Representative Tom Gann

R

District 8

Hi, I'm Tom Gann and I represent the people of Oklahoma's 8th District.


representative

News & Announcements

Apr 28, 2025
Recent Posts

Bill Allowing Property Owners to Reclaim Seized Land Signed into Law

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, today commented on the governor's signing of House Bill 1103 , which requires the Oklahoma Transportation Commission to notify a previous property owner if the land they sold to the Commission is going to be offered for sale. "This was a constituent request bill," Gann said. "This person experienced the taking of his land by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and then found out it was later sold without any notification to him. This would just give people in similar circumstances the ability to repurchase land that was taken from them by eminent domain." Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore is the Senate author of the bill. “This common-sense legislation gives original property owners the right of first refusal if land taken from them is later offered for resale,” Seifried said. “By allowing landowners the chance to reclaim their property at a fair price, this bill enhances property rights and promotes transparency. Above all, this is about doing what's right for those displaced by eminent domain and giving them the chance to recover what was taken from them.” Gann explained this measure extends the window of time that previous landowners have to reclaim their land – from 30 to 90 days - and specifies notification requirements by the Commission. The measure also removes the five-year time period the Commission now has to notify previous owners of the sale of the property. Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore, is a coauthor of the bill and the author of identical legislation that did not previously advance.  "The five-year requirement, if it were to remain, would act as an incentive for the Commission to hold the property for five years so it could be sold at market value, resulting in increased revenue," he explained. "By removing the time limit, it incentivizes the department to more quickly offer the land back to the previous owner." Gann said the changes "add transparency to the process by requiring online publication of the land sale. This also clarifies eligibility and ensures fair offers to the original landowner rather than allowing the Department of Transportation to profit off of land they've taken." The notice is to contain an offer to sell the property back to the previous owner at no greater than the original price, provided the previous owner did not use federal funds to purchase the property. Notices must be sent by registered mail and posted on the Department of Transportation's website. The act becomes effective Nov. 1. 

Mar 27, 2025
Recent Posts

Gann Sends Stricter Marijuana Trafficking Act to Senate

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, on Wednesday passed a bill in the House that would reduce the amount of marijuana an individual may legally possess, distribute, manufacture or bring into the state under the Trafficking in Illegal Drugs Act. If House Bill 1163 becomes law, anything above 25 pounds would be considered aggravated trafficking vs. simple trafficking. The current threshold is 1,000 pounds. The crime is punishable by a fine ranging from $100,000 to $500,000. "This legislation is necessary to prevent the illegal trade of marijuana inside the state of Oklahoma," Gann said. "Whatever the law allows, it encourages, and this is an attempt to discourage such trade." Gann said this is a request by the assistant district attorney in Rogers, Mays and Craig counties. "She has expressed that this is definitely a problem," he said. "We are a high-trafficking state because of our marijuana laws, and we're trying to clamp down on that." The bill also would close another loophole that has been problematic for prosecutors. The bill would require that anyone pulled over by law enforcement that has marijuana in their system produce their medical marijuana card at the time of the stop. "What's happening, is people who are arrested for that, they buy a license between the time they are ticketed and before they get to court," Gann said. "This would stop that." The bill passed 66 to 17 in the House and now moves to the Senate where it is authored by Shane Jett, R-Shawnee. 

Feb 14, 2025
Recent Posts

‘Undeterred,’ Reps. seeking Hiett's disqualification appeal PSO rate increase; challenge storm bond audits before OK Supreme Court

OKLAHOMA CITY – Although on Monday, Feb. 10, the Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed their appeal of an Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) order approving a $127 million rate increase for OG&E customers, saying it had been filed too early, Reps. Tom Gann, R-Inola, Kevin West, R-Moore, and Rick West, R-Heavener, quickly proved they were undeterred. On Thursday, Gann, who is also a PSO customer, filed an appeal of the OCC’s recent order approving a historic $120 million rate increase for PSO’s ratepayers. Once again, the petition argues Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett violated state ethics rules by participating in the case involving an attorney with direct knowledge of alleged criminal conduct by Hiett.  On Aug. 7, 2024, The Oklahoman reported that two female OCC employees alleged they witnessed or experienced alleged criminal conduct by Hiett – including drunk driving and sexual harassment – during and after a law firm reception at an Oklahoma City bar in June 2023. A November filing by then-Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony further revealed the women also told The Oklahoman Hiett had allegedly exposed himself. The filing also alleged one of the women may have received a "hush money" pay raise just weeks after the incident.  "Hiett has not denied any of the allegations against him, including drunk driving and indecent exposure," Gann told the Court in his petition.  Gann’s petition also argues that the OCC failed to provide a required audit of PSO’s $1.1 billion of ratepayer-backed bonds issued after the February 2021 Winter Storm. Extra charges to pay off those bonds are expected to appear on customers’ monthly bills for 20 years. “We are not deterred by the court’s dismissal of our initial OG&E appeal,” Rick West said. “We appealed early to try to keep OG&E’s new rate increase refundable, which would have been worth hundreds of millions of dollars to customers. Waiting to appeal the commission’s final order can only impact OG&E’s rates going forward, but otherwise, the court was clear that waiting will not hurt our case.”  “It seems our appeal already has had an impact,” Kevin West said. On Tuesday, the OCC posted an amended agenda for its Feb. 18 meeting, including discussion about the OG&E rate case and possible votes to reopen the record “to determine whether discovery, further hearing, and/or additional testimony is necessary to address the issues raised.” “Are they going to put one of their famous one-page ‘audits’ in the record before voting on the final order?" Kevin West asked. " Will Brian Bingman get involved in this disaster, or will Hiett violate state ethics rules and cast the deciding vote again? We’ll just have to see. At least they know people are paying attention.” Bingman took over longtime Commissioner Bob Anthony’s seat at the OCC in January. Anthony voted against the OG&E rate increase in November, and Bingman abstained from voting on the PSO rate increase at his first OCC meeting in January. The OCC and PSO have 20 days to respond to Gann’s new appeal petition at the Supreme Court. Read the pleadings in the new PSO rate case appeal at the Oklahoma Supreme Court here: https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=122861 Read the pleadings and orders in the original OG&E rate case appeal at the Oklahoma Supreme Court here: https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=appellate&number=122735