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OKLAHOMA CITY — The Data Center Consumer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026, which aims to shield Oklahoma families and small businesses from higher utility costs tied to large-scale energy users like data centers, is one step closer to becoming law. Rep. Brad Boles, R-Marlow, is the author of House Bill 2992 , which passed the House floor with a 92-2 vote. The measure establishes guidelines for how all Oklahoma electric suppliers and regulators manage the growing energy demands of data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations and artificial intelligence facilities. "I am grateful to my colleagues in the House for their overwhelming bipartisan support to pass this bill and truly appreciate that so many of my colleagues have signed on as co-authors of this bill," Rep. Boles said. "I look forward to working with Senator Green to carry this effort forward and get it across the finish line in the Senate. We have a duty to our constituents to put proper ratepayer protections and safeguards in place in state statute. Oklahoma families and small businesses should not be expected to finance major system upgrades required for high-demand users. Those costs should rest with the companies driving the need." The bill defines "large load customers" as new facilities adding 75 megawatts or more of demand and clarifies that residential, commercial and traditional industrial customers are not included in that classification. Currently, 23 House and Senate lawmakers from both parties have signed on as co-authors of this bill alongside Rep. Boles and Sen. Green, R-Wellston, who are the primary authors. The Data Center Consumer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026 now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma House of Representatives has unanimously passed House Bill 2961 , now named the TSgt Marshal Dakota Roberts Gold Star Survivor Act, authored by Rep. Derrick Hildebrant, R-Catoosa. The measure honors the life and sacrifice of Tech. Sgt. Marshal Dakota Roberts of Claremore, who was killed in action on March 11, 2020. Roberts, a friend of Hildebrant, served in the 219th Engineering Installation Squadron, part of the 138th Fighter Wing, where Hildebrant also served. Roberts and his wife, Kristie, were both members of the Oklahoma Air National Guard, and Hildebrant shared a friendship with them both through years of service together. "I am grateful my colleagues recognized the weight of this bill, named for a fellow Airman and brother-in-arms who gave his life in service," Hildebrant said. "His family lives with that loss every single day, and this time of year is especially heavy for them. I wear his memorial bracelet in honor of his name and service dates and as a reminder of his sacrifice, and that of so many others, every day.  HB2961 provides spouses and children of fallen service members with free tuition, fees and room and board at Oklahoma public universities and career technology centers. Eligible recipients would have to maintain Oklahoma residency, and the fallen service member must have been an Oklahoma resident at the time of death. The Gold Star designation is given to those who lost their lives in the line of duty or in a combat zone since Sept. 11, 2001. Hildebrant, who is the chairman of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Veterans and Public Safety Caucus, said the legislation was driven by both personal conviction and a gap in state law. "When I reviewed the statute and realized Gold Star families were not explicitly named among survivors eligible for education benefits, I knew something needed to be done," Hildebrant said. "Oklahoma should stand with Gold Star families and ensure every opportunity is available for them to pursue the best education our state has to offer after their loved one gave everything in service of our state and nation." Roberts is survived by his wife and daughter, who was 8 years old at the time of his death. Hildebrant says that the TSgt Marshal Dakota Roberts Gold Star Survivor Act is about standing beside families like theirs and ensuring their sacrifice is never forgotten. "I made a promise to Marshal’s family that his name would never be forgotten," Hildebrant said. "Today, we were able to make good on that promise. TSgt Marshal Dakota Roberts’ name will live on through the benefits it provides to every Oklahoma Gold Star family." Hildebrant said his role was to also support the family in the aftermath of Roberts’ death. "At the time of Marshal’s death, I was assigned by the Wing Commander to serve as the family’s representative, and I walked with them every step of the way, even to the point of preaching Marshal’s funeral," Hildebrant said. "One of the hardest moments of my life was speaking with his 8-year-old daughter. I told her that her dad was a hero, but he is not coming home. That moment has never left me." A Gold Star family  refers to those who have lost a loved one in military service. The term comes from service flags used during World War I, when a blue star representing a service member was replaced with gold to signify a life lost in defense of the nation. "I was proud the bill was heard on the anniversary of Marshal’s death, because it serves as a solemn reminder of the weight of this sacrifice and the responsibility we carry to honor it," Hildebrant said. "If we, as the legislature, can lift even a small part of that burden by ensuring their children can pursue an education and a future, then we are doing what is right." The bill now moves to the Senate, where Sen. Tom Woods, R-Westville, also a member of the Oklahoma Air National Guard’s 138th Fighter Wing, is the Senate author. "This effort continues our service to Marshal and his family," Hildebrant said. "As brothers in arms, we have the duty to carry this bill forward and see it through to the Governor."

