Representative Denise Crosswhite Hader

R

District 41

Hi, I'm Denise Crosswhite Hader and I represent the people of Oklahoma's 41st District.


representative

Leadership

Majority Caucus Secretary

58th Legislature

Assistant Majority Whip

59th Legislature

News & Announcements

Aug 19, 2025
Recent Posts

Crosswhite Hader, Hasenbeck Celebrate Signing of Bill Ending Funding for DEI in Higher Ed

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, today participated in a ceremonial bill signing for Senate Bill 796 , which eliminates public funding for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs across Oklahoma’s higher education institutions. Crosswhite Hader is the House author of the legislation. The bill was signed into law in May but was ceremonially signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt today. Also attending the ceremony was U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and the bill's Senate author, Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond. Ceremonial bill signings allow lawmakers and others who are influential in legislation to attend. "Taken on their own, the words diversity, equity and inclusion sound wonderful, but as a philosophy these programs are embedded with an artificial preference system that detracts from the core mission of our higher education institutions," Crosswhite Hader said. "Our students should be focused on academics and workforce training and not delayed by an additional requirement for graduation. "We are not saying these concepts can't be taught, just that the use of taxpayer dollars is inappropriate. I'm grateful to Senator Pugh for his work on this issue and to the governor for signing it into law. I'm also glad that Secretary McMahon was able to join us today for this ceremony." Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, the chair of the House Postsecondary Education Committee, added, "Oklahoma's universities should be centers of academic excellence that prepare students for careers and civic life, not places where taxpayer dollars fund ideological programs. Higher education must remain focused on merit, scholarship and workforce development. Senate Bill 796 protects academic freedom while keeping our institutions aligned with their core mission." SB796 codifies into law the governor’s prior executive order, prohibiting institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education from using state funds, property or resources to support DEI positions, programs, hiring practices or activities. It also bars colleges and universities from mandating participation in training or education that grants preference based on race, color, sex, ethnicity or national origin. Additionally, SB796 prohibits requirements for loyalty oaths, ideological statements, DEI declarations in hiring or the disclosure of personal pronouns.

Mar 28, 2025
Recent Posts

Crosswhite Hader Bill to Penalize Trafficking of Abortion-Inducing Drugs Moves to Senate

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, on Tuesday passed legislation in the House that would outlaw the trafficking of chemical abortion pills. House Bill 1168 would create a felony trafficking offense for anyone who knows or has reason to know that another person intends to use an abortion-inducing drug and knowingly delivers such a drug to that person or who possesses the drug with intent to deliver it. "Women considering an abortion are already in a vulnerable state," Crosswhite Hader said. "They don't need someone willing to skirt the law or to try to profit from such vulnerability and provide them with an abortion-inducing drug that could create great harm to them physically and mentally." Crosswhite Hader said the legislation only addresses those who intend to distribute these drugs to others, not those who are accessing these drugs for themselves. Anyone convicted of trafficking or attempting to traffic abortion-inducing drugs could face a fine of up to $100,000, up to 10 years in prison, or both. This is the same as current law for those performing an illegal abortion. This act does not apply to a pharmacist or a manufacturer or distributor acting lawfully in the usual course of their business or profession. Nothing in this act may be construed to prohibit preventive contraceptives used in accordance with manufacturer instructions. Crosswhite Hader said her goal is to protect women's health. She said there are numerous reports of women being given these drugs by non-medical professionals who do not understand what the medications can do to a woman if administered incorrectly. The drugs are often taken in isolation. This leaves the woman to go through cramping and bleeding and the shedding of her pregnancy with no medical expert on hand to help her through not only the physical pain and after-effects of the drugs, but also the mental anguish that can result from seeing her pre-term pregnancy in a non-viable state. "I'm concerned that a woman given these drugs to take in isolation could die by herself, and they could keep her from being able to carry to term a pregnancy at a later date should that be desired," she said. Even more alarming, she said, are reports that only the second drug in a two-drug sequence are being given in some instances. The first drug is intended to stop the growth of the pregnancy. The second is to evacuate. To give the second drug without the first presents a greater danger to the woman, she said. Just like legislators enacted punishments for adults who give alcohol to minors, penalties are attached in this act to hopefully give people who would distribute these drugs pause, she said. HB1168 now moves to the Senate where it is authored by Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant. 

Jun 14, 2024
Recent Posts

Representatives Commend Governor's Line-Item Veto of Education Budget Limits Bill

A group of legislators on Friday praised the governor's line-item veto of Sections 15 and 16 of Senate Bill 1122, which would have placed spending limits on the State Department of Education (SDE) for its Fiscal Year 2025 budget, which goes into effect July 1. The statement is issued by Reps. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid; Chris Banning, R-Bixby; Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle; Rusty Cornwell, R-Vinita; Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont; David Hardin, R-Stilwell; JJ Humphrey, R-Lane; Tom Gann, R-Inola; Jim Grego, R-Wilburton; Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa; Mark Lepak, R-Claremore; Cody Maynard, R-Durant; Jim Olsen, R-Roland; Clay Staires, R-Skiatook; Kevin West, R-Moore; and Rick West, R-Heavener. "We'd like to thank Governor Stitt for his thoughtful line-item veto of Sections 15 and 16 of Senate Bill 1122," they said. "These portions of the bill would have done nothing to improve the education of Oklahoma students and instead would have significantly damaged the Department of Education's ability to carry out its mission." The lawmakers said Section 15 of SB1122 would have required SDE to apply for every federal grant, while Section 16 would have included provisions that forbid SDE from using any money to secure media interviews or public relations, or for other public promotional purposes. The group noted that no other agency is subject to these restrictions. State agencies are granted the autonomy to decide which grants to apply for and almost every state agency spends money to communicate to the public about particular programs or services offered. Section 16 would have singled out and severely limited SDE in this function. The lawmakers spoke about the Teacher of the Year program, teacher recruitment efforts, certain financial disclosures, and other public relations messages that would have been hampered should this measure have been signed into law. On Friday afternoon, the governor issued Executive Order 2024-12, which prohibits all state agencies, rather than inequitably highlighting a specific agency, from entering into sole source contracts with public relations, marketing, or communications firms and vendors, as well as requires all PR vendors be procured through a 30-day request for proposal.