Representative Meloyde Blancett

D

District 78

Hi, I’m Meloyde Blancett and I represent the people of Oklahoma’s 78th District.


representative

News & Announcements

Aug 12, 2025

House Democratic members comment on passing of former Oklahoma Representative Debbie Blackburn

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, Rep. Ellen Pogemiller, D-Oklahoma City, Rep. Meloyde Blancett, D-Tulsa, and Rep. Annie Menz, D-Norman, issued condolences after the passing of former Oklahoma HD 88 Representative Debbie Blackburn. “Rep. Blackburn was a strong leader whose passion for Oklahoma helped inspire my decision to run for office,” said Leader Munson. “Her work inside and outside of the legislature was always focused on helping people achieve the life they deserved, whether it be through affordable housing or access to higher education. She remained dedicated to Oklahoma her entire life and her legacy here will forever live on. My thoughts and prayers are with her husband Dr. Bob Blackburn and her children Beau and Tori, as well as her siblings and grandchildren as they cope with this incredible loss.” Pogemiller currently serves as the representative for HD 88.  “I first met Rep. Debbie Blackburn when I was knocking doors in my district, but her impact on House District 88 has always been felt,” Pogemiller said. “Her passion for her district and for Oklahomans was unparalleled and I am forever grateful for her service and legacy in HD 88. My heart goes out to her friends and family during this time. House District 88 will always acknowledge and feel the impact of her service.” Blancett lauded Blackburn's years of dedicated public service. “Rep. Debbie Blackburn was a deeply committed Oklahoman who worked to better our state particularly in increasing quality, affordable home ownership, which is a key component to ending generational poverty,” Blancett said. “Not only was she kind and encouraging to others, but she was an absolute firecracker with a fierce drive to make life better. She was the epitome of the term Servant Leader.” Menz reflected on the time she first met Rep. Debbie Blackburn. “I first met Rep. Blackburn when I was just a freshman in high school,” Menz said. “I remember above all how kind and encouraging she was to me when we spoke. She took time out of her day to visit with me for several minutes and even told me I should think about running for State House one day. It was rare for a person in power to speak to me like I was their equal, and it forever stuck with me. I am deeply grateful to have met her. I send my condolences to her husband, family, and friends, and everyone who got the honor of knowing her and feeling the impact of her kindness.” The obituary for Rep. Debbie Blackburn states in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bob Blackburn Collections Endowment Fund for the Oklahoma Historical Society at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. -END-

Jun 12, 2025

Alzheimer's Dementia and Other Forms of Dementia Special Care Disclosure Act becomes law

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Alzheimer’s Dementia and Other Forms of Dementia Special Care Disclosure Act, HB 2262, is now law. It requires facilities who advertise memory care to disclose what type of care is being provided. The primary author of the bill is Rep. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond. “Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia is one of the most emotional and challenging journeys a family can face,” said Miller. “I authored the original legislation in 2021 to bring greater transparency to memory care. This bill builds on that foundation — strengthening the process and offering families clarity, confidence and peace of mind. I’m proud to see this bill become law.” Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, was the bill’s Senate author. “Families navigating the challenges of Alzheimer’s and dementia deserve transparency when choosing a memory care facility for their loved one,” said Stanley. “With this legislation, families will have accessible information to compare services, staffing, and support available across facilities. I’m proud to see this bill become law and extend protections to vulnerable individuals, hold providers accountable, and offer families peace of mind. I extend my appreciation to everyone who helped get this bill across the finish line, ensuring families can make informed, confident decisions” Rep. Meloyde Blancett, D-Tulsa, co-authored the bill and presented it in House committees and on the House Floor. “Caregivers and families of those with Alzheimer's or dementia already face immense emotional stress when trying to figure out what facility is best suited for their loved ones's needs," said Blancett. "The last thing they need is to get misinformation in the decision process because the life of their loved one can literally hang in the balance if a bad placement is made. "This bill places greater disclosure requirements on both referral agencies, caregivers and the Oklahoma Department of Health to better ensure families know in advance which facilities provide which memory care services and which do not."   According to the Alzheimer’s Association Oklahoma Chapter, in Oklahoma, there are over 70,500 Oklahomans aged 65 and up with Alzheimer's, there was a 152% increase in Alzheimer's Deaths from 2000-2022, and 18% of Hospice Residents have a primary diagnosis of Dementia.  The bill also requires the conspicuous posting of information about where a person can report a referral agency or a facility which has not provided the appropriate information about a facility's memory care capabilities. Reporting such complaints are to be made to the  Consumer Protection Unit  of the Office of the Attorney General. Consumer representatives can be reached at: (405) 521-2029; (833) 681-1895; and ConsumerProtection@oag.ok.gov The law will take effect November 1, 2025. -END-

Oct 29, 2024
Recent Posts

Blancett, Provenzano, comment on LOFT report of OSDE spending, communication failures

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Democrats and members of the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency Committee Rep. Meloyde Blancett, D-Tulsa, and Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, released the following statements after the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) presented their findings in an investigation into disbursements made by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.  The report by LOFT found major concerns with delays in service and disbursement of funding as well as poor communication by OSDE in their role of supporting Oklahoma public school districts. “The continued lack of accountability from the Oklahoma State Department of Education further emphasizes the State Superintendent’s willful negligence. This puts our school districts and our kids squarely in second place to his own self interest,” Provenzano said. “We have a state agency head unwilling to commit to improving service to schools. We have a state agency head unwilling to share how he plans to spend unused payroll dollars. The repeated calls by the public to ‘Do something about Supt. Ryan Walters,’ continue to go unanswered.” Rep. Blancett says effective management of a multi-million-dollar state agency needs to be established. “The State Superintendent says the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s objective is to ‘shrink government,’ but the objective should be establishing OSDE’s ability to effectively manage a multi-million-dollar state agency for a functional education system,” Blancett said. “I come from a business background, and if you had a CEO whose chief staff could not communicate effectively either internally or externally with primary stakeholders, they would be fired. My question is if OSDE is unable to effectively create a functional working relationship with school districts and the legislature, how can we possibly expect success to happen in schools for our kids? We need leadership at OSDE who have the capability and humility to take a step back and be willing to partner with the legislature to improve this system. If there is an inability for OSDE to acknowledge they can do better, that is a serious issue.” -END-