A comprehensive bill strengthening data privacy protections for Oklahomans has been signed into law.  Senate Bill 546 , authored by House Majority Floor Leader Josh West, R-Grove, and Sen. Brent Howard, R-Altus, establishes new consumer rights regarding personal data and creates clear rules for businesses that collect and process information from Oklahoma residents. Under the new law, Oklahomans will be able to access, correct, delete and obtain copies of their personal data, as well as opt out of the sale of their personal data and certain targeted advertising practices.  West, who has pushed for strong data privacy laws in Oklahoma since 2019, said Oklahomans deserve to have a say in how their private information is used.  "In the age of the internet, personal data is valuable currency," West said. "People deserve to know how their data is being used and have the ability to make decisions about that information. Senate Bill 546 gives Oklahomans meaningful control over their own data while establishing clear standards for businesses operating in our state."  SB546 applies to businesses operating in Oklahoma that either process personal data of over 100,000 consumers or process data of 25,000 consumers while earning a majority of their revenue from selling data. The legislation also requires businesses to provide transparent privacy notices, maintain reasonable data security practices and obtain consent before processing sensitive personal information. If companies fail to comply, the Oklahoma Attorney General could take action against them.  "Senate Bill 546 puts Oklahomans back in control of their personal data," Howard said. "For too long, technology companies and online platforms have collected and sold consumers’ personal information, including search histories, spending habits and other browsing data, without giving them the chance to opt out. This new law protects Oklahomans’ privacy online by giving every individual the right to know what data is being collected, while also giving them the power to delete that information and prevent it from being sold."  West said the policy has been a long time coming. In 2021, he authored legislation that would have implemented the strongest data privacy law in the nation. The measure, which was coauthored by 44 legislators, passed the House broadly but stalled in the legislative process.  "I started working on this legislation in 2019 after a conversation with former Representative Collin Walke," West said. "After seven years and five drafts, Oklahomans will finally have the say they deserve in how their personal data is used. I appreciate Senator Howard's work to push Senate Bill 546 across the finish line and thank the governor for signing it into law."  There are exemptions for certain entities, including state agencies, nonprofits and higher education institutions, as well as exemptions for organizations working with data already regulated by federal laws, such as HIPAA.  SB546 will take effect January 1, 2027. 

OKLAHOMA CITY - A measure to help ensure the long-term stability of Oklahoma’s 988 Mental Health Crisis Lifeline passed the House floor with a unanimous vote and now moves to the Senate for consideration. House Bill 4092 , authored by Rep. Kevin Norwood, R-Owasso, creates the 988 Lifeline Revolving Fund. The fund is designed to support the continued operation of the statewide crisis line as federal funding is set to expire in September. "Creating this revolving fund gives us a responsible path forward," Norwood said. "It allows the state to plan ahead, coordinate resources and ensure continuity of care for individuals in crisis. I am thankful to my colleagues for understanding this need and getting this one step closer to the finish line." According to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the contract with Solari to operate the 988 Lifeline totals $5,760,886. The increased cost reflects both the loss of federal support and the expansion of services. The bill would not appropriate funding, but it would establish a dedicated fund to receive future federal dollars, state appropriations, grants and private contributions. Currently, the 988 Lifeline handles more than 7,000 calls each month statewide, showing the growing need for immediate, accessible mental health support. The program’s operations will remain unchanged, with trained professionals continuing to respond to calls, texts and chats. The measure also designates the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services as the lead agency for oversight of suicide prevention and crisis services. The department will coordinate with designated 988 Lifeline crisis centers and establish rules to improve communication, data sharing and service delivery across emergency response systems. "The 988 Lifeline has become a critical resource for Oklahomans facing mental health crises," Norwood said. "This measure is about making sure that help is always there when someone needs it most, regardless of changes in federal funding." The bill now advances to the Senate, where Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, is the Senate author.