House Media

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Eddy Dempsey, R-Valliant, recently received Delta Waterfowl’s 2025-26 Conservation Leader Award during the organization’s Duck Hunters Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. "This award means a great deal to me because hunting is more than a pastime where I come from," Dempsey said. "It is a way of life that brings families together, puts food on the table and teaches our kids to respect the land. I’m proud of the work we’ve done to protect private property and make sure folks can keep enjoying Oklahoma’s outdoors for generations to come." Dempsey was recognized for his years of work with landowners, hunters and outfitters to develop policies that reflect the needs of his district. House District 1 includes portions of LeFlore and McCurtain counties, one of Oklahoma’s premier hunting regions. "Representative Dempsey has been a steadfast leader in conservation," said Jeff Wardlaw, Delta Waterfowl’s senior manager of government affairs for the Mississippi and Central Flyway. "He is a consistent advocate for ducks and duck hunters, and we were excited to recognize his work at the Duck Hunters Expo this year." Throughout his tenure in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Dempsey has advocated for stronger safeguards to protect landowners, hunters and legitimate guiding operations from bad-faith outfitters operating without accountability. That work culminated in Senate Bill 2095 , which was signed into law earlier this year. The law requires hunting guides to obtain a guide license and maintain personal liability insurance. Guides and outfitters also must receive written permission from private landowners before conducting guided hunts on their property. Dempsey says the requirements provide greater protection for private landowners, increased safety and an enforcement mechanism to address rogue guides and outfitters. Each year, the Delta Waterfowl Conservation Leader Award is given to an individual, organization, company or agency that has demonstrated a clear commitment to Delta Waterfowl’s mission of conserving habitat, producing ducks and securing the future of waterfowl hunting.

OKLAHOMA CITY — House and Senate lawmakers joined Gov. Kevin Stitt on Thursday for the ceremonial signing of two laws protecting Oklahoma utility customers and groundwater resources as large-scale data centers expand across the state. Stitt ceremonially signed House Bill 2992, the Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026, authored by Rep. Brad Boles, R-Marlow, and Sen. Grant Green, R-Wellston, and Senate Bill 259, known as the Groundwater Modernization Act, authored by Sen. Brent Howard, R-Altus, and Rep. Carl Newton, R-Cherokee. The measures create safeguards to protect Oklahoma families, small businesses and traditional utility customers from bearing utility and infrastructure costs created by large-scale energy users. They also enhance groundwater protections and water-use reporting requirements. "With these two bills now law, Oklahoma families and businesses will not be forced to subsidize the infrastructure needs of massive data centers and other large-scale energy users," Boles said. "I appreciate all of my colleagues in the House and the Senate who recognized the importance of protecting Oklahoma ratepayers and Governor Stitt for signing these measures into law. I am pleased we were able to deliver these ratepayer protections for Oklahomans." HB2992 took effect July 1 and protects existing utility customers from infrastructure costs created by large-scale energy users, including data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations and artificial intelligence facilities. It also requires developers to notify adjoining landowners, county commissioners and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission within 60 days of acquiring land for a qualifying project. "As our state continues to attract major energy-intensive industries, we’ve established a framework that ensures those developments pay their own way rather than shifting costs onto Oklahoma families, farmers, ranchers and small businesses," Green said. "Today’s ceremony highlighted our shared commitment to protecting Oklahoma land and ratepayers while supporting responsible and transparent economic growth." SB259 takes effect Nov. 1 and modernizes Oklahoma’s groundwater permitting, monitoring and reporting requirements. The law requires water permit holders to submit annual water-use reports to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and directs the board to establish rules for reviewing reports, investigating complaints of waste and imposing penalties for overuse. "The Groundwater Modernization Act ensures Oklahoma’s most important natural resource is protected as our state attracts new commercial investments," Howard said. "The legislation recognized in today’s ceremony establishes a stronger standard for responsible and transparent groundwater management and conservation across Oklahoma. This law will help safeguard this vital resource for the needs of our communities today and for generations to come." The law prohibits data centers from using groundwater in open-air evaporative cooling systems or other systems that consume groundwater through evaporation without recirculation. To receive a groundwater permit, a data center must demonstrate that it will use low-consumptive cooling technology, such as a closed-loop or dielectric immersion system, which will help preserve groundwater for local communities and farmers. "For those communities that choose to allow data centers, this bill will ensure that water is conserved, and evaporation is limited," Newton said. "It's important to me and those I serve in northwestern Oklahoma, as well as residents throughout the state, that we protect our precious water resources and use the best conservation practices." Stitt says these new laws offer an approach to meeting Americans’ data needs while making sure Oklahomans are not left holding the bill. "This legislation ensures Oklahoma families come first as our economy grows," Stitt said. "In Oklahoma, we welcome the free market to drive prosperity, and we have also set clear guardrails for large load customers to solve for their own power needs. I appreciate legislative leaders for passing a modern solution that keeps Oklahoma a national energy leader while protecting four million Oklahomans from paying for someone else’s power use." The event was held at 9:30 a.m. in the Governor’s Blue Room. Stitt previously approved HB2992 May 11 and SB259 May 20. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Reps. Tammy Townley, R-Ardmore, and Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, represented Oklahoma in national policy discussions during the 2026 Legislative Summit hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) in Chicago. Townley participated in a panel on state workforce development strategy, while Miller moderated a discussion on the growing cost of deferred transportation maintenance.  Townley joined fellow lawmakers from Delaware, Illinois and Utah for "Policy to Practice: The Legislative Role in Workforce Development." The panel examined how state workforce development boards can help align program and funding decisions with economic goals, employer needs and changes in the labor market. "A strong workforce is the foundation of a strong economy," Townley said. "As legislators, our responsibility is to create policies that connect Oklahomans with meaningful careers while ensuring employers have the skilled workforce they need to compete, innovate and grow. The states that invest in workforce development today will lead the economy tomorrow, and Oklahoma has made tremendous progress by bringing education leaders, workforce partners and industry together to meet the needs of our economy. But we can never stop looking for better solutions. Conversations like these allow us to exchange ideas, learn from other states and challenge ourselves to think differently. It was an honor to share Oklahoma’s successes with legislators from across the country while bringing home innovative ideas that will strengthen opportunities for Oklahoma families, support our businesses and help keep our state economically competitive for generations to come." Miller moderated “The Pothole Problem: Transportation’s Deferred Maintenance Gap,” which featured experts from the American Society of Civil Engineers, The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Illinois Department of Transportation. The discussion focused on the long-term costs created when routine repairs to roads, bridges and transit systems are postponed, as well as the role of transparent asset management and sustainable transportation investment. "Moderating this discussion gave Oklahoma an opportunity to help guide a national conversation about better data, long-range planning and responsible investment," Miller said. "Those are the tools states need to protect taxpayers and keep transportation systems safe and reliable. I was proud to share Oklahoma’s successes, especially our significant improvements from 49th to fourth in the nation for structurally deficient bridges, and the lessons we have learned as we addressed long-deferred infrastructure maintenance over the last 20 years." Townley serves as vice chair of NCSL’s Labor and Economic Development Standing Committee, while Miller serves as co-chair of NCSL’s Transportation Standing Committee. The summit was held July 27-29 in Chicago.