruce Niemi (D-Tulsa) passed away on December 1, 2025, after a short illness at the age of 76. Niemi was the city manager of Grove, Oklahoma, in the 1980s. He taught history and government at Tulsa Community College for many years, and served as an adjunct lecturer at Oklahoma State University. More recently, he was a member of the Tulsa County Election Board and served as Chairman of the Tulsa County Democratic Party. He was elected to the House District 78 seat in the Oklahoma Legislature in 1990 and served one term. He gained notoriety in the legislature as an early advocate of banning corporal punishment in public schools and as a supporter of LGBTQ+ rights. He was one of the more liberal members of the legislature, scoring a 15% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index published by the Oklahoma Constitution newspaper.