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Reps. Tom Gann, R-Inola, Kevin West, R-Moore, and Rick West, R-Heavener, filed their seventh appeal brief at the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Thursday. It asks the court to overturn Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) orders approving some $1.5 billion of 2023 fuel and purchased power costs incurred by monopoly public utilities, including $530 million for ONG, $550 million for PSO, and $763 million for OG&E. This brings the total utility customer payments these state representatives have officially challenged to $475 million in rate increases, $3.2 billion in 2021 winter storm bonds, and $1.5 billion in fuel charges. They say there is more to come. This brief accuses the OCC of violating state laws about audits and prudence reviews, and of violating ratepayers’ due process rights by failing to give customers notice about these cases and by permitting OCC Commissioner Todd Hiett to participate. ONG, OG&E and PSO were represented in these cases by attorneys who hosted a 2023 party where Hiett allegedly sexually harassed two female OCC employees and drove home drunk. ONG also was represented by an attorney whom the brief describes as “an outcry witness” to Hiett’s alleged sexual assault of a ONE Gas employee at a June 2024 conference in Minnesota. The Representatives argue that State Ethics Rules and the Code of Judicial Conduct prohibit Hiett from participating in OCC cases involving victims/witnesses of his alleged criminal conduct. Charges were never filed, and the Ethics Commission dismissed a complaint against Hiett in May 2025. Thursday’s brief asks the Supreme Court to review the Ethics Commission’s legal determinations in that case. A November 2024 Attorney General Opinion (2024 OK AG 17) prevented the Council on Judicial Complaints from investigating Hiett for the alleged Code of Judicial Conduct violations. The state representatives have challenged that too, citing specific “evidence of bias” in the proceedings leading to the appealed orders. “Fuel adjustment clause charges are passed through directly onto customers’ bills, so the utilities have already collected this money from us,” said Gann, who is a customer of ONG, OG&E and PSO. “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.  A December 2025 brief alleged the OCC had allowed a Public Utility Division (PUD) employee, believed to have dropped out of college as a sophomore, to perform required audits of utility companies collectively worth more than a billion dollars. The employee also testified that all the utility charges were “prudently incurred” and should be approved by the OCC. The lawmakers say, sadly, they were.  In an answer brief filed in January, the state attorney general, who represents ratepayers in utility cases at the commission but has instead defended all the challenged OCC orders, also defended the PUD employee. The AG’s brief argued that, “Neither the Commission rules nor Oklahoma statutes [specify] who PUD must employ as part of their Staff.” The attorney general also did not object when the alleged “college dropout” testified again in February 2026 about the prudence of another $600 million of PSO’s 2024 fuel charges he claimed to have audited.   “Not everyone has to graduate from college,” Rick West said. “But state employees being paid with taxpayer dollars have to be qualified for the jobs they’re hired for. This situation is not only an assault on the household budgets of utility customers; it is an insult to thousands of qualified public servants who are legitimately earning their paychecks.” This latest brief asks 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. “There are serious concerns about how the Corporation Commission is operating,” Kevin West said.  Thursday’s brief also asserts that a Supreme Court opinion cited by the utilities to argue that OCC decisions are entitled to a “presumption of correctness” from the court is actually based on language in the Oklahoma Constitution that was removed by amendment in 1941. The representatives have already accused Hiett’s defenders of relying on old Supreme Court opinions issued before Ethics Rule 4.7 (prohibiting conflicts of interest by state officers) was approved in 2014. “This could be another example of the Court’s need to explicitly recognize that the law upon which previous Court decisions were based has changed,” the brief says. Thursday’s brief is the last in the 2023 fuel cases appeal, meaning a decision by the court could come at any time. The representatives say they also plan to challenge the OCC’s fuel approval orders for 2021 and 2022 in their appeals of the agency’s 2024 fuel approval orders, two of which were filed the first week in December. The next cases are worth another $6.5 billion, they say.  The full Reply Brief for the combined 2023 fuel cases appeal can be read online here: https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetDocument.aspx?ct=appellate&bc=1064717532&cn=CU-122991&fmt=pdf The progress of all the appeals can be followed on the Oklahoma Supreme Court website. PSO rate case ($250m rate increases; $700m bonds; all briefs filed):    https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=122861 ONG, PSO & OG&E CY2023 fuel cases ($1.5 billion; all briefs filed):    https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=122991 OG&E rate case ($127m rate increase; $760m bonds; all briefs filed):    https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123021 ONG rate case ($98m rate increases; $1.3 billion bonds; first brief filed; last due mid-June):    https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123348 ONG 2024 fuel case ($390 million + $888m for 2021/2022; briefs this summer):    https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123588 OG&E 2024 fuel case ($925 million + $1.9 billion for 2021/2022; briefs this summer):    https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123608

OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation by Rep. Emily Gise, R-Oklahoma City, to ensure Oklahoma participates in the federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children program has passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives and now moves to the Senate for consideration. Beginning with the 2027 program year, House Bill 3638 requires the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to administer the program in coordination with the Oklahoma State Department of Education, which will assist in determining eligibility. "This is a fiscally conservative, targeted approach to support Oklahoma families while responsibly leveraging federal resources," Gise said. "For every state dollar invested, Oklahoma can draw down roughly twelve dollars in federal funds. That is a strong return for taxpayers and a smart use of dollars already being collected at the federal level." Gise says she believes benefits should be a trampoline to self-sufficiency, not a hammock for dependency. "This program reflects that principle. It is temporary, targeted and focused solely on low-income children during a gap in the school year when meals are not otherwise available because we know that hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation," Gise said. Under HB3638, benefits would only allow for essential food purchases and would not be used for soda, candy or other non-nutritive products, something she says ensures strong guardrails and accountability for taxpayers. Gise gave the example of a $4.9 million state investment under the measure, Oklahoma would unlock more than $63 million in federal funds to support over half a million low-income children. "That’s a strong return for taxpayers, with an estimated $75 million in economic activity benefiting local communities across the state," Gise said. The legislation also would create the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program Revolving Fund, structured to operate with both public and private support. This fund would allow Oklahoma to accept private donations and partner with community organizations to offset administrative costs and reduce the burden on taxpayers. "We are building this the right way," Gise said. "A revolving fund supported by both public and private partners ensures long-term sustainability without growing government. This is about maximizing resources, minimizing state cost and ensuring Oklahoma’s most vulnerable children don’t go hungry." HB3638 now moves to the Senate for further consideration, where Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, is the Senate author.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Reps. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, and Chris Banning, R-Bixby, are commending Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents across Oklahoma for their continued dedication during the ongoing partial federal government shutdown, which began Jan. 31. As the shutdown continues and TSA officers miss paychecks, airports across the country are beginning to experience longer lines and added strain on operations.  Miller, chair of the Appropriations & Budget Transportation Subcommittee, said the commitment shown by TSA agents during this time has not gone unnoticed.  "These men and women continue showing up, doing their jobs and keeping travelers safe," Miller said. "That kind of commitment speaks volumes about their character and their sense of duty. We are grateful for their service, especially during a time like this."  Banning also praised the resilience of TSA agents who have remained on the job despite the uncertainty.  "Air travel depends on consistency and trust, and TSA agents deliver both every day," Banning said. "They are a key part of keeping our airports secure and passengers moving safely. We are thankful for their dedication to safety and their commitment to their job." The partial federal government shutdown began Jan. 31 and remains ongoing.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener, recently passed a bill that would remove the requirement that fees be assessed to people accessing their medical records. House Bill 2964 , would change the language in statute from shall to may. The bill would allow fees to be assessed, but the amount charged could only be up to the amounts currently allowed in state statute, not more. "This was a constituent request," West explained. "A man in my district requested his medical records and was surprised to find that the hospital was required to charge this fee. This would allow local health care providers to determine if they wish to charge these fees or waive them for the people they serve." Current state statute requires fees ranging from 30 cents per page for digital records to 50 cents per page for X-rays and other printed images, to a $20 base fee for other records, plus the cost of mailing or delivery. Statute says that in no event shall a charge for the reproduction of electronically stored and delivered medical records exceed $200, plus postage or delivery fee.  The bill passed the House unanimously on a vote of 92-0. It has been engrossed to the Senate where it is authored by Sen. Kendal Sacchieri, R-Blanchard.

OKLAHOMA CITY – A measure by Rep. Mark Tedford, R-Jenks, authorizing construction of a new bridge across the Arkansas River near Bixby passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives and now moves to the Senate for further consideration. "I appreciate my colleagues in the House for supporting this legislation," Tedford said. "As our communities continue to grow, it's important we take a thoughtful approach to infrastructure planning. This bill allows us to move forward with a project that better reflects the needs of the region today." House Bill 2123 updates state law related to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority by removing authorization for a previously proposed bridge and instead allowing for the construction of a new bridge in a more suitable location. The measure specifically authorizes a new bridge crossing the Arkansas River in the vicinity of Bixby to help improve connectivity and accommodate continued growth in the area. Tedford said the measure is part of broader efforts to ensure Oklahoma's transportation infrastructure keeps pace with population growth and economic development. HB2123 now moves to the Oklahoma Senate for further consideration.