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Rep. Rob Hall, R-Tulsa, and Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, have filed legislation to address Oklahoma's reading crisis. Hall introduced the Oklahoma Reading Excellence through Accountability, Development, and Standards (READS) Act in House Bill 2944 , while Bergstrom filed mirror legislation, Senate Bill 1271 . The measures introduce early intervention for K-3rd students who have a reading deficiency, reimplement the policy of retaining third graders who do not read on grade level and assign literacy coaches to districts with low reading scores. "Reading is the foundation on which all other learning rests," Hall said. "If we do not ensure students have sufficient reading skills by third grade, we are hampering their ability to achieve academically. This could ultimately lead to fewer opportunities for them in the workforce and their careers." "Oklahoma is failing our children. By almost every metric, our state is facing a literacy crisis, and it is our kids and our grandkids who are going to suffer," Bergstrom said. "On top of that, this could severely hamper our state’s ability to compete and prosper." The changes are modeled after Mississippi's Literacy-Based Promotion Act (LBPA), approved in 2013. Since the implementation of the LBPA, Mississippi has climbed from 49th to ninth for fourth grade reading, as measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. "The reforms we are proposing have a proven track record of success. In fact, the groundwork was laid down in the Strong Reader’s Act," Bergstrom said. "However, if we want to see significant progress, we must pass these changes and stick to them. Oklahoma cannot afford another decade of illiteracy." The Oklahoma READS Act would increase opportunities to screen public school children in kindergarten and first, second and third grades for reading deficiencies throughout the school year. Additionally, the measure would require that if a student's reading performance is not on grade-level, the student will remain in the third grade, beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. Under the bill, those students will be provided intensive intervention services. The legislation does include specific "good-cause" exemptions under which a school district may promote a student to fourth grade, including students with individualized education programs (IEPs) and English language learners who have had less than two years of instruction. The Oklahoma READS Act also requires the State Dept. of Education (SDE) to employ and assign literacy coaches to districts identified by SDE as having many students who received low reading assessment scores. "We have an opportunity for serious gains in childhood literacy," Hall said. "Reforms and results in other states have shown that widespread illiteracy is a policy choice. We must make the necessary policy changes here in Oklahoma to put our students on a trajectory of success." The Oklahoma READS Act is eligible for consideration during the upcoming legislative session, which begins Feb. 2, 2026.

OKLAHOMA CITY – An employee of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) who is believed to have dropped out of college as a sophomore has been performing audits of utility companies collectively worth more than a billion dollars, a brief filed Thursday at the Oklahoma Supreme Court reveals. Reps. Tom Gann, R-Inola, Kevin West, R-Moore, and Rick West, R-Heavener, are challenging OCC orders approving some $1.5 billion of 2023 fuel and purchased power costs incurred by monopoly public utilities ONG, OG&E and PSO. Their 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. “Fuel adjustment clause charges are passed through directly onto customers’ bills, so the utilities have already collected this money from us,” said Gann, 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.”  The representatives’ brief includes an email from the University of Central Oklahoma confirming that the OCC PUD staff member in question does not have a degree from the university and has not been enrolled since 2015. A resume attached to his testimony shows he has been employed by the OCC PUD since 2019 and served as the OCC’s lead analyst in 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.  The brief shows the staffer also testified in recent rate cases for PSO and OG&E that resulted in almost $400 million in rate increases for customers. The representatives filed briefs at the court challenging those OCC-approved orders in August and November. All were approved by the OCC with votes by embattled OCC Commissioner Todd Hiett. Gann, Kevin West and Rick West’s newest brief accuses the OCC of violating state laws about audits and prudence reviews, and of violating ratepayers’ due process rights by permitting Commissioner 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 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.  