House Media

Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, today celebrated a major milestone for rural health care access following the Bristow Hospital Authority's approval of a final lease agreement allowing St. Francis Health System to assume operations of Bristow’s local hospital. This transition brings one of Oklahoma’s largest and most respected health systems directly into the Bristow community, marking a significant expansion of high-quality, accessible medical care for residents across Creek County and the surrounding area. Speaker Hilbert said the decision represents years of local effort and state-level work to support rural health infrastructure. “St. Francis is one of the premier healthcare providers in Oklahoma, and having them in Bristow is a game-changer,” Hilbert said. “This ensures families in our community have reliable, modern care close to home, not 30 or 40 miles away. This is exactly the kind of long-term investment rural Oklahoma deserves.” State Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville, echoed Hilbert’s remarks and praised the partnership for its long-term impact on the region. “This partnership with St. Francis is a tremendous win for Bristow and for all of Creek County,” Gollihare said. “Reliable, high-quality health care shouldn’t be something rural families have to drive an hour to find. This investment ensures our communities have the medical access they deserve, and I’m grateful for the leadership that brought us to this point.” The Legislature has helped support the hospital by directing funds through Senate Bill 20XX in 2022, funding a total of $25 million to re-open closed hospitals in rural communities across the state. The Bristow Hospital was among communities selected through a transparent application process Speaker Hilbert championed. Bristow City Mayor Kris Wyatt emphasized the vital partnership with St. Francis. "We all understand how essential a hospital is to Bristow's future," said Wyatt. "It drives economic development, influences whether new industry chooses to come here, and supports the community's overall quality of life. If we want to continue growing and providing the standard of living our residents deserve, Bristow must have a hospital. St. Francis has a strong history of delivering excellent health care, and they are an outstanding partner to help meet that need." This hospital project will support expanded services, improved patient capacity and upgrades to meet modern rural health care demands. St. Francis Hospital leadership expressed gratitude for the state’s investment and praised lawmakers for prioritizing rural medical infrastructure. "Saint Francis is proud to continue its investment in the health and well-being of Bristow and the surrounding community. With the opening of Warren Clinic Bristow in 2023 and now the transition to operate the local hospital, this partnership reinforces our shared vision for exceptional healthcare in rural Oklahoma," said Dr. Cliff Robertson, president and CEO of Saint Francis Health System. "This is another important step in building a lasting relationship between Saint Francis and the people of Bristow—one that will grow and evolve to meet the community's needs for years to come." Yesterday’s action in Bristow comes as St. Francis in Tulsa recently received Trauma I designation , made possible by the partnership with OSU medical center established through the Legislature during the 2025 session. This major development advanced under Speaker Hilbert and Senator Gollihare's leadership. “Healthy communities make for a stronger Oklahoma,” Hilbert said. “Communities across the state are seeing long-overdue progress, and this is just the beginning.”

OKLAHOMA CITY  —  Rep. Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle, has sent a letter to Attorney General Gentner Drummond requesting a formal opinion on whether the Oklahoma Legislative Compensation Board's executive session violated Oklahoma’s Open Meeting Act. “If the executive session was unlawful, the public deserves to know,” Jenkins said. “And if it was permitted under a loophole, then we need to fix that loophole immediately.” Her request follows the recent decision by the board, which met in executive session before approving salary increases for state politicians, including legislators who are among the highest-paid part-time lawmakers in the nation. State law allows boards to meet in executive session, which is a private discussion of salaries of their own employees, but Jenkins says legislators are not employees of the compensation board. “I was heartbroken to hear that the Legislative Compensation Board entered an executive session, which I do not believe is authorized by Oklahoma law, before voting to award these massive raises,” Jenkins said. “This is not transparency, and this is not the Oklahoma way.” According to Jenkins, the circumstances surrounding the meeting “do not pass the smell test.” She noted that the board had twice declined to raise legislative salaries in previous meetings, and then, after members were replaced, the board met behind closed doors and abruptly “changed its mind.” “At a time when Oklahoma taxpayers are struggling under soaring insurance premiums, rising property taxes and higher utility rates, the last thing they should be forced to do is pay more for their politicians, especially under such regrettable and suspicious circumstances,” Jenkins said. Depending on the attorney general’s findings, Jenkins may introduce legislation to ensure a situation like this “can never happen again" in the form of a constitutional amendment. For the 2026 Legislative Session, Jenkins says the amendment she is working on could abolish the Legislative Compensation Board altogether and could freeze legislative salaries at their current level, before the newly approved raises, unless voters themselves approve future increases. “For too long, this board has ensured that Oklahoma’s part-time Legislature remains the highest paid in the region, and one of the highest compensated part-time legislatures in the nation, even as our state trails far behind in so many other metrics,” Jenkins said. “Only the voters should have the final say on legislative compensation, not an unelected board of bureaucrats who never have to face the vote of the people.” The deadline to file bills and joint resolutions is Jan. 15, 2026, and the Second Regular Session of the 60th Legislature is set to convene on Feb. 2, 2026. Jenkins has indicated she will also use the upcoming session to formally propose blocking the pay raises for other statewide officeholders, including the governor, attorney general and state superintendent, keeping their salaries at current levels. “Public service should never be about the money; it should be about sacrifice,” she said. “You can never pay a true public servant enough. But you can absolutely overpay a worthless politician.” If the legislative pay raises do take effect, Jenkins announced she will reject the increase and donate the additional money to a House District 33 crisis pregnancy clinic. “These clinics are on the front lines every single day, saving lives and restoring hope to mothers and their babies in their greatest time of need,” Jenkins said. “If this pay raise goes through, the people of House District 33 will see every dollar of it put toward something that truly matters.”

