House Media

OKLAHOMA CITY – Reps. Stacy Jo Adams, R-Duncan, and Chris Sneed, R-Fort Gibson, will lead an interim study examining the factors contributing to rising homeowners' insurance costs in Oklahoma. The lawmakers will bring together insurance professionals, contractors, builders, real estate professionals, adjusters, consumer advocates and homeowners to better understand why Oklahoma consistently ranks among the states with the highest homeowner's insurance premiums. "This issue hits close to home for me in more than one way," Adams said. "As a customer-facing insurance agent and a state representative, I hear the frustration across the desk and across the district. I see customers opening their renewal notices and wondering why their homeowner's insurance premiums have increased again. I also hear from constituents who simply want to know why it costs so much to protect the homes they’ve worked so hard to build. I want answers too." The study will examine property values, construction materials, labor expenses and severe weather losses. Adams and Sneed also plan to consider the cost of replacing roofs through insurance claims compared with similar work during new construction. "Our plan for this study is to dig into the costs that may not be as obvious," Sneed said. "We know property values have increased significantly, building materials and labor cost more and we know storms seem to love Oklahoma. There has to be additional factors driving these prices, and we intend to cover all our bases." Additional topics will include litigation and legal expenses, reinsurance, building codes, fraud and regulatory requirements. "We are approaching this study without a predetermined conclusion," Adams said. "Some factors may be outside Oklahoma’s control, while others may present opportunities for reform. Our goal is to follow the data, separate fact from assumption and identify practical solutions that could make a difference for Oklahoma families." The interim study period begins Monday, Aug. 3, and ends Friday, Oct. 30. Interim studies allow lawmakers to examine policy issues in greater detail outside the regular legislative session. The date and meeting details for the study will be announced at a later date.

Rep. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, joined lawmakers from across the country this week to officially launch the American German State Legislators Caucus during the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Legislative Summit in Chicago. Pae is a founding member of the bipartisan organization, which brings together state legislators interested in improving trade, investment, education, workforce development and cultural exchange between U.S. state legislatures and Germany. The kickoff event welcomed U.S. state legislators, a delegation of members of German state parliaments, representatives of German businesses and professional organizations, and members of the caucus's inaugural Board of Directors. "Oklahoma has benefited tremendously from strong international partnerships, and Germany has long been one of our most important economic partners," Pae said. "I'm honored to be a founding member of the American German State Legislators Caucus and look forward to working with colleagues across the country to strengthen the relationships that create jobs and encourage innovation between our communities."  Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, attended the launch as well. "It was good to meet with Angela Freimuth at the NCLS conference in Chicago," Rader said. "We discussed some possible ways for strengthening and increasing business opportunities between Germany and Oklahoma. Thank you, Rep. Pae, for arranging the meeting." In 2025, Germany was Oklahoma's fourth largest export market, exporting $485 million in goods to the country. The new caucus will provide opportunities for state legislators to share best practices, engage with German leaders and businesses, and promote policies that strengthen transatlantic cooperation.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Steve Bashore, R-Miami, has been named to the Executive Committee of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS). The executive committee is the governing body of state lawmakers responsible for guiding the national, non-partisan organization that meets regularly to focus on the regulation, legislation and policies of the U.S. gaming industry. "I'm honored to both bring Oklahoma's perspective as a gaming compact state to the table and to learn from other national legislators who have devoted years of study to the issues surrounding gaming in their own states," Bashore said. Bashore currently serves as Deputy Floor Leader in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His private industry experience includes serving as general manager of the Buffalo Run Casino & Resort in northeast Oklahoma. His house district includes several casinos. He said his knowledge of the gaming compacts between the state and many of the tribal nations that call Oklahoma home will serve him well on the council's executive committee. NCLGS is structured to include committees on lotteries, pari-mutuel betting, casinos, responsible gaming, state-federal relations focusing on Indian gaming issues and iGaming. The organization's meetings provide information on cutting edge gaming issues, such as sports betting, iGaming, lottery and prediction markets, that legislators need to know. Programs include balanced panel presentations that offer opposing views. NCLGS also is valuable to local and tribal officials, and as a result, all non-legislative government officials (including tribal and state/local government officials) are invited to attend meetings.