Thursday’s brief says the OCC’s disregard for the law has shielded more than $10 billion of utility fuel charges from lawful, required audits and prudence reviews since 2021. 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. The representatives already have challenged more than $1.4 billion in 2021 Winter Storm bonds for OG&E and PSO authorized by the OCC, with an appeal of ONG’s $1.3 billion in bonds pending. Thursday’s brief says 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.  “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.” The representatives’ last appeal brief, filed just before Thanksgiving, said OG&E “unduly (and possibly unlawfully) influenced” the hiring of the OCC’s financial advisor in the Winter Storm bond cases, Hilltop Securities. It also questioned how OG&E and PSO’s lender, RBC Capital, was hired to underwrite both utilities’ bond deals, when RBC’s bid was 25% higher than JP Morgan’s. (Hilltop Securities advised the Oklahoma Development Finance Authority on the bond underwriters’ bidding process.) The most recent brief describes “accounting shell games” and $100 million of OG&E’s 2021 fuel costs that remain unaccounted for.  “There are serious concerns about how the Corporation Commission is operating,” Kevin West said. “We have asked the Supreme Court to intervene regarding flawed audits and due process issues, but its role is necessarily limited.” In September, the OCC’s director of administration told House members that recent challenges stemmed from staffing shortages. “In order to protect ratepayers and maintain public confidence and transparency, the Legislature will have to step in and ensure proper procedures are being followed,” Kevin West said. All told, Gann, Kevin West and Rick West’s filed and pending appeals challenge more than $11 billion in utility charges for ONG, OG&E and PSO. The full Brief in Chief for the combined 2023 fuel cases appeal can be read online here: https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetDocument.aspx?ct=appellate&bc=1063627122&cn=CU-122991&fmt=pdf ONG, OG&E, PSO, the OCC and the Attorney General’s Office have 40 days to respond. The progress of all the appeals can be followed on the Oklahoma Supreme Court website: PSO rate case: https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=122861 OG&E rate case: https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123021 ONG, PSO & OG&E CY2023 fuel cases: https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=122991 ONG rate case: https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123348 ONG CY2024 fuel case: https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123588 OG&E CY2024 fuel case: https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123608

OKLAHOMA CITY — Rep. Emily Gise, R-Oklahoma City, has filed legislation aimed to exempt baby diapers from the state sales tax, a move she said would provide targeted relief to families facing rising costs. "This bill is about doing our job as legislators. With inflation driving up prices on everyday necessities, many Oklahoma parents are struggling to stretch their budgets," Gise said. "Families are telling us they're being squeezed by rising costs, and diapers are one expense parents cannot avoid. Removing the sales tax on diapers is a pragmatic, pro-life solution that helps parents keep more of their own money while ensuring babies have what they need to thrive." According to the National Diaper Bank Network , one in two families in the United States struggles to afford diapers, and the average monthly diaper cost for families ranges from $80 to more than $100. "Currently, the only program that can be used for diaper aid is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, but TANF funds must also cover other basic expenses, including utilities, rent, clothing, transportation and other essential needs, leaving little, if anything, available for diapers," Gise said. House Bill 2935 aims to exempt baby diapers from the sales tax altogether, which Gise says ultimately helps families better manage household expenses. Rep. Annie Menz, D-Norman, who originally introduced the diaper tax exemption, says lawmakers should act where they are able. "Hardworking families across Oklahoma are doing the best we can to raise our children, and that is more expensive now than it has ever been before," Menz said. "If the Legislature can do something to make essentials like diapers more affordable, we should do it. I am proud to work with my colleagues on this important legislation." Gise reaffirmed her commitment to reducing the cost of essential goods and supporting policies that put Oklahoma families first. "Baby diapers are a basic health necessity for infants and toddlers and should not be treated as discretionary purchases," she said. "This bill is common sense, both from a fiscally responsible standpoint and for families, as it applies only to baby diapers." HB2935 will be eligible for consideration in the Second Regular Session of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature, which convenes Feb. 2.