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. David Hardin, R-Stilwell, is addressing concerns raised by Adair County commissioners regarding the potential economic impact of major reductions in poultry operations in northeastern Oklahoma and the importance of the poultry industry to Oklahoma agriculture.  This week, Adair County commissioners sent a letter to Attorney General Gentner Drummond outlining the role poultry production plays in local economies and the significant effect a large-scale reduction could have on county governments, school districts, farm families and small businesses across the region. The commissioners noted that poultry production has long been one of the primary economic drivers in Adair County and supports hundreds of families while generating revenue that helps sustain rural communities. Reports indicating that Tyson Foods is evaluating possible changes to its Oklahoma operations come as the state continues navigating a long-running federal lawsuit over water quality in the Illinois River watershed. The litigation, now more than 20 years old, centers on pollution concerns shared by Oklahoma and Arkansas.  Federal and state agencies have documented water quality improvements in portions of the watershed following decades of targeted conservation work. An Environmental Protection Agency success story published in 2020 highlighted reduced bacteria and nutrient levels, the removal of five waterbody segments from the impaired waters list and ongoing cooperative efforts involving Oklahoma, Arkansas and the Cherokee Nation. Population growth in northwest Arkansas, which now exceeds 700,000 residents, has increased pressure on the watershed and prompted both states to update monitoring and long-term planning. “While the Environmental Protection Agency promotes the Illinois River watershed as a water quality success story and the Oklahoma Tourism Department promotes the water quality of Illinois River and Lake Tenkiller, Attorney General Drummond’s office is telling a federal judge the Illinois River is polluted to the point that poultry companies should be fined hundreds of millions of dollars,” Hardin said. "The Attorney General's proposal would devastate county governments, school districts, small businesses and countless Oklahoma families."  Hardin agreed with the commissioners' concerns and emphasized the importance of balancing environmental goals with economic stability.  “Eastern Oklahoma should not be put at risk while decisions are made without fully weighing the progress that has been achieved or the families who depend on this industry,” Hardin said. “Water quality challenges deserve meaningful attention, but we can address those concerns with science, long-term planning and cooperation between both states. I stand with the Adair County commissioners in supporting solutions that protect our natural resources and preserve the jobs, investment and economic health of our rural communities.”  Hardin noted that decades of coordinated conservation work have produced measurable improvements in the Illinois River watershed.  “Local, state and federal partners have invested years into improving the Illinois River, and the data show those efforts are working," said Hardin. "We should continue building on that progress while also safeguarding the economic stability of the counties that rely on agriculture to survive. “Frankly, our neighbors in Arkansas have shown more interest in water quality than we have and have invested in tens of millions of dollars in improvements for recreation and water quality monitoring and improvement. We need to focus on investment in water quality, not litigation."  Hardin said he supports continued collaboration among agencies, landowners and state leaders to protect water quality and maintain the long-term economic well-being of eastern Oklahoma.  -END-  Rep. David Hardin, a Republican, represents House District 86 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes portions of Adair, Cherokee, Delaware and Mayes counties.