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener, is again pursuing legislation that would send to a vote of the people a question regarding future legislative pay changes. West is drafting a resolution to require a statewide vote to determine whether legislative pay increases or decreases should face a vote of the people each time they are recommended. House bills and resolutions must be filed by Jan. 15. The next legislative session convenes Feb. 2. "I made a promise to the people in my district that I would attempt to let them vote on whether or not legislators deserved a pay raise," West said. West said this would not do away with the Oklahoma Legislative Compensation Board or the Statewide Official Compensation Commission, both of which have the same members appointed by the governor, the speaker of the House and the president pro tem of the state Senate as well as non-voting members from the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and the Oklahoma Tax Commission. These entities could still meet to make the recommendation for legislative pay and explain their rationale, West said, but the ultimate decision would be in the hands of voting Oklahomans. West has filed identical resolutions since being re-elected to serve his House district in 2020. None have ever advanced from committee. "I'm hopeful this will be the year this advances," West said. West declined to take a 35% increase in legislative pay that was approved by the Compensation Board for state lawmakers starting in 2019. At the time, West was not in office. But, he said he pledged to voters that upon taking his seat in 2020, he would instead donate the amount to charities in his House district. The board in 2023 voted to increase by 5% stipends paid to legislative leaders. This year, both the board and the commission voted to increase base legislative pay by $7,400 – from $47,500 to $54,900. Also approved were bonus stipends of $27,450 for leaders of both legislative chambers, as well as $18,117 for others in legislative leadership positions. West said these amounts exceed the median household income of $50,027 in LeFlore County, where his House District 3 is located.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City, vice chair of the Oklahoma House Energy Committee, recently joined fellow legislators in Gulfport, Mississippi, for a multi-state conference focused on the future of energy policy across the United States and Canada.  The sessions covered grid resiliency, the rising energy demands of data centers, legal challenges facing the energy sector, reforms to streamline permitting for major projects and ongoing LNG export initiatives. “This conference provided valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities ahead,” Luttrell said. “We’re all looking toward a future where reliable, affordable energy is essential for families, businesses and national security. These conversations help us make informed decisions for Oklahoma.”  Presenters included industry and policy experts who outlined how these issues are shaping state-level energy strategies. Discussions highlighted what other states and Canadian provinces are implementing and how legislators can support sound, long-term energy policy at home. Luttrell said he looks forward to applying what he learned as lawmakers continue working on policies that strengthen Oklahoma’s energy landscape.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, crowned Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma Erica Sebourn during a ceremony held this week at the State Capitol.  Erica, a United States Air Force veteran and longtime law enforcement officer, was honored for her resilience, advocacy and lifelong commitment to serving others. Based in Seminole, she served with the Sperry Police Department as a Crimes Against Children investigator, working to protect Oklahomans with compassion and skill.  "Erica's life reflects strength, service and dedication to her community," Stark said. "She has faced hardship with grace and turned her own challenges into a mission to uplift others. It was a privilege to crown her as Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma, and I look forward to supporting her efforts to improve the lives of wheelchair service dog teams across our state."  After Erica unexpectedly became wheelchair-bound, she continued her public service through advocacy and outreach. She now uses her experience to support others navigating mobility issues, ensuring they have a voice and a strong example of perseverance.  Stark said Erica's recognition as Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma shows her ongoing contributions to Oklahoma and her community.

The last of four major reforms to Oklahoma’s administrative rulemaking process took effect last month, marking a significant overhaul of the state's regulatory oversight system. Already in effect were three other new laws that strengthen legislative oversight, limit agency overreach and ensure that regulations are grounded in law and subject to greater public accountability. Administrative rules are the regulations written by state agencies to enforce laws passed by the Legislature and carry the force of law. After being approved by the agency, proposed rules move to the Legislature, but state statute left loopholes that could allow rules to become permanent without a single vote from lawmakers. "When the Legislature, whether by intention or disregard, let regulations take effect without approval by lawmakers, we cede our lawmaking constitutional responsibility to unknown, unelected bureaucrats," said Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, R-Altus, who chairs the House Administrative Rules Committee. "That's not what we were elected to do. We weren't sent to the State Capitol to run the government on autopilot. I'm glad to see the last of these reform bills take effect and retore transparency, accountability and common sense to the rulemaking process." Taking effect on Nov. 1 was House Bill 2729 , which eliminates the Chevron deference at the state level, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 decision overturning the federal doctrine. The measure directs Oklahoma courts to independently interpret administrative rules rather than deferring to agency interpretations. Three other major reform bills, which Kendrix authored or coauthored, took effect earlier this year. House Bill 2728  establishes the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025. The law requires additional fiscal and statutory review for major agency rules, ensuring that regulations with significant financial or policy impacts receive proper legislative attention. Under the REINS Act, the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) will analyze proposed major rules and report potential costs or economic effects before implementation. Additionally, any rule expected to cost over $1 million over five years must be voted on separately from other proposed rules. The third bill, Senate Bill 995 , clarifies that any agency rule not explicitly approved by the Legislature is considered disapproved, reinforcing that administrative rules cannot carry the force of law without legislative consent. The final bill, Senate Bill 1024 , prohibits the adoption of a proposed rule by an agency unless the agency receives approval of scope from the Governor or the appropriate cabinet secretary. This additional step ensures that the agency has statutory authority to propose the rule. "These four bills provide a much-needed modernization of Oklahoma's administrative rulemaking framework," Kendrix said. "Most importantly, they reaffirm the Legislature's constitutional role in ensuring that all regulations reflect the will of the people." Kendrix also highlighted the new online portal, rules.ok.gov , where Oklahomans can review proposed rules, find information about submitting public comment and sign up for emails about an agency's rule-making activity. "The previous process for considering administrative rules wasn't just confusing, it was irresponsible on our part," Kendrix said. "With these new bills and the online portal, everyday Oklahomans can more easily read the rules that may govern their lives and participate in their government."

OKLAHOMA CITY – Just before Thanksgiving, Reps. Tom Gann, R-Inola, Kevin West, R-Moore, and Rick West, R-Heavener, filed a new brief asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to overturn a $127 million rate increase for OG&E as well as some $760 million of the utility’s ratepayer-backed bonds. Both were approved by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) with votes by embattled Commissioner Todd Hiett.  The rate increase has been in effect since July 2024. Payments for the bonds, issued to cover costs incurred by OG&E during February 2021’s Winter Storm Uri, have been collected as “Winter Event Securitization (WES)” charges on customers’ bills since July 2022. If not overturned, the rate increase will continue in perpetuity; the monthly WES charges are scheduled to continue for another 25 years. Wednesday’s brief was the second such request to the court last month. On Nov. 10, Gann filed a similar brief asking the court to overturn $250 million in rate increases and some $700 million in ratepayer-backed bonds the OCC had approved for Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO). To date, this brings the totals officially challenged to $377 million in rate increases and more than $1.4 billion in bonds. The appeals ask the court to order everything wrongly collected to be refunded to OG&E and PSO customers. Both briefs tell the court that the OCC failed to provide a required audit of the bonds in OG&E and PSO’s most recent rate cases. They also argue the utilities’ original 2021 Uri costs that were securitized into the bonds were never lawfully audited either. The briefs assert the audit failures make the OCC’s orders void.  Oklahoma utilities OG&E, PSO, ONG and CenterPoint/Summit 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 debt. Interest and other expenses added another $2 billion, bringing the total cost of the bonds being paid by Oklahoma utility customers close to $5 billion. The appeal briefs focus on a report by former Oklahoma Accountancy Board Chairman David Greenwell filed at the OCC in July 2024. In it, Greenwell said the OCC’s audit activities with respect to the winter storm costs and bonds “do not appear to comply with state law.” Former OCC Commissioner Bob Anthony also repeatedly criticized the one-page audits the OCC was putting forward to meet statutory requirements. “When Oklahoma law requires an audit, the Accountancy Act says it has to be done by independent, licensed CPAs following nationally recognized standards,” said Gann, who is a former internal auditor for Tulsa International Airport. “That did not happen.”  “Although all three of us voted against the securitization legislation in April 2021, we do not believe that our colleagues who voted for it meant for the utilities to audit themselves, or for the Corporation Commission to make up its own definition of the word ‘audit,’” Kevin West said. “The apparently fraudulent audits are inexcusable. The law requires real audits, and the Accountancy Act defines auditing standards for a reason.” Gann, Kevin West and Rick West argue the effect of the OCC’s audit failures “has been to cover up significant wrongdoing during and after the 2021 Winter Storm.” The brief in the OG&E appeal (p.3) says the utility “unduly (and possibly unlawfully) influenced” the hiring of the OCC’s financial advisor in the bond cases, Hilltop Securities. It also questions how OG&E and PSO’s lender, RBC Capital, was hired to underwrite both bond deals, when RBC’s bid was 25% higher than JP Morgan’s. (Hilltop Securities advised the Oklahoma Development Finance Authority on the bond underwriters’ bidding process.) The OG&E brief (p.35) cites a January 2025 filing by then-Commissioner Anthony alleging that a representative of Hilltop was responsible for “fraudulent language surreptitiously inserted” into the OCC’s bond financing orders. Anthony said that fraudulent language made the bonds hundreds of millions of dollars more expensive for OG&E and PSO customers. The appeal brief says it also makes the OCC’s bond orders void. The state representatives also are challenging the rate increases based on OCC Commissioner Todd Hiett’s participation in the cases, saying he violated utility customers’ due process rights.  “Hiett cast the deciding vote to approve all the rate increases, even though we believe state ethics rules say he should not have participated,” Rick West said. Both OG&E and PSO were represented in the appealed cases by attorneys who hosted a 2023 party where Hiett was publicly accused of alleged sexual harassment and drunk driving. Even though no charges were filed, the state representatives’ brief says Hiett’s behavior has made him subject to improper influence and possible extortion by those attorneys and others.  In May 2025, the Ethics Commission dismissed a complaint against Hiett, citing the so-called “rule of necessity” and finding in this particular instance, state Ethics Rule 4.7’s prohibition against conflicts of interest was not an issue. The Ethics Commission stated at the time that their decision took into account the constitutional requirements for the Corporation Commission, the legislative nature of the rate hikes and Oklahoma case law, including the well-recognized Rule of Necessity. The appeal briefs argue the “rule of necessity” does not apply to conflicted OCC commissioners and asks the Supreme Court to say so. “Fundamentally, these appeals are about upholding the Constitution and the rule of law,” Rick West said. “State ethics rules say if a reasonable person would question Hiett’s impartiality in these cases, he must not participate. But Hiett continues to cast votes approving billions of dollars of increases for these utility companies without performing the required audits. We expect the court to overturn these votes and to order Hiett and the OCC to follow the law.” In addition to the cases against OG&E and PSO, a similar Supreme Court appeal was filed against ONG’s most recent rate increase by Reps. Gann and Kevin West in August. Their brief in that case is not due until April 2026. They also have filed appeals against four OCC orders approving annual fuel purchases for ONG, OG&E and PSO, the fourth filed just Monday.  All told, Gann, Kevin West and Rick West's filed and pending appeals challenge more than $10 billion in utility charges for ONG, OG&E and PSO. The full OG&E appeal Brief in Chief can be read online here: https://oscn.net/dockets/GetDocument.aspx?ct=appellate&bc=1063629594&cn=CU-123021&fmt=pdf OG&E, the OCC and the Attorney General’s Office have 40 days to respond. The progress of all the appeals can be followed on the Oklahoma Supreme Court website: PSO rate case: https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=122861 OG&E rate case: https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123021 ONG, PSO & OG&E CY2023 fuel cases: https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=122991 ONG rate case: https://oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123348 ONG CY2024 fuel case: https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=123